At its core, the Type 1 was of a highly conventional design layout utilizing a barrel attached to a breech system, a two-wheeled carriage and an integrated shield protection plate. The breech, carried over from the German PaK 35/36 design, was semi-automatic in nature, allowing for an above-average rate-of-fire - a trained crew could fire about 15 projectiles within a 60-second window. The semi-automatic breech took care of ejecting spent casings and closing automatically upon insertion of a fresh projectile. The personal shield plate was well-sloped to help repel small arms fire and artillery "splash" and was larger in surface area towards the top edge. The weapon system sat on a split-trail carriage and was portable enough that a crew could easily move the system from position to position and begin firing. The carriage attached to vehicles by the ends of its trail arms for transportation. The arms were used for stabilization when firing, opening out at 60-degree angles. The steel disc wheels were simple sponge-filled rubber tires. Once in operational service, the Type 1 succeeded in proving to be a very portable and reliable system - be it by vehicle or "pack" animal.
The Type 1 weighed in at approximately 1,760lbs and featured a barrel length of 8.3 feet. The featured cartridge was listed as "47x285mm R" in official caliber (1.85 inches) and the weapon sported a muzzle velocity of 2,723 feet per second. Maximum range was out to 7,546 yards with aiming accomplished via a "straight" telescope. Traverse range was +- 50 degrees with elevation capable between -10 and +20 degrees.
The Type 1 was cleared to fire two distinct projectiles, these being the Type 1 Armored Piercing, High Explosive (APHE) round and the Type 1 High-Explosive Round (HE). The APHE projectile weighed in at 3.37lbs and was the primary shell to be used against armored targets. At 500 yards, the APHE shell could penetrate flat facing armor up to 2.75 inches thick, this degrading to 1.6 inches at ranges of 1,500 yards. Conversely, the HE shell was used against "soft" targets such as infantry positions and weighed in at 3.08lbs.
In the end, however, production of the Type 1 was never at the levels required to make much of an imprint in the Pacific Theater. Allied gains in the region were such that Japanese Army personnel often used whatever became available to them in terms of stopping tanks. Additionally, Allied tanks were becoming heavier with their thicker armor by late in the war and the arrival of the M4 Sherman soon proved American tanks impervious to any low-caliber anti-tank system the Japanese could field. Despite its shortcomings, the Type 1's barrel system was earmarked for production as the main gun in the Type 97 Chi-Ha light tank - the Japanese were "done in" partly by their centering production on such light armored systems and, with Allied gains made on a seemingly month-to-month basis, a clear Japanese victory was evermore in doubt by early 1945. A "favorable surrender" would be pursued by the end of the war instead.
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