1/700 Aoshima JMSDF Hayabusa class patrol boat

[spejic]

The six ships of the Hayabusa class were designed as fast-reaction craft for threats close to the coasts. They were built starting in 2002, a few years after a North Korean spy ship traded shots with Japanese Coast Guard vessels. They replaced three Type 1 hydrofoils which were fast but didn't have much else to recommend them.

The Aoshima kit for the Hayabusa patrol boat comes with two kits, but the decals are terrible (totally wrong font and silver badly anyway) so one of the kits is waiting (and may wait forever) for the proper hull numbers. But I did have some decals meant for the Pit Road Sugashima minesweeper that let me finish PG-828 Umitaka.



GMM railing, Colourcoats paints.



Showing how big it is using a universal measuring device.



Here's a picture during construction that shows some of the improvements. Besides the general added detail, there were some notable problems with the area behind the bridge and the mast. The crane was also terrible. Antenna are taken from a fine braided wire.



There are still some things that need work. I lost a tiny antenna off the mast during transport to the USS Hornet model show, and the dull coat (done during high humidity) seems to have left a bit of fogging on the turret. I'm not sure how to fix that, although in my experience it sometimes works itself out.