Type 89 I Go

[Darren Gawle]

I jumped on the FineMolds Type 89 I Go bandwagon when they announced their "limited edition" (we'll see about that...) kit released in conjunction with a three-issue series of Armor Modelling magazine. Mine came in the mail today, all three parts plus a complementary Master Box kit of Japanese figures in 1:35. to the best of my knowledge the figures have nothing to do with the release on the Fm kit; they're just something HLJ threw into the deal at the last minute.

I finished part one of the build tonight; literally, it's the steps included in the November 2010 issue of Armor Modelling:



The kit goes together wonderfully, surprisingly fast considering it's a multi-part hull and also considering the troubles I had with the Type 95 Ha Go (BTW, stripped the paint off that one over the holiday weekend...) I'll probably cannibalize the white metal tow cables from that kit and use them here, as Peleliu type 95s almost universally appear not to have had them mounted.

As you can see, this is a late production model (or "Otsu", as opposed to "Ko", the initial production model.) there is also a kind of "mid" production model essentially just like this kit except that the MG mount and driver's visor are mirrored to the way they're mounted here. I had the bright idea of trying to scratchbuild the necessary glacis plate but then thought better of it, particularly after noticing some of the other hull changes I'd have to do.

Reading a biography of Mao Zedong at the moment, so I'll most likely do a vehicle serving in China pre-1941.

DG

[Jamie Tainton]

I'm not into the Japanese armour so much but it is good to get exposed to it with your posts on the subject, hope to see more. BTW caught some of your radio show yesterday, sounded very professional. I did a stint on the University station way back in Edmonton decades ago, lots of fun.

[Darren Gawle]

Thanks - I used to have a regular show, but because of a job I had last year where I was working weird hours and was on the road a lot I had to give it up. I've been filling in for a guy who's on vacation until February, so I'll be back on next Wednesday, same time.

I was struck by the small size of the hull while building it - in photos, the tank seems large, but is actually only about the same size as a Hetzer:



DG