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Historical background:
The Ho-Ha half-track was used as a troop transport in World War II.
It was heavily influenced by contemporary German designs particularly the Sd.Kfz.251 series. Initially designed in 1941 it was not
given much priorty until later in the war. Only a few examples reached frontline troops in China and the Philippines by war's end.
The Toyota Jeep was based on an old Bantam Mk.II found in the Philippines in 1941. Toyota was tasked with building a similar vehicle but to not exactly copy
the appearance of the American vehicle. A quarter ton small truck was also developed.
Neither vehicle saw much service.
Ho-Ha half-track:
Weight - 9 tons
Armour - varied from 8 to 4mm
Length - 6.10m
Width - 2.10m
Height - 2.00m
Speed - 50 km/h
Crew - 3 crew plus 12 passengers
The kits:
The two kits come in a carton box measuring 21.5cm x 8.5cm x 3cm. Parts are separate packed in separate plastic bags. The half-track has 23 parts while the
AK10 has 8. All parts are cast in light blue resin.
- A 4-side drawing is all that is included as an instruction manual.
- There is no painting guide.
- There are no decals.
- There are no tools.
Parts:
The hull is cast in one part. The engine compartment is hollow and there is no drive train.
The topside and sidewalls are without air bubbles.
Each track is cast as 2 parts and are very simplified.
All of the parts have flash that will need to be carefully removed.
For both kits, the casting is simple and a little rough.
Conclusion:
This model is best suited for collectors only, especially those with an interest in the "Japanese War Theatre". With so few parts, the models make for a simple build
out-of-the-box. To make either of them more presentable will require a lot of work and some experience in modeling.
References:
[1] Wikipedia (Ho-Ha)
[2] WW2 DB (Ho-Ha)
[3] Off Road Action (Toyota AK10)
[4] Wikipedia (Toyota AK10)
Review sample received from an independent third party donor.
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