Type 89 Late KOU - Japanese Medium Tank

Japanese Type 89 Medium Tanks serial production began in 1931. It entered service in Japanese Imperial Army one year later, in 1932, and soon became the main tank of it. It required a crew of 4. Its armament consisted of Type 90 57mm gun and 2 Type 91 6,5mm machine guns. Final production version of Type 89 tank - "OTSU" was the first mass produced tank with a diesel engine in the world. Type 89 tanks of different versions saw action in the Second Sino-Japanese War, in the Khalkhin Gol battle against Soviet Union and in Second World War. It proved to be a very effective against Chinese forces but was already obsolete by the time of Khalkhin Gol and battles against Allies in the Pacific theater of WWII.

The version pictured in the 72040 model kit (to be released in the first days of October!) is a tank of latest gasoline production series. It's armed with a newer turret, both machine guns have armored covers and the frontal armor plate is of the latest type - with the machine gun mount on the right and drivers hatch on the left. The tracks and drive system are of the later variant as well. This particular version was the most widely produced of all Type 89 variants, it served in all the theaters of war mentioned above.