SPA Modeler

While other projects are on hold, I decided to jump into the Type 16 this weekend.



I am fascinated by this vehicle, it looks like something out of a sci fi movie. There are 5 sprues, 2 of which are duplicates for suspension parts, handles, and other fiddly bits that are mirrored on both sides. Unfortunately, my box shot of the sprues didn't actually appear on my phone, so I must jump forward to the weekend sessions summary shots.









So far, this kit has been a joy to build, and is really just falling together. I am trying to wrap my head around how the crew fits in this thing, because it is not very big at all compared to other builds I have made in the past. However, given some stories I heard about hotel rooms in Japan...

That is an interesting vee-hickle For sure! Off to a great start!

This is looking great so far! Nice work! I agree, it does look quite sci-fi in appearance. Even when I look at my finished 1/72 scale one next to my Japanese tanks, I still feel that way.

And yeah, Japanese are small people. I recall a comment made by a guy who visited over there. When they heard he was in the US Army they offered him a chance to check out their armored vehicles. He could barely fit inside any of them, much less slip through any hatches and he wasn't considered large by US standards. Most interesting.

Had a decent weekend of building, this project is unfortunately nearing and end to construction. I say unfortunate, because this is a very well engineered kit that is not giving and issues so far.

Most of the fiddly bits have been added to the hull, I need to double check the instructions but I think all that is left is the tools, which I only add after painting:







The turret is also nearly done now. The barrel is just test fitted, I have not glued in place yet due to the canvas cover at the base of the barrel. Tamiya also wants me to drill approximately 80 holes in the muzzle break, figured that will be easier if I can rotate it without the scifi turret in the way. Naturally I saw after installing the various barrel parts that an aluminum AM barrel is offered by Tamiya with holes drilled, but in needs the parts I already glued. D'oh!





The viewing periscopes are Tamiya green with the backside covered with gun metal paint. The kit includes masking stickers for all the glass, so that is why they are colored and installed already.

I am on the lookout for a storage set to fill the rack in back, but I may have to hit the spares box for ammo boxes and scratch some tarps and bedrolls.

Wow, sensational work Robert! This is amazing! One thing I think might be different is that the vision blocks were a clear red with an anti-laser coating to prevent the driver and commander (and anyone else looking through them) from being blinded by the laser. I may be wrong though, so you might want to check references to be sure.

Thanks Duke! I did briefly check on the tinting of the vision ports since I usually see red as well on modern armor. From the stock photos I saw in the color guide Tamiya included, they actually looked un-tinted with only a black reflection, but this may have been a demo vehicle. Unfortunately the pictures of the field vehicles weren't close enough or large enough to give a clear answer either.

Long story short, the green is my own artistic interpretation.

Construction has been finished, and now this will go on a temporary hiatus until warm enough weather returns to Wisconsin so I can take to the painting.







The hatches are movable, and I plan on leaving them open for the two figures.

Hopefully my next update will be in a couple weeks!

Looks pretty good so far The warm weather returns to Wisconsin when? Late May?

Memorial Day is a fairly safe bet, but it's a coin flip if the weather is warm and sunny or cold and rainy.

Generally there are a few windows between now and than that will allow a quick spray session with a rattle can though.

Just catching up on your build. Looking pretty damn good so far. You don’t have an airbrush?