1:35 I.J.A. Tank Destroyer HoRi-II Field modified w/I.J.N. Type 10 120mm AA gun

The real subject

Ho-Ri was a project for a heavy tank destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Army from the end of the Second World War. Instead of a rotating turret it was to carry a powerful gun in a fixed superstructure, and it was built on a chassis derived from the unfinished medium tank of the Chi-Ri series. It reached neither combat nor series production and remained on paper; the versions designated Ho-Ri I and Ho-Ri II differed in the layout of the hull. That is exactly why it is a rewarding subject for builders who are fond of machines that never saw service.

What the model represents

This kit goes one step further and shows the Ho-Ri II in a field modification with the Type 10 gun of 120 mm caliber, that is, with an anti-aircraft gun of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The combination of an army chassis and a naval weapon is hypothetical, but it builds on what really went on at the end of the war: naval guns ended up in ground emplacements, because there were enough of them and it was becoming ever harder to make use of them at sea.

• A kit in 1:35 scale, the real subject is the Japanese Ho-Ri II tank destroyer
• A hypothetical field modification with the naval Type 10 gun of 120 mm caliber
• A subject from the realm of so-called what-if machines
• The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted

Building and painting tips

Follow the maker's instructions and dry fit the parts before gluing, especially on the superstructure and the gun mounting. The long barrel wants a straight seating, otherwise the squint is visible from every angle. On late Japanese equipment restrained weathering pays off: a dusty lower hull, worn edges and a matte surface match the state when neither material nor time for maintenance was to be had.

Who it is for

For builders of Japanese equipment and for collectors of subjects that got no further than the project stage. Paints, glue and figures are not part of the package unless stated otherwise.