Type 2 Ka-Mi
Type 2 Ka-Mi with its flotation sections attached
Type	Amphibious light tank
Place of origin	Empire of Japan
Service history
Used by	Imperial Japanese Navy
Production history
Designed	1941
Produced	1942–1943
No. built	182–184[1][2]
Specifications
Mass	12.3 tons (9.15 tons without flotation pontoons)
Length	7.42 m (4.80 m without flotation pontoons)
Width	2.79 m
Height	2.34 m
Crew	5
Armor	6–12 mm front
Main armament	Type 1 37 mm tank gun[1]
Secondary armament	2x Type 97 7.7 mm machine guns[1]
Engine	Mitsubishi A6120VDeair-cooled inline 6-cylinderdiesel 115 hp (84.6 kW)
Power/weight	9.3 hp/tonne
Suspension	bellcrank
Operational range	170 km (land) 140 km (swimming)
Maximum speed	37 km/h (land) 10 km/h (swimming)

The "special amphibious tank Type 2Ka-Mi" (特二式内火艇　カミ,Toku-ni-shiki naikatei kami) was the firstamphibious tank of theImperial Japanese Navy (IJN). The Type 2 Ka-Mi was based on theImperial Japanese Army'sType 95 Ha-Go light tank with major modifications. It first saw combat service during theGuadalcanal campaign in late 1942.

As early as 1928, the Japanese Army had been developing amphibious tanks and created several experimental models such as theSumida amphibious armored car (AMP), SR I-Go,SR II Ro-Go, SR III Ha-Go, which were produced only as one-off prototypes for concept testing in the 1930s. Each of the SR series were 3.6 to 7 tonne amphibious tanks with a 2 to 3 man crew, and armed with machine guns.^[3][4]

In 1940, theImperial Japanese Navy (IJN) took over development of amphibious vehicles. Mitisubishi used the knowledge gained from the SR program and theType 95 Ha-Go light tank as a base. TheType 1 Mi–Sha a/k/a/ "Type 1 floating tank Ka-Mi" was the first IJN prototype produced.^[5] The Type 1 led to the development of the Type 2 Ka-Mi being produced in 1942. The Type 2 Ka-Mi was designed for the IJN'sSpecial Naval Landing Forces for theamphibious invasion ofPacific Islands without adequate port facilities, and for variousspecial operations missions.^[6] The Type 2 Ka-Mi tanks were organized into "several amphibious tank units".^[7] Beginning in 1942, only 182 to 184 units of this tank were built.^[1][2]

The Type 2 Ka-Mi was based on the army's Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, but with an all-welded hull with rubber seals in place of the riveted armor. It was intended to be water-tight. Large, hollowpontoons made from steel plates were attached to the frontglacis plate and rear decking to give the necessary buoyancy.^[8] The front pontoon was internally divided into two "symmetrical sections" and each one was divided into three separate watertight compartments to minimize the effects of damage from flooding and shellfire.^[9] The pontoons were attached by a system of "small clips" with a release inside the tank, to be engaged once it landed for ground combat operations.^[10] The pontoons were filled withkapok.^[11]

Itsgun turret had ahigh-velocityType 1 37 mm gun and a coaxialType 97 light machine gun. A second Type 97 light machine gun was located in the tank's bow.^[1]

The tank was capable of attaining speeds of 10 km/h in the water with a range of 140 km through two propellers situated at the rear of the hull, powered by the tank's engine.^[12] Steering was in the control of the tank commander, who operated a pair of rudders from the turret through cables. The crew included an onboard mechanic.^[13] According toSteven J. Zaloga, it was the "best designed amphibious tank of the war".^[10]

The Type 2 Ka-Mi came into active service after the initial campaigns ofWorld War II, and thus for the most part was too late to be used in its original design mission of amphibious landings. Many units were assigned to detachments of theSpecial Naval Landing Force (SNLF) at IJN bases at Sasebo, Maizuru,Yokosuka, and Kure.^[14]

The Type 2 Ka-Mi was first used in combat during theGuadalcanal campaign in late 1942. Later they were encountered by theUnited States Marine Corps in theMarshall Islands andMariana Islands, particularly onSaipan, where they supported the Yokosuka Base SNLF in its failed amphibious operation.^[15] They were used during the fighting on the Philippine island of Leyte in late 1944 when they supported the 101st SNLF at Ormoc Gulf and also used piecemeal in the fighting for Luzon.^[16] According to Ralph Zumbro in his book "Tank Aces", several Ka-Mi were destroyed by US ArmyLVT-1s off the coast of Leyte during history's only amphibious tank vs. amphibious tank action; this is doubtful, however, as most Ka-Mi tanks were destroyed after they came ashore at Ormoc.^[17] A handful more were captured by US Army troops on Luzon in 1945, as well as several others captured by Australian and Commonwealth troops.^[10]

Patriot Park, Kubinka, Moscow Oblast, Russia has a Type 2 Ka-Mi on display. It is complete with its front and rear pontoons. It was formerly on display in theKubinka Tank Museum. A near complete hull is located near the airport inBabeldaob,Palau. Another specimen is located in Koror,Palau. The latter is notable in that there is still a heavy anti-aircraft machine gun mounted on the rear pontoon. These two tanks were once located in the center of Babeldaop Island in the late 1980s. They had actually been buried by the Japanese either to keep them out of American hands after their surrender, or as defensive fortifications. After the war they were unearthed by locals. They were subsequently moved, one to the Old Communications center south of the airport, and one to Koror as part of war memorial displays. The list below includes ones mentioned and others that have survived in one form or another.

• Patriot Park, Kubinka, Russia^[18]
• Victory Park, Poklonnaya Hill, Russia^[18]
• Koror, Palau^[18]
• Near Airai Village, Airai, Palau^[18]
• Five tanks northeast of Camp Katuu, Airai, Palau (one is about 3 km away)^[18]
• Private property, Arakabesang Island, Palau^[18]
• Two tanks onShumshu, Kuril Islands, Russia (one is on the southwest coast)^[18]

• 
  Type 2 Ka-Mi on Koror Island. The Type 96 autocannon was likely added post-war.
• 
  Type 2 Ka-Mi in Victory Park, Russia.
• 
  Type 2 Ka-Mi in Patriot Park, Russia.

• DD tank - World War II British tank flotation system
• T-38 - World War II, Soviet amphibious tank

• Foss, Christopher (2003).Great Book of Tanks: The World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to the Present Day. Zenith Press.ISBN 0-7603-1475-6.
• Hara, Tomio (1973).Japanese Combat Cars, Light Tanks, and Tankettes. AFV Weapons Profile No. 54. Profile Publications Limited.
• Rottman, Gordon L.; Takizawa, Akira (2008).World War II Japanese Tank Tactics. Osprey Publishing.ISBN 978-1846032349.
• Tomczyk, Andrzej (2003).Japanese Armor Vol. 3. AJ Press.ISBN 978-8372371287.
• Zaloga, Steven J. (2007).Japanese Tanks 1939–45. Osprey Publishing.ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
• Zumbro, Ralph (1997),Tank Aces, Pocket Books/Simon&Schuster,ISBN 0-671-53612-5

Wikimedia Commons has media related toType 2 Ka-Mi.

• Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page - Akira Takizawa
• WWII DrawingsArchived 2009-01-03 at theWayback Machine
• Kubinka Tank MuseumArchived 2009-06-04 at theWayback Machine
• Ka-Mi amphibious tank wreck on Koror, Palau

• World War II tanks of Japan
• Light tanks of Japan
• Amphibious tanks
• History of the tank
• Mitsubishi
• Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles containing Japanese-language text
• Commons category link from Wikidata
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