Type 5 Chi-Ri
Japanese Empire (1944) Medium Tank protoype The last medium, designed to kill the Sherman. The Type 5 Chi-Ri (五式中戦車 チリ Go-shiki chusensha Chi-ri) was one of the last Japanese tank model to reach the prototype phase during WWII. Not a heavy tank, but a medium, it was designed to be more heavier and powerful than the Type 4 Chi-To. It was designed to be a Killer of Shermans, and would have been the closest Imperial Japan would get to a vehicle as deadly as the German Tiger or Panther. Development and Design The Type 5 Chi-Ri was based on a lengthened version of the Type 4 Chi-To chassis (8 road wheels), with thicker sloped welded armor. This included 75 mm (2.95 in) on the frontal glacis, and from 25 to 50 mm (0.98-1.97 in) on the sides, rear and turret. Initially, it was to be powered by a Mitsubishi diesel engine, but a 800 hp V-12 gasoline-fueled aircraft engine designed by BMW, licence built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, was selected instead. There were