Type 2 Ka-Mi
In service 1942 - 1945
An amphibious tank with detachable bow and stern pontoons, launched from submarines and landing craft into Pacific beachheads.
Built byMitsubishi
Photograph pending. No clearly licensed photograph of this vehicle was found.
Development history
Built for the Special Naval Landing Forces, the Ka-Mi took the Type 95 Ha-Go running gear into a welded watertight hull with large bolt-on pontoons and rudders that were dropped once ashore. It swam well, was better made than most Japanese tanks of the period and could be carried by submarine. Around 180 were built and they fought at Saipan, in the Marianas and at Leyte, usually dug in as static defences by the time the Americans reached them.
Variants
One canonical record, 2 recorded variants.
Type 2 Ka-Mi
1942Amphibious tank with detachable bow and stern pontoons.
Type 3 Ka-Chi
1943Larger amphibious tank on Type 1 Chi-He running gear with a 47 mm gun.
Notable actions
- Battle of Saipan
- Marianas
- Battle of Leyte