ModelArt

ModelArt 769
Super Illustration, Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship “Nagato"

Reviewed By  Rod Lees, IPMS# 10821

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MSRP: $42.00
Website: www.modelart.jp

Did you ever wish you had something in hand to provide answers? That’s what research does for you, and with this book many questions I had while doing a power-build of Hasegawa’s Nagato last fall could have been answered. This book is what you need to do the ship "right." This book is, as expected, mostly in Japanese. Thankfully, for those of us unversed in the language of the Land of the Rising Sun, English translations are peppered throughout the book. The overall focus is on the 1941 and shortly-thereafter versions of the ship. Included are large foldouts of overhead perspective views of the Nagato-class, 1/500 profile views and bulkhead sectional drawings for accurate measurement. Included throughout the book are detail photographs of a 1/150 "Haruna" made by the author. Some photos of the actual ship are included; they provide perspective, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the line drawings to give feel and depth to your project. What did this book also provide for me? Well, when I get around to building another Nagato, I shall have proper rigging diagrams, which were lacking in the kit. I dislike "conceptual" details on a model of this caliber, and it was good to find anchor points, etc. I also learned what the "crossbow" shaped part was behind the forward pagoda; it’s a gun loading trainer. The ship apparently had several different caliber weapons, and the trainers for these items were all over the deck. Smart idea, that. Vents are covered, as well as the funnel and searchlight details. Comment and details are included concerning the deck chairs for the Admiral and his staff.

Cutaway sections of the fighting top and bridge are included, which provided more education for this non-naval guy. I had figured out the aiming binoculars, but other gun-laying equipment is explained in detail. It also goes into such nuances as the angle of the tower bridges of the Nagato and Mutsu as well as the aircraft storage rails and other details. Weapons are covered in detail, from the 40.6 cm main cannon to the 12.7 cm and 25mm aerial defense cannons. A page is devoted to the aircraft catapult and handling cranes. Three-view drawings of Nakajima Type-95 Reconnaissance Seaplanes, E8N2, are included. Motorboat and launches of 17, 15, 12, and 11, and 9 meters are covered in detail. To sum things up: excellent, excellent, excellent! Eye candy without the color to distract from the details… a must-have, particularly if you are going "big". Thanks to Model Art for this incredible read.


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