Just finished a Warlord Games Imperial Japananese Army Type 94 Tankette for my Bolt Action Japanese army.
This is a great little model with the emphasis on little.
The Japanese vehicle was designed as part of the armour-on-the-cheap fad for tankettes in Europe in the 30s. Most military powers had abandoned them as useless by WWII. Japan lacked the industrial capacity and soldiered on with obsolete equipment. 823 were manufactured between 1935 to 1940.
They were intended to be used as light cavalry reconnaissance vehicles, tractors and infantry support (with a single MMG).
This photo shows the Type 94 with the two most common Japanese tanks of WWII. In the centre is the Type 95 light tank (1599 produced) and the Type 97 medium tank (1465 in the original version as above and an improved version with an anti-tank gun).
The model posed with a Warlord Tommy, just to emphasise it Lilliputian qualities.
This is also a useful model for VBCW and other interwar scenarios.
I must admit that I have a soft spot for tankettes. Cute but utterly useless.
ReplyDeleteUtter death traps but fun for wargaming.
DeleteNice job on the tank!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Styx
DeleteSuperb, but I keep thinking of 'Allo, 'Allo and Lieutenant Gruber!
ReplyDeleteI have one of those as well :)
DeleteTankettes are usefull and annoying in Bolt Action though. I have one fo these in my japanese army as well as two Kurogane. Mobile MMGs supporting banzai IJA = win.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed in BA that bren gun carriers work
DeleteThat's a tiny tank.
ReplyDeletecheers
Tiny is definitely the operative word. Tank I'm not so sure about. :)
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