IJN „Tsushima“ - the Japanese armored cruiser

IJN "Tsushima" is a III Rank Japanese armored cruiser. One of two "Niitaka"-class cruisers, built in 1896 program. He participated in the Russo-Japanese War and the First World War. Cruiser "Tsushima" entered service already during the Russo-Japanese War and was included in the 4th battle group of the 2nd Escadre of the Combined Fleet. In 1904 March 9 the cruiser, as part of the escadre, took part in the shelling of the signal station on the island of San Shan Dao near Port Arthur. Since 1904 in April the cruiser was patrolling the Sea of Japan in search of the Vladivostok cruiser escadre. June 15 the Russian ships were spotted by a cruiser in the Korean Strait, but contact was lost in the fog and Admiral Kamimura's 2nd Battle Escadre was unable to intercept the Russian ships. On August 14, 1904 the cruiser was also on patrol, so it could not directly participate in the battle in the Korea Strait, but it took part in rescuing sailors from the sunken Russian cruiser "Riurik". August 15 the cruisers "Tsushima" and "Chitose" were urgently dispatched to intercept the cruiser "Novik". On August 20 the cruiser "Tsushima" encountered the "Novik" during the Korsakov raid. During the 70-minute battle, the "Tsushima" managed to hit its enemy 14 times (three below the waterline), causing the "Novik" to sink its crew. "Tsushima", in turn, was hit once in the underwater part, which caused the ship to list sharply and was forced to withdraw from the battle to repair the damage. In the Battle of Cusima the cruiser acted as part of a escadre. In 1905 May 27 during the battle, they fought the Russian cruisers "Oleg", "Aurora" and "Zhemchug", and also fired on the floating workshop "Kamchatka", the tug "Rus", transports and the already badly damaged battleship "Kniazj Suvorov". The "Tsushima" was hit six times, causing a small leak, the chimneys were pierced, and some of the ship's quarters were destroyed; 4 sailors were killed, Captain 2nd Rank Yamazaki, a senior officer and 16 sailors were wounded. May 28 "Tsushima", as part of the 4th battle group, took part in the encirclement of Rear Admiral Nebogatov's fleet and in the last naval battle of the Russo-Japanese War - the battle with the cruiser "Dmitriy Donskoy". After the Russo-Japanese War, "Tsushima" took part in patrolling the coasts of China. At the outbreak of World War I, "Tsushima" was sent to patrol between Borneo (Kalimantan) and Timor to protect shipping. He later became part of Japan's 1st South Sea Escadre, based in Fiji. In 1914 December the cruiser, as part of the escadre, participated in the hunt for the German East Asia Cruiser Escadre. In 1915 February a mutiny of a sepoy regiment took place in Singapore, to suppress which a landing of sailors from British, French, Japanese and Russian ships (the auxiliary cruiser "Oriol") was disembarked. 75 sailors each were sent to the Japanese cruisers "Tsushima" and "Otova". From mid-February 1915 until the end of the war, the cruisers "Tsushima" and "Niitaka", based in Cape Town, ensured the safety of shipping in the southwest Indian Ocean. 1919-1920 "Tsushima" participated in the intervention in Russia, used to transfer Japanese troops to Vladivostok. In 1921 September 1 "Tsushima" was reclassified as a Class 2 Coastal Defense Ship. In 1922 the ship's artillery armament was changed: 6-152 mm guns, 8-76 mm guns. Later, one 76 mm anti-aircraft gun was additionally installed. The ship was used to patrol the Chinese coast. Partially disarmed in 1930, it is used as a non-propulsion training vessel in Yokosuka. In 1936 removed from the battle formation of the fleet. In 1939 it is turned into a ship - target no. 10 (Hai Kan No. 10) and sunk in 1944. during torpedo firing practice.

Quite a complex, well designed and detailed ship model. From the publication, You can make a model of a Russian-Japanese wartime ship. The model is very complex, intended only for intermediate and experienced modelers. Where necessary, double-side printing is used, and there is a color reserve.