Search the Community

IJN Mikuma Eduard 1:350 The Tamiya IJN Mikuma kit has been out some time and is a very nice kit in its own right, even though Tamiya missed a few details out. Now I’m sure Eduard have released these sets before, but cannot find the date of first issue, although the kit itself was last re-issued in 2010. The two sets arrived in zip lock bags with the new style yellow card inserts. Ships railings, (53166). If you think the title says it all, you’d be wrong, whilst there is a full ships set of railing on the single large sheet of relief etched brass, there is so much more. There are the ships anchor chains and stops, bollard tops, crane hooks for the smaller cranes, cable reels, for which the inner drum needs to be made from styrene rod, jack staff combined with a crane jib, some awning stanchions, watertight doors, new deck hatches which can be posed open or closed, and a selection of liferings. The ships boats are provided with new fittings, such as cradles, propeller shafts, propellers, rudders, thwarts, oars, railings, steering positions, wheels, liferings and ensign staffs. The mid section of the ships structure need to have some details removed before the etch can be added, and this includes the splinter shields around the secondary armament, access hatches on the aircraft handling deck and the boat cradles. The splinter shields around the bridge structure are also replaced. The set also includes new accommodation ladders, complete with the handling chains which are fitted to the kits cranes. The aircraft cradles, both for moving around the deck and on the catapults are fitted with new details and the midships section of the hull is fitted with new platform gratings and the torpedo handling cranes. There are more hatches and watertight doors fitted to the stern area along with additional cable reels and the ensign staff. Superstructure, (53167). This is another single sheet set contained within the same style packaging. The large sheet is full to the edges with replacement and new parts. Along with more replacement watertight doors, the sheet contains new intake grilles, searchlight towers, bases and railings, walkways, ladders, foot and hand rails for the funnels, along with new funnel caps and platforms. The aircraft/boat handling cranes is provided with a new jib, platforms, vertical ladders and braces, whilst the AA directors are fitted with new vision doors and the main mast with new platforms, ladders, armoured doors and yardarm walkropes. All around the superstructure there are additional liferings, inclined ladders, and yet more intake grilles. The aft mounted AA platforms are fitted out with new decks, supports, ready use lockers, inclined and vertical ladders, as well as having the kit splinter shields removed and replaced with brass. There is a completely new walkway between the forward and aft superstructure elements, whilst both of the catapults are completely replaced with brass parts. The rest of the sheet contains parts of the various weapons, with the most complex parts being used for the twin 25mm mounts for which only the kit barrels are used, the rest replaced. All the main turrets are fitted out with new ladders, railings, armoured doors, blast bag fittings and handrails. B and X turrets also have the prominent radio aerial masts attached to their roofs, something which the kit is missing. Conclusion The Tamiya kit is very nice out of the box, but with these two sets you could dramatically improve the finished model. There are so many parts that you will need quite a bit of patience and care to fit them all, as with any etch set, but the results will be worth it. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of