Tamiya 1/35 Type 97 Chi Ha

[Stikpusher]

I built this almost completely OOB, except for adding some scratch detail work to the inner faces of the TC hatch and some brass wire pins to add sag to the tracks.

This is my latest completion. Tamiya's 1975 vintage classic kit of the Type 97 Chi Ha tank. Building it was exceptionally easy. The only thing that Tamiya lagged on with this kit was the inner surfaces of the TC hatch. The are just flat surfaces. I had to research and scratch on a little detail there. It is not 100% accurate but better than before. The only other changes that I did to the kit was add some sheet styrene pieces to close off the lower sponsons, and add some brass pins to give the track some sag. Colors used were Gunze Mr Color IJA Armor colors. Weathering with Tamiya compact stuff. Markings are for the IJA 1st Independant Tank Company which saw action at Guadalcanal in October 1942.

















this last photo is posed with a 1/35 RPM kit of a Tashio 7.7mm "woodpecker" machine gun used by the IJA that I completed at the same time. A theoretical "quick & easy" build that was not... The latest additions to my slowly growing IJA 1/35 collection

[BsYamato]

Remember this excellent build

[Stikpusher]

Thank you BSY, Just trying to get the Armor forum here re populated...

[BsYamato]

I have about 5/6 1/72 started veichles and armour ,need to unfreeze them too

[Stikpusher]

Please do and show them here... the armor forum here needs more life!

[Thomas_M]

Saw a documentary on the Japanese seizing Singapore these days. There was some wartime footage of such tanks. Despite the British having no tanks of their own their anti tank guns easily punched holes into these tanks.

Interesting and different tank design. Will keep my eyes open to get a kit some day.

[Stikpusher]

It was a typical mid to late 1930's design. Thin armor, low velocity gun, etc. In its' favor it did have a good air cooled Diesel engine, one of the few tanks in the world at the time to do so. I built this in the markings of the 1st Independant Tank Company on Guadalcanal. The Marines' 37mm AT guns were more than up to the task of stopping these tanks there.

[LyleW]

thanks for the reposting. Still looks great.

[Stikpusher]

I will get a few more posted in here over the next while, just so the armor forum is not so quiet compared to those wingy thingies that I also build

[bitbite]

I hadn't seen this one before. Very nice, sir.