Recently I have been doing some research on Australian armour used in the Pacific during World War Two and its opponents, and so this competition is based around that.
After the success of the last competition I have decided to call this one the:
“You can all compete to give John a prize competition”
The Tokyo factory of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries completed a prototype designated Chi-Ha. The second prototype was completed in June 1937. Although the requirement was for a 47 mm gun, it retained the same short-barreled 57 mm gun as the Type 89B tank.
During the final stages of the Pacific war, many Type 97 Chi-Ha tanks would actually be buried into armoured defensive positions, with just the turret remaining above ground. Although this made the tanks less vulnerable to enemy fire and could be a nasty surprise for any US unit approaching its position, it rendered the tank immobile, massively reducing its strategic effectiveness. Underlining the increasingly desperate situation Japan found herself in during the latter stages of WWII, the final few production batches of these tanks were not sent to bolster the fighting across the Pacific, but were held back in mainland Japan in preparation for the anticipated Allied invasion which was surely now just a matter of time. Almost 2,100 of these tanks were produced by Mitsubishi and whilst many wrecked and rusting hulks lie right across the former Pacific battlefields, relatively few can be found on display in the world’s military museums.
Information from the Royal Australian Armoured Corps at Puckapunyal Tank Museum and Wikipedia.
Type 97 Chi Ha tank at the RAAC Museum
The question is what other Type 97 Chi Ha tank manufacturer has produced more of these tanks than the Tokyo factory of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries? Both are still in operation today although the correct answer has been bought out a few times but has always operated under the same name. Both have their main manufacturing base in Asia.
The winner will have the glory of giving John the prize. John you can of course enter to increase your 100% chance of obtaining another prize.
The first correct answer will be the winner.
Can I maybe point out three things, Dave? 1) You haven’t said what the prize is! 2) The tank in the foreground of the RAAC picture is a Type 97 tankette, although a Type 97-kai Shinhoto Chi-Ha is lurking in the background! 3) I’ve got no idea what the answer is, so I’m going to have to research that as well!
The prize is a Sir Prize. You are right on the tank. Advice – don’t over think it!
I reckon I know the answer! I resorted to carefully reading the question and not overthinking it as you recommended! Realising there could be several correct answers, I’m going to go with Tamiya as my answer, although Dragon, Fujimi and even Airfix could all be in the running!
Tamiya is not correct!
Mitusbishi’s competitors first Type 97 came of the production line in 1974.
Well according to a Youtube video, the Airfix model came out in 1974 so my answer is now Airfix! I can remember buying Aifix Chi-Has in the late 70’s at least and in fact it is probably the tank that I have ever built the most models of!
You are correct. The prize is of course another Airfix Type 97 for your collection! I will send early this week. Well done to all who were going to participate, but John has beaten you to the “punch” not that the Chi Ha packs much!
Crikey, Dave, that is very generous of you indeed! 🙂 Are you sure about that? Is there anything I can send you, or maybe paint something for you that might fit in with your myriad of projects? As it turns out, most of my Type 97s are Fujimi models and painted in late war schemes and I was thinking about trying to get a Chi-Ha to paint in an early war scheme, so an Airfix kit would fit into that plan quite nicely!
So fun!
Well – what’s life without taking the pith out of someone!