It is the medium tank of the Japanese Imperial Army. It was built in September 2014. I blended Tamiya enamel and finished it.
I’ll make the Imperial Japanese Army tank after a long absence. It is one of the Japanese army’s main tanks in the Pacific War.
Because it’s the notched tooth, sanding the parting lines took a little time. I filed all the lines, including road wheels.
This belt-type caterpillar is tight as it is. I make slack a little like the following.
The plastic adhesion bond can attach this belt caterpillar; I make the tread slacks with tissues and fix the contact part with the upper instruction wheels with adhesive.
The photo-etched exhaust pipe cover has excellent looking. I need to be careful not to clog the small mesh when I paint the body.
There seem to be harmful effects on the caterpillar tread when I use too much adhesive. Lightly slacking is enough.
I completed the assembly. It’s a tiny turret with one main cannon and two machine guns front and rear.
I wonder if the figure crew is attached or not. So the turret hatch remains open.
The circular thing around the turret is a radio antenna. Like these, it’s one of the Japanese tank’s epoch-making points. German tanks equipped radio equipment quickly and kept the superiority of tactical operation.
(15-September-2014)
For a vivid yellow color, I blew this first and masking.
Though it was not a good quality thing to show other people, I did a full scratch figure with a light feeling because there was no Japanese Imperial tank crew at hand. The nightmare of several years ago revived. When I made the German Steyr 1500, I was challenged to make many scratch figures but gave up full-scratch without getting along well. At that time, I could not make head and hand, which were too difficult for me.
It is a too-thin chest, and many other failures point this time, but it’s a good experience of making head and hand (holding hand is more accessible) for the first time for me. The figure making is challenging work but enjoyable.
This tank’s camouflage patterns are sharp, so I painted by brush. Mr. color released particular color for the Japanese Imperial tank set, but I wouldn’t say I like lacquer paint by handwriting. I like enamel paint.
Green is mixed with Dark Green and Khaki, Brown is mixed with Hull Red and Desert Yellow, and Earth color is mixed with Flat Earth and Khaki and Flat Brown. I suppose these colors are pretty close to the original.
(22-September-2014)
I made this Japanese military tank after a long blank. I painted with Tamiya enamel paint; it’s difficult to mix colors for Japanese original tank colors.
The star mark under the headlight, clear headlight parts and the Japanese flags are good appeal points. Looking very nice.
The Japanese tank looks like a small gun turret when I look at it from this angle. The body looks big by comparison with the gun turret but is almost the same as the 5.56m of the Germany III tank; this tank’s length is 5.55m. The caterpillar I made slack forcibly became a slightly strange shape.
This kit has clear parts of the tail light, which are Orange, green, and red-lined lights, and one red light.
I had challenging weathering paint for a camouflaged tank this time. The dirt of the red earth on the side, front, and rear chassis, and the top surface was dusted whitish.
Ummm, it became a dark side of my history… I made a full scratch figure from clay but failed. But I performed it until the painting was completed. He is the second lieutenant of the Japanese tank crew. It is the first full scratch, but hard to finish with sharp detail.
The marking of this tank is the 9th tank regiment 5th company in Saipan Is. 1944.
The yellow line affects to loss of the outline of the vehicle, and visibility seems to fall from the enemy’s search. Some of my photo’s tank outline blurs and are effective camouflage.
The tank was used in the south island where the rain squall fell daily and was considered severe. The tanks were covered with rust and dirt immediately.
The small mesh of muffler cover had been buried partly, but I think it’s a good atmosphere generally.
A three-color light on the left side of the hatch is peculiar and interesting. The copper metallic headband antenna is a good accent, too.
A small and cozy impression of a Type 97 CHI-HA tank. The caterpillar tread is good enough with the belt but shows a desire; one option is a separated track link caterpillar which would be improved completeness. Anyway, I enjoyed it thoroughly and learned many things.
(27-September-2014)
