O-I 150t Superheavy Tank
The IJA´s Phantom Samurai

For quite a long time the Japanese WW2 superheavy tank project culminating in the O-I has been somewhat shrouded in mystery and most of the vehicles depiction were limited to artistic interpretatiotns. Only in the 2010s more documentation on the actual vehicle was uncovered leading to the vehicle´s real look becoming known. Finemolds, the maker of this particular kit of the vehicle in 1/72 were heavily involved and held some of the documentation. Since, the150ton O-I has gained popularity in part due to it´s inclusion in video games.
The real vehicle was developed during the early 1940s to provide a "rolling bunker" for operations on the Asian mainland being impervious to in service ans well as perspective anti-tank guns with armour plating of up to 150mm in overall thickness. A test-vehicle was built after a somewhat elongated development progress due to low priority but further development or production fell victim to the changing circumstances of Japan´s needs being at taht time well involved in the Pacific War.
The Finemolds kit is really nice and a pleasure to build. I started building at the Euro Model Expo in Lingen at our club table and after another evnng of work finished the assembly. I will paint the vehicle in a late 3-tone Japanese camo and maybe add some partly 3D-printed stowage items for additional visual interest on the vehicle´s boxy form.