Fujimi 1/700 IJN cruiser Myoko full-hull

Fujimi has announced the October 2015 release of FUJ42190, a full-hull cruiser Myoko in 1/700 scale.

For many years, if you wanted a 1/700 scale Myoko, the very basic 1970s Hasegawa model was the only option.
In 2001 and 2005, Hasegawa and Fujimi released excellent new-tool versions of the ship. Hasegawa later issued a special full hull version with metal propellers and a wood base.
Now with this release, Fujimi has stepped up with a full hull version as well.

Since Hasegawa released their excellent new mold Myoko in 2001 and Fujimi released theirs in 2005, modelers have been blessed with not one but two excellent choices for building a 1/700 scale Myoko. Fujimi’s Myoko is very comparable with the 2001 Hasegawa kit, approximately equivalent in quality. Like the old model this one has a one-piece hull/main deck, but this one has a base plate which fits inside on the underside of the hull so there is not any seam visible. This is easier to assemble than the more fiddly multi part Hasegawa approach, but the Fujimi hull suffered from some minor hogging while the more complex Hasegawa hull came out dead flat, so Hasegawa wins this round. Fujimi’s hull/deck detailing is similar to Hasegawa, perhaps a tad better on the hull sides with a slightly sharper degaussing cable and some delightfully delicate weld seams. Bollards on the Fujimi kit are a little better too, but there is an error: on the forecastle deck the Fujimi continued the linoleum deck covering instead of having the correct nonslip surface. Another difference is the torpedo deck. Enclosed by the aircraft handling deck above, this deck is visible only through the torpedo launching aperatures on the hull sides. Hasegawa chose to depict this difficult to see space without the deck with the torpedo mounts attached to the overhead. This is adequate if the torpedoes are shown stowed, but if they are swung out for firing the empty space is visible. Fujimi’s torpedoes mount to the deck as did the prototype, and they even provided reload torpedoes for the deck behind the mounts, so in this area the Fujimi kit is superior. The superstructures of both kits are built up in layers with excellent fit and attractive detail, although some of it is simplified on both. Molded in wind baffle detail is outstanding as are the various fire control directors, and bridge windows are well represented in sharply defined gray plastic.

Superstructure assemblies of both kits are convincing. Funnels assemble identically, with Hasegawa showing better footrail detail on the sides while the Fujimi funnel caps are better detailed. Turrets of both kits are similar, about the same quality with the main rifles being in scale with well-rendered blast bags. Masts and platform supports of both kits are accurate but a bit thick, best replaced with wire. The solid-molded lattice platforms and crane booms are only slightly improved over the old 1970s Hasegawa Myoko – but these are also available in photoetch, which is probably the best approach to depicting these structures anyway. Secondary armament, boats, anchors, planes, catapults, and other equipment for each kit are similarly high quality with little to choose between the two.

So which is the better 1/700 scale Myoko? Both have flaws but are essentially accurate, well engineered kits. Hasegawa’s detail is a bit finer overall, but Fujimi’s is a little more sharply defined.