TYPE 97 – CHI-HA JAPANESE MEDIUM TANK

With my growing interest in gaming the Pacific theater, fueled by the long anticipated release of TooFatLardies Pacific handbook for Chain of Command. It was time to equip my Japanese army with a troop of three Chi-Ha Kai tanks.

The 1:56/28mm scale plastic model of the Chi-Ha Kai is produced by Warlord Games: It’s very easy to assemble and comes with enough components to make either the Chi-Ha or the upgunned Chi-Ha Kai Shinhoto tank.

Here is how I painted the vehicles.

Apply a thin layer of watered down PVA mixed with fine pumice to simulate dirt and mud on the lower portions of the vehicle (tracks, wheels etc) allow to dry

Coat the whole model using a spray-can of suitable black primer

Encompass the whole vehicle with two thin coats of Vallejo Model Colour Green Brown 70.879 and allow to completely dry

The camouflage will comprise of strong well defined lines which are circular and curved in nature. Vallejo Model Colour Flat Brown 70.984 will be used to create the first layer of camouflage. 

Vallejo Model Colour Refractive Green 70.890 is used to create the second layer of camouflage. 

On completion of this stage the vehicle should appear to have been coated with 3 different colours, each equally encompassing 1/3 of the vehicle.

Apply a wash of Citadel Agrax Earthshade to the body of the vehicle and a wash of Citadel Nuln Oil to the tracks and wheels.

For the next step, you’ll need a thin dry brush and a fine tipped brush

Load the dry brush with Vallejo Model Colour Green Brown 70.879 wiping the brush on a paper towel to remove most of the paint. In tight very light circular motion, start applying the paint in the middle of the Green Brown Camouflage pattern and moving outwards just short of the already applied basecoat that has been washed over with Agrax Earthshade.

Next use a mix of 2:1 ratio mix of Vallejo Green Brown with Vallejo Ivory 70.918 applying the same technique as described above, starting in the middle and just short  of the previously highlight.

Finally use a mix of 1:1 ration of Vallejo Green Brown with Vallejo Ivory 70.918 and use the thin tipped brush to apply a very small light spot in the middle of the camouflage. 

Remember each highlight edge needs to fade into and blend with the previous applied highlight.

Follow the above step for both Vallejo Model Colour Flat Brown and Refractive Green. 

Use Vallejo Model Colour Black Grey 70.862 to paint the tracks, rubber of wheels, tools and machine guns

Once dry apply generous wash of Vallejo Model Colour Flat Earth 70.983 mixed with water over the tracks, wheels and lower portions of the vehicle.

Using a dry brush technique to highlight portions of the wheels, track and lower portions of the vehicle by lightly dry brushing, high spots with a Vallejo Model Colour Green Brown .

Tool handles can by painted with Vallejo Model Colour Brown Beige 70.875 and highlighted by mixing Vallejo Model Colour Basic Skintone 70.875.

Citadel leadbelcher paint can be used to highlight some portions of the tracks, the machine gun and corners of the tools.

Use Vallejo Model Colour Black Grey 70.862 to apply tiny specs on the panel simulating chipped paint.

Apply the supplied decals coat it with a suitable clear protective vanish and its ready for the gaming table

Cheers John

TYPE 4 HO-RO JAPANESE ASSAULT GUN

I managed to pick this up at MOAB at the bring and buy for a good price. It's use, by the Japanese was limited mainly to the Philippine campaign with a few making an appearance at Okinawa, in all only 12 of these vehicles were ever produced.

This is a plastic 28mm Italica model sold by Warlord games, one good thing abut this kit is that the sprues include the Chi-Ha and Kai Shinhuto turrets, so you may convert this vehicle into a tank.

Instead of gluing the top portion of the vehicle onto the hull, I instead glued two tiny magnets to the rear underside and used the exiting relocating nobs to secure the top portion of the vehicle.

I also glued a thin sheet of metal onto the hull so that the magnets can adhere to. I put together the tank turrets together (with some help with Greenstuff putty and some very small scratch built additions) with the same set up, so now you have a choice to either field two version of the Chi-Ha tank or Assault gun. 

CHEERS JOHN 

Anti-Tank Ditch, Road Block, Type 94 Tankette, Stoessis Heroes- Hiroo Onoda, Water Buffalo, Game Markers and Mule/Donkey

Another post with items for the Far East.

JAPANESE JITTERPARTY/SCOUT 

I decided to make 2 x 3 man teams to use as Support options for the Japanese. These can be used as a Jitter party and or scout team. I purposely make them look different to my Japanese main force by using caps instead of helmets and replacing the colour of their trousers to look like captured British trousers. I also added a strap for the rifle with Green stuff putty.

The figures are made of metal and are excellent sculpted figures available from Eureka.

Jitter party advancing to a British JOP.

HIROO ONODA 

This is a metal figure from Stoessis Heroes, nice sculpted figure again sporting captured British trousers and a Hexagon base to indicate he is a Senior Leader.

ROAD BLOCK 

Collected some twigs from the garden, cut them into short pieces,  roughly the same length and glued them together. I also added some branches with leaves to signified that they where hasty cut.   

JAPANESE TYPE 94 TANKETTE 

This is a very nice resin model of the tankette given to me by a friend. Its a tiny model as can be seen in comparison to the 28mm Japanese figure and the other Japanese main battle tanks.

ANTI TANK DITCH

The Anti tank ditches are made from thick outdoor canvas I found in my scrap bit in the garage. I cut into strips measuring 12" x 4", sprayed them black and added flock.

WATER BUFFOLO

These are from the plastic Pegasus 1/48 Farm Animal set. They are actually cows, with a bit of Milliput and Green Stuff putty to convert them into water buffalo. I also cut down two of the cows to simulate one as kneeling and the other as if in water.

SHOCK MARKERS  MARKERS 

We found that we were forgetting to roll for deployment of troops on the gaming table that were attacked with a Pre game Barrage/Air attack. To rectify this we used these markers next to a players JOPs when a Pre Game Barrage or Air Attack has been declared by their opponent. This  helped remind them to roll for deployment of  their troops under a Pre game/Air attack.

MULES/DONKEYS  

I used some old 25mm figures purchased at a bring and buy. I removed the figures and the saddle. I manipulated the metal horses to convert them, bending the horses heads legs with pliers and added  baggage with Milliput and Green Putty. 

I think they will come in handy with troops travelling through Jungle terrain. 

CHEERS JOHN