The Type 74 main battle tank was developed for the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force during the Cold War, reflecting Japan’s emphasis on defensive capability, mobility, and operation in complex terrain. Manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the Type 74 entered service in the mid-1970s and remained in production through 1988, with a total of 873 vehicles built.
Armed with a 105mm main gun, the Type 74 was designed to engage contemporary armored threats while remaining compact and maneuverable. One of its most distinctive features is its hydropneumatic suspension system, which allows the tank to adjust its ride height and pitch. This capability enables the vehicle to lower its frontal profile, increase gun depression, and take advantage of hull-down firing positions - a particularly valuable trait in Japan’s mountainous and forested terrain.
This model is finished in acrylics and depicts the Type 74 with its suspension adjusted to show the depressed nose and lowered gun position. The goal of the build was to highlight the tank’s unique engineering features and restrained, purposeful appearance, presenting it as a practical defensive weapon rather than an aggressively styled battlefield machine.
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