1:350 IJN Battleship Yamashiro 1943 DX

The real subject

Yamashiro was a battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the second unit of the Fuso class. What makes her unmistakable is the tall stepped superstructure above the bridge, which is called a pagoda mast after its shape: layers of platforms, rangefinders and walkways that grew one above the other during the successive rebuilds. The main armament was made up of twelve 356 mm guns in pairs of turrets spread along the length of the ship. In October 1944 the ship was sunk in the night battle in the Surigao Strait.

What the build involves

This is a kit to be glued and painted, and in 1:350 scale a model of a respectable size. The year in the name refers to the form of the ship in that period. Count on the superstructures and their platforms taking up a substantial part of the time, not the hull: they are exactly what the character of this ship rests on.

Building and painting tips

Build the pagoda superstructure level by level and keep checking that it stands vertical; a leaning tower is visible on the finished model from across the room. Apply the paint in thin coats so that the fine platforms and walkways do not get flooded. Set the deck apart only once the base shade of the hull has dried, and give the superstructures depth by gently bringing out the recesses.

Who it is for

For modelers with an interest in the Imperial Japanese Navy of the Second World War and for those who want a large model in a display case that looks complicated. Patience when building the superstructures pays off more than speed.

The package holds the parts of the kit. Paints, glue and putty are not included, unless stated otherwise.