Japanese Ordnance Material of WW II

Matrix Games Forums

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

Japanese Ordnance Material of WW II

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> War In The Pacific - Struggle Against Japan 1941 - 1945 >> Scenario Design >> Japanese Ordnance Material of WW II

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Japanese Ordnance Material of WW II - 7/10/2007 10:04:31 PM

Mifune

Posts: 787
Joined: 4/28/2005
From: Florida
Status: offline

I found this site interesting and wanted to pass it on. This page covers Japanese AFV's and small arms. http://www.wlhoward.com/museum/id577.htm

_____________________________

Perennial Remedial Student of the Mike Solli School of Economics. One day I might graduate.

Post #: 1

RE: Japanese Ordnance Material of WW II - 7/10/2007 11:56:25 PM

Dili

Posts: 4708
Joined: 9/10/2004
Status: offline

Nice one.

(in reply to Mifune)

Post #: 2

RE: Japanese Ordnance Material of WW II - 7/12/2007 1:30:46 AM

el cid again

Posts: 16922
Joined: 10/10/2005
Status: offline

This site is slightly more respectful of Japanese tanks than is normal in the West - but it has missed some salient points.

a) Japanese armor was DERIVED FROM Western vehicles - and in that sense does NOT differ from them in concept - but often was (as reverse enginering usually is) somewhat improved. Confusion arises because these vehicles were often used for a long time - and because terminology is misleading. Thus - a "tankette" in Japan is very similar to its Western counterparts - but by WWII we didn't call them "tankettes" any more - and in some cases they were no longer tracked.
No one thinks a Bren Carrier is silly - but a Japanese tankette is ridiculed. The concept was that this was to be an ammunition carrier - not a front line vehicle - and there was provision to carry ammunition boxes (or two soldiers) in the original form - at the rear. If you think of a Japanese "tankette" as an "ammo carrier", a Japanese "light tank" as a tracked armored car, and a Japanese "medium tank" as a light tank - and a Japanese "heavy tank" as a medium tank, the way they were used makes more sense.

b) Japanese armor led the world in development of diesel engines - and diesel engines for cold weather operation. This became virtually universal post WWII - but Japan developed it PRE WWII. Diesel is far less prone to fires and somewhat more fuel efficient. This was part of a broader trend to diesel in military vehicles - which Japan pioneered - and which eventually the world imitated. Civilian vehicles might use other fuels as well - coal gas for example. Yet another fuel technology - being investigated again now in the USA - was conversion of coal to a liquid fuel. Japanese vehicle technology was oriented toward reducing the requirement of petroleum distillates as a strategic requirement. It is at least an interesting concept - and might become much more so if the cost of gasoline and diesel continues to rise.

c) Japanese vehicles of all sorts were "self fueling" - or could be. By law ALL civilian vehicles had to be - and were.
But military vehicles could be - appropriately fitting. A number of schemes were used - the most common being a wood burning fuel conversion device mounted on the vehicle (which made a usable fuel).

< Message edited by el cid again -- 7/12/2007 1:37:29 AM >

(in reply to Mifune)

Post #: 3

Page: [1]

All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> War In The Pacific - Struggle Against Japan 1941 - 1945 >> Scenario Design >> Japanese Ordnance Material of WW II

Page: [1]