Yamato model from Kure, the very city where Yamato was built
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| The Japanese characters on the plate in front of the ship mean 'Yamato Museum'. |
This is a truly unique and rare model of the WWII Japanese super battleship Yamato. I've tried to find it on e-Bay and Taobao.com., but with no luck. Why? Because it's only available at the 'Yamato Museum' in Kure City (Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan), the very city where the Yamato was built!
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| The model comes with its own clear display case. |
The museum is dedicated to the history of the super battleship as well as other weapons (the Zero fighter, manned suicide torpedoes, etc.) of the Imperial Japanese Navy in WWII.
My friend Kingman bought the unique souvenir model at the museum during his trip to Kure and other cities in Japan. Thank you Kingman!!
The model is a 1:200 replica of a massive 1:10 Yamato (see the pic below) on display in the museum. That means my model is a 1:2000 replica of the real ship.
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| At the bottom of the box, there're a photo of the giant 1:10 Yamato on display in the museum, and brief notes on the real battleship and the 1:10 exhibit. |
Note that the model sits above a white checked floor, surrounded by some sort of white spectator stand. That's exactly the look of the hall inside the museum where the giant replica is housed. That's why the 1:200 souvenir has been designated the 'official model' of the Yamato Museum.
I believe my souvenir model shows what the Yamato would have looked like in its final days in 1945.
Let's have a look at the detail on the miniature Yamato.
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| Top view. |
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| Close up shot of the anitaircraft battery surrounding the bridge and funnel. Note the silver color on the searchlights at the foot of the funnel. |
The model costs only around 1345 YEN (US$13.50). A bargain indeed!
Once again, thanks must go to my friend Kingman. If he hadn't visited the museum in Kure, I couldn't have added such a beautiful little ship to my collection!
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