[new] WAK 10/08 - Type 94 Te-Ke

[WAK]

WAK 10/2008
Type 94 Te-Ke





Scale: 1:25
Designer: M. Rafalski (debut!)
Skill level: 3/6
Sheets with parts: 6
Assembly draws: 36
Price: 19,00 PLN (~6.20 $)
Available: 30.10.2008



Japan light tank (tankette) model in Japan-China War (1937) camouflage. Little tank but with many details.

[CharlieC]

Excellent - WAK should be applauded for producing a Te-Ke model. The Te-Ke was used wherever the Japanese Army went in WW2. There is at least one in Australia (at the Armour Museum Puckapunyal) - captured in PNG.

This seems to be the early version - any plans to release the later version (Type 97) with the idler position pushed down to the ground?

Regards,

Charlie

[boosed]

How wonderful to see another Japanese tank appear!

This one looks beyond my capability to build, but I have to have this one anyway.

Don

[WAK]

Model is available. We have also in offer laser cut track for Te-Ke (20 PLN)

[boosed]

I would like to buy this model and the laser cut tracks. It appears that the tank kit at 20 zlotys is a little over $7.00 U.S., which seems quite reasonable.

However, I cannot find the laser-cut tracks at the WAK site and the procedures for ordering are not clear to me.

I'd like to know how much the laser-cut tracks are, how to order them, and the options for paying.

Is there any U.S.-based retailer who carries this kit and the laser-cut tracks?

Don

[GreMir]

Don,
Paper Model Store carries WAK models so Te-Ke will most likely show up in his offer. Give it some time, though - model was just published in Poland and shipping takes about two months
He also has good assortment of laser cut parts so there is hope for the tracks as well.

[boosed]

Thanks, Mike. I will wait -- I have enough on my plate anyway and do not intend to start building this vehicle for some time. I'd just like to have it with the option to build some day, especially as it was such a widely-used Japanese AFV.

I took the GreMir Ki-44 cowling to the IPMC last weekend. It doesn't look bad -- all I have to do now is put an airplane behind it -- high on my list of things to do, along with producing some acceptable Stinson L-5s, building the Tiger Moth that Terry and Rosie sent me, MAYBE starting on the NCAJ Peder Skram-- and there there is this German Barbe (520) class landing craft that Rick beguiled me into buying at the convention.

Don

[CharlieC]

Something about this model has been niggling in my wetware (or what I (possibly laughlingly) call a brain).

The Type 94 seems to have been referred to as the "TK" - this came in a number of versions - mostly to overcome problems with shedding tracks on turns. The redesigned tankette - the Type 97 - was the "Te-Ke". The WAK model certainly isn't a Te-Ke but looks like an early TK.
(AFV)

I've never seen an explanation of the coding system used for Japanese AFVs - I understand the Type numbers - the year of the traditional Japanese calendar - but the code characters such as "Te-Ke" are an enigma to me.

Regards,

Charlie

[shrike]

Te-Ke, T-K I can see how that would be confusing.
Add to it that the Japanese have been adopting little bits of english for a long time so I can see how the western TK could be transliterated into Te-Ke.
After all the A6M series did become semi-officially the "Zero-sen". ( "Fulcrum" was adopted as the commercial name for the MiG-29 too)

[boosed]

I was hoping YOU would have an explanation for the IJA AFV naming system, Charlie!

My impression is that some of the designations were series names, using the kana syllables in the way Western countries use letters and numbers, both Arabic and Roman. Others seem to have been abbreviations, and some appear to have incorporated Japanese pronunciations of English or other Western words.

Taki's page that you reference (TAKI) is about the best I have seen, and Gordon Rottman has published a couple of Osprey books that are useful. When time permits, I am going to email Gordo and see if he can shed any additional light.

DrBill -- can you weigh in here?

Don