1/200 Trumpeter IJN YAMATO - issued by MRC/Gallery Models

[yvesvidal]

Folks,

 

this is the kit that many many many modelers have been waiting for a very long time: a replacement for the old and so incorrect NICHIMO kit of the 1/200 YAMATO legendary Japanese battleship.

 

When I started receiving offers to pre-order that model, I jumped on it. I had always considered getting the NICHIMO kit plus the additional FUJIMI kits to improve it but was turned off by the prices. Today, we have a much better substitute thanks to Trumpeter and MRC/Gallery Models which are distributing this massive model on the Western market.

 

I pre-ordered my kit from Squadron for $579, free shipping, no taxes. The kit was  made available on June 14th in the USA and was at my door on the 16th. It cannot be better.

 

After a quick look at the kit, I would say that it is a very impressive work, only missing one thing: the wooden decks and perhaps metal guns. Those are already made available by Scaledeck apparently and I am sure the usual PONTOS and MK folks will jump on the bandwagon to add countless details to this 2800 parts kit.

 

I am not an expert of YAMATO and thus, I will limit myself to presenting the kit. It comes in a very large and beautiful box (Trumpeter style), with gorgeous artwork: 

 

 

No mention of Trumpeter can be found on the box or any included literature, but for those who have built Trumpeter kit, it makes no doubt that it is their creation.

 

 

Inside the kit, we have 7 separate boxes, packed to the hilt: 

 

 

The Assembly manual is 117 pages long: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A nice color sheet is also included with decals for the ship and the planes: 

 

 

Let's jump into each one of the seven boxes: 

 

 

This one is fully packed and contains most of the superstructures: 

 

 

 

Box B contains the guns and all the PE parts: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not showing all spruces as there are way too many to display.

 

 

Box D contains the two decks pieces: 

 

 

 

Box E is dedicated to anti-aerial defense: 

 

 

Finally, the last and biggest box is the massive 5 foot long hull, cast in two parts. The two halves are secured to each other with aluminum parts and plastic parts and provide a very strong and precise alignment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is it for now. I have placed everything back in the box and will perhaps start a Build log one day. I did not want to miss on that kit, which I am sure will quickly become rare and coveted. 

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed that quick introduction. There are a few beautiful implementations of this ship on the forum that can be used as a guide for improving on the kit. I know that I will be using RGL's build log of his gorgeous 1/350th Yamato for my reference, when the time comes to build that monster.

 

Yves

 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by yvesvidal

[chris watton]

Damn, yet another cool kit I will have to buy but never find the time to build....

[GrandpaPhil]

You and me both!

 

Very nice kit!

[yvesvidal]

22 hours ago, chris watton said:

Damn, yet another cool kit I will have to buy but never find the time to build....

 Chris, the box is gigantesque ! Just make sure that your better half is away when it arrives at your home. :-)

 

Yves

[chris watton]

1 hour ago, yvesvidal said:

 Chris, the box is gigantesque ! Just make sure that your better half is away when it arrives at your home. 🙂

 

Yves

We already have Scharnhorst and Titanic boxes, so I would assume it would be Titanic size?

[gak1965]

When I was a boy, my grandfather built the 1:200 Nichimo version with the lights, working props, etc. I don't know what happened to it ( it got lost sometime in the intervening 52 years) but I've scanned ebay more than once for one of them. May need to make the investment, although goodness knows where I'd display it. at least it wouldn't be as tall as the sailboats so, lower case height.

[RGL]

Too big for me! I have a LOT of reference material for her so let me know if you need anything. Trumpeter won’t build Japanese warships but obviously their subsidiaries will. It’s a bit like spitfire kits, people will always buy one. There is some amazing stuff coming up in 1/200 but damn it’s going to take up a lot of space. 

[mtaylor]

2 hours ago, RGL said:

Too big for me! I have a LOT of reference material for her so let me know if you need anything. Trumpeter won’t build Japanese warships but obviously their subsidiaries will. It’s a bit like spitfire kits, people will always buy one. There is some amazing stuff coming up in 1/200 but damn it’s going to take up a lot of space. 

 

Maybe the concept of "museum quality" is in play here.  You'll need a museum to display it.

[Kevin]

oh no, 

no i must not, buy this

 

I dont build 1/200, (turned round to take a photo of my stash to prove it , and fell over the 1/200 Titanic) lol

[Azzoun]

Is there a discussion somewhere on why the old Nichimo kit is so off compared to this kit?  I have that old Nichimo kit. 

Joshua

[yvesvidal]

22 hours ago, Azzoun said:

Is there a discussion somewhere on why the old Nichimo kit is so off compared to this kit?  I have that old Nichimo kit. 

Joshua

Joshua,

 

There may not be a discussion about this topic on that forum, but the consensus is that the old Nichimo kit was showing its age and that plastic injected models have made so many progress recently, that the old kit would not compare too favorably. FUJIMI introduced a complete revamp of the superstructure and guns of the Nichimo kit, and that helped a lot modernizing/improving the original kit. I suspect that the Nichimo kit requires a lot of extra work to turn it into a scale model as it was developed to navigate, before all.

 

Most likely, PONTOS, MK and a few others will be offering add-ons and PE kits for the YAMATO in 1/200 scale. That will give you access to a vast pool of parts if you decide to build or improve your Nichimo kit.

 

Yves

Edited June 22, 2022 by yvesvidal

[uncarina]

On 6/20/2022 at 5:43 PM, mtaylor said:

 

Maybe the concept of "museum quality" is in play here.  You'll need a museum to display it.

Or a Japanese restaurant! 😄

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Kevin]

3 hours ago, uncarina said:

Or a Japanese restaurant! 😄

 

Cheers,  Tom

you mean the on that just sank lol

Hong Kong: Iconic floating Jumbo restaurant sinks - BBC News

[Roger Pellett]

What do people find so fascinating about these ships?  Compared to the Iowa’s they are rather ugly with their humpbacked sheer.  Both were sunk by aircraft and neither distinguished itself in battle.  And, they didn’t represent what many would consider to be a good cause.

 

My last comment would apply to Bismarck and Tripitz too.

 

Roger

[mtaylor]

46 minutes ago, Roger Pellett said:

What do people find so fascinating about these ships?  Compared to the Iowa’s they are rather ugly with their humpbacked sheer.  Both were sunk by aircraft and neither distinguished itself in battle.  And, they didn’t represent what many would consider to be a good cause.

 

My last comment would apply to Bismarck and Tripitz too.

 

Roger

Possibly "reputation" and the myths that boosted them?  Back in my control line flying days, I went for the German ones.  Maybe it was the colors and the looks?

[Kelp]

Same with the Titanic.  The Trumpeter model is beautiful, but I’m not sure if I’d like to look at a ship that had such a historic tragedy in my house every day.  Maybe Trumpeter can come up with a large scale Queen Mary?

Yves,  good luck with your build. It looks like it will be a fun project, with all of the parts and detail.   I’ll pull up a seat and enjoy watching your build.

 

Don

[CDW]

On 6/19/2022 at 8:42 AM, yvesvidal said:

I did not want to miss on that kit, which I am sure will quickly become rare and coveted. 

 

 

Yves

 

 

 

Got a strong feeling you are right. Not many in the small pool of modelers who would want the kit can find the extra cash to purchase on at this time of economic uncertainty world-wide. 

[mtdoramike]

I was able to pick up one of the Trumpeter 1/200 scale US battle ships USS Missouri at a very good price $225.00 from a fellow modeller who believed in the old phrase "I can do anything tomorrow", but as with most, his tomorrow never came. But at least he was smart enough not to leave his wife stuck with trying to get rid of it when his tomorrows come to an abrupt end. How ever, I do love you tomorrow modellers because you keep me busy, God bless you.

 

But one consolation is the kit even if not built is magificent just to set and stare at, which I do quite often while building the Calypso.   

[Doug P.]

Thanks for the comprehensive review and photos.  I just got my Gallery Yamato in a week ago or so (yes it arrived while the missus was away).  I did notice from your photos that it appears Trumpeter (or Gallery) are up to their old tricks of boring hull openings straight horizontally, even in the flared bow area, which results in distorted oval-shaped openings.  They did the same thing on Titanic.  Also, not to start in already with the nitpicking, but do so wish they had included instructions at least on the substantial amount of rigging that will be necessary to bring this to life.  Again, thanks for your great review...

[Kevin]

On 6/24/2022 at 12:46 AM, Roger Pellett said:

What do people find so fascinating about these ships?  Compared to the Iowa’s they are rather ugly with their humpbacked sheer.  Both were sunk by aircraft and neither distinguished itself in battle.  And, they didn’t represent what many would consider to be a good cause.

 

My last comment would apply to Bismarck and Tripitz too.

 

Roger

at least we are getting choice of new retooled kits

On 6/24/2022 at 2:54 AM, Kelp said:

Same with the Titanic.  The Trumpeter model is beautiful, but I’m not sure if I’d like to look at a ship that had such a historic tragedy in my house every day.  Maybe Trumpeter can come up with a large scale Queen Mary?

 

 

Don

now thats a great idea 

[Kevin]

here is something that might appeal 

1:200 WWII Japanese Navy Mogami Heavy Cruiser Model Kit – 3D-WILD

 

US$ 600.00 - 1/200 Scale Japanese Mogami Heavy Cruiser Assembly Model & RC Upgrade Set CY521 - www.timosmodelworld.com

Edited June 26, 2022 by Kevin

[rudybob]

Have fun. That ship was a HUGE white elephant. 

[lmagna]

On 6/26/2022 at 12:56 PM, rudybob said:

That ship was a HUGE white elephant.

Not certain if you are referring to the Mogami or the Yamato. While I personally am not a big fan of either ship and cannot help but wonder how much potential and advantage (If any) the Yamato class had over the Iowa class is a product of legend or just plain speculation. You can pretty much do anything you want with numbers and preferences. As the one opportunity in the battle off Samar did not go the way it could have we will never know.

 

But if Japan had used the Yamato and Musashi on the early morning of 14 October, instead of the 14" gunned Kongō and Haruna, for the hour and a half bombardment of Henderson Field I am almost certain that the damage and loss of life would have been considerably higher. I also wonder what the outcome would have been on the morning of 12 November when the Hiei and Kirishima ran into Task Force 67 and ended up fighting at sometimes pistol ranges where even 5" guns were inflicting damage on the Japanese battleships! What if the two battleships had been the Yamato and Musashi instead? 

 

Even the Japanese sailors were aware and often commented that the two ships were harbor queens and all of the fighting was being done by other ships of the fleet.

[yvesvidal]

On 6/24/2022 at 3:51 PM, Doug P. said:

Thanks for the comprehensive review and photos.  I just got my Gallery Yamato in a week ago or so (yes it arrived while the missus was away).  I did notice from your photos that it appears Trumpeter (or Gallery) are up to their old tricks of boring hull openings straight horizontally, even in the flared bow area, which results in distorted oval-shaped openings.  They did the same thing on Titanic.  Also, not to start in already with the nitpicking, but do so wish they had included instructions at least on the substantial amount of rigging that will be necessary to bring this to life.  Again, thanks for your great review...

The rigging is never indicated by Trumpeter. It is typical of them and they don't care. Obviously, additional reference books will be required to turn this model into a realistic model.

 

Yves

[rudybob]

16 hours ago, lmagna said:

Not certain if you are referring to the Mogami or the Yamato. While I personally am not a big fan of either ship and cannot help but wonder how much potential and advantage (If any) the Yamato class had over the Iowa class is a product of legend or just plain speculation. You can pretty much do anything you want with numbers and preferences. As the one opportunity in the battle off Samar did not go the way it could have we will never know.

 

But if Japan had used the Yamato and Musashi on the early morning of 14 October, instead of the 14" gunned Kongō and Haruna, for the hour and a half bombardment of Henderson Field I am almost certain that the damage and loss of life would have been considerably higher. I also wonder what the outcome would have been on the morning of 12 November when the Hiei and Kirishima ran into Task Force 67 and ended up fighting at sometimes pistol ranges where even 5" guns were inflicting damage on the Japanese battleships! What if the two battleships had been the Yamato and Musashi instead? 

 

Even the Japanese sailors were aware and often commented that the two ships were harbor queens and all of the fighting was being done by other ships of the fleet.

Victor Davis Hanson writes quite well about the folly of the Yamato in "The Second World Wars." Recommended

[lmagna]

Even though I have not read Victor Davis Hanson's works I think I can possibly guess what his reasoning is as there are many that feel the same and in fact felt the age of the battleship was over well before WWII. This was especially true for countries like Japan that had such limited resources. But using that same reasoning one could look at all of the countries involved on both the Axis and allied sides with the possible exception of the US and Britain and say the same thing. When used effectively the battleship was still a weapon of awesome potential even though not always in the way navies thought they would be prior to the beginning of the war. But they were both expensive to build and even more to operate and so many countries held them in reserve rather than risking them. Japan in particular held the belief that they would be able to draw the US fleet into a massive surface action where the battleships would slug it out Mahan style and leave the Japanese fleet victorious. They refused to change this concept  even late in the war when it was clear that it would never happen. Then they compounded it by not aggressively engaging when the opportunity did present it's self.

 

The whole thing is of course somewhat more complex and involved but the Battleship, including the Yamato class was still a weapon to be respected in WWII.     

[Roger Pellett]

I just finished reading Paul Kennedy’s new book Victory at Sea.  Buy it for Ian Marshall’s great paintings, not Kennedy’s narrative.  He spills a huge amount of ink about how the battleship was obsolete.  IMHO the carrier was a great offensive weapon but was vulnerable defensively.  I believe that the integrated task group; carriers, destroyers, and big guns- battleships and cruisers were a major reason for the US Navy’s success. And, to defeat the Kamikazes, these big armored ships made great platforms for anti aircraft guns.  With this mix of ships, the navy had the confidence to go anywhere.

 

Question:  At Samar did Yamato actually fire her main battery at the American Taffy task force?

 

Roger 

[mtaylor]

Roger, here's the relevant bit:  "The only time Yamato fired her main guns at enemy surface targets was in October 1944, when she was sent to engage American forces invading the Philippines during the Battle of Leyte Gulf." 

[rudybob]

6 hours ago, lmagna said:

Even though I have not read Victor Davis Hanson's works I think I can possibly guess what his reasoning is as there are many that feel the same and in fact felt the age of the battleship was over well before WWII. This was especially true for countries like Japan that had such limited resources. But using that same reasoning one could look at all of the countries involved on both the Axis and allied sides with the possible exception of the US and Britain and say the same thing. When used effectively the battleship was still a weapon of awesome potential even though not always in the way navies thought they would be prior to the beginning of the war. But they were both expensive to build and even more to operate and so many countries held them in reserve rather than risking them. Japan in particular held the belief that they would be able to draw the US fleet into a massive surface action where the battleships would slug it out Mahan style and leave the Japanese fleet victorious. They refused to change this concept  even late in the war when it was clear that it would never happen. Then they compounded it by not aggressively engaging when the opportunity did present it's self.

 

The whole thing is of course somewhat more complex and involved but the Battleship, including the Yamato class was still a weapon to be respected in WWII.     

 

I prefer brown shoes. You might seek out Victor on You Tube. He is taller than other historians. 

Battleships were used effectively at Guadalcanal, great for shore bombardment. Beautiful ships they were and I would enjoy a tour.

[scrubbyj427]

On 6/27/2022 at 9:23 PM, lmagna said:

Not certain if you are referring to the Mogami or the Yamato. While I personally am not a big fan of either ship and cannot help but wonder how much potential and advantage (If any) the Yamato class had over the Iowa class is a product of legend or just plain speculation. You can pretty much do anything you want with numbers and preferences. As the one opportunity in the battle off Samar did not go the way it could have we will never know.

 

But if Japan had used the Yamato and Musashi on the early morning of 14 October, instead of the 14" gunned Kongō and Haruna, for the hour and a half bombardment of Henderson Field I am almost certain that the damage and loss of life would have been considerably higher. I also wonder what the outcome would have been on the morning of 12 November when the Hiei and Kirishima ran into Task Force 67 and ended up fighting at sometimes pistol ranges where even 5" guns were inflicting damage on the Japanese battleships! What if the two battleships had been the Yamato and Musashi instead? 

 

Even the Japanese sailors were aware and often commented that the two ships were harbor queens and all of the fighting was being done by other ships of the fleet.

I read somewhere that the Iowa’s were slightly advanced in their targeting and therefore  more accurate than the Yamato and musashi and if I remember correctly they had a slight advantage in range. But there is no doubt they were the most powerful battleships ever built, it was also quite a task to finally get them to go down according to us navy pilots.