Available from HobbyLink Japan

“It is a hard thing to spend time teaching a young man to kill, as it inflames all his emotions. Then, what do we do in peace time, when such energy cannot by entirely contained by drill and garrison service? Put fear into the heart of them with iron discipline and strict rules. We are an army, not a rabble. General Han Xin (c. 231-196 BCE).

It goes without saying that it is a hard job trying to police large numbers of armed men and women, even today – an age in which the armed forces of the Western World are, by-and-large volunteer organizations with processes of training that are designed to weed out trouble at basic training.

However, as my old Dad wold tell me, even a bit of laddish larking could find a REME corporal doluble-timing through the grounds at Port Sunlight to the Colonel’s office, flanked by a couple of very unsympatheric looking chaps who would make R Lee Ermey, in his prime look like a grade school teacher.

This is what happens when you drive off with the wrong Scammel and take a Chieftan with you without knowing.

Seriously though…

the very concept of policing a fighting force, especially in time of war, seems like an impossible task, and yet, as General Xin states, it is all too necessary. Investigating crimes one day, securing compounds another to providing peacekeeping efforts on other times.

Soldiers, disciplinarians, diplomats, hard-nosed buggers and as loyal as they come (and sometimes for ill, as much as good, as history has shown).

The very idea fascinates me.

Checkpoint Alphonse

I got the idea for this little build a long time back, when watching the Patlabor Movie, and the way in which the JSDF deployed labors (Helldiver Airborne mechs) against the rogue test unit which had fallen victim to the HOS virus in the wind-tunnel.

It brought up what sort of mechs the Military police might use in Ito and Oshii’s World, at least in Japan. As this interesting site suggests, the Japanese military were, much like everyone else still taking baby steps with their labours by the time of the series, with only Shinohara Industries (the leaders in all labor design) providing a seemingly mission specific unit in the Helldiver. The only other mechs seen in the OAV and films (such as the AL-97 Atlas) seem to still be in the experimental stage. With few kits available, I kept coming back to the the old, faithful Ingram and wondered what that would look like in olive drab, Some  red stripes and an assault rifle in its hands.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I *had* envisaged entering a 1/48 scale Char’s Zaku into a Gundam builder’s World Cup event, being scolded by an appropriately scaled Ingram for speeding (and being issued a ticket), but I was told, even if I found the correct kit, it would not be allowed – if only on the grounds of good taste.

Fair enough.

So here we go, a JSDF Military Police roadblock diorama. Just click here and have this running in the background whilst you read…….

The Build

Since the first bandai Patlabor kits, the fabric dirt screens have been a feature of these kits.
These are all ingeniously molded to positively lock in place.

The right arm contains the extension, by which the Ingram can reach down and recover its revolver.

One of the ways in which the rubber joint seals is held in place.

In a normal build, here is where the revolver would go, on a hinged system.

Roadblock

I snaffled a Shotgun from an old MG Kampher Kit to give this a little more impact as a military Ingram.

Conclusions

Old as this kit may be, it still looks very nice. The detailing is not a sharp as on the 2nd edition versions, but I hope that with the Patlabor Reboot, we may see a renaissance in the classic series and the associated kits.

Gods…. I’d kill or die for a MG Phantom or, even better a Helldiver…

An oldie, but a goodie.

Dr. Robodaz.