Type SU 60 106mm Recoilless Japanese Rifle Tank.

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

I have always loved this vehicle.
I think that just how mechanical and strange it looks is a huge plus.

That, and I love recoilless rifles. While no good for lots of tasks, the ONTOS in Vietnam clearly showed the possible applications of modern day recoilless rifles. Cheap, accurate, and able to throw a large ammount of explosives medium range at a competitive price. Quite frankly, I dont know why there wasn’t a huge surge of designs immitating the Ontos!! My guess is that it was so cheap, and effective, industry leaders scoffed at it. I mean, after all, it didnt take billions and billions of dollars and years to complete. But I digress,

Nothing I had ever read had very much information on this design. Then, I picked up an old copy of Armored Fighting Vehicles Of The World by Christopher F. Foss (1977), and it had a big page on it.

The Type 60 106mm Recoilless Rifle was the first postwar Japanese fighting vehicle, entering service in the early 70’s!!! Thats one gigantic historical milestone!

And, much to my incredible glee, the Japanese still have them in service! (according to Janes Tank Recognition guide 2002). Maybe they realised that the recoilless rifle is -useless- in its original intended role, but it is incredibly effective in exactly the way the Ontos demonstrated, and have thus decided to keep it on. I dont know, but I think its incredibly cool.

Does anyone else like this design? Has anyone made a model of it? I would love to hear additional information concerning it.

-Ben.

P.S. Here is a page in French with lots of pictures. Cant read it, but dang good pics at the bottom of the page.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/Asie/Japon/vehicules_legers/SU60_106mm/Type60_106mm_japon_description.htm
Look at how the entire gun section, cuppola and all, raise up when needed! How raging cool is that?

2

Very interesting AFV. I wonder about the survivability of the crew?

3

When I did my AT training, in the mid 80’s, we used the 106mm recoiless rifle (actually a 105 but labled 106 so as not to confuse ammunition distribution). We were instructed to set up in front of our troops and facing back at them. The reason being that the only way to score an effective hit was to tag the AFV in the rear after it passed you.

But as a model, this is a really interesting subject. I would love to put together a technical vehicle. It’s basically an easily available truck with a recoiless rifle, or other weapon, home rigged in the back - such as African militia would rig up in Somalia or Rwanda.

4

looks like a good design for a tank. if it had a turret itd be perfect for street fightin. plus it has a low profile. wonder ho itd be with depleted uranium armor…

5

The JGSDF does indeed still use them. As soon I get back to Osaka, I’ll post some pix of me towering over one of those little rascals at a recent open house at Camp Imazu in Shiga Prefecture.
Those things are in such good shape, you’d never guess they’re over 45 years old!