Komatsu Type 60

     Notes: The Type 60 SP 106mm Recoilless Gun is an old tank destroyer design, dating from the mid-1950s and predating the use of missile-based tank destroyers. The Type 60 was retired in the early 1980s.

     The Type 60 uses a low-profile, compact tracked mover chassis, with the recoilless rifles on the right side and the commander/gunner opposite them on the center of the vehicle to the rear and right of the driver.  The driver is on the front left and has three vision blocks, to the front and to the front left and right. The loader has a seat in the hull to the left of the commander/gunner. The engine is at the rear of the vehicle.

     The M40 106mm recoilless rifles elevate for firing and depress almost level with the top of the vehicle for travel; the commander/gunner’s seat is connected to the guns and elevates with them when the recoilless rifles raise for firing. Most sighting is done with the M40’s telescopic sights and the spotting rifle on the right recoilless rifle. The loader must stand (or at least crouch) on the rear engine deck when loading the recoilless rifles; the rounds are carried on the left running board in an armored box. A normal combat load calls for eight rounds in the ammunition box and two already loaded in the rifles. The weapons may be fired when raised or lowered; when lowered, traverse is limited to 20 degrees to each side and elevation ranges are -5 and +10 degrees. When raised, traverse is expanded to 30 degrees to each side and elevation ranges are -20 and +15 degrees. The elevation and traverse controls are manual, though the rifles and commander/gunner’s seat raise to firing position under electrical power.

     The original engine chosen for this vehicle was a 110-horsepower six-cylinder diesel.  Later, with the Type 60C, the standard engine became the 150-horsepower Komatsu SA4D105 four-cylinder diesel, responding to complaints of lack of mobility.