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

Character Identification: IJA Type 89 Grenade Discharger Assistant Gunner

This highly detailed Custom Printed Brick Block Figure represents an indispensable combat specialist of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during World War II (The Pacific War/Second Sino-Japanese War). He serves as the Assistant Gunner / Ammunition Bearer (Tekidantō-fuku-shu) within a light infantry mortar team. His primary role is to haul heavy explosive shells and rapidly feed them to the main gunner during intense fire missions.

Specific Name and Visual Details

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

• Headgear (Type 90 Helmet): The figure is equipped with the standard Japanese Type 90 steel helmet (Tetsubo), featuring a crisply painted yellow five-pointed star on the front. The fabric chinstrap is realistically printed along the jawline.

• Facial Features: Unlike the seasoned mustache of the main gunner, this figure features a clean-shaven, youthful, and highly alert expression, representing the younger soldiers or junior assistants assigned to ammunition management.

• Upper Body & Ammo Webbing (Front View):

  • He wears the standard mustard-tan/khaki Type 98 field uniform with red and gold rank tabs printed on his collar.

  • Front Ammunition Pack: He is outfitted with the mandatory Type 89 canvas ammunition pouches resting on his waist, supported by cross-shoulder canvas straps. These oversized pouches were purpose-built to hold 50mm shells.

• Specialized Rear Ammo Bag (Back View): * The Key Differentiator: The rear view reveals his most critical gear—a large, detailed brown leather ammunition transport case/pouch slung diagonally across his back harness. This heavy-duty case allowed the assistant to carry bulk quantities of mortar rounds into battle.

• Lower Body & Battle Damage: His uniform features excellent 360-degree battle-worn weathering, with realistic mud and dust printed onto the fabric folds. His legs are wrapped in traditional crisscrossed puttees (gaiters), which are heavily caked in field mud around his dark boots.

Historical Background: The Engine of the Grenade Discharger

While the main gunner carried and aimed the Type 89 Grenade Discharger (the misunderstood “Knee Mortar”), the weapon was practically useless without a well-trained Assistant Gunner.

• The Feeding Machine: The Type 89 was a remarkably fast-firing weapon. A skilled crew could lob up to 25 explosive shells per minute. Because the weapon burned through ammunition so rapidly, the main gunner could only carry a few rounds. It was the Assistant Gunner’s job to pack the bulk of the weight, using the specialized front canvas pouches and the heavy brown leather rear case shown on this figure.

• The Loading Process: In combat, the assistant crouched directly next to the gunner, pulling 50mm high-explosive or smoke shells from his pouches, removing the safety pins, and dropping them down the muzzle the instant the gunner re-aligned the sight.

• The Mud of the Frontlines: The heavy mud printed on the figure’s puttees reflects the brutal geographic realities these teams faced, whether maneuvering through the swampy jungles of the Pacific islands or the muddy fields of mainland Asia.