"Chi Ha Tanks on Guadalcanal" Topic

1942 Guadalcanal?
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Does anyone know if Captain Maeda's 1st Independent Tank Company Chi Ha Tanks were painted in the camouflage pattern used elsewhere?
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I have three of them from Warlord. Very respectable models and easy to put together. Terrific model engineering.
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Respectfully,
Bill P.
Chronicler for General Pettygree
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Don't mean to hijack the thread, but were Ha-Go tanks used on Guadalcanal? If so, was there a ratio to the bigger Chi-Ha tanks?

Many thanks for any information.

I believe that 1st Independent Tank Company consisted of 10 Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tanks and 2 Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks. Zalogda says that they had 12 Type 97 Chi-Ha tanks, but this is wrong as there is a photo of Type 97s and Type 95s knocked out on the Matanikau River in October 1942 and this picture shows both Type 97 and Type 95 tanks.

I don't think there are any official proof and the photos are all black and white. I would suggest the commonly used Ochre, Green, Red Brown and a Yellow stripe – the standard IJA tank camo scheme 1937-42.

Excerpt from the battle on Guadalcanal:
Due to poor communication, the first attack was launched prematurely. The Imperial Japanese Army's 4th Infantry Regiment, supported by nine of 1st Independent Tank Company's 12 tanks, attacked across the Matanikau River on the evening of Oct. 23, striking 3/1 and 3/7 Marines on the perimeter. (1st Independent was equipped with 10 Type 97 Chi-Ha tanks with 57mm guns and two Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks with 37mm guns.) One Marine later said, "We got the shock of our lives because no one had any idea the Japs had tanks." The Marines defending the perimeter, along with artillery support, 75mm cannons mounted on M-3 halftracks, 37mm anti-tank guns and various machinegun and rifle squads, repulsed the Japanese surprise attack. All nine tanks were destroyed, along with hundreds of Japanese infantry.

The Type 2 Ka-Mi was first used in combat on Guadalcanal in late 1942. There is also a Type 97 Chi-Ha – buried on the beach by the Matanikau River, Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands)

Sounds like a great scenario.

Wolfhag

suggest the commonly used Ochre, Green, Red Brown and a Yellow stripe – the standard IJA tank camo scheme 1937-42.

Yes, I've seen that a number of times.

And good OOB Wolf !

along with artillery support, 75mm cannons mounted on M-3 halftracks, 37mm anti-tank guns

Yes, to IJF AFVs, the 75mm was like an 88 and the 37mm like a 76.

Well, to just take this thread a bit further… Who makes a good US 37mm anti-tank gun, and a 75mm cannon, (might as well ask about a 57mm anti-tank gun while I'm at it) in 1/56 (28mm) scale? A good 75mm pack howitzer would be nice too. And since I'm here, how about small Japanese anti-tank and anti-boat guns? Plastic or metal, same scale. Thank you one and all.

M60 Warlord do all of those as do Company B and probably other firms. I presume you want them with USMC crew?

Fred,
Thank you for that information; I didn't know the pieces were available. My history has been mostly Army, going back to WW I, and I had a father-in-law who fought on New Guinea with the US Army. Additionally I've served with Marines in Vietnam and Iraq, so USMC crews are fine. Jar Heads are some of my best friends, and great to talk with if you speak slowly and use small words…
Again, thank you.