"Fujimi releases a fine new tooling 1/700th model of the escort carrier Kaiyo"

History

Launched as the 12755 ton passenger liner Argentina Maru for Mitsui’s Osaka Shosen Kaisha line on December 1938, she served as a troop transport from the outbreak of war. In 1942 she was purchased by the IJN and slated for conversion after the loss of the four carriers at Midway. Conversion commenced in December 1942, with her diesel engines being replaced by two sets of destroyer turbines. Completed and renamed as Kaiyo (Sea Hawk) on November 1943, Kaiyo underwent shake-down and sea trials from November 1943 to December 1943. She served as an escort carrier, aircraft transport and training carrier. Kaiyo was seriously damaged by Fleet Air Arm planes from HMS Formidable, Indefatigable and Victorious in Beppu Bay, Kyushu on July 24, 1945, and subsequently stricken from the Japanese naval registry in November 1945. Kaiyo was refloated and scrapped from 1946 to 1948 at Beppu.

Characteristics

Displacement: 13600 tons
Length 166m
Beam: 21.9m
Draft: 6.4m
Propulsion: steam turbines, 52100 hp
Speed: 23.8 knots
Complement: 829
Sensors: Type 21 air search radar
Aircraft Carried: 24
Armament: 8 x 12.7cm AA guns

The Model

This new tooling waterline model contains three model specific sprues, two generic sprues and one clear aircraft sprue. In addition, Fujimi provides a small photo-etch fret a decal sheet for the hinomarus, the ubiquitous 700th water line metal weight and one fold out instruction page.


Sprue Breakdown:

Sprue A: 10 parts, including the flight deck, the port side hull and numerous hull islands.

Sprue B: 44 parts comprising the starboard side of the hull, the bow and aft decks, additional smaller hull islands funnel, island supports and braces.

Sprue C: 3 parts giving you the waterline base plate and two cross members to fasten the metal weight.

Sprue D: 2 generic sprues, 35 parts each giving you the necessary weapons, life rafts, directors, radars, anchors and davits.

Clear Sprue: 16 aircraft, includes 4 each of Zekes, Vals, Kates and Jills.

The Photo-Etch

The small stainless steel fret provides the funnel bracing, funnel frame, searchlight covers for the flight deck, below flight deck bridge with hollowed out bridge windows and the landing flight deck stations.

References

Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945 by Hansgeorg Jentschura and Dieter Jung, Naval Institute Press 1999