Saturday 29 January 2011

Type 97-Kai Shinhoto Chi-Ha

The batch of Japanese vehicles I built some time ago and finally finished last week included a Fujimi kit of a Type 97-Kai Shinhoto Chi-Ha.  This version had the longer 47mm gun, the short 57mm having been identified as inadequate for dealing with enemy armour.  Or dry paper bags. 
The Fujimi kit goes together nicely and is compatible in size with the Airfix offering.  I went for a later colour scheme - current from 1942 onwards.  The commander was a metal figure I had lying around but I may well replace him if I find a better figure.  I bought this kit cheaply at a show many years ago - one reason for it's low price being the absence of any tracks.  These were quire difficult to replace as the originals are quite narrow with a single central row of teeth.  The spares box offered no obvious candidates, but then inspiration struck!  I ended up using a single track from a Matchbox Panther.  This was quite wide and had two rows of teeth, so I (carefully) cut it down the centre line, cut to the correct length and ended up with a pair of tracks which fitted my Chi-Ha!  Think of it as a belated technology transfer from the Reich.

13 comments:

David Crook said...

Hi Tim,

Loved the track idea - it never ceases to amaze me what an inventive lot us wargaming/modelling types can be!

How are the C an c Napoleonics coming along?

All the best,

DC

Tim Gow said...

David
One of my better rescue efforts I think!
As to C&C N - I have been away quite a bit recently, so no more activity to report as yet. Hopefully I'll manage to run another couple of games (1 solo and 1 with players) during Feb.

Bartender said...

Everything looks natural and from the same pack. Good job!

Tim Gow said...

Bartender
I got away with it again!

Al said...

That's a great great effort Tim, wish Japanese stuff was more available

Fire at Will said...

neat solution

Beccas said...

Great job mate.

Tim Gow said...

Al
There is actually a good range of Jap kit available - most of mine has come from Fujimi/Airfix (tanks), Irregular (guns), Hinchliffe (guns & tanks) and Frontline (tanks & lorries). Stand by for more of my Jap toys soon.

Tim Gow said...

Will & Beccas
It's a very neat model - Fujimi kits seem to work that way.

Paul said...

Another great looking tank. I have done the idea before with the tracks from the Panther but not with the same results. Mine looked quite crap compared to yours and they broke about two months later!

The fig looks fine as well, leave him be!

Tim Gow said...

Paul
Thanks. Where would we be without Panther tracks, eh?

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Now that's a kit I would like to have :)

I have a couple of the Fujimi tank destroyer variants

Nice persistance with teh track

Tim Gow said...

Geordie
I have one of the SP gun variants 'in stock'. Clearly this will be less of a challenge to build as the box does contain a set of tracks...