IJN Mogami and Akizuki
by Kym Knight

1/350 IJN Mogami and Akizuki, Truk Aug-Sept 1942 (Yankee Modelworks)

I had intended to put these two in some sort of historical setting but through investigation, can only put them near each other at Truk around August to Sept 42.

Mogami Stats:

• Commissioned: 28th July 1935
• Displacement: 14112 tons
• Lenght (WL): 198.3 m
• Beam (WL): 18.92M
• Draft: 6.09m
• Max Speed: 35 knots
• Crew: 70 Officers 860 Enlisted
• Main Battery: 20cm 50-cal Type3 in 5 twin turrets
• HA Guns: 12.7cm 40-cal Type 89 HA guns in 4 x twin mounts
• Torpedos: 24in x 12 , four triple Type 90 Model 1 trainable mounts.

Kit No. YMW 35069 IJN Mogami 1942.

As a man of few words, all I can say about this kit is that it's bloody excellent. If your use to resin kits, this one will be a breeze. I replaced the kit barrels with Steve Nuttall's top class works of art and used the Gakken book of the Mogami as reference. As usual, WEM paints completed the colouring.

Akizuki stats:

• Commissioned: June 42
• Diplacement: 2700 tons
• Lenght: 134 m
• Beam: 11.6 m
• Max Speed: 33 knots
• Crew: 263
• Main Battery: 8 x 3.9"/ 65 cal
• Torpedos: 4 x 24" TT
• Depth Charges; 6 depth charge throwers with 72 depth charges

Kit No. YMW 35067 IJN Akizuki 1942

A great looking destroyer and very nice to build. As with a lot of resin kits, the instructions leave a lot to be desired. There are items to be constructed with no directions at all. Just as well there's the internet and a bunch of knowledgable people out there. At the time of writing this, I still haven't completly finished her (paravanes, prop guards and Eduard crew) but the overcast day made for good photography.

The base was made from board with the shapes cut out to mount full hulls and the "water" was made from acrylic gel.

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