Jump to content

IJN Yamato 1945 by CDW - Pontos - 1:700 Scale


Recommended Posts

I was intrigued to learn that Pontos would release their first injection molded kit with a 1:700 scale Yamato 1945 version. When the kit became available through one of my favorite online suppliers, Freetime Hobbies, I grabbed one before they are gone. 


The hull is molded in two halves and the plastic looks very sharply detailed, on a par with the best kits out there. Then there is the Pontos magic with a super extensive machined 229 piece brass, and photo etch detail sets as well as a wood deck set. Also included are two full color posters suitable for framing. The instruction booklet is comprehensive, printed in color on heavy gloss paper. Just 47 fun-filled steps will take the builder from start to finish of this epic model in 1:700 scale.

Rather than write a wall of text about this model, let’s just let the photos speak for themselves. If you want one of these, I recommend ordering one post haste as I have a feeling they will quickly become hard to acquire.

 

 

B1322866-48BB-4855-9DB8-56C97EB4A476.jpeg

77B9BDA9-0ED1-409E-9AF4-31E06D26ED27.jpeg

9E6015B1-5AA6-4AA5-9729-8081708D3DD6.jpeg

6DB0525E-99A2-484C-9A05-FA48F28913CB.jpeg

41CCAA18-E397-4267-9DD1-42D7641991D9.jpeg

27AD3B3A-A52D-48A0-827F-3FADAC1F7095.jpeg

4BCB33A2-390E-446E-BA5B-8B9AF0CEED50.jpeg

488CF7AE-EA0A-42E8-BDEB-0CB24199C12C.jpeg

BE69D712-5CD2-4E65-B633-1C527DD2D9BC.jpeg

52016A7A-ADAE-48F3-9F40-CD1BA4BA7270.jpeg

882B2975-FEE5-4D43-89A8-D4EDF1394996.jpeg

62F280A3-3C71-4181-A5BC-60D760F8CB97.jpeg

C7CD16FF-BE0A-45F5-B24E-9E4B62F9D43E.jpeg

5D50A18F-28A4-484A-B804-0E0F76615255.jpeg

046B804B-730E-40A0-87CF-EE0FE9969761.jpeg

994828E9-8ECF-403C-BA18-A3BE8BDC0189.jpeg

5C499842-0B42-4A42-AAE7-06F1BB4EF6EF.jpeg

9192D277-8E3A-45E5-9D6B-95F9E8B97750.jpeg

82E9A4AC-D346-48D8-BB76-C13AAF3F25E0.jpeg

17231F0F-A46B-40E5-8B87-FB47B65BC970.jpeg

A26A50C0-7314-485F-86B0-A2DF3E65259C.jpeg

86C2712F-20DB-4B57-B7E8-FC989F686A10.jpeg

14C093D2-D9DD-4C13-93F7-3B20E396F320.jpeg

6518C2D3-F3B4-41DB-9603-2F7787B0054F.jpeg

915B48C3-BDD5-4467-95F4-6FFE72BC095A.jpeg

36A2486C-C4FA-4418-991D-303DDEE1D5EE.jpeg

E445DF69-4A10-40F4-8988-EA3FBD9C31E5.jpeg

38E6C1EF-3B6F-4A4B-9B25-DC856B1B8345.jpeg

51CF164B-264A-44A4-8362-1B91AE99006A.jpeg

68C28BF2-790F-4014-8EFF-3618271FA30A.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Craig, nice to see you starting this kit.  I considered buying it but have the Fujimi kit with Flyhawk, Infini and Shipyard Works add-ons.  Maybe I’ll build the Musashi.

Mike

 

Current Wooden builds:  Amati/Victory Pegasus  MS Charles W. Morgan  Euromodel La Renommèe  

 

Plastic builds:    SB2U-1 Vindicator 1/48  Five Star Yaeyama 1/700  Pit Road Asashio and Akashi 1/700 diorama  Walrus 1/48 and Albatross 1/700  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/32  Eduard Sikorsky JRS-1 1/72  IJN Notoro 1/700  Akitsu Maru 1/700

 

Completed builds :  Caldercraft Brig Badger   Amati Hannah - Ship in Bottle  Pit Road Hatsuzakura 1/700   Hasegawa Shimakaze 1:350

F4B-4 and P-6E 1/72  Accurate Miniatures F3F-1/F3F-2 1/48  Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat built as FM-1 1/48  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/48

Citroen 2CV 1/24 - Airfix and Tamiya  Entex Morgan 3-wheeler 1/16

 

Terminated build:  HMS Lyme (based on Corel Unicorn)  

 

On the shelf:  Euromodel Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde; Caldercraft Victory; too many plastic ship, plane and car kits

 

Future potential scratch builds:  HMS Lyme (from NMM plans); Le Gros Ventre (from Ancre monographs), Dutch ship from Ab Hoving book, HMS Sussex from McCardle book, Philadelphia gunboat (Smithsonian plans)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, CDW said:

I already had the Pit Road Yamato and Five Star set, but wanted this one anyway once I saw it.

 

Would you say the Pontos set is a significant upgrade over the PR/FS kit and add-on?

Mike

 

Current Wooden builds:  Amati/Victory Pegasus  MS Charles W. Morgan  Euromodel La Renommèe  

 

Plastic builds:    SB2U-1 Vindicator 1/48  Five Star Yaeyama 1/700  Pit Road Asashio and Akashi 1/700 diorama  Walrus 1/48 and Albatross 1/700  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/32  Eduard Sikorsky JRS-1 1/72  IJN Notoro 1/700  Akitsu Maru 1/700

 

Completed builds :  Caldercraft Brig Badger   Amati Hannah - Ship in Bottle  Pit Road Hatsuzakura 1/700   Hasegawa Shimakaze 1:350

F4B-4 and P-6E 1/72  Accurate Miniatures F3F-1/F3F-2 1/48  Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat built as FM-1 1/48  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/48

Citroen 2CV 1/24 - Airfix and Tamiya  Entex Morgan 3-wheeler 1/16

 

Terminated build:  HMS Lyme (based on Corel Unicorn)  

 

On the shelf:  Euromodel Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde; Caldercraft Victory; too many plastic ship, plane and car kits

 

Future potential scratch builds:  HMS Lyme (from NMM plans); Le Gros Ventre (from Ancre monographs), Dutch ship from Ab Hoving book, HMS Sussex from McCardle book, Philadelphia gunboat (Smithsonian plans)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, yvesvidal said:

Craig,

 

another master piece in the making.... WOW, you sure are aligning those 1/700 scale ships at great speed.

 

I wish Trumpeter would produce a 1/200 version of that same monster, to replace the old and so incorrect Nichimo kit.

 

Yves

Oh yes, I was just thinking the same thing today. It would be an expensive kit I am sure, but would probably cost less than trying to buy the antiquated Nichimo kit then upgrading it. That old Nichimo kit is selling for upwards of $700 on Ebay these days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Pit-Road Yamato plastic is exceptional. Every bit as good as any Flyhawk kit I own. The Five Star detail set is mostly photo etch with main gun barrels and a few dozen resin pieces. Lacking are metal mast components and a wood deck. I think the Pit-Road kit will be a great model when finished. Even their AA guns are very well done in plastic.

 

 

20DECC52-65AF-4FDB-A376-25E2C39057E2.jpeg

E48E5CCB-96ED-40E7-B6DB-35DFDF285CBB.jpeg

725EF7A5-83E9-4434-8351-450E5483C3D4.jpeg

6C38F5EB-20FE-49B5-BB72-A33DD8563793.jpeg

8377BF85-A95F-4940-A21A-5898795AAD79.jpeg

8FBFC023-595F-41F3-84E4-85EA94B3779C.jpeg

6E7F8497-D108-4080-9368-60B7AE447D8A.jpeg

42F57071-E352-48F6-9E0A-81AC8C1071F5.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excellent stuff  - another subject to follow.

 

OC.

Current builds  


28mm  Battle of Waterloo   attack on La Haye Saint   Diorama.

1/700  HMS Hood   Flyhawk   with  PE, Resin  and Wood Decking.

 

 

 

Completed works.

 

Dragon 1/700 HMS Edinburgh type 42 batch 3 Destroyer plastic.

HMS Warspite Academy 1/350 plastic kit and wem parts.

HMS Trafalgar Airfix 1/350 submarine  plastic.

Black Pearl  1/72  Revell   with  pirate crew.

Revell  1/48  Mosquito  B IV

Eduard  1/48  Spitfire IX

ICM    1/48   Seafire Mk.III   Special Conversion

1/48  Kinetic  Sea Harrier  FRS1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting that Craig.  The 1/700 destroyer I finished earlier this year was a Pit Road kit and Five Star upgrade set.  I thought both were really nice.  The good thing about the Pontos set is that it's all in one, so hopefully you don't have to remove too many kit details to accommodate the PE.

 

By the way, you inspired me on the Flyhawk kits - I ended up adding the 1/700 Flyhawk Lutzow and Bismarck kits to the stash, and also ordered the Trumpeter Roma with Flyhawk upgrade set.  

Mike

 

Current Wooden builds:  Amati/Victory Pegasus  MS Charles W. Morgan  Euromodel La Renommèe  

 

Plastic builds:    SB2U-1 Vindicator 1/48  Five Star Yaeyama 1/700  Pit Road Asashio and Akashi 1/700 diorama  Walrus 1/48 and Albatross 1/700  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/32  Eduard Sikorsky JRS-1 1/72  IJN Notoro 1/700  Akitsu Maru 1/700

 

Completed builds :  Caldercraft Brig Badger   Amati Hannah - Ship in Bottle  Pit Road Hatsuzakura 1/700   Hasegawa Shimakaze 1:350

F4B-4 and P-6E 1/72  Accurate Miniatures F3F-1/F3F-2 1/48  Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat built as FM-1 1/48  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/48

Citroen 2CV 1/24 - Airfix and Tamiya  Entex Morgan 3-wheeler 1/16

 

Terminated build:  HMS Lyme (based on Corel Unicorn)  

 

On the shelf:  Euromodel Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde; Caldercraft Victory; too many plastic ship, plane and car kits

 

Future potential scratch builds:  HMS Lyme (from NMM plans); Le Gros Ventre (from Ancre monographs), Dutch ship from Ab Hoving book, HMS Sussex from McCardle book, Philadelphia gunboat (Smithsonian plans)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Landlubber Mike said:

The good thing about the Pontos set is that it's all in one, so hopefully you don't have to remove too many kit details to accommodate the PE.

 

By the way, you inspired me on the Flyhawk kits - I ended up adding the 1/700 Flyhawk Lutzow and Bismarck kits to the stash, and also ordered the Trumpeter Roma with Flyhawk upgrade set.  

 

The Pontos model has a vastly superior set of machined metal parts. About the only thing you might want to add to it is a better display stand to replace the plastic one that's included, and yes, I think there will be less preparation needed for the plastic parts. The Pontos photo etch sheets are huge (see the photos of the construction manual).

Plasmo does an excellent video of the Roma with the Flyhawk set. It inspired me to buy them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I saw the Plasmo video on the Roma and was thoroughly impressed! 

Mike

 

Current Wooden builds:  Amati/Victory Pegasus  MS Charles W. Morgan  Euromodel La Renommèe  

 

Plastic builds:    SB2U-1 Vindicator 1/48  Five Star Yaeyama 1/700  Pit Road Asashio and Akashi 1/700 diorama  Walrus 1/48 and Albatross 1/700  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/32  Eduard Sikorsky JRS-1 1/72  IJN Notoro 1/700  Akitsu Maru 1/700

 

Completed builds :  Caldercraft Brig Badger   Amati Hannah - Ship in Bottle  Pit Road Hatsuzakura 1/700   Hasegawa Shimakaze 1:350

F4B-4 and P-6E 1/72  Accurate Miniatures F3F-1/F3F-2 1/48  Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat built as FM-1 1/48  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/48

Citroen 2CV 1/24 - Airfix and Tamiya  Entex Morgan 3-wheeler 1/16

 

Terminated build:  HMS Lyme (based on Corel Unicorn)  

 

On the shelf:  Euromodel Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde; Caldercraft Victory; too many plastic ship, plane and car kits

 

Future potential scratch builds:  HMS Lyme (from NMM plans); Le Gros Ventre (from Ancre monographs), Dutch ship from Ab Hoving book, HMS Sussex from McCardle book, Philadelphia gunboat (Smithsonian plans)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/18/2021 at 2:15 AM, CDW said:

Oh yes, I was just thinking the same thing today. It would be an expensive kit I am sure, but would probably cost less than trying to buy the antiquated Nichimo kit then upgrading it. That old Nichimo kit is selling for upwards of $700 on Ebay these days.

this?

FineScale Modeler 1988-06 (Vol_page-0001.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here we go with the start of the build. As we examine the two halves of the hull, we notice it’s very well engraved but something is missing. It’s the portholes. With this kit, the photo etch sheet contains a dozen or more templates that align on each side of the hull to serve as a drill template for each and every porthole that was found on the 1945 version Yamato hull. This seems to be further indication that Pontos plans to do other versions of Yamato and probably Musashi later on.

It didn’t take me long before I broke my .5mm drill bit, but Amazon to the rescue, I ordered a couple of dozen more and they should arrive in a couple of days. In the meantime I will drill the portholes with my .35mm hypo needles and open the holes when the .5mm bits arrive. Lots of portholes to drill.

 

 

D6C116C6-BCA6-4598-A0CF-08B98FA61D06.jpeg

3ECA631C-BE49-49F6-9812-E6FD6B126C80.jpeg

DC2B2341-ED37-44C9-8E5C-6507D6312F60.jpeg

DF9D0830-F5BF-4E69-9991-46F4C6C66CF2.jpeg

60D3877F-FFBD-4336-B547-54250B8A5BC1.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice start Craig. Trying to punish yourself by starting another 1/700 so soon?

Lou

 

Build logs: Colonial sloop Providence 1/48th scale kit bashed from AL Independence

Currant builds:

Constructo Brigantine Sentinel (Union) (On hold)

Minicraft 1/350 Titanic (For the Admiral)

1/350 Heavy Cruiser USS Houston (Resin)

Currant research/scratchbuild:

Schooner USS Lanikai/Hermes

Non ship build log:

1/35th UH-1H Huey

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You will go blind, building this one. Talk about one intricate ship model. But, I'll be here watching this with rapt attention. 😁

Ken

Started: MS Bounty Longboat,

On Hold:  Heinkel USS Choctaw paper

Down the road: Shipyard HMC Alert 1/96 paper, Mamoli Constitution Cross, MS USN Picket Boat #1

Scratchbuild: Echo Cross Section

 

Member Nautical Research Guild

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, yvesvidal said:

 It will be a long agony.....

Luckily just for him. I have come to rather enjoy watching OTHERS build these torture machines. Only causes me slight eye strain and hand shaking!

Lou

 

Build logs: Colonial sloop Providence 1/48th scale kit bashed from AL Independence

Currant builds:

Constructo Brigantine Sentinel (Union) (On hold)

Minicraft 1/350 Titanic (For the Admiral)

1/350 Heavy Cruiser USS Houston (Resin)

Currant research/scratchbuild:

Schooner USS Lanikai/Hermes

Non ship build log:

1/35th UH-1H Huey

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having completed a 1/700 destroyer and now on the home stretch with a 1/350 destroyer, I have to say, in some respects I like the 1/700 scale better in that the models are just a lot more compact.  Fewer individual PE pieces at 1/700 because you just have a single piece that you fold multiple times, versus trying to fold and attach multiple PE pieces to each other to build an item.  Also, the variety of 1/700 subjects is much greater than on the 1/350 side.

 

That being said, I have a few 1/350 kits in the stash.  I also have the Trumpeter 1/200 Bismarck with all the goodies from Pontos, etc., and wondering where I'll be able to keep it.  But, I would say that if you can build at 1/700 scale, the larger scales aren't going to be much of a problem.

Mike

 

Current Wooden builds:  Amati/Victory Pegasus  MS Charles W. Morgan  Euromodel La Renommèe  

 

Plastic builds:    SB2U-1 Vindicator 1/48  Five Star Yaeyama 1/700  Pit Road Asashio and Akashi 1/700 diorama  Walrus 1/48 and Albatross 1/700  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/32  Eduard Sikorsky JRS-1 1/72  IJN Notoro 1/700  Akitsu Maru 1/700

 

Completed builds :  Caldercraft Brig Badger   Amati Hannah - Ship in Bottle  Pit Road Hatsuzakura 1/700   Hasegawa Shimakaze 1:350

F4B-4 and P-6E 1/72  Accurate Miniatures F3F-1/F3F-2 1/48  Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat built as FM-1 1/48  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/48

Citroen 2CV 1/24 - Airfix and Tamiya  Entex Morgan 3-wheeler 1/16

 

Terminated build:  HMS Lyme (based on Corel Unicorn)  

 

On the shelf:  Euromodel Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde; Caldercraft Victory; too many plastic ship, plane and car kits

 

Future potential scratch builds:  HMS Lyme (from NMM plans); Le Gros Ventre (from Ancre monographs), Dutch ship from Ab Hoving book, HMS Sussex from McCardle book, Philadelphia gunboat (Smithsonian plans)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, lmagna said:

Luckily just for him. I have come to rather enjoy watching OTHERS build these torture machines. Only causes me slight eye strain and hand shaking!

So the  builders at this scale are masochists and we're just voyeurs?  :D   I'll go quietly now... just need to get my coat. coat_32.png.4cb820f7c66adad7308b7ceed835d911.png

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...