Creating the Weird WWI Japanese Tank

[Terry37]

With the Pendraken painting challenge for this year I scrapped my plans for a ball and musket army for my 2018 GBnUIT theme army and decided to go ahead and do my Weird WWI Japanese army which will have a tank as the Behemoth (this year's theme being "Land of Giants" requiring a theme army to have at least one Behemoth element). I already had the model and a basic idea of how I was going to approach making it a reasonable semblance of the one shown in the picture below that I found on line, and which initiated the desire to do the army. Although the absolute only way you could do this army would be to do it as Weird World War since guys running around in shiny steel armor and a shashimono sticking up in the air would not have a been a real good idea in the historical war! But for Weird War, it's ideal!


Here's the picture that started it all.

To make the tank I had to decide between the French Schneider or the German A7V as the base model. After looking at it, I felt the Schneider (F18) would work the best, although it would lack the awkward height of the one in the picture. Then with Pendraken's wonderful policy of allowing us to purchase bits separate rather than an entire model we don't need I ordered a set of sponsons from the British male Mk.IV (BP25). The turret came from the Austin A/C (ME19). Then it was just decide what all needed to be done.


This picture gives an idea of the initial alterations. I know the turret shown is not the one from the Austin A/C, but is actually one from a ship model that I was thinking of using. I did end up with one of the turrets from the armored car, just didn't take a picture of it at this point in the process. Cutting white metal with a small hand saw takes a while and I do it usually over several days as my hand starts cramping after a bit of sawing.


Here is another view of what needs to be altered to the body of the tank.


The front has been filed to a new shape, the sides were filed smooth to allow the sponsons to fit. The back of the sponsons needed to have the notch peg filed off, and I also shortened them a bit in the rear. You can see where I glued flat pieces of metal to even up places in the Schneider design to make it fit the Japanese look better. When dry I filed down the overhang and then plug any remaining gaps with Liquid Green Stuff.


Here's the model ready for priming and painting. The turret has been added, also front view hatches and a rear door, and the exhaust and muffler added. Before I prime or paint a model, even figures for that matter, I always sand them down with very , very fine wet and dry sandpaper to help remove file marks and smooth any areas I might have missed.


Here's the model painted but not yet based. The decals are all custom made by Kevin Hammond at Miscellaneous Miniatures, except the number 5. The Japanese writing says "Kirin", a Japanese mythological beast (that I happen to like), and although  little tough to see, there is also a Kirin painted on each side at the front.


Here's another view, which gives a good idea of the camouflage scheme. True, the tank in the picture that started it all looks to be a plain gray, that was just not going to work for me. Since I love Japanese WW2 camouflage I opted to use that on this model. Interesting comment I discovered in researching the proper WW2 scheme is about the yellow stripes painted on it. For whatever reason there was only one stripe going from front to rear and one stripe going from side to side. If there are any additional stripes of the yellow included then it is not accurate. I was also quite surprised how well the yellow stripes blended in, as I was expecting it to be glaringly obvious.

Next is to base it it and the following are pictures of the finished model. The tall red and white insignia on the back is the one I selected for this army (one I made up and have no idea of it being real or not), and it will appear on the sashimonos as well as on the rudder of their N.27. I decided to keep things simple and so the only thing added to this base is a few areas of collected yucky water.

 










A pretty simple conversion but one I am pleased with and I'll share the entire army once it's finished and based.

Terry

[Techno]

 

Super work,  once again, Terry.

Cheers - Phil

[Steeleye]

That really is very good, well done.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Good stuff.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Superb