In honor of her sinking by the Japanese in WWII in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Hasegawa Model Kits has recreated this impressive WWII aircraft carrier (one of 50 Casablanca Class) and as an added bonus the first production run also includes a poster of the carrier.
Measuring in at 1/350 Scale (17.59 inches in length, 3.7 inches wide) the model kit consists of 458 pieces and requires precise glue and paint application. Included with the model is a dual display stand providing rock solid stability.
Nine aircraft come with the ship (6 Wildcat and 3 Avengers) that may be displayed on the long landing strip deck. Gun and artillery emplacements line each side of the deck.
Part trees hold the styrene parts that detach easily, requires little, if any, trimming and are superbly engineered to fit together securely while assembling the model. Model details are limited to the upper deck, lower ship sides and conning tower.
Look for a real medal anchor chain, lots of rigging, weapons, antennas and several other deck and rigging equipment pieces and details.
Decal sheets come with the model and once the decals are applied they give a real authenticity to the kit. Instructions guide model builders through the paint scheme. While the ship is a marvel of miniature sculpting and engineering skill Hasegawa Model Kits has taken the ‘too complicated to assemble’ out of the equation thus making building the ship a real treat, even for less experienced model makers.
I was blown away by the attention to detail given to this model. Every nook and cranny, tower, door, weapon, ladders, radar, deck feature, aircraft and lower ship sides are authentic, right down to the last rivet. Pay particular attention to such details as life raft, railings, fire extinguishers and lower deck platforms. There is so much to see on this model that you can spend literally hours pouring over the details.
For a first-rate, authentic and historically accurate model kit you can’t beat Hasegawa Model Kits’ USS Gambier Bay.
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