The Japanese Type 2 Ka-Mi amphibious tank had a crew of 5. That crew operated the tank's weapons, drove the vehicle, handled communications, and supported its unusual waterborne equipment.
The Ka-Mi was the Imperial Japanese Navy's first amphibious tank. Mitsubishi based it on the Imperial Japanese Army's Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, but redesigned the hull with welded construction, rubber seals, and detachable flotation pontoons so it could swim.
Its crew arrangement reflected the complexity of amphibious operation. The tank commander controlled steering in the water through cables connected to rudders, while an onboard mechanic helped monitor the propulsion system. A Mitsubishi A6120VDe six-cylinder diesel powered both land movement and the rear propellers used for swimming.
Designed in 1941 and produced from 1942 to 1943, the Ka-Mi carried a Type 1 37 mm gun and two Type 97 machine guns. It first saw combat during the Guadalcanal campaign, but many vehicles arrived too late for the large amphibious invasions they had originally been intended to support.