IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY TANK CREW SET #2 FINEMOLDS 1/35

It is the Imperial Japanese Army tank soldier. I began to build a tank soldier, I would like to make some Japanese tanks near future. I have two sets of IJA tank crew kit of Fine Molds, this time I prefer to choose set #2.

This figure, clearly speaking, all figure’s height is very short. Probably it is about 160 cm. All the Japanese people of the time of the Great East Asian War are small, it might be a small size based on considering it.

Is it seven heads height? It is such an old Japanese. I wonder if the old Japanese are in this balance.

The expression of the heads looks like Japanese. I decided to replace it with a head of another company’s cool face this time. I think this head is also very good, original molds of these figures made by Mr. Yoshitaka Hirano. Let’s keep it in mind. Let’s keep it for the time of use someday.

Because the matching of the neck and head is something unique, it is difficult to match heads of other companies. The base of the neck is dented, I added the neck with a runner and used a putty.

It is before painting. I used the headset of Mr. Take’s molded that I had purchased some sets several years ago. It is really a handsome expression. Previously, I liked the head attached to the 1/32 Raiden of Hasegawa, that was the same sculpturer head and I like it. Although I was afraid of out of stock and purchased several sets at the time, it is still being supplied stably, different from Vision Models IJA Type 97 Chi-Ha caterpillar.
(02-February-2018)

According to the description of the Finemolds, the clothing of the Imperial Army’s tank soldiers has generally used work clothes in consideration for ease of movement and maintenance. They also used cotton work gloves to maneuver and combat. In this building process, I painted all as bare hands.

He is a tank commander of the type 98 uniform. He lowered a military sword and having binoculars with one hand. Because the military sword, it seems to be stuck to the turret hatch.

I painted the face, I worked hard, but the shape of the white eyes is bad… I put reflected light of the pupil, but the finish is not good.

Tank crew is wearing work clothes and holding a water bottle with one hand. Although there was only such a decorative wood tip, it will be nice to let him sit at the edge of the fender of a tank.

Eye line was too strong, but some people have such a face once in a while. It looks like a Kabuki actor.

I like this figure, although I made it by myself, such as pose, facial expression, finish and overall balance.

It is a favorite figure finished in pretty rustic expression.

It is a great help that there are a lot of insignia decals. The insignia of IJA is not a complicated pattern, but the decals are easier as well. The decal adhesion and coating finish are important.

I feel that the fingers are too fat. Because it is an old kit, there is no way. If we insist, there is a way to rebuild the finger with epoxy putty, which will be challenged at a later date.

Petty Officer, who is putting in an attack order. It’s a figure with one knee on the table, so it’s hard to decorate, it looks like this.

Basically, I used Vallejo, Modelcolor khaki gray, flat brown, khaki and so on. In some areas, white and black are mixed to express shades.

I could not figure out the pattern of a military sword in detail, I drew a small metal and hilt of the sword by imagination.

How is it? I’m not used to painting a khaki uniform so much, did it look like Imperial Japanese Army soldiers?

Processing of the base of the neck was difficult. There was not much effect of replacing the head, it’s a little bit sorry. I like the color of the military uniform. Although the only tank crew displayed are not bad either, try to arrange them with an IJA tank. I think several imperial tank kits are in my stockpiles…..
(04-February-2018)

I completed the Type four tank of Finemolds, so I tried it with the Imperial Army tank soldiers I made before.

The sitting posture figures are easier to match anywhere unexpectedly.  The figure of the charge commander style is hard to fix.

(10-March-2018)