Na-To

Description

The Type 5 Na-To (試製七糎半対戦車自走砲「ナト」) was a tank destroyer and testbed for the Type 5 75 mm Cannon on the hull of the Type 4 Chi-So armoured tracked carrier. Although the IJA ordered them into production, barely any were completed before the end of the war.

The Type 5 Na-To was introduced along with the initial Japanese Ground Forces tree in Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai". It is a rather traditional tank destroyer of a simple vehicle chassis with a gun pasted on top. It is highly vulnerable to many battlefield weapons due to its weak overall armour, but if it can get the jump on an enemy, it can wreak havoc. Thus, one should not play the Na-To as a front-line weapon but as a sniper far back behind the front lines. This will ensure the Na-To will not become a priority target and also to maximize the gun's long-range capacity to take out targets. Watch frequently traveled roads and choke points for enemy, then blast them away before retreating to reload in case they are still active after the first shot.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour
• Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mount)

Notes:

• Suspension wheels and tracks are both 15 mm thick.
• Belly armour is 8.5 mm thick.

Mobility

Modifications and economy

Armaments

Main armament

Ammunition

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Na-To

Note:

• Left side empty: 21 (+19) shells.

Usage in battles

With the Lightweight Type I Model II tank gun, the Na-To presents a lethal gun that can penetrate all the the tanks at its 3.3 BR range. Assuming it is not upped by another vehicle in the line-up with a higher BR, the worst heavy tank the Na-To could face are the Soviet KV-1S and British Churchill Mk III, both with front armour easily penetrable by the Na-To's 75 mm gun at standard ranges without taking angling into consideration. However, the thin armour of the Na-To does mean that any tank it faces could defeat the Na-To, so always get the first shot off at the enemy.

Playing the Na-To as a sniper support from a long distance from the front-line will provide the Na-To increased survivability and also potentially more targets to aim at than with its limited traverse arc up close. If long range is not possible, keep the Na-To stationed at a cover's corner watching an enemy's frequented area. As soon as one shows up, blast away before retreating to cover.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• High penetrating 75 mm cannon can pretty much destroy any vehicle in its BR range.
• Gun can traverse a rather wide angle to the side.
• Six-man crew can provide some degree of crew loss before a crew knockout occurs.
• Rear ammo racks can lessen the chance of front penetrations detonating it.
• Excellent reloading speed for a gun of such high penetration and damage.
• The armour is sometimes too thin for APHE fuses to go off, causing little to no damage inside the vehicle.

Cons:

• Large vehicle, large target.
• Paper-thin armour of overall 12 mm.
• Front engine an easy target that will immobilize vehicle if hit.
• Open-top crew compartment exposes crew to artillery and airstrikes.
• All the crew are rather lined up, leading to shells able to knock out 2-4 crew members at a time.
• Two prominent ammo racks on the rear sides of the cabin, easy targets to ammo-rack kill.

History

The Type 5 Na-to was a tank destroyer based on the Type 4 Chi-So armored medium tracked carrier developed in 1945. It used a 75 mm tank gun, known as the Type I 75 mm. This was a lighter version of the Type II 75 mm tank gun used by the Chi-To and Chi-Ri.

The Na-To had two prototypes, known simply as the Na-To I and Na-To II. The Na-To I used a variant of the Type I 75 mm gun known as the "Type 1 75 mm Model I". The Na-To II used the Type I 75 mm Model II.

Following trials, the Na-To II was selected over the Na-To I to be mass-produced. An order was placed for 200 vehicles to be made, but by the end of the war only 70 of them were started, with none reaching completion.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Na-To from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• Marder III (H)
• SU-76M
• Pvkv m/43 (1946)
• Archer
• Sd.Kfz.251/22
• M3 GMC

External links

• [Wikipedia] Type 5 Na-To