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| 1/700 JMSDF Kumano Destroyer Escort (Skywave) |
| Kumano is one of the Chikugo class of eleven
DEs built between 1970 and 1975. They were the smallest ships in
the world to
mount the ASROC antisubmarine rocket-launched torpedoes. Most of the class have now been decommissioned after 25 years of service. The Pitroad Chikugo and Yoshino kits of this class are very nicely made
right out of the box. The detail on the sides of the superstructure
I modified this one primarily with reference photos and drawings from The Maru Special "Ships of the JMSDF" #63, which has numerous detail photos and drawings of details that differ between ships of the class. The after mast is modified from a Tom's Modelworks part, and the radars on the forward mast are from Gold Medal Models and Flagship models. I modified the 3"50 cal mount by removing the dome in the middle and replacing it with a dome made of clear pastic sprue. The antennas are 35' in scale, but after painting the sprue, they look too thick. The two ship's boats were modified to more correctly represent the hull shape of a motor whaleboat and a utility boat. The water is Liquitex modelers paste, painted with artist's acrylics and covered with acrylic gel medium. The photos were taken by my son, Nick Heinbaugh |
