Type 95 Details - Restoration

[dharper]

For the past 20 years or so the Oregon National Guard has been restoring one Japanese Type 95 light tank, from two tanks recovered from the gun range in Utah. When I lived back in Portland, I visited and provided research to the restoration team ove the years. The base has been virtually closed down and the restoration of the vehicles is now on perpetual hold. But I have hundreds of photos taken of the project and I †hought that I would share a few of them here on Planetarmor. If there is enough interest and response posted to this first post I will post more.

http://harpercastings.com/images/image_posts/CAMP%20T95%20HULL-1.jpg

This is a shot of the first vehicle being disassembled and cleaned, many small artifacts were found when the sand was sifted out of the vehicle. Including the fuse setting device for the main gun rounds and a pair of khaki Japanese summer uniform shorts!!

http://harpercastings.com/images/image_posts/CAMP%20T95%20TRT-1.jpg

Here we see the turret stripped bead blasted and repainted in original colors.

http://harpercastings.com/images/image_posts/CAMP%20T95%20TRT-2.jpg

This is the turret with the main gun installed.

http://harpercastings.com/images/image_posts/CAMP%20T95%20TRT-3.jpg

This is the shield bracket that mounts onto the gun.

http://harpercastings.com/images/image_posts/CAMP%20T95%20TRT-4.jpg

A view of the inside rear of the turret showing the ball mount socket for the machine gun.

http://harpercastings.com/images/image_posts/CAMP%20T95%20TRT-7.jpg

Another view of the gun shield/bracket with the sight mounted in place. The curved piece on the bracket is where the gunner puts his shoulder to aim the gun. Really!!!

http://harpercastings.com/images/image_posts/CAMP%20T95%20TRT-CLR.jpg

This is the commanders hatch from vehicle no. 1. It is still in its original colors.

http://harpercastings.com/images/image_posts/DEH%20T95-1.jpg

Here i am ("son of Maline you die!!"), posing next to the Type 95 turret during one of my visits.

[panzer]

Dave,
Nice pics,the interior color? Painted silver or is that bare metal?
This brings up my next question, why is German armor so much more popular?
I personally think that the Japanese had just as attractive paint schemes as the Germans, The artwork posted below is SEXY. Panzer
http://img37.photobucket.com/albums/v114/mrosko/models/type97Chi-Ha.jpg

[dharper]

The interior color was in fact silver, hatch insides were often painted to match the exterior of the vehicle. Asbestos was used as insulation and to deaden sounds inside of Japanese tanks, this asbestos was also a silver color that faded to a flat whitesh color over time.