1:700 I.J.N.Battle ship MUTSU

Aoshima 1:700 IJN battleship Mutsu

A plastic kit of the Japanese naval battleship Mutsu in 1:700 scale from the Japanese manufacturer Aoshima. The model belongs to the classic line of waterline models of warships and consists of injection-molded plastic parts that have to be assembled and painted. Decals and illustrated instructions are usually in the box; the exact contents depend on the particular edition.

The real subject

Mutsu was a battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy of the Nagato class, commissioned at the beginning of the 1920s. She went through an interwar modernization that gave her the characteristic pagoda superstructure and a strong battery of 410 mm main guns. In June 1943 the ship was destroyed and sunk by the explosion of the magazine of one of the gun turrets while she lay at anchor. The model captures her late appearance after the rebuild.

Building and painting tips

Glue the parts with liquid cement for plastic and consider before assembly whether you are building the full hull or only the waterline version on a stand. The hull and the decks are best painted with an airbrush, and the fine details of the railings and the armament then with a brush. You will finish the weathering of the decks and the sides with washes and a dry brush; for more realism, aftermarket photo-etched railings can be added.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of models of the warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy
• Modelers with experience of the small 1:700 scale
• Those interested in the naval history of the Second World War
• Builders of dioramas and waterline display cases

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.