In Box Review of Fine Molds 1/35th Scale
Japanese Type 97 “Te-Ke” Tankette
Kit no. FM-10
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1998
Available one place on eBay for $53.97.
My kit was willed to me by a modeling friend that died of cancer 15 years ago.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1998
Available one place on eBay for $53.97.
My kit was willed to me by a modeling friend that died of cancer 15 years ago.
HISTORY:
The Type 97 Light armored car Te-Ke (Kyū-nana-shiki kei sōkōsha Teke) was a tankette used by the Imperial Japanese Army in the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan against the Soviet Union, and in World War II. It was designed as a fast reconnaissance vehicle, and was a replacement for the earlier Type 94 tankette.
The origins of the Type 97 lay in a prototype diesel-engine version of the Type 94 Te-Ke developed by Hino Motors in 1936. Although the prototype had a more powerful engine and larger gun, initial trials were not successful and the Japanese Army demanded changes before acceptance. Hino responded with a modified prototype in November 1937, in which the engine was moved towards the rear of the chassis.
This design was accepted and full production began in 1938. A total of 616 units were produced from 1938 to 1944 (1 unit in 1937, 56 units in 1938, 217 units in 1939, 284 units in 1940, 58 units between 1941 and 1944).
Although the chassis was similar in appearance, the design of the Type 97 was different from the Type 94 in several significant areas. The engine was moved to the rear and the gun turret (commander position) moved to the middle of the tankette, with the driver located to the left side of the hull.
This gave the two men a better position to communicate with each other. As with the Type 94, the interior was lined with heat absorbing asbestos sheets.
The main armament was the Type 94 37 mm tank gun, with 96 rounds, barrel length of 136 cm (L36.7), EL angle of fire of −15 to +20 degrees, AZ angle of fire of 20 degrees, muzzle velocity of 600 m/s, penetration of 45 mm/300 m, which was also used by Type 95 Ha-Go. However, due to shortages in the production of this weapon, most vehicles were fitted with a 7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun instead.
The Type 97 replaced the Type 94 on the assembly line in 1939, it was primarily assigned to reconnaissance regiments, and, as with US Army tanks prior to 1941, it was not designed to engage enemy tanks. Because it was a reconnaissance vehicle, built for speed, and not direct combat, its hull and turret were designed for only two crewmen; leaving the tankette commander to load and fire the main gun.
As with most tankettes it was severely deficient in armor protection, and was prey for any "anti-tank weapon".
SPECIFICATIONS:
Place of origin: Empire of Japan
Designed: 1936–1937
No. built: 616
Mass: 4.7 tonnes (4.6 long tons; 5.2 short tons)
Length: 3.68 meters (12.1 ft)
Width: 1.80 meters (5 ft 11 in)
Height: 1.9 meters (6 ft 3 in)
Crew: 2 (commander, driver)
Armor: 4–16 mm (0.16–0.63 in)
Main armament: 37mm Type 94 tank gun
Secondary armament: 7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun
Engine: Ikegai air-cooled inline 4-cylinder diesel of 65 hp (48 kW)
Power/weight: 10 hp/t (7.5 kW/t)
Suspension: 2-wheel bogie
Operational range: 250 kilometers (160 mi)
Maximum speed: 42 km/h (26 mph)
The Type 97 Light armored car Te-Ke (Kyū-nana-shiki kei sōkōsha Teke) was a tankette used by the Imperial Japanese Army in the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan against the Soviet Union, and in World War II. It was designed as a fast reconnaissance vehicle, and was a replacement for the earlier Type 94 tankette.
The origins of the Type 97 lay in a prototype diesel-engine version of the Type 94 Te-Ke developed by Hino Motors in 1936. Although the prototype had a more powerful engine and larger gun, initial trials were not successful and the Japanese Army demanded changes before acceptance. Hino responded with a modified prototype in November 1937, in which the engine was moved towards the rear of the chassis.
This design was accepted and full production began in 1938. A total of 616 units were produced from 1938 to 1944 (1 unit in 1937, 56 units in 1938, 217 units in 1939, 284 units in 1940, 58 units between 1941 and 1944).
Although the chassis was similar in appearance, the design of the Type 97 was different from the Type 94 in several significant areas. The engine was moved to the rear and the gun turret (commander position) moved to the middle of the tankette, with the driver located to the left side of the hull.
This gave the two men a better position to communicate with each other. As with the Type 94, the interior was lined with heat absorbing asbestos sheets.
The main armament was the Type 94 37 mm tank gun, with 96 rounds, barrel length of 136 cm (L36.7), EL angle of fire of −15 to +20 degrees, AZ angle of fire of 20 degrees, muzzle velocity of 600 m/s, penetration of 45 mm/300 m, which was also used by Type 95 Ha-Go. However, due to shortages in the production of this weapon, most vehicles were fitted with a 7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun instead.
The Type 97 replaced the Type 94 on the assembly line in 1939, it was primarily assigned to reconnaissance regiments, and, as with US Army tanks prior to 1941, it was not designed to engage enemy tanks. Because it was a reconnaissance vehicle, built for speed, and not direct combat, its hull and turret were designed for only two crewmen; leaving the tankette commander to load and fire the main gun.
As with most tankettes it was severely deficient in armor protection, and was prey for any "anti-tank weapon".
SPECIFICATIONS:
Place of origin: Empire of Japan
Designed: 1936–1937
No. built: 616
Mass: 4.7 tonnes (4.6 long tons; 5.2 short tons)
Length: 3.68 meters (12.1 ft)
Width: 1.80 meters (5 ft 11 in)
Height: 1.9 meters (6 ft 3 in)
Crew: 2 (commander, driver)
Armor: 4–16 mm (0.16–0.63 in)
Main armament: 37mm Type 94 tank gun
Secondary armament: 7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun
Engine: Ikegai air-cooled inline 4-cylinder diesel of 65 hp (48 kW)
Power/weight: 10 hp/t (7.5 kW/t)
Suspension: 2-wheel bogie
Operational range: 250 kilometers (160 mi)
Maximum speed: 42 km/h (26 mph)
THE KIT:
Fine Molds is a model company based in Toyohashi, Japan.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of two “Te-Ke” tankettes parked in a woods. They are both in a wave pattern of mixture of khaki and red-brown, flat-brown and Royal blue mixes and a flat yellow band. Both tanks have the white unit marking for the 13th Tank Regiment, 3rd Company, 2nd Platoon, China on their turret sides.
Two men are standing by the lead tank. They wear khaki uniforms, with the trousers bloused at the bottom into laced leggings over low brown shows. They have billed cloth hats on their heads and one has goggles on his hat. One man is pointing with his right arm. The other man with the goggles is reading a map.
A crewman is looking out of the top of the turret on the second tankette and there is another man standing beside it with goggles on his hat. Both wear the same uniforms as the first 2 men.
One side panel has a color 3-view illustration of the tankette in the box art scheme. Followed by a caution that tells you that when you use paint and cement, do not use fire in the room & open the window for fresh air. Fine Molds street address is provided and kit was made in Japan.
Fine Molds is a model company based in Toyohashi, Japan.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of two “Te-Ke” tankettes parked in a woods. They are both in a wave pattern of mixture of khaki and red-brown, flat-brown and Royal blue mixes and a flat yellow band. Both tanks have the white unit marking for the 13th Tank Regiment, 3rd Company, 2nd Platoon, China on their turret sides.
Two men are standing by the lead tank. They wear khaki uniforms, with the trousers bloused at the bottom into laced leggings over low brown shows. They have billed cloth hats on their heads and one has goggles on his hat. One man is pointing with his right arm. The other man with the goggles is reading a map.
A crewman is looking out of the top of the turret on the second tankette and there is another man standing beside it with goggles on his hat. Both wear the same uniforms as the first 2 men.
One side panel has a color 3-view illustration of the tankette in the box art scheme. Followed by a caution that tells you that when you use paint and cement, do not use fire in the room & open the window for fresh air. Fine Molds street address is provided and kit was made in Japan.
The other side panel has 2 black and white photos of an actual “Te-Ke” as a front and rear view, followed by a paragraph all in Japanese.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 3 dark-green parts trees, a light-grey tree and 8 jet-black trees in 3 stapled-shut clear cello bags. Three kit decal sheets. A sheet of dry transfer type decals that I purchased and added to the kit (not by Archer, but who?) and a steel PE fret. They are in a clear zip-locked bag with instructions.
The kit holds 3 dark-green parts trees, a light-grey tree and 8 jet-black trees in 3 stapled-shut clear cello bags. Three kit decal sheets. A sheet of dry transfer type decals that I purchased and added to the kit (not by Archer, but who?) and a steel PE fret. They are in a clear zip-locked bag with instructions.
I also bought a set of individual Modelkasten 1/35th scale Type 97 tracks and added them to the kit. They really are no better than the kit supplied ones detail wise. I need my head examined for purchasing them…sigh. The dark-green trees contain 4 links each on 50 trees for a total of 200 links.
The instructions are predominantly in Japanese, with just a little English.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 7 ¼” x 10” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over the history of the “Te-Ke” and its specifications in Japanese.
The top of page 2 begins with Japanese text and in English it says: boxed numbers refer to Gunze Sangyo’ Mr. Color paint color numbers.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 6 gives a grand total of 11 assembly steps. The last step is for assembly and painting the figures. The text in these steps is predominantly Japanese with only colors of things in English.
Page 7 is a color and marking guide. It shows a 3-view of a “Te-Ke” in the box art scheme with no markings shown. Below is CAUTIONS about the kit in Japanese and English.
Page 8 is another color and marking guide. It has Japanese text down a left-hand column and a 3-view, three side-views and a front-view down the right side of the page.
None of the illustrations say what color these are. At least not in English. Only their units is given in English.
The 3-view is as the tank looked in Burma.
The first side-view is of another tank in Burma, June 1944.
The second side-view is of a tank with the 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment, 3rd Company, Bhamo, Burma, December 1944.
The third side-view is of a tank with the 13th Tank Regiment, 3rd Company, 2nd Platoon, China (the box art scheme).
The front view is of tank with an unknown unit.
There are 3 loose sheets in the kit.
One is a single-sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 7 ¼” x 10 page format. It shows drawings of a cutaway the insides of the tankette, main gun, tools, ammo, crewmen inside, engine etc. Text again is mostly in Japanese with very little English.
A second sheet printed on both sides in 71/4” x 10” format is all in Japanese. The front side shows the machine gun and calls out the colors in English.
The reverse side begins with the turret assembly instructions over three side-view drawings of other marking options, all in Japanese.
There are 2 sheets that are 5 ¼” x 8 ¼” format, printed on both sides in Japanese only. I suspect these are listing the names of other model kits that Fine Molds manufacturers?
All 4 of these sheets are sandwiched into the main instructions.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions.
Dark-green letter A tree holds: the hull floor, hull top, sides, tools, air intake grill, exhaust etc. (46 parts)
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 7 ¼” x 10” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over the history of the “Te-Ke” and its specifications in Japanese.
The top of page 2 begins with Japanese text and in English it says: boxed numbers refer to Gunze Sangyo’ Mr. Color paint color numbers.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 6 gives a grand total of 11 assembly steps. The last step is for assembly and painting the figures. The text in these steps is predominantly Japanese with only colors of things in English.
Page 7 is a color and marking guide. It shows a 3-view of a “Te-Ke” in the box art scheme with no markings shown. Below is CAUTIONS about the kit in Japanese and English.
Page 8 is another color and marking guide. It has Japanese text down a left-hand column and a 3-view, three side-views and a front-view down the right side of the page.
None of the illustrations say what color these are. At least not in English. Only their units is given in English.
The 3-view is as the tank looked in Burma.
The first side-view is of another tank in Burma, June 1944.
The second side-view is of a tank with the 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment, 3rd Company, Bhamo, Burma, December 1944.
The third side-view is of a tank with the 13th Tank Regiment, 3rd Company, 2nd Platoon, China (the box art scheme).
The front view is of tank with an unknown unit.
There are 3 loose sheets in the kit.
One is a single-sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 7 ¼” x 10 page format. It shows drawings of a cutaway the insides of the tankette, main gun, tools, ammo, crewmen inside, engine etc. Text again is mostly in Japanese with very little English.
A second sheet printed on both sides in 71/4” x 10” format is all in Japanese. The front side shows the machine gun and calls out the colors in English.
The reverse side begins with the turret assembly instructions over three side-view drawings of other marking options, all in Japanese.
There are 2 sheets that are 5 ¼” x 8 ¼” format, printed on both sides in Japanese only. I suspect these are listing the names of other model kits that Fine Molds manufacturers?
All 4 of these sheets are sandwiched into the main instructions.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions.
Dark-green letter A tree holds: the hull floor, hull top, sides, tools, air intake grill, exhaust etc. (46 parts)
Dark-green letter B tree holds turret parts etc. (7 parts)
There are 2 identical letter C trees. They hold: road wheels, drive sprockets, bogies etc. (39 parts each)
Light-gray letter D tree holds: the crew figures (full bodied with separate arms), inside floor and rear wall, main gun barrel, breech, control levers, radio, seats etc. (38 parts)
There is no letter E tree.
There is no letter E tree.
The photo etch tree contains parts for light and exhaust guards, a screen, lifting hooks, etc.(27 parts)
Letter F trees are the jet-black individual links. There are 8 trees of these that hold 18 single links, 2 double links and 2 triple links for 22 total links per tree.
The 3 kit decal sheets and the steel PE fret complete the kit's contents.
There are no clear parts included.
Excellent detail. My only gripe is the instructions should have more English.
Highly recommended.
Excellent detail. My only gripe is the instructions should have more English.
Highly recommended.