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Type 92 Chiyoda

1931 WORLD WAR 2

92 Chiyoda Story

In the early 1930s, the Chiyoda Automobile Works led the design and development of a new armored vehicle for the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The chassis uses a 6x6 wheel configuration based on the company's Q-Series trucks.

Solid tires with solid wheels and an armored superstructure were added to the chassis to create the Chiyoda armored vehicle, also known as the Type 92 in service with the IJA.

Armor protection protects the vehicle from front to rear. The front of the engine bay is lined with a slotted grille. The headlights feature multi-faceted armor panels. The driver, who is behind the engine compartment, sits in the front right. To his left is the position of the machine gunner (1 x Type 11 of 6.5 mm).

In addition, the hull superstructure contained multiple muzzles for the crew to use their personal weapons. The crew usually consists of five people, including the driver, vehicle commander and three full-time machine gunners.

Added a fully mobile turret with a machine gun on top of the armored superstructure. The cylindrical turret houses a machine gun (Model 1 x 11) in the front, is also armored to resist small arms fire, and has a rake on its starboard side for an upward-facing machine gun (Model 1 x 11).

The vehicle weighs 5.6 tons and the armor protection is 6 mm thick on various fairings. The car is 5 meters long, 1.9 meters wide and 2.6 meters high. Power comes from a single Wolseley 4-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 75 hp. Road speeds can reach 60 km/h.

At the time of its introduction, the Type 92 was the first Japanese armored vehicle to be designed and built locally. So far, the IJA has relied on many foreign types to fill this role.

The Type 92 emerged from testing and entered service in 1931, and quickly took part in the Japanese campaign against China. About 200 examples of this type were delivered during World War II (1939-1945). In addition to infantry support missions, the cars were used for local security in conquered areas as the Japanese army advanced.

Before the end of their service, the cars were equipped with the more powerful Type 91 6.5mm vehicle-mounted machine gun.

Over time, Type Cars went their own way and as early as 1937 the line was abandoned in favor of the Type 97 Te-Ke tank series. The tanks offered almost the same mobility but improved protection (up to 16mm) and firepower (1 x 37mm cannon; 1 x Type 97 7.7mm machine gun), bringing the number to 616.