Japanese Type 89 I-Go Medium Tank

[BOUGAINVILLE]

Hi all,

Wishing you all a very happy New Year.

Have just got back from a month in Bougainville. Unfortunately our schedule didn't give me any time to get anywhere close to any areas of importance from WWII.

I did though take some internal shots of a IJA Type 89 I-Go Medium Tank.

I thought that some of you will find them interesting. I didn't climb inside due to asbestos. Second thoughts maybe as the asbestos is damp it might've been safe enough to do so.

Have also included a photo of an IJA 70mm Battalion Howitzer and what I think could be an IJN Pedestal Mounded 76mm Naval Gun.

These are all near the former township of Kieta along with a Mitsubishi Zero Fighter Plane. They are all in much need of a bit of loving care. Last time we were there 2 years ago it was all hidden by tall grass.

Cheers,
BOUGAINVILLE

PS - As we passed through Port Moresby yesterday saw the most funniest thing happening just in front of us. This lorry carrying unsecured pallets of boxes of Coke a Cola went swerving around a round-about loosing a full pallet. In an instant there was a swarm of people taking what they could. Within 4 minutes a police vehicle rushed in with shot guns firing into the air. Never seen people disperse so quickly with only a few scattered bottles left for the police, whom I sure were only after their share as well. Never seen a pallet of Coke disappear so quickly before, all in a space of a few minutes.

As they say PNG is the Land of the Unexpected. It sure is, as such unexpected scenes are common occurrences.

 

[Slick]

Glad to see you decided to come back.

 

[BMG50]

Intresting to see the interior of the tank covered with asbestos.

 

[sudelmuk]

Great pics, Bougainville, thanks for showing.

I still have great compassion for those Japanese, who were forced to fight against a world power in such rediculous tin cans.
If anyone of them, contrary to expectations, should have survived the war ... at the latest most likely the asbestos has killed him meanwhile.

 

[beihan62]

Hi Bougainville,many thanks for taking the time to take and share the pics with us,I share the same sentiments as sudelmuk,these tanks must have been cramped even with the smaller stature of Japanese crews,
Cheers and thanks,
Don,

 

[Falcon]

Thanks for the photos. Those bits of hardware really need a coat of paint.

Are they at a museum? If so, they are in some of the poorest condition I have seen.

 

[BOUGAINVILLE]

Unfortunately they are out in the weather and are placed near the entrance to what used to be the small town of Kieta before it got leveled to the ground during their uprising against the PNG Government during the late 1980s and 1990s.

It is sad to see such items exposed to the elements and left to their own means. The Tank would make a perfect restoration project. One of the locals has taken his own initiative and cut the grass by hand with a bush knife and I suggested that he asks the Autonomous Government and the Guest Houses etc for funds for maintaining the area and for some paint etc.

I will see if I can hunt around and find the photo I took 2 years ago. Couldn't even see the tank for the tall grass and couldn't even find the 70mm Howitzer, even though I knew roughly were it was positioned. Must've missed it by a few feet! That is how tall the grass was.