The four-wheeled, tracked armored observation vehicle is designed to run on either wheels or tracks. Four pneumatic-tired wheels are mounted on the outside of the tracks. These may be lowered when the vehicle is stopped, by power take-off from the transmission, thus raising the tracks from the ground. It is operated by a crew of five.
The superstructure is constructed of sloping, welded plate ranging from 10 to 15 mm in thickness. The hull is roomy due to the absence of a basket and turret. The driver’s entrance is located forward in the right side of the hull. There are two double doors at the rear and two hatches, with double-hinged flaps, on the roof. A railing type of aerial for W/T is fitted round the top of the superstructure.
The track suspension, used for difficult terrain, consists of six small hollow steel bogie wheels on each side mounted on four hull stub axles. The front and rear bogie wheels are mounted singly and each is sprung by a coil spring. The remaining four are in articulated pairs sprung by coil springs. There are also a front drive sprocket, rear idler, and four hollow steel return rollers. A girder connects the first three hull stub axles on the outside of the suspension assembly.
The alternate suspension, used for normal terrain and hard roads, consists of four pneumatic-tired wheels sprung on torsion bars with a wheel base of 7 feet, 10 inches.
The vehicle is powered by a 4-cylinder, water-cooled Diesel engine rated at 70 horsepower. The power train is comprised of a single-plate, multiple-spring type clutch incorporated in the flywheel, a synchromesh transmission with five speeds forward and one reverse, controlled differential, and final drive reduction gears to the sprockets.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Weight | 7 tons | |
| Length | 14 ft., 10 1/2 ins. | |
| Width | 7 ft., 4 1/2 ins. | |
| Height (on tracks) | 7 ft., 3 ins. | |
| Height (on wheels) | 7 ft., 7 ins. | |
| Ground clearance | 12 ins. (on tracks) | |
| Tread centers | 4 ft., 3 ins. | |
| Ground contact | 7 ft., 9 ins. | |
| Width of track | 9 1/2 ins. | |
| Size tires | 8.25 x 20 | |
| Wheel base | 7 ft., 10 1/2 ins. | |
| Fording depth | 3 ft. (on wheels) | |
| Theoretical radius of action | ||
| Roads | 310 miles (on wheels) | |
| Cross-country | 62 miles (on tracks) | |
| Speed | ||
| Roads | Unknown | |
| Cross-country | Unknown | |
| Armor | ||
| Front plate | 15 mm | |
| Sides | 10 mm | |
| Armament | L.M.G. | |
| Ammunition | ||
| Engine | Diesel, 4 cyl., 70 hp. | |
| Transmission | Synchromesh—5 speeds forward, 1 reverse | |
| Steering | ||
| Tracks | Controlled differential | |
| Wheels | Normal steering wheel | |
| Crew | 5 |
German: p. 48
The Japanese multiple power observation telescope has three powers: 33X, 24X, and a third degree of magnification which has not been determined because of the absence of a third eyepiece in the instrument examined. Selection is made by rotating a dome-shaped holder in which the three eyepieces are mounted. This is somewhat similar to the turret head employed in motion picture cameras and to the selective eyepiece head of compound microscopes.