The Ship Model Forum

Here's the next build in the Pyro Table Top Series: their version (*cough* *cough*) of the Yamato. This is apparently a scaled-down version of the Aurora 1/600 Yamato. The schizophrenic molding has the 1941 gun configuration to starboard, and the 1944 on the port side. There are dozens of other errors in the model design, no reason to list them all. This was done for fun, not for museum display.

I painted it a greyish-green, which came out overly green in the photos. Probably reflection from the table. The scout plane was quite the challenge to paint. I'm sure some of the more skilled members of this forum would figure out a way to open the cockpit and create moveable flaps and elevators, but I'm not in that league. An even bigger challenge (actually more of a complete royal p.i.t.a.) was painting the gun barrels on the deck-molded AA array. Each circular blob had two nearly-invisible straight lines coming from it. I used a 00 paintbrush and hoped for the best.

I have acquired several more of this Pyro 1/1200 series, and will add photos as they are done (you have been duly warned!)

Sir,

Thanks for posting another "blast from the past". It's a bit of a shock seeing these little monsters with full hulls and a first class build and paint. You've made them look awfully good.

I seem to recall my Yamato was molded in a pale green as was one of the IJN CVs. I built a fleet of these and conducted many a sea fight on top of my bed. Great fun, some unusual models, and good memories.

Thanks again, great job, and keep them coming (where the heck are you finding these?)

Mac

Mac,

Thanks for the good words. I really wasn't sure what kind of reaction I would get with these, as the molds are so far off from anything resembling authenticity. I'm finding these old kits on eBay, often for a hellacious price but "what the heck". This Yamato started off as the pale green kit you referenced. I enjoy doing the 1/1200, because I have limited shelf space.

The other Pyro 1/1200 kits I have in the closet are:

IJN Zuikaku (green plastic, which I will paint in Oct 1944 camouflage)
IJN Shokaku (blue plastic, same mold. This one may become a diorama of Cavella's fatal torpedo attack)

USS North Carolina (blue plastic)

HMS King George V (blue)
HMS Dorsetshire (blue, almost more flash than parts!)
HMS Suffolk (same mold, less flash)
HMS Victorious (blue, needs a lot of work)

DKM Prinz Eugen
DKM Bismarck (which seems to be -- and will be built as -- the Tirpitz, due to AA guns on turrets Bruno and Caesar, and midships torpedo tubes).

I've also mentally toyed with the idea of a (somewhat anachronistic) 3-ship dio of Bismarck's last moments, with KGV firing from one side and Dorsetshire launching torps from the other side, with the half-sunk Bismarck placed in the middle, under a cloud of Brillo-pad smoke. That one could be a real nightmare to make work, though.

Thanks again!