Tamiya 35090 - 1:35 Japanese Infantry

Plastic model figures: Japanese Infantry in 1:35 scale

Tamiya 35090 is a set of four Japanese infantry figures of the Second World War. It is a subject far less common in modelling than German or American soldiers, and all the more appealing for it: it lets you show the other side of the fighting in the Pacific and South-East Asia, where terrain and climate were as dangerous an enemy as the opposing army.

The figures work well as an addition to a diorama with a Japanese vehicle, or as a standalone vignette among tropical vegetation. The tooling dates from 1976 and the kit belongs to the Military Miniature Series.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with the parts for four Japanese infantry figures
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Catalogue number: 35090
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Series: Military Miniature Series
• Number of figures: 4
• Tooling: 1976
• Skill level: beginner

Note: The kit does not include cement, paints or modelling tools. The figures are supplied for self-assembly and painting.

Assembly and painting:

The build is quick and simple — the figures consist of only a few well-fitting parts. It is worth removing the gate marks and smoothing the mould parting lines before painting; on figures such details show up clearly on the uniform and face afterwards.

Figure painting is a skill of its own, and a set like this is a comfortable place to develop it. The base for Japanese infantry is the mustard-green and khaki of the field uniform, complemented by the browns of leather equipment and the cloth of the puttees. In tropical conditions uniforms faded and soiled quickly — this is worth using, lightening the base a little and applying a wash and pigments for dust and mud effects. The instructions provide Tamiya paint codes.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling side cutters for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes, including fine ones for faces and details
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• A wash to emphasise uniform folds and equipment
• Optional: pigments for dust and mud effects

About the soldiers – infantry of the Imperial Japanese Army:

During the Second World War the Imperial Japanese Army fought across an enormous area: from China through Burma and the Philippines to the islands of the Pacific. Its infantry was known for its endurance in extremely harsh conditions — in the jungle, in high humidity, amid tropical disease and chronic shortages of supply.

The Japanese infantryman's basic weapon was the bolt-action Arisaka rifle — the 6.5 mm Type 38 and, from 1939, the 7.7 mm Type 99. Grenade dischargers, machine guns and bayonets completed the armament, and doctrine placed heavy emphasis on close combat and determination in the attack. Defending the islands, the Japanese infantry built extensive systems of fortifications and caves and fought to the end — which made the Pacific campaigns some of the bloodiest of the entire war.

Field uniforms were in shades of mustard green and khaki, worn with the distinctive helmet and puttees. These are precisely the soldiers reproduced by the figures in this set.

Historical background:

• Formation: infantry of the Imperial Japanese Army, Second World War
• Theatres: China, Burma, the Philippines, the islands of the Pacific
• The Japanese infantryman's basic weapon: the bolt-action Arisaka Type 38 (6.5 mm) and Type 99 (7.7 mm)
• Field uniform: shades of mustard green and khaki, helmet, puttees
• Use: dioramas of the Pacific and Asian theatres, a complement to 1:35 models of Japanese vehicles

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, regarded as the centre of the Japanese model industry. The business began in the timber trade, moved on to wooden models in the late 1940s and released its first plastic model kit in 1960. In 1968 it launched the 1:35 Military Miniature Series, to which this figure set also belongs. The brand is known for precise injection moulds and excellent parts fit, which makes its kits a popular choice for beginners and experienced modellers alike. Tamiya figures are valued for their natural poses and clearly rendered uniforms and equipment. Besides plastic kits the company offers a full range of modelling accessories: paints, cements, tools and brushes. Today Tamiya is present in dozens of countries and remains one of the most recognisable brands in the hobby.