Orion Figures 067 1/72 WWII Japanese Tank Crew

On the whole tanks were not a big part of the Japanese method of making war in the Pacific between 1941 and 1945. They had been used successfully during the invasions of China in the 1930s, and had also proved successful during the early invasions of 1941 and 1942. However the terrain over which much of the Pacific War was fought was not ideal for tank warfare, Japanese tanks did not keep pace with the improvement of those of the Allies, and by the later stages of the war Allied anti-tank weapons were well able to disable and destroy them (as the Japanese philosophy of rapid attack meant armour protection was sacrificed in favour of higher speed). In any event the Japanese tended to make fairly little use of them, mostly employing them in an infantry support role or simply using them as mobile pill-boxes, and never used them grouped in the large numbers seen in Europe.

Like most armies of the day, Japanese tank crews wore overalls, of which there were both summer and winter versions. However none of these figures wear either of these, and instead have normal tropical uniform as worn by the infantry and other branches. This immediately makes them of little relevance to the campaign in China, and instead clearly aims them at the war in the Pacific, where it was common for men to wear this more comfortable uniform. All are in shirt-sleeve order, with the correct double breast pockets, although only one man has his sleeves rolled up. All wear the usual semi-breeches, and all bar one have their lower leg bound in puttees with the usual cross straps.

Specifications

• Contents: 48 figures
• Poses: 12 poses
• Material: Plastic (Medium Consistency)