by Chris Hewitt
1/700 Hikawamaru (Hasegawa)
My second ship is an unusual one, it caught my eye at a model show in Perth, Scotland so I had to have one. Good old ebay came to the rescue -nice and cheap, also bought the upgrade, made by Hasegawa not cheap plus Gold Medal Models 1/700 merchant ship fittings.
The Hikawamaru started life as a passenger liner, but with the war started she was quickly changed to a Hospital ship for the whole war. it was lucky to survive!
It then helped return US troops home and then change back to a liner in the 50's and survives to this day as a museum ship in Japan.
There are very few pics as a hospital ship so there as been some guess work and if it looks right that will do for me. I have a couple of the display boxes made by Trumpeter they do the job protecting them from the Mrs duster and the Cat.
