Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go light tank
Time for something that clanks. This 'lil beastie was the only enemy tank to tread on U.S. soil in WW2, a couple being present on frozen Kiska Island in the Aleutians. Dragon's new 1/35 Ha-go is a beauty, easy to build, low parts count. Only fly in ointment is Dragon's "DS" rubber band tracks, which were too long. I fixed them up by glueing wire to the top runs and bending for sag. The good thing about these is they take styrene or cyano glue. Not like the old ones that were impervious to all solvents. Ah, progress. Base paint is lightened Humbrol Khaki, the remaining colors were brush-painted with Vallejo's wonderful acrylics. Weathering was with my dwindling stock of Tamiya weathering sticks. Markings represent one of the bunch that ran over Malaya and Singapore in '41-'42.
Always good to have variety. Not a piece of armor I'm familiar with but yours looks like a good example. Well done Bill.
I'm sure I've seen these in old videos. Good job !
Another Koppos-built beauty. Excellent build & finish. Tracks are outstanding... only regarding armor models is the term saggy a compliment. 😉
Wow! Nice one!
There's a guy down in Phoenix who has one of these - they are damn small, believe me! Yours looks just right.
Reminds me of the old Japanese tank on display at Camp San Luis Obispo, California (and me in younger days!):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/F111A/Military%20Pix/116_1629_r1.jpg
Cool pic, but the tank behind you is one of ours. It's an M3 light tank "Stuart" but a neat one, as it's a very early model with sponson machine guns. And the military man cuts quite a figure.
OK, so much for the stories that it was a Japanese tank...who knew? I fell for it, that's for sure!
There really is a Japanese tank at Camp SLO...I just had the wrong one:
http://www.militarymuseum.org/Resources/Type97b.jpg
Now THAT is cool. That my man is a type 97 Te-Ke. Actually a tankette. Earlier tankettes only had machine guns but this monster was armed with a 37mm. Very few left.
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4020/5124219061_42795e057f_o.jpg
Did I mention they were small?
Looks like a nice model, Bill, and thanks for the comments about the Dragon kit. Love the word "tankette", sounds like something I drink my beer from!