Toy soldier IJA officers with Gunto - just for fun!

[Kolekt-To]

Gunto-carrying Imperial Japanese Army officers have been represented in toy soldier and military modeling markets for decades. In the photo here I have pulled 4 examples from my 1/32 scale collection for comparison. From left to right are figures from the following manufacturers: Mars, Airfix, BMC, and TSSD. I think it's a toss up between the Mars and Airfix figures for the most accurate regarding Gunto. Both figures have good level of detail. I lean more toward the Airfix figure as having the best representation of a Gunto - for one thing, the sori (curvature) of the blade looks decent. Of course, I can't see hamon in any of the figures' Gunto. Lol

The BMC figure lacks detail, but appears to be holding a sheathed sword. The TSSD figure appears to be holding a machete, not a Gunto - perhaps that's the manufacturer's attempt at a Gunto? But a machete-wielding Japanese soldier would not be out of consideration since there are many documented cases of Japanese soldiers using a variety of edged weapons in combat, including bamboo spears and pitchforks (there is a documented report of a U.S. marine on Saipan being killed by pitchfork during the infamous Banzai charge of July 7, 1944). However, if this figure is supposed to be of a Japanese soldier, then it should have a Gunto, not a machete. 

 

What figure do you think has the most accurately represented Gunto?

 

P.S. In addition to the Japanese figure comparison photo, I have included a few photos of a quick-made 1/32 scale vignette depicting IJA infantry in action against KMT (Nationalist Chinese) forces during the Battle for Nanking in 1937 - the BMC Japanese officer figure is included here. Note: there is a lack of 1/32 scale Chinese soldier figures (for the period - 1930's-1940's) on the market, so I used selected German Infantry figures as a substitute (only ones with Mauser 98K rifles and stick grenades, as KMT soldiers would have had). The Germans sold China arms and uniforms to supply their army during the 1930's, so, at least superficially (the helmets, uniforms, rifles, etc.), many KMT troops looked somewhat like German troops of the time (have you seen the movie "The Eight Hundred"?). And, yes, that's a German Panzer II in the background (in 1/35 scale - smaller than I'd like, but passable) as China bought 20 of these from Germany in 1937 and 15 of them participated in the Battle of Nanking in November 1937.

[BANGBANGSAN]

The KMT army actually equipt M-35 helmets before the German army.

 

[vajo]

This guy looks strange.

[Kolekt-To]

Thanks for the comments guys! 

Trystan, that's good information and those photos are excellent. And, Chris, yes, those figures are not the best, but I had to make due with what I had. The one you mentioned, does look strange - getting hit by gunfire and, presumably, has dropped his rifle. The helmet, rising up, looks a bit like a German paratrooper helmet. Anyway, I included the scene for fun. My focus was on the Japanese officer figures with the swords.

[Stephen]

Nope he's doing the hokey pokey....

Put your right leg out and wave it all about 

https://youtu.be/pJjgxXCkMYk

 

[Kolekt-To]

5 hours ago, Stephen said:

Nope he's doing the hokey pokey....

Put your right leg out and wave it all about 

https://youtu.be/pJjgxXCkMYk

 

Hey Stephen, getting back to the Japanese figures with the Guntos in the first photo, the first figure (on the Left) is holding a sword with a thick, beefy blade compared to the others - do you think it could pass for a Mantetsu? Lol

[Stephen]

Speaking of ...check two nice gunto im sharing here in military swords ..

[Bruce Pennington]

2 hours ago, Kolekt-To said:

a Mantetsu? Lol

Good one Geoff!  But you can see it has a bohi (fuller groove) so I'd say it's a family blade refitted for the war!  Ha!