The Japanese Type 3 Medium Tank Chi-Nu was the most powerful medium tank mass-produced by Japan during World War II, developed to counter increasingly advanced Allied armor such as the M4 Sherman. Introduced in 1944, the Chi-Nu was based on the Type 1 Chi-He chassis but featured a larger, newly designed turret armed with a 75mm Type 3 tank gun, derived from an anti-aircraft gun and capable of penetrating the armor of contemporary Allied tanks. It also carried a 7.7mm Type 97 machine gun for secondary defense. Armor thickness ranged from 25mm to 75mm, offering improved but still moderate protection by late-war standards. Though its firepower was a significant step up from earlier Japanese tanks, production was limited to around 150–170 units due to Japan’s strained industrial resources. The Chi-Nu was held in reserve for the defense of the Japanese homeland and was never deployed in combat before the war ended in 1945. Nonetheless, it represented Japan’s most serious effort to field a competitive medium tank and was a major advancement in their armored vehicle development.
 
Multi part resin model.
 
Printed by Imperator Models on License from Wargame 3D.