Another Japanese tank of interest.
Together with the Chi Ha medium tank , and probably the lilliputian Te-Ke, the most important tank of the Japanese Army. It served all fronts, in the Army as well as with the Navy, saw improvements and evolutions (guns and turrets and bogies). It was used widely throughout the war, even when it became clear that it was obsolete. It was a nimble and fast tank, reliable it seems and did its best til the last day. There is an interesting video on YouTube where you can see a captured one in American hands going under trial. It is quite impressive to watch.
As for the Chi Ha, you have a lot of documents on line you can use for free, which I assume will help you to decide what model you wanna reproduce.
I've had in a carton box this unfinished model for months and decided to finish it inspired by a few pictures from this book.
It's an excellent reference, I recommend! From the same book came the inspiration for the Chi Ha (see below).
The kit was sold in a white box together with infantrymen.it's not a Tamiya mold, but a Fine molds. The detail is quite good, but I think Dragon made a best job on its own. But for the price I couldn't resist. It includes a nice sheet of PE for the muffler protection as well a white metals parts. The tracks are not the best, a way to short giving no sagging , tension is high , it even broke the rear wheels and I had to fix this using metal rod. Otherwise it is an easy assembly giving no particular troubles.
As I said I was inspired by pictures form the book I mentioned. The tank I decided to reproduce as a white triangle in front, two rods for the use of an antenna, two tree trunks on the left side, and a large white rectangle on the rear of the tank body. Also on each side of the turret the hiragana "SHI" was written in a diamond. The diamond itself is painted on a dark color rectangle, dark green or black?
I used Gunze laquers, IJA set, tamiya weathering set and Mig mud for the final touch. some herbs are spread on the bogies and tracks.
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