1/72 Japanese WWII Tanks

[john de terre neuve]

Hi,

First post.

Looking to source some 1/72 Japanese tank for wargaming. Prefer hard plastics, the metal manufacturers are mostly 20mm and a little small I think.

Any suggestions, simple assembly kits preferred. More interested in painting than assembling.

Thanks,

John

[has.been]

Airfix, but they are 1/76.

[Verderer]

Dragon, but they're fairly expensive and by no means simple to build. I just went with a couple of Airfix Type 97s which is actually not a bad kit for one so old, and complemented them with SHQ. True, they're all 1/76 but then so are my infantry (SHQ). So for me it's not an issue.

[john de terre neuve]

Thank you both, they certainly appear hard to source. The Dragon models are way to difficult to assemble. I have 2 SHQ models a Type 97 Chi-Ha and a Type 94 TK. I just wanted to add a type 95 Ha-Go, I suppose I will go with the SHQ models.

Thanks,

john

[Verderer]

Oh and I forgot to mention that in the 1/76 scale Milicast does some Japanese tanks too, but they're resin which is not everyone's favourite.

Their battlefield series includes easy to assemble kits. Some of the details are rather delicate for gaminng purposes (gun barrels in small calibre guns), but they're lovely, great detail, and you only need to glue guns & accessories, normally the tank itse self is just two pieces, turret & one piece body with tracks and all.

[cuprum]

Some tanks are available as diecast:

http://siberia-miniatures.ru/index.php?cPath=41_38_94_144_145

[john de terre neuve]

Thanks again, I have not bought die cast models before but the referred to company certainly has some interesting things. Millicent are nice but I find even smaller the SHQ.

John

[Verderer]

I am not sure I agree, in my experience SHQ and Milicast are pretty much identical in size, when you compare the same tank? I don't have Japanese tanks from Milicast, but I do have Panthers and Shermans from them, and the same from SHQ.

[john de terre neuve]

Maybe you are right, my experience is with some German and British vehicles and I found a couple of the SHQ were actually almost the exact size as the PSC 1/72 line (universal carrier). I only have one Milicast, and I do not have the same vehicle in 1/72.

I think I will go with the SHQ though for the Japanese and just hope that they match up OK with the PSC Stuarts and M10. (I am doing the early Pacific theatre).

Again thanks,

John