by William Bowden
1/350 IJN Yamato (Tamiya)
I built this ship right after I built the USS Missouri, and it was quite a bit simpler due to the color scheme. I airbrushed it with Tamiya acrylics only. While it has the extra AA gun tubs along the main deck to represent the Operation 10 configuration, I also threw on whaleboats and planes, so the model is not historically accurate. Oh well, I think it looks better this way. The fit was good and I had no problems with it. I did not particularly like Eduard's PE after using the GMM set for my Missouri model, and if I build another Yamato I will try either the GMM or Lionroar set. The rigging was again done with fishing line, and I still hate it. I will never use it again, I promise. The PE came out poor, mainly things were bent because I didn't have the tools to fold the cranes/catapults properly. And again I used the crummy Zap CA glue. I built this ship pretty quickly, within a couple weeks, in the spring of 2006. The stand was made with a stained wooden base and dowels with the ship's hull screwed into them. I presented it to my uncle before I left CT, where I had been working as an intern for the spring semester. Generally I attend school in Atlanta. Initially the plan was for me to build an old model of the Yamato my father had given to my uncle years ago as a present, but it was never touched. Turns out there is a reason for it...the kit was horrible, with awful fit and half the parts missing. My uncle ordered the Tamiya kit and that was that.
