Fujimi Next Musashi vs Pit Road Yamato 1/700. Which one is best?

[IvanP]

I’m not too familiar with these kits. So, if I had to choose between the two, which one would be worth having?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Ivan

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Ivan, I don't think I've done a Fujimi kit, and to date only one Pit Road kit, a 1/700 scale USS Buckley class destroyer escort, so I don't know how helpful I'll be here. 

I'm more into Airfix 1/600 scale ships so I found the smaller size a bit taxing but I managed OK. Many small fittings such as anchors, light guns etc didn't have locating pins and holes, just flat surfaces for gluing which was a bit awkward for painting but where possible I added my own pins. I thought the detail was good, and the parts fitted together well, but with very little experience with other brands I don't know how this kit compared there. I don't do PE or any other aftermarket additions, I prefer to make my own, sometimes rather crudely, but I enjoyed the kit.

     As for which ship, I guess IJN Yamato is the most well known. Which ever you do I'll be interested in seeing how it turns out.

I don't know if I've been much help to you here. Hopefully others with more experience with these kits will respond soon. Regards, Jeff.

[IvanP]

9 hours ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday Ivan, I don't think I've done a Fujimi kit, and to date only one Pit Road kit, a 1/700 scale USS Buckley class destroyer escort, so I don't know how helpful I'll be here. 

I'm more into Airfix 1/600 scale ships so I found the smaller size a bit taxing but I managed OK. Many small fittings such as anchors, light guns etc didn't have locating pins and holes, just flat surfaces for gluing which was a bit awkward for painting but where possible I added my own pins. I thought the detail was good, and the parts fitted together well, but with very little experience with other brands I don't know how this kit compared there. I don't do PE or any other aftermarket additions, I prefer to make my own, sometimes rather crudely, but I enjoyed the kit.

     As for which ship, I guess IJN Yamato is the most well known. Which ever you do I'll be interested in seeing how it turns out.

I don't know if I've been much help to you here. Hopefully others with more experience with these kits will respond soon. Regards, Jeff.

Thanks, Jeff. Perhaps I should clarify that I have both kits, but I’m trying to decide on which one to keep. My main modelling interest is aviation, so I’m not that knowledgeable of ships,  but I do plan to build a few. So far, I’ve just started building a Dragon 1/700 destroyer.

 

The Fujimi kit has less parts than the Pit Road one,  seems easier to build, and detail looks slightly sharper. I’m not sure if this is comes at the expense of accuracy. Some areas are represented slightly different when you compare both kits. I also have a couple of photoetch sets for the Musashi, but none for the Yamato.

 

I’m sure that any of them will build into nice replicas. But as I’ve decided to reduce my stash, one of them will have to go. I just want to make sure that I will not regret later for getting rid of the better kit overall.

 

Cheers, Ivan

Edited June 20, 2021 by IvanP

[ArnoldAmbrose]

36 minutes ago, IvanP said:

Some areas are represented slightly different when you compare both kits.

Gidday again, without seeing the kits I'm not sure in what way you mean different. I think it is rare however for two ships, even sisterships, to be identical. There are usually some differences, sometimes quite minor, sometimes quite considerable. For example, as refitted Yamato had five sets of triple 25mm AA guns at the outside edge of the hull amidships. Musashi I think had only two. Also, are the two kits representing the ships at different times? As built they had four triple 155mm turrets - two on the centreline and two wing turrets. The wing turrets were later replaced with extra twin 5-inch and 25mm AA guns. On Yamato definitely and I presume Musashi as well.

     Many decades ago I did a 1/700 Yamato and Kumano, both OOB. I still have them. Yamato was as built, four triple 155mm turrets. The AA outfit was greatly increased during the war. No PE with the kit but the detail was good enough for my limited skill. I didn't even know what PE was back then, neither had I heard of aftermarket stuff or modelling forums such as this.

He's a photo of them taken a year or two ago, hence they're a little bit dusty and battered.

 

     As for which kit to keep I can't really advise you. I'd recommend you keep both until after you've done the destroyer. Your success with that may help you decide - for example, do you want PE or not? I don't do aftermarket or PE myself but I've seen other models that are superb with it. Way out of my league.

     I hope this helps and doesn't confuse you more. Regards, Jeff.

[IvanP]

You are absolutely correct, Jeff. What I mean by “different” is when comparing details that are common to both ships and should look the same. I believe this should be the case, as they are sister ships. I’m not really too concerned on a kit being extremelly accurate, but I just want to make sure that the build will not require any sort of correction or scratchbuilding to fix some glaring mistakes. And also that a minimum amount of photoetch will be required, if I want to improve some areas. My limited experience working on the destroyer shows that working with photoetch in 1/700 is demanding. Your advice is well taken.

 

Ivan