Japanese - Medium Tank Type 89 I-Go Type A

The Japanese Medium Tank Type 89 I-Go Type A was one of Japan’s first domestically produced tanks, developed in the late 1920s and entering service in 1932. Designed primarily for infantry support, the Type 89A featured a riveted hull, a 57mm low-velocity gun in a fully rotating turret, and one or two 7.7mm Type 91 machine guns for close defense. It was powered by a gasoline engine in the Type A variant, giving it modest speed and range, though later versions (Type B) used a diesel engine for better reliability. The tank had relatively thin armor (6–17mm), sufficient for the time, but it quickly became outdated by the mid-1930s as tank design advanced globally. The Type 89 saw action in the Second Sino-Japanese War and early stages of the Pacific War, where it performed adequately against poorly equipped forces but was outclassed by newer Allied tanks later in the conflict. Despite its limitations, the Type 89 I-Go marked a significant step in Japan’s armored warfare development and was a cornerstone of its early mechanized forces.

Multi part resin model.

Printed by Imperator Models on License from Wargame 3D.