Chi-Ha Kai in the PLA
When the Soviets invaded Japanese controlled Manchuria, they captured many of the Chi-Ha Kai tanks and donated them to the Communist Mao Zedong’s People’s Liberation Army, who at the time began fighting Chiang Kai Shek’s Nationalist Army during the Chinese Civil War just after WWII.
Chi-Ha Kai in the Pacific
The Japanese Chi-Ha Kai was more than sufficient for dealing with allied M2A4, M3 Stuart and M5 Stuart light tanks from 1942-1944, however with the introduction of the M4 Sherman, it was outclassed and could only deal with the Shermans only from the sides against its thinner side armour. The Chi-Ha Kai first saw combat at Corregidor in 1942 whilst the M4 Sherman first saw combat in Tarawa, 20th November 1943.
Chi-Ha Kai could penetrate;
M2A4 Light up to 2000 meters
M3 Stuart up to 1250 meters
M5 Stuart up to 1000 meters
The Japanese did develop more advanced medium tanks to counter the M4 Sherman, tho they were never deployed outside of the home islands. The “Chi-Nu” was a stop gap tank which could penetrate the M4 Sherman up to 500-600 meters frontally. As for the “Chi-To”, it could penetrate the M4 Sherman up to 1400-1500 meters frontally.
Type 1 47mm L/48 Tank Gun
Type 1 AP (1.5kg shell)
Penetration:
86mm @ 0m at 0 ° — 810m/s
66mm @ 0m at 30 °
37mm @ 0m at 60 °
64mm @ 500m at 0 ° — 657m/s
52mm @ 500m at 30 °
29mm @ 500m at 60 °
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Chi-Ha Kai vs M4 Sherman
• M4 from the Front - Penetration not Possible
• M4 from the Sides at 0 ° - Up to 1350m
• M4 from the sides at 30 ° - Up to 1050m
• M4 from the sides at 45 ° - Up to 550m
• M4 from the sides at 55 ° - Up to 325m
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The U.S. report on the Chi-Ha Kai also concluded that the 47mm Tank Gun was very effective against the side armour of M4A3 Shermans in combat situations.
“Moreover, tests show that the 47-mm tank gun will penetrate the U.S. M4A3 at 500 yards or more”
Source
“The Most Effective Jap Tank” from Intelligence Bulletin, July 1945
