Tamiya 35075 - Japanese Tank Type 97 Chi-Ha
You will frequently hear builders of allied armour complain about how ill served they are compared to builders of german armour when it comes to selection of kits, but consider for a moment the poor Pacific builder in need of something Japanese. Both figure kits and armour kits can pretty much be counted on the fingers, almost on one hand even. Fine Molds is the biggest provider and are now available reboxed as Tamiya, but way back before those Tamiya bought us this kit which at the time was pretty much it if you wanted a Jap tank.
This kit comes in the usual Tamiya tray and lid type box and consists of three sprues, the hull tub, the upper hull body, and the turret shell, all moulded in dark olive green. Also included are the two vinyl track lengths, eight poly caps, a sheet of decals and the instructions which come as a single long sheet of paper folded in four to create eight A4 sized pages. The instructions are the usual line diagram type containing nine assembly stages and are clear and easy to follow making assembly very easy.
The mouldings are the typical Tamiya quality which is to say very good with no flash, and nice clean, sharp detail including some nicely done weld beads. There is the usual mould seams to remove which can be a little heavy in places however. Despite this kit’s age it still measures up well against many contemporary offerings in regards to the quality of the parts, though like most Tamiya kits some of the finer detail is omitted or over simplified, but the trade off is these are quick and easy builds to undertake.
The chassis is made up mostly of a single moulding consisting of the hull tub with the suspension arms moulded as part of it so there is no easy option for articulation. The detail is however very sharp. The final drive housings, springs and return rollers are all seperate parts, as are the tow shackles and not to bad looking hawser.
The roadwheels likewise are very nicely done, having very good bolt detailing. The sprockets and idler wheels are held in place with the polycaps so that they can remain movable if you so desire. The tracks are single length vinyl “rubber band” style tracks, which are a bit dull in terms of surface detail definition, lacking any really sharp definition.
The body is pretty basic but again well moulded. The radiator is very nicely done and can be seen through the delicate covering vent. Unfortunately the engine vents are equally nice which allows you to see right into the empty insides if you want to display it without the engine covers ( many period photos show either the side panels or the whole cover removed ). The driver’s visor and co-drivers hatch can also be positioned open though with the same problem, nothing inside to see if you do. The hatches also lack any internal detail other than a big knock out sinkhole.
The tools are nicely done though they could use PE straps, likewise the exhausts are very nice but would look better replaced with photo etch. As they are they could still look good with carful painting and drybrushing. The jack needs the mould seam removed and the tubes hollowed out but is otherwise quite a nice one.
The hull machine gun is one ugly looking sucker, but that isn’t the moulding, it’s just ugly in real life. The kit part requires a rather heavy mould seam to be removed and the muzzle hollowed out but is otherwise fine. This also applies to the second machine gun mounted in the rear of the turret.
The turret is very small but again quite nicely done as is the mantlet and cupola. The commander’s hatch comes with the option of an open or closed hatch but like the co-driver’s hatch lacks any internal detail. Likewise the turret has no internal detail other than a base for the commander figure to stand on if you use him. The large frame aerial could use quite a bit of thinning down, or replacing with thin wire, and you’ll need to use care when cleaning off the mould seams on the springs, but the end result is very nice.
The gun is a single piece with a seperate piece for the muzzle which could use a little more reaming out. it’s not an impressive looking gun even on the real tank so what you get is perfectly adequate. There is also an optional Type 96 Light Machine Gun for mounting on the cupola pintel mount. This is actually very nice though needing the mould seam removed and the muzzle hollowed out.
The figures are a full body commander and a torso and head co-driver ( if used only his head and shoulders show ). These show their age a little by being a bit soft in detail and a bit stiff in the pose, but they do the job and can be bought up quite nice with careful painting and finishing. You also get a canteen, a pair of binoculars and a holstered pistol to use with them as well as two steel helmets for mounting wherever you please.
The decals and painting guide provide for one colour scheme but six different vehicle options – 1st Tank Regiment in the Malay Operations, 3rd Company, 1st Tank Regiment when preparing for the battle for Japan, 8th Tank Regiment ( no other details ), 5th Company, 17th Tank Regiment ( no other details ), 2nd Company, 34th Tank Regiment ( no other details ), Vehicle of the Chiba Army Tank School.
Conclusion. This is an older kit and it does show a bit. The moulds aren’t as clean as we’ve become used to but having to spend a little time removing the seams is all a part of the hobby. With a little modelling skill, some patience, and a few tweaks this comes up as a very nice kit, and as not only one of the few 1/35 kits of Japanese armour around but also one of the cheapest it still has a lot going for it.
Click images to enlarge ( opens in new window )
