Being in the process of building the Nagato with the 3 Hasegawa sets of PE, I can spot areas where the the Lion Roar set is of an advantage. The resin main gun blast bags are a vast improvement. Have Lion Roar included the main deck railings in this set, or do you need to purchase a generic set of PE for the railings. Frank

Good question, Frank...I haven't seen any full contents shots (or listings), but from these images, doesn't look like it...I will be on the hunt for more details though and will add them to the story accordingly!

From what I can see, this set will only upgrade the existing model from an as boxed 1941 version to a 1944 version. I think the Lion Roar parts, as shown, are meant to add to the Hasegawa set to build a later version.

Precisely, mate!

At $209 MSRP I think I will skip this one, just a ridiculous price, even more than the expensive base kit . I really have no idea what some of these manufacturers are thinking now. $100 or a bit more I would have paid, however twice that? Not a chance. Lion roar just wasted their time IMHO, this will not sell well at all. Why so much more than the Yamato set? Anyone know?

Ahoy, Shawn! Yessirr, I'm right there with you, mate...this topic is being discussed net-wide at the moment, and personally, I would like to hear from Mr. Lin Yue (From Shanghai/LionRoar) and see exactly what he has suggested as a MSRP for the product...often times, it's not the manufacturer who places a high tariff on the product, but the hands that are in between, that are the problem(s)...and if this is his MSRP, well, there should also come an explanation (product research, developement, etc) as to why it has such a costly number attached...

I agree with you all about this outrageous price. But I think something is not right here. 1. If the set is just comprised of the parts shown in the photo's, basically an update set to compliment the 1942 P/E sets available, then being made out of 24 kt gold still would not justify the price. 2. That the set is complete P/E for the Nagato including parts to build a 1944-5 version. It looks to contain a set of turned metal barrels for all guns and resin splinter protection bags but the lack of photos showing the centre section and tripod areas make it hard to be sure of what's available in the set. 3. A major rip off by Dragon USA as importers 4. A bad printing mistake by Dragon USA. 5. Lion Roar getting on the bandwagon in charging over the top prices. I sure hope LionRoar answers some of the question's being asked as to whats available for this big cost. Me, I'm just happy with my '42 version.

I hear what you're saying, Kym...unfortunately, the full details haven't been shared yet, just an announcement with a high price tag (which IMO, is not very good business)...I will be watching and continuing the search for more info, and hopefully we'll get more details soon...these "special" upgrades have been increasing in price in the past year or so, (and not with just LR, other "major" producers too), and although I can understand the amount of pre-production work involved in producing a dedicated upgrade set, as well as production/marketing costs, but again, I'm still a bit perplexed (as alot of modelers are!) at how to seriously justify the final ticket price.............time will hopefully tell...

At $42 Gold Medal MOdels plans to release their set. OK so it won't have brass main gun tubes. I know a lot of us tank modelers have gotten obsessed with the metal tube, but in all reality, the plastic ones that come with today's model ships are pretty much all you need. They are tapered correctly and most of them have an opening at the end of the barrell. So why on eath would you pay $209 for a pe set that offers some changes in anit-aircraft pieces that would upgrade Nagato to a 1944 version. Those could be fabricated just as easily from styrene or resin for 1/4 the price. Someone has lost touch with reality here.