The Type 95 Ha-Go was a light tank used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II with a primary purpose for infantry support. It weighed approximately 7.4 tons and was armed with a 37mm Type 94 tank gun and a 7.7mm Type 97 machine gun. It had a top speed of 25km per hour and a range of around 250km.
The Ha-Go saw extensive use in China, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. Because the tank had such weak armor (maximum 12 mm) and poor firing power, it was no match for the Allied tanks during World War Two.
This Type 95 Ha-Go light tank was photographed at The Tank Museum in Bovington, England 2017.
The Type 95 Ha-Go was a Japanese light tank used during the Second Sino-Japanese War and throughout World War II. Designed in the mid-1930s, it was intended for reconnaissance, infantry support, and mobile warfare in the Pacific theater. The Ha-Go was equipped with a 37mm Type 98 cannon, capable of engaging infantry and light armored vehicles but largely ineffective against heavier enemy tanks. It also featured a 7.7mm Type 97 machine gun for close combat defense.
The tank’s armor ranged from 12mm to 25mm in thickness, offering limited protection against heavier anti-tank fire, but it was sufficient for its intended role in more lightly defended areas. Weighing approximately 7.4 tons, it was highly maneuverable and had a top speed of around 40 km/h (25 mph) on roads. Its compact design and relatively low weight allowed it to traverse rough terrain and maneuver in dense jungles and urban environments.
Powered by a 120-horsepower engine, the Type 95 Ha-Go had a range of approximately 200 kilometers (124 miles), giving it reasonable endurance for extended operations. The tank’s light armor and armament, combined with its mobility, made it effective in the early stages of the war, though it became obsolete against more heavily armored Allied tanks later in the conflict. Around 2,300 units were produced between 1936 and 1943.
