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Description
After the surrender, the Imperial Japanese military was disarmed and all military production capability disbanded. It was only after the Korean War that the Americans authorized Japan to re-arm and form what is now the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF), initially providing some M4A3E8 Shermans and M24 Chaffees. But a new domestic tank was ordered in 1955, taking cues from American tank designs such as the M26 Pershings but accounting for the smaller average stature of Japanese tank crews.

Since being officially adopted by Japan's Ground Self Defense Force in 1961, the Type 61 tank has been in continuous service for 30 years before being replaced by the sophisticated Type 74 and then the Type 90 tanks.
Designed from the outset to carry a 90mm main gun, the tank also had to be able to traverse the narrow roads and be transported on narrow railways throughout Japan. The resulting tank weighed 35 tons. The gun was produced by the Japan Steel Works Ltd., based on the US M3A1 gun. The gun is mounted in a cast steel turret, elevated either manually or by hydraulic pressure. Manual loading enabled a rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute. Auxiliary armament includes a 12.7mm M2 machine gun mounted on the commander's cupola, and a 7.62mm M1919A4 machine gun mounted co-axially wth the main gun. Powered by a Mitsubishi Type 12 HM21WT air-cooled V-12 cylinder diesel engine capable of 570 hp that provided a top speed of approximately 45 km/h. Torsion-bar suspension was used with single-pin tracks. Smoke dischargers were added to protect this venerable armored vehicle in the front lines of Japan's self-defense operations.

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Been on a good mood over the past week and drew a couple of tanks. More to follow!

Description
After the surrender, the Imperial Japanese military was disarmed and all military production capability disbanded. It was only after the Korean War that the Americans authorized Japan to re-arm and form what is now the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF), initially providing some M4A3E8 Shermans and M24 Chaffees. But a new domestic tank was ordered in 1955, taking cues from American tank designs such as the M26 Pershings but accounting for the smaller average stature of Japanese tank crews.

Since being officially adopted by Japan's Ground Self Defense Force in 1961, the Type 61 tank has been in continuous service for 30 years before being replaced by the sophisticated Type 74 and then the Type 90 tanks.
Designed from the outset to carry a 90mm main gun, the tank also had to be able to traverse the narrow roads and be transported on narrow railways throughout Japan. The resulting tank weighed 35 tons. The gun was produced by the Japan Steel Works Ltd., based on the US M3A1 gun. The gun is mounted in a cast steel turret, elevated either manually or by hydraulic pressure. Manual loading enabled a rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute. Auxiliary armament includes a 12.7mm M2 machine gun mounted on the commander's cupola, and a 7.62mm M1919A4 machine gun mounted co-axially wth the main gun. Powered by a Mitsubishi Type 12 HM21WT air-cooled V-12 cylinder diesel engine capable of 570 hp that provided a top speed of approximately 45 km/h. Torsion-bar suspension was used with single-pin tracks. Smoke dischargers were added to protect this venerable armored vehicle in the front lines of Japan's self-defense operations.

=====

Been on a good mood over the past week and drew a couple of tanks. More to follow!