Fujimi of Japan has announced the August 2016 release of kit FUJ43141, the IJN Aircraft Carrier Hiyo (1944) in 1/700 scale.

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Thanks!

wish it was 350 scale!

Glad to see that Hiyo will get her due. I wonder about the collaboration between Fujimi and Tamiya in releasing the "same" ship? IIRC my Japanese model lore, Aoshima, Hasegawa and Tamiya reached an accord in the 1970s as to who would kit what model; Fujimi did not participate and the big three tried to strangle Fujimi out of 1/700; Fujimi issued some models that the other three did, too. Anyway, glad to see this model.

That's interesting about the 1970s Water Line Series collaboration. I thought Fujimi did participate; they did numerous high-interest 1/700 ships at the time that those other companies didn't (Shokaku/Zuikaku, Kongo/Haruna/Hiei/Kirishima, Lexington/Saratoga, Missouri/Iowa, Graf Spee/Deutschland, etc.) and their kit boxes carried the "Water Line Series" logo... but who knows, maybe they came into the consortium under pressure? I do remember that their kits weren't as good as Tamiya or Hasegawa. Fortunately, they have since upped their game and the more recent kits are first rate. Their new Hiyo should be worth looking forward to!

Aoshima, Fujimi, Hasegawa and Tamiya agreed to kit the entire Nihon Kaigun in 1/700. I do not recall who told me and it was decades ago, that Fujimi participated but deviated from the Water Line Series cartel. After posting earlier, I read that Fujimi didn't part company until the late 1980s-early 90s. I haven't been able to find further information. Regardless, like you said, they have since upped their game and the more recent kits are first rate.