Firstly the tanks swam in real life, not the models. I feel If I don't say that then there will be a comment from someone trying (and failing) to be clever.The Ka-Mi Tanks were real ww2 Japanese tanks. And rather than being developed by the army were developed by the navy. Here is a link (LINK). Being developed by the navy they were mostly used on pacific islands. As such I am not sure they were ever encountered by the British army.
Yes that is a real life pic of one swimming. I knew if I did not include one I would be doing the tank a dis-service.
You will note the model tank has a taller turret. Clearly it is a bolted on section to stop high water from waves getting in. As is the funnel over the engine. When they had landed several part and flotation areas could be detached and a more normal tank would bee seen. If you look at the model the front two and rear 2 sections (where the diagonal groves are) dismount as they are flotation devices and offer minimal protection but do make the vehicle harder to steer around tree/building. 
As you can see, the picture on the box shows 3 tanks on the front and back however when opening it turns out there were indeed 5 tanks included. When you buy things online you can't always tell until they turn up, and to be honest for the price I paid I would have been happy with 3 tanks. Let us be honest with each other the models are great but in real life the tanks were not. Do not expect them to win battles on their own. They simply will not. But to round out my Japanese ww2 forces I am more than happy.
Thanks for looking and more (but no idea what) in a few days. All the best Clint
Remember to paint if you can and play when you get the opportunity.
I like how you've painted those, Clint. It's great to see some IJN bits; if the chap's round me played Pacific War and not NW ETO I'd love to collect something for the Naval land forces. I really do like those two group photos you've shown us.
ReplyDeleteThank you Roy, Pacific war really is a niche that not very many want to play. Personally I think it is both a lack of decent modern films and that the tank was not very widely used at all. But that is just my opinion and not based on fact.
DeleteThey are awesome, Clint, easily one of my fave WW2 vehicles you've painted. Top paint-job and plenty of interesting info on them as well. I'm tempted to get a box of these simply to paint them as they look great fun to paint, and clearly are something out of the ordinary.
ReplyDeleteThank you Blax. I would only get them if they were either cheap enough or something you really want. Painting them is a pain as they're are loads of options but very few examples that actually exist. Contemporary pics are mostly black and white. So be aware they are trickier than they first appear.
DeleteGreat background as always Clint, a very interesting tank to be sure, yours have turned out really well
ReplyDeleteThank you Dave. I am expecting them to be targets of choice on any wargames board because they are so different from the norm. But I may be wrong of course people may realise how weak they actually are and leave them alone. (No I don't think so either)
DeleteA tank in any form becomes a magnet for fire, even if they are really weak, which means the units you want to keep get left alone to begin with, so tactically they serve a purpose ! LOL
DeleteYou are right in one way that is a way of looking at it.
DeleteLove the tanks mate, I really must dust off my Russian FoW and get a game in
ReplyDeleteThanks Andy. being a tank game these would be no good in FOW. However a Russian FoW force could be just the thing.
DeleteThese look great!
ReplyDeleteThank you Simon. Clearly not a main battle tank but good for beach landings. Well unless the landing is opposed that is.
Deletei still love all these esoteric IJN tanks and these will do the job perfectly for their quirkyness and I do like the mud and general un-fussy colour you've given them.
ReplyDeleteThank you Joe. There is a joy in the unexpected/unusual and Japanese tanks seem to fit the bill. The coulours are as dictated by the Soviet tank museum and by the IJN. As for the Mud we all like muddy tanks they loof more real than "Factory Finish!"
DeleteSeems that only some 180 or so of these vehicles were built in real life. I'll bet there are more models of them in existence than that!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely one for the quirky collector, I think :-) .
Thank you C6. I agree not many were built, But I think that is true for all ww2 Japanese tanks. Even in Russia, Noth Africa, Italy or Western Europe we are looking for 600 infantry per tank. So tank nunbers are a lot smaller than we, as wargamers tend to think. But these being quirky do nothing to redress the imbalance between our mind and reality.
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