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Border Models 1/35th scale Akagi Bridge W/flight Deck & Nakajima & B5N2 Kate test shot build.
Akagi Bridge W/flight Deck & Nakajima & B5N2 Kate
From Border Models
1/35th scale
The kit includes both the B5N2 bomber & Akagi Deck & Tower
Plastic & Photo-etched kit.
Price: TBA
Expected: TBA
Recently we previewed the newly designed and conceived Borer Models Nakajima B5N2 Torpedo Bomber in 1/35th scale. It seems that this kit is still on the way, however a poster we saw at Shizuoka told us another story. The Kate was still on the way, but one of the options of this kit was in combination with the carrier deck and tower of the Akagi to go with it - all in 1/35th scale!
We have already looked at the Kate, so here is a little background on the Akagi...
Akagi was an aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), named after Mount Akagi in present-day Gunma Prefecture. Though she was laid down as an Amagi-class battlecruiser, Akagi was converted to an aircraft carrier while still under construction to comply with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. The ship was rebuilt from 1935 to 1938 with her original three flight decks consolidated into a single enlarged flight deck and an island superstructure.
Akagi leaving Celebes Island for the attack on Colombo, 26 March 1942. Rolled futon mattresses have been lashed to the island to provide extra protection from enemy attack.
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Akagi’s aircraft served in the Second Sino-Japanese War in the late 1930s. Upon the formation of the First Air Fleet in early 1941, she became its flagship, and remained so for the duration of her service. With other fleet carriers, she took part in the Attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and the invasion of Rabaul in the Southwest Pacific in January 1942. The following month, her aircraft bombed Darwin, Australia, and assisted in the conquest of the Dutch East Indies. In March and April 1942, Akagi’s aircraft helped sink a British heavy cruiser and an Australian destroyer in the Indian Ocean Raid.
An Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M2 "Zero" fighter on the aircraft carrier Akagi during the Pearl Harbor attack mission. Rolled futon mattresses have been lashed to the island to provide extra protection from enemy attack.
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After a brief refit, Akagi and three other fleet carriers of the Kido Butai participated in the Battle of Midway in June 1942. After bombarding American forces on the atoll, Akagi and the other carriers were attacked by aircraft from Midway and the carriers Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown. Dive bombers from Enterprise severely damaged Akagi. When it became obvious she could not be saved, she was scuttled by Japanese destroyers to prevent her from falling into enemy hands
Aircraft carrier island before the futons were placed on the island - and in 1941 when they were placed around it to provide some protection...
In test phase, and without finalized box art, it is hard to tell you a lot about this kit at this point. What we DO have however, is the test kit of the Akagi tower and deck being built. Our friend Fan Cheng Pin has started to put it together, and it does give us some idea of what the kit will be once completed.
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Note, the futons around the tower are not included in the kit. The island did not always have them of course, so your choice, to include ones you make yourself, or omit them and go for the earlier version...
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The radio, optical and self defence MGs are all in place on the upper observatory deck.
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The internal bridge has only the bare essentials by the look of it.
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Railings, ladders and walkways are all part of the depth of this kit. A super detailer (we are looking at a lot of Japanese modellers - because of course) will love this kit especially.
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The other part of Border Models 1/35th scale Akagi Bridge W/flight Deck & Nakajima B5N2 Kate kit is the Kate itself. Two of the sprues are here so far - that is all for that part of the kit until latter. It does look fairly simple though...
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