1/35 Modified German Pattern 75mm-gun Type 5 Tank Kuroi-hyō - FINISHED

[Old Wombat]

I've started this build & already made 2 blood sacrifices - I'm hoping that's a good sign.

Things are moving fast, too fast for photo's right now but I'll try to get some up.

So, starting with this kit:



I am making a Japanese produced version.

For what was supposed to be a "quick & easy" build to re-fire my mojo, it has quickly morphed into a series of major styrene surgeries & modifications.

Initially all I was going to do was close up the undersides of the sponsons over the tracks (haven't got to that bit, yet). Now, the gun, turret & hull have all been chopped, re-arranged & glued back together. So, there's a spot of PSR in my near future.

There are a lot of Tamiya's old "toy" elements to this kit & I really can't fix all of them, so I'm not going to. The holes for the electric motor switches & the running drive, etc., are as filled as I can get them without going stupid & I'll just diorama the beast belly down in a rice paddy, so the worst of it is hidden.

Big thing, though, is that I'm having FUN!

This is modelling as I like it; BIG, bold & b_r_o_a_d, not the finicky 1/350 micro-surgery I've been doing on the ships for the Floaty GB.


Yep, the mojo is flowing back & I'm LOVIN' IT!!

[Some Duck with an Ultimax]

Yep, the mojo is flowing back & I'm LOVIN' IT!!

Good to hear that and I’m looking forward to seeing this one!

[Brian da Basher]

I've started this build & already made 2 blood sacrifices - I'm hoping that's a good sign.

Things are moving fast, too fast for photo's right now but I'll try to get some up.

<snip>

Big thing, though, is that I'm having FUN!

<snip>

That's the point of it all if you ask me.

It's great to see you cranking out a piece of armor and seeing the results will be a treat!

Go, Mr Wombat, go!

Brian da Basher

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Ducky & Brian!

[Old Wombat]

OK, this is where I'm at:






Quick & easy!

Front armoured housing on the mantlet is to protect the recoil cylinders. The Japanese didn't usually do this but I'm assuming they learned from the Soviets, who did.

Driver & radio operator positions switched sides.

TC switched sides. Gunner left where he is but loader moved behind him. The Japanese 75mm Type 5 gun appears to have usually had the loader on the left, so it works.

Loader's hatch at the rear of the turret switched sides, too.

Much of this is because, like the Brit's, Aussies & Kiwis, the Japanese drive on the correct (left) side of the road.

[Brian da Basher]

I like the look of that armored housing, Mr Wombat and definitely not something one would expect to see on this beastie.

It should give it a very intimidating appearance.

Brian da Basher

[apophenia]

Good start and a great concept! Looking forward to this 

[LemonJello]

Definitely shaping up to be something the Marines wouldn't want to encounter as they came ashore in the PTO. 

[Dr. YoKai]

 Looking sharp so far. The Japanese army seemed a lot less progressive than their Navy counterparts, but it's a great concept, regardless.
 Can't wait to see what kind of cammo you come up with for it.

[Frank3k]

Looks like a good bit of surgery. I don't know how well the interleaved road wheels would do in some of the more tropical locations.

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, gents!

I don't know how well the interleaved road wheels would do in some of the more tropical locations.

Nicholas Moran (a.k.a. The Chieftain), in his great walk-arounds of AFV's for World of Tanks, mentioned the reported track clogging issue when he did the Panther & said that he had found no verifiable evidence that anything much could resist the torque of the Maybach engine with the exception of Russian mud, if left to freeze overnight during a Russian winter. The biggest negatives he found were crew ergonomics (except for the driver, who is quite well accommodated), accessing the final drive transmission for maintenance (which requires removal of everything in the front of the tank to remove the drive via the hull roof) & changing out the road wheels (which can require up to 5 other road wheels to be removed to access an inner wheel).

In the Asia-Pacific region, where mud stays wet, I'm figuring the Panther (or, in Japanese hands, Kuroi-hyō (Black Leopard)) wouldn't have any major issues with clogging.

[Old Wombat]

On the painting table getting a shot of primer.

[Frank3k]

Good to know about the interleaved wheels. Are you going to do a multi color Japanese camo?

[Story]

Looks like a good bit of surgery. I don't know how well the interleaved road wheels would do in some of the more tropical locations.

Perhaps this tank was designed with Chinese terrain and the Soviet threat specifically in mind.

While that might have been the original intent, by the time this would have been available (even as a handful of prototypes), it would have been logistically infeasible/impossible to get it to the Soviet front.

However, by late 1944 the Japanese were starting to husband resources for the defense of the home islands. The only drawback in deploying these would have been the weight limits on Japanese bridges.

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_4_Chi-To_medium_tank

[Old Wombat]

Are you going to do a multi color Japanese camo?

Yep!

[Old Wombat]

Perhaps this tank was designed with Chinese terrain and the Soviet threat specifically in mind.

While that might have been the original intent, by the time this would have been available (even as a handful of prototypes), it would have been logistically infeasible/impossible to get it to the Soviet front.

I'm looking at it as a technology sharing between the Japanese & Germans, more than anything else, with modifications made by the Japanese to suit what they preferred & had available.

Construction is going to have been undertaken by several shipyards which, as far as the Allies could tell from reconnaissance, had been forced to shut down.

Difficult, not impossible!

As it was only four units were sent to China for battle testing against the Soviets, where they performed better than German experience had led the IJA High Command to expect. All were damaged to some extent during the testing but none incapacitated & they proved to be more than a match for the Soviet T-34-85's they came up against. Those same four tanks were returned to Japan & were part of the forty Kuroi-hyō tank force that helped smash the poorly prepared Soviet invasion of Hokkaido in August 1945.

Another two Kuroi-hyō were tested during the Battle of Saipan, where the tanks again exceeded expectations. One vehicle was disabled & destroyed in place using a US 500lb bomb which had failed to detonate when dropped on the Japanese forces. The other was driven off the cliffs, into the ocean at an undisclosed location prior to the Japanese surrender & not discovered until 1978 by tourists scuba-diving off the island.

[Brian da Basher]

That's one killer back story.

Brian da Basher

[Story]

Well, there ya go.

[Old Wombat]

She's been on the painting table this evening & has a coat of Tamiya XF-13 J. A. Green over almost everything (hopefully with the exception of my wife's white Nissan Qashqai).

So, here I sit with nothing to do on her until tomorrow, when I'll check to see if she needs another coat (in which case I'll have to go & buy some more paint - the surface area of the Panther is HUGE!).

Then it's on to the camo; a 50/50 mix of XF-10 Flat Brown & XF-64 Red Brown, followed by a mix of XF-49 Khaki, XF-55 Deck Tan & XF-60 Dark Yellow to make an approximation of the Japanese tan colour (apparently called "Parched Grass").

Followed by chucking all the final bits on & taking a few photo's. May take a few photo's before that, though.

[Old Wombat]

OK. The base camouflage is down.

Not overly happy with my rendition of a Japanese camo scheme but I'm leaving it as is. However, I am going to have to do something about the Nisshōki (a.k.a. the Hinomaru), which I'll have to fix by hand.

Anyway, here are some pic's for you to peruse:










Cheers!

[finsrin]

Just got onboard to build and read all of thread.  Back ground rationale and build are well thought out.  Right on and keep it fun. 

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Bill!

[Frank3k]

Not overly happy with my rendition of a Japanese camo scheme but I'm leaving it as is. However, I am going to have to do something about the Nisshōki (a.k.a. the Hinomaru), which I'll have to fix by hand.

So considerate to leave a target marking the best spot to take out the crew!

With some weathering, the camo should look fine - the tank definitely looks Japanese now!

[Old Wombat]

A fair number of Japanese tanks had them & I'm figuring that the IJA High Command wouldn't want their new toy attacked by their own troops, as it's unlikely they would have seen it in service before the invasion of Japan.

[apophenia]

... With some weathering, the camo should look fine - the tank definitely looks Japanese now!

Agreed on the scheme. National markings have 'spoiled' many a camouflage job but they're applied nonetheless. Very realistic 

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, apophenia!

So considerate to leave a target marking the best spot to take out the crew!

National markings have 'spoiled' many a camouflage job but they're applied nonetheless.

Kinda like the big white stars painted on the sides & turret-tops of US tanks?

[Old Wombat]

Pre-decal/transfer gloss coat going on.

Hopefully get the very few decals done tonight after work. Then gloss coat again before weathering.

The tracks are a b@r$tard, typical Tamiya rubber band jobbies. Too tight (designed for the motorised toy version), so I have to work out how to get the slack on them for the loose return run on the Panther.

[Frank3k]

If you're not using side skirts (which hide many track issues) you're going to have to do surgery on the return roller arm or Frankenstein an extra link or two where it will be less obvious.

[Old Wombat]

No skirts in this kit but it's an option. However, that means scratch-building & (although I've already done some) I'm not really up for that with this build.

We'll see, though. I may change my mind.

[taiidantomcat]

If you're not using side skirts (which hide many track issues) you're going to have to do surgery on the return roller arm or Frankenstein an extra link or two where it will be less obvious.

Yep those tracks will fight you 

Maybe alternative track?

This really looks the part! very cool build 

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, ttc!


As the entire underside is pretty faecal, accuracy-wise, I'm thinking it may be easiest to leave a gap on the bottom & put her belly deep in "muddy water(s)".

[Buzzbomb]

Likeing a lot.
You have helped flesh out something. In the Colin Gee WW2 RedGambit alt history books, the Germans send out panthers to the Japanese, so seeing them in Japanese colours ticks the boxes.

Great work

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Brian!

[Old Wombat]

TC & basic weathering happening.

Neither's as good as I'd hoped but that comes down to my impatience & desire for a faster build. Still, generally not unhappy with how she's coming along.

I'll try to get some pic's tomorrow.

 

[Old Wombat]

Somewhat delayed but here are some photo's.

The observant will notice that the tracks are missing & I haven't started the dio (well, that last bit's nothing new :rolleyes:). I've caved in & I'm about to order some styrene individual tracks which will drive me insane but anything's better than the Godzawful Tamiya offerings (6 types of glue - none worked on the tracks - & the styrene spare track links are pathetic).

Any way, here are the pic's:







Believe it or not, there's a driver in here somewhere!


To compensate, here's the TC (the driver is actually a better job but you'll just have to take my word for it).


Some front quarter shots:




This one shows some hits & misses in the weathering on the bow:


You may well notice the gloss showing through the slightly crackled flat finish: Impatience did that, I forgot that gloss takes longer to dry, as it has to out-gas through a less porous surface.

You may also notice the crazing of the green paint on the turret sides: That occurred when I gloss coated but I have no idea why, as the same paint was used over the entire hull & this is almost the only place it was effected like this.

So, there you have it. Hope you like it. All constructive comments welcome.


Cheers!

[Frank3k]

Looks nicely dirty/slimy/muddy/humid. TBH, the crazed green on the turret is "realistic" - Japanese paints weren't known to be very good (look at the paint job on any Japanese fighter that isn't crashed or in flames). It could also be waved off as the paint highlighting the cast structure on the turret.

The TC looks suitably concerned/alert.

[LemonJello]

This is some mighty fine work.  It also has sparked an idea of an early Pershing in USMC service for Operation Downfall to deal with this threat.

[GTX_Admin]

Looking good.

[GTX_Admin]

In the Colin Gee WW2 RedGambit alt history books, the Germans send out panthers to the Japanese

Err...check again.  In the Red Gambit series it was the Soviets who sent the Japanese the Panthers.

[Brian da Basher]

That's some mighty fine paint work accented with some of the best AFV weathering I've ever seen!

Man, I'd hate to see this beastie coming at me.

I think I'll go hide...   

Brian da Basher

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, guys!

Actually, the weathering is a bit over the top but I'm explaining it away as inferior Japanese steel & more exposure to coastal environments.

[Old Wombat]

OK, started on the tracks this morning before heading off to work. It's 0245hrs "tomorrow" & I've half of one track done, which I'll try to finish off tomorrow before moving on to the other.

[Old Wombat]

One track built into 3 x lengths, one track to go.

Then I can paint & fit them!

These tracks are a little easier to assemble than the others I've used.

[ChernayaAkula]

Nice work so far! Colours look great! 

Just...

could you give the TC a katana?

Would be kinda fitting for a Japanese TC and it'd be funny as hell!



 

[Old Wombat]

I'd actually thought about that, Moritz, but, unfortunately, Japanese tank officers only wore swords ceremonially & were issued bayonets, like all other tankers, for combat use (my TC is wearing his, I just can't get any images of it).

I'm sure the officers found a place for their swords in their tanks, as they were an important status symbol, but they weren't worn.

I'm, also, figuring my TC is probably an NCO, not an officer.

[Old Wombat]

Righto! Still a lot of niggling faults but the only things missing are the tow cables & they're only a minor detail (until it breaks down ).

Last pic's of this:
























Thanks for watching everybody!

[Claymore]

Very nice indeed.  Great work! 

[finsrin]

Toooo good 
Looks the part.  Rust very realistic.  Beyond my skills.

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, guys!


As I've said earlier, the rust is too heavy but I have fun doing it & I'll just make up a story to cover it; in this case inferior Japanese steel & operating in a more coastal environment.

[Some Duck with an Ultimax]

I love the way this looks, very cool.

[GTX_Admin]

 

[ChernayaAkula]

Very well done! 

Astonishing just how much the missing muzzle brake and different mantlet alter the look! 

[Old Wombat]

Thank you, gentlemen!


@ ChernayaAkula: It does, doesn't it.

[Brian da Basher]

Wow did that finish up a treat!

Most excellent and I especially like how you did the rust on the wheels.

Brian da Basher

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Brian!

[Frank3k]

It looks convincingly Japanese!

[Claymore]

Nice, very nice indeed.  Great work! 

[Old Wombat]

Thank you, gents!

[Camthalion]

looks really cool.

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Camthalion, from an armour builder such as you, that's an honour!