"Zuiho" -the Japanese aircraft carrier

"Zuiho" (Japanese: Happy Phoenix) - Japanese light aircraft carrier, whose keel was laid in 1935, launched in 1936 in June and entered service in the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1940. The ship was 217 m long, 18.1 m wide, full displacement - 14,200 tons. The maximum speed of the aircraft carrier "Zuiho" was about 28-29 knots, its main armament was 30 planes. "Zuiho" was originally built as a submarine supply ship "Takasaki", but in 1936 it was initially converted into an aircraft carrier. "Zuiho" participated in many operations during battles with the US Navy in the Pacific Ocean. In December 1941 he received ships, returning back from the attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1942 February he fought in the Philippines, his planes attacked the city of Davao, among others. In 1942 in June he took part in the Battle of Midway, but played a minor role in it. Already in August of that year he participated in the battles for Guadalcanal, during which he was damaged in the Battle of Santa Cruz. In 1943 at the beginning he fought in the Salomon Islands and ended his combat path during the Battle in Leyte Gulf, where in 1944 it was sunk by American planes in October.

A large, well-detailed, well-designed model of an aircraft carrier in colorful block-spotted camouflage (very atypical for the Imperial Japanese Navy of World War II, by the way). The model can be made with working elevators and includes the parts to make a complete aircraft carrier aircraft group: 21 Mitsubishi A6M5c Model 52c "Reisen" "Zeke" and 9 Nakajima B6N2 "Tenzan" "Jill". There is a small stock of colors, the graphic instruction could be better.. The model is only for intermediate and experienced modelers.