So I uncovered an untouched Tamiya kit in the stash, a late model Chi Ha and wondered what might make for an interesting build.
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-35137-type-97-shinhoto-chi-ha-late-version--120304Turns out the Chinese Communists inherited a few (117?) and built their nascent armor force with them
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/china/gongchen_tank
<- note how slack the track is here.
So what would the Chinese do differently?
By 1949 the captured ammunition stocks for the Type 1 47 mm gun (chambered for the 47×285mmR, unique to this cannon) were limited, so for this test-bed it was replaced by the Soviet-made 45mm M1942 antitank gun (chambered for 45x310 mmR and generally, a better performing round), which saw heavy use during the Korean War.
The only way this replacement was noticeable from outside of the tank was by barrel length, the original Japanese being shorter; 2.53 m (8 ft 4 in) L/53.7 vs 2.985 m (9 ft 9.5 in) L/66.3.
The three 7.7mm Japanese Type 97 machineguns were eliminated for similar reasons; dwindling supplies of ammunition, lack of compatibility with Soviet aide and lack of effectiveness when limited to 20 round box magazines.
Two 7.62x54R DTM light machineguns were fitted to the roof (AA) and bow mounts, with a PPSH41/Type50 submachinegun with a drum magazine was racked at the turret rear and if needed, could be fired from the pre-existing machine gun port there.
Both DTMs were upgrade with the (then-new) RG46 feed trays, which allowed use of 250 round belts - a noticeable improvement over the DTM's 63 round drum.
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