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

Character Identification: IJA Type 89 Grenade Discharger Gunner

This highly detailed Custom Printed Brick Block Figure represents a specialized frontline soldier of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during World War II (The Pacific War/Second Sino-Japanese War). He serves as the Main Gunner (Tekidantō-shu) within a specialized infantry fire-support team, heavily equipped to rain indirect explosive fire on enemy positions.

Specific Name and Visual Details

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

• Headgear (Type 90 Helmet): The figure wears the standard-issue Japanese Type 90 steel helmet (Tetsubo). The front features a crisply molded and painted yellow five-pointed star, the official emblem of the IJA. The helmet’s fabric chinstrap is realistically printed running down the sides of the face and under the jaw.

• Facial Features: He features a fierce, combat-ready expression with heavy eyebrows and a traditional Showa-era military mustache.

• Upper Body & Specialized Pouches (Front View): * He is dressed in the standard mustard-tan/khaki Type 98 field uniform.

  • His collar displays small red tabs with gold rank stripes, indicating an enlisted soldier or junior non-commissioned officer (NCO).

  • The Key Feature: Across his waist and chest are specialized Type 89 canvas ammunition pouches. These oversized, heavy-duty rectangular pockets were specifically designed to hold 50mm mortar shells or Type 91 grenades, supported by a system of webbed shoulder straps.

• Rear Loadout & Battle Weathering (Back View): * The reverse side shows a diagonal canvas gear sling or rolled shelter-half strapped across his back.

  • Hanging from his brown leather combat belt is a printed standard-issue military canteen secured by fabric straps.

  • The entire figure features custom battle-worn weathering, with realistic mud, dirt, and shadow effects printed on the fabric folds of his tunic and trousers.

• Lower Body (Puttees): His khaki trousers transition into beautifully detailed, crisscrossed fabric leg wraps, known as puttees (Gaiters), which are heavily caked in field mud around the ankles and feet.

Historical Background: The Misunderstood “Knee Mortar”

The weapon this soldier operates was one of the most effective, lightweight, and heavily utilized infantry support weapons of World War II.

• The Type 89 Grenade Discharger: Known officially in Japan as the Type 89 Heavy Grenade Discharger, Allied intelligence mistakenly translated its nickname into the infamous “Knee Mortar.” * The Dangerous Allied Myth: The weapon featured a small, curved steel baseplate. Allied soldiers who captured these weapons mistakenly believed the curve was designed to be braced against the thigh or knee when firing. In reality, doing so would cause a recoil so violent it would instantly fracture the soldier’s thigh bone! It was actually designed to be braced against the ground, a log, or a trench wall.

• Squad Firepower: An IJA infantry squad relied heavily on these mortar teams. The Main Gunner carried and fired the weapon, while 1 to 2 ammunition bearers rushed behind him with extra shells. Capable of firing high-explosive shells or smoke rounds up to ranges of roughly 700 yards, a skilled gunner could lob explosives precisely into enemy machine gun nests and trenches, giving Japanese infantry organic, highly mobile artillery support right at the front lines.