Imperial Japanese Army Knee Mortar IJA Type 89 Grenade Discharger Team WWII – Custom Printed Brick Block Figure

Group Identification: IJA Type 89 Grenade Discharger Section

This image displays a pair of Custom Printed Brick Block Figures representing a frontline weapon crew of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during World War II (The Pacific War/Second Sino-Japanese War). Together, they operate the highly effective Type 89 grenade discharger. Both figures feature immaculate 360-degree UV printing depicting the standard Type 98 field uniform heavily caked in battlefield mud and weathering.

Here is the detailed breakdown of each character from left to right:

1. Left: Main Gunner (Tekidantō-shu)

• Specific Name: Imperial Japanese Army Knee Mortar Main Gunner (WWII)

• Headgear: He wears a standard Type 90 steel helmet (Tetsubo) finished in a matte mustard-tan color, complete with a crisply molded yellow five-pointed star (the official IJA emblem) on the front. The fabric chinstrap is realistically printed along his face.

• Facial Features: He features a fierce, aggressive combat expression with thick, down-turned eyebrows and a prominent Showa-era military mustache, marking him as the veteran leader of the mortar cell.

• Uniform & Combat Gear: He is dressed in the khaki Type 98 uniform with red and gold rank tabs on the collar. Over his chest and waist are specialized Type 89 canvas ammunition pouches designed with heavy webbed straps to distribute the weight of the mortar shells. A brown leather strap cuts diagonally across his torso.

• Lower Body: His legs feature printed fabric wraps, known as puttees (gaiters), which are heavily stained with dark brown mud around his ankles and feet, indicating intense frontline deployment.

2. Right: Assistant Gunner / Ammunition Bearer (Tekidantō-fuku-shu)

• Specific Name: Imperial Japanese Army Knee Mortar Assistant Gunner (WWII)

• Headgear: He wears the exact same matching Type 90 steel helmet with the yellow five-pointed army star and printed chinstrap.

• Facial Features: In contrast to the main gunner, this figure is clean-shaven with wide, highly alert eyes. This represents the younger, junior soldiers typically assigned to haul ammunition and assist the primary gunner.

• Uniform & Combat Gear: He wears an identical Type 98 khaki uniform with standard collar tabs. He is similarly equipped with the oversized front canvas ammunition pouches crossing his chest, allowing him to hand individual 50mm explosive shells to the gunner instantly during a fire mission.

• Lower Body: Like his partner, his trousers and puttees are heavily weathered and caked in dark field mud from crawling through trenches and tropical terrain.

Historical Background: The Devastating “Knee Mortar” Team

The two-man team depicted here operated one of the most respected, feared, and misunderstood light support weapons of World War II.

• The Allied Myth of the “Knee Mortar”: The weapon they operated was the Type 89 Heavy Grenade Discharger. Allied troops who captured them nicknamed it the “Knee Mortar” because it featured a small, curved metal baseplate. Allied soldiers mistakenly believed the curve was meant to be braced against the thigh or knee when firing. Doing so was a painful mistake—the intense recoil would instantly fracture a soldier’s thigh bone! It was actually designed to be pressed firmly against the ground, a fallen log, or a trench wall.

• High Rate of Fire: The Type 89 was incredibly effective because it was lightweight, highly portable, and could fire up to 25 explosive or smoke rounds per minute. Because it burned through ammunition so rapidly, it required a dedicated team.

• The Tactical Duo: In combat, the Main Gunner (left) carried and aimed the weapon tube using a small range-gear wheel. The Assistant Gunner (right) knelt closely beside him, pulling 50mm high-explosive shells from his heavy canvas pouches, pulling the safety pins, and sliding them down the muzzle the instant the gunner gave the word. This organic firepower allowed Japanese squads to bypass obstacles and target Allied machine gun nests with extreme precision.