From: John K. Seidts (jseidts@astory.com)
Date: Fri Jan 17 2003 - 11:41:19 PST
Bill,
1. A good place to start is http://www.j-aircraft.com
I really like the site, as I am a very big fan of Japanese Aircraft. Part
of the site includes the Pacific Wrecks Database, which has lots of
information about abandoned Japanese facilities in the Pacific. I can't
look at that site, or I get the itch to go empty my bank account to haul a
Japanese Aircraft out of the jungle...
2. Bit of legend here. My flight instructor was stationed in several
places in the Pacific, and at one of them, they found a Japanese Light tank.
The last time he heard of it, the people who found it had written to the
manufacturer (Mitsubishi) and they were making a new Magnesium transmission
case to restore it.
3. Most of the wrecks are protected in some way. Very similar to the way
Russia protects its national treasures, which are now located in private
hands throughout the US and Europe. And some of them have had large
scandals and changes of government over some of these relics.
4. Quality. All Japanese items I have in my collection are extremely high
quality, although perhaps manufactured with 1/2 generation older technology
than the US or Britain. Also, their stuff is downright beautiful. The
aircraft instruments, equipment, and vehicle parts I have seen were very
well done and have an artistry to them even though mass produced. You will
find that later war manufactured items were made hastily, and without much
polish. But I imagine that the old shop hands who made the earlier war
stuff I have seen were either dead or furious for the lack of the quality in
these items.
5. Interesting footnote to this is that the Japanese concern Rikuo, which
license produced motorcycles during WWII, unfortunately picked Harley
Davidson as their model to make. It made production simpler, but even the
Japanese couldn't make a Harley run right....
Indian Motorcycles Forever! Just send the flames directly to me...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Chambers" <bchambers@hoovers.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 1:39 PM
Subject: [MV] now Japanese vehicles
> This has generated some questions:
> 1. is there anyone out there that has/restores Japanese WW2 vehicles
> 2. I have "heard" that some still sit on some of the islands, anyone ever
> seen one?
> 2a. Is the wreckage in the pacific protected salvage? either in the water
or
> on the land?
> 3. From a mechanical view, I have heard that they were, how do I say this,
> shabby in construction?
> 4. Compared to Allied and European Axis, the Nipponese Army were not big
> vehicle users, seems true.
> 5. We each seem to have favorite vehicles from the US/Britain/Germany...so
>
> anyone have a favorite Japanese MV?
>
>
> MV humorous note:
> When I was a kid, driving around with my uncle, he would point out
military
> vehicles to me.
> One in particular were these silver captured Japanese midget subs. They
were
> all over the place in 1960s.
>
> Seems that they brought back thousands of them to be used as oil tanks for
> heating homes!
>
> Man, if he was alive now, I would kick him in the shin, cause I filed that
> back in my Kindergarten head, never even questioned it for years! <g>
>
>
> Regards,
> Bill
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dave Ball [mailto:vought@msn.com]
> Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 12:25 PM
> To: mil-veh@mil-veh.org
> Subject: Re: [MV] Ebay Items disappear
>
>
> There are two type 95 tanks sitting in Sherwood forest at Camp Roberts Ca.
> right next too the bleacher area before you go on the range they are a
> little worse for wear but still could be made to look right looks like
they
> are full of 37mm holes and splatters.
>
> Dave
>
>
> ===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
> To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: <mil-veh-off@mil-veh.org>
> To switch to the DIGEST mode, send e-mail to <mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org>
> To reach a human, contact <ack@mil-veh.org>
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Wed Apr 23 2003 - 13:25:00 PDT