Chi-Ha 97 Tank (Japan) 1/144

The Type 97 Chi-Ha (九七式中戦車 チハ Kyūnana-shiki chū-sensha Chi-ha?) was a medium tank used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Battles of Khalkhin Gol against the Soviet Union, and the Second World War. It was the most widely produced Japanese medium tank of World War II.[5]

The 57 mm main gun, designed for infantry support, was a carry over from the 1933 Type 89 medium tank. The suspension was derived from the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, but used six road wheels instead of four.[5]The 170 hp Mitsubishi air cooled diesel engine was a capable tank engine in 1938.[5]

The Type 97's low silhouette and semicircular radio antenna on the turret distinguished the tank from its contemporaries. After 1941, the tank was less effective than most Allied tank designs.[6] In 1942, a new version of the Chi-Ha was produced with a larger three-man turret, and a high-velocity Type 1 47 mm tank gun. It was designated the Type 97-Kai or Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha.