| Type 5 Na-To | |
|---|---|
 Experimental 7.5cm self-propelled AT gun Na-To | |
| Type | Self-propelled anti-tank gun |
| Place of origin | Empire of Japan |
| Production history | |
| No. built | 2[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 15 tons[1] |
| Length | 5.80 meters[1] |
| Width | 2.40 meters[1] |
| Height | 2.75 meters[1] |
| Crew | 7[1] |
| Armor | 12 mm max[1] |
Main armament | Type 5 75 mm gun[1] |
Secondary armament | Type 97 7.7 mm machine gun |
| Engine | diesel 165 PS/2000 rpm 150 hp (110 kW) |
| Suspension | bell crank |
| Maximum speed | 40 km/h[1] |
TheType 5Na-To (五式砲戦車,Go-shiki hōsensha), officially known as theExperimental 7.5cm self-propelled anti-tank gun Na-To (試製七糎半対戦車自走砲 ナト,Shisei nana-senchimētoru hantaisensha jisōhō Na-To) was the penultimateself-propelled anti-tank gun developed by theImperial Japanese Army in 1945,[1] during the closing stages ofWorld War II.
Towards the end of thePacific War, Japanese field commanders realized that nothing in the inventory of the Japanese Army would be able to withstand the increasingly advanced tanks and armored vehicles fielded by theAllies, and that a more powerful version of theType 3 Ho-Ni III was necessary. Development was rushed through on a new design, which was completed in 1945.[2] The Japanese Army immediately issued an order for 200 units to be completed in 1945.[1] However, by that time production was impossible due to material shortages, and by thebombing of Japan in World War II, and testing was not yet completed by the end of the war.[3]
The Type 5 Na-To made use of the chassis and superstructure of theType 4 Chi-So armored medium tracked carrier.[1] The superstructure had an open top and rear, with an enclosed armored drivers cab. For the Type 5 Na-To there was added a "shielded platform" for its main gun.[4] Its main anti-tank armament consisted of aType 5 75 mm tank gun, which was the same gun mounted in theType 4 Chi-To medium tank. The gun was a variant of the JapaneseType 4 75 mm AA gun.[1][2][5]
The Type 5 Na-To tank destroyer was intended to become part of the defenses of theJapanese home islands against the projectedAllied Invasion. By the time of thesurrender of Japan, only two units had been completed and hadfield testing done.[1]
