Type 19 Medium Tank

From Ordic Encyclopedia
Type 19

A Type 19 in exercises at the Apasiri Royal Army Depot, 1940
Type Medium tank
Place of origin  Chisei
Service history
In service 1938 - 1945
Used by Chiseian Royal Army
Wars Second Escar-Varunan War
Production history
Manufacturer Chiotanne
Produced 1938 - 1940
Number built 6,208
Variants See variants
Specifications
Weight 27 t
Length 5.64 m
Width 2.72 m
Height 3.12 m
Crew 7

Armour 51 mm (hull front, turret front, sides, and rear)
38 mm (hull sides and rear)
Main
armament
1 × 75 mm Chiotanne Type 14 Gun in hull (46 rounds)
1 × 37mm Gun M5/M6 in turret (178 rounds)
Secondary
armament
2–3–4 × 7.62 mm Type 12 machine guns (9,200 rounds)
Engine Kendou 128-C
300 kW (400 hp)
Suspension vertical volute spring
Operational
range
193 km
Speed 42 km/h (road)
26 km/h (off-road)

The Type 19 was a Chiseian medium tank used during the Second Escar-Varunan War. It was unofficially nicknamed the Furukame (古亀, 'Old Turtle') by its crews.

Design began in 1937, and the first vehicles were operational by late 1938. Faced with superior Yamataian armoured forces, the Royal Army was in urgent need of a tank with a 75mm armament, leading to a number of compromises in the design to facilitate rapid production. Based off the earlier Type 17, the Type 19 had excellent armour and firepower, but at the cost of a high silhouette, a riveted construction, poor off-road performance and an archaic sponson mounting for the main armament that prevented the vehicle from taking a hull down position. Early units also suffered from frequent mechanical issues due to manufacturing inexperience and material shortages.

Despite these issues, Chisei's desperate strategic situation meant the Type 19 would remain in service in large numbers throughout the entirety of the war, surpassed only in production by the more refined Type 21. Yamataian accounts generally consider it to be equal or superior to most early war Yamataian designs.

Development

Operational history

Variants

Designs based on chassis

Operators

See also