Hi, folks![:)]
As promised over at GMD, here is the Japanese Type 97 Chi-ha I got close-up and personal with in Saipan last week. This particular vehicle had been on display up at the American Memorial Park’s “Tank Plaza” last year when I visited Saipan, but apparently was moved down to the airport along with other items since then.
You can clearly see the cracked armor plate along the hull sides and turret, supposedly sustained when it tangled with a Sherman. The tour guide (who was Japanese) was quick to point out the superior Japanese craftsmanship of the period, as exemplified by the still free-wheeling return rollers. I jokingly pointed out to the guide that one roller was so free-wheeling, it actually free-wheeled itself right off the tank and onto the ground. The tracks, however, had rusted into solid structures.
I think you can see in the pix just how thin the armor was on these tanks. Any American in a Sheman must’ve felt like Whittman or Carius going up against these little fellas!
The crews of these Chi-has were brave souls, to be sure.
Here’re the pix:
Behind the Chi-ha was a stack of what I reckon are LVT tracks, with some Chi-ha track remnants tossed on top:
That’s all the armor-related digipix I have. I have some more pix of beach emplacements and bunkers I’ll post later.
Cool pix Brian! It seems that the climate there isn’t too compatible with old armor [:D]. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the vacation and your birthday and it was cool to see you and your fiance…nice pic! Looking forward to seeing the rest of your vacation pix (the ones you can share on here anyway [;)] ) [:D]
Thanks Brian for correcting my terrible spelling. [:I] I knew that wasn’t right. I imagine where enemy tanks were few to none, the Japanese felt quite safe in their little tank. Discipline I’m sure kept them going even when the odds were totally stacked against them. They were tough soldiers, as evident to so few surrenders during the war.
I know religion and so on was big during the war, is it still important today? Has the emperors status declined in the publics eye?
“It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.”-R.E.Lee
My uncle (who fought in the Pacific) would’ve called the thing ‘junk’ and wondered why it was still around. I, however, think it’s pretty cool to see that old stuff, in any condition, being used to memorialize the folks who had to fight in it.
Most of the older vehicles I see at bases around here goes out on the range.
Nice pictures. If any one wants to know how to model a rusty tank, there it is.
Hey, it’s none of my business, but when you and the Mrs J-Hulk to be were in Sapain, did you notice anyone following you. Look in the picture below. I think I see some suspicious activity going on there.
Couldn’t help it. I won’t do anymore “Where’s Waldo Shermie” I don’t want to beat a dead horse.
Keep 'em coming Build, they just get better and better. You just might want to pause and give second thoughts to posting your picture. [;)] Now you wouldn’t want to go and say Shermie is a stalker…would we?
“It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.”-R.E.Lee
J-Hulk. Nice pics. [^]One of the guys in my model club is absolutely nuts about Japanese armour and vehicles (he filled a whole 1m x 1.5m corner of our club display with 1/35th Japanese models-no dio’s). He has been to the Phillipines, etc 5 times in the past 6 years and still wants more.
The guys that drove these tanks must have been tough - I imagine it would be like driving around in an oven. Looking forward to seeing your other pictures.
Hey Jim, don’t stop the “Where’s Shermie” yet. I still get a chuckle out of these (in my case, small things do amuse small minds I guess).[:D]
It was also supposedly the best Japanese tank of the war. When the Japanese invaded (word is just for historical reference) the Philippines in WWII, they had with them the Type 95 Ha-go Tanks. They were shocked when they encountered the American M3’s which were already stationed here. Not only that the M3’s armor is difficult for Type 95 to penetrate (or cannot at all) the M3’s main gun can easily penetrate the Type 95’s armor.
For this reason, they brought in the Type 97. However, I have no reference indicating that there was any confrontation between the Type 97 and the M3 or the M4 that the Americans brought in later in the war.
Thanks for the pics J-hulk. It reminds me of my provincial home were there used to be a rusting remains of a Type 97.
Aside from being thin-skinned and lightly armed, it’s a decent design, I reckon. Good suspension and overall layout. Fine for infantry support against other infantry. Lousy against anything else!
I love the way gun elevation was accomplished by simply shouldering the cannon.
That HAD to hurt!
