The First Fleet Replenish Program of 1931 gave Japan a special allowance to build 50,955 tons worth of new light cruisers armed with 6-in guns. Construction of the new fleet began at Kure Naval Arsenal with the Mogami. The original Mogami was equipped with 5 triple 15.5cm gun turrets, 4 triple 61cm torpedo launchers, 4 twin 12.7cm gun mounts, protection against 8-in. shells, 4 twin 25mm guns, and 2 twin 13mm machine guns. The cruiser held all of this equipment within the 8,500-ton displacement limit. When naval treaties were removed, the ship was outfitted with 20.3cm gun turret, which caused the ships to be top-heavy and unstable. The Mogami underwent numerous reinforcement modifications such as hull strengthening, resizing of the bridge, and repairing cracks and hull plate. The Mogami was involved in the WWII invasion of Java at Bantam Bay, the Indian Ocean raids in the Bay of Bengals, Midway Invasion, and was defeated by a torpedo from Akebono off the coast of the Panaon Islands.
Packing Ten 20.3cm Guns
The Mogami-class was designed in 1931 as 8,500-ton light cruisers armed with five triple 15.5cm gun turrets, and the lead ship of the class, the Mogami, was completed in July 1935. She was rearmed with twin 20.3cm gun turrets in 1939 and it was in this configuration that she entered the war. She and her three sister ships formed the Japanese Second Fleets’s Cruiser Division 7 and were assigned to support the landings at Malaya. During the Battle of Sunda Strait in March 1942, Mogami and her sister ship Mikuma sank the heavy cruiser USS Houston and light cruiser HMAS Perth. Following extensive damage suffered at the Battle of Midway, her stern was dramatically modified to carry reconnaissance floatplanes in an effort to enhance the fleet’s scouting capabilities. She took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, where she was severely damaged by U.S. carrier aircraft and had to be scuttled by friendly forces.
Mogami Specifications
●Standard Displacement: 12,400 tons
●Length: 200.6m
●Output: 152,000hp
●Top Speed: 35 knots
●Armament (As Heavy Cruiser) Twin 20.3cm gun turret x5, Twin 12.7cm gun turret x4, Twin 25mm cannon mount x4, Twin 13mm machine gun mount x2, Triple 61cm torpedo launcher x4
●Aircraft: Mitsubishi F1M Observation Seaplane, Aichi E13A Reconnaissance Seaplane
About the Model
★1/350 scale plastic assembly kit of the Japanese Heavy Cruiser Mogami. Length: 573mm, Beam: 76mm. ★The ship’s hull separates into port and starboard parts and the one-piece lower hull helps to produce the form of the beautiful bow. ★Large parts depicting the ship’s hull and deck are secured with screws, allowing you to accurately build the model. ★Main and secondary battery turrets, torpedo launchers, and catapult are moveable after completion of the model. ★Strong ABS resin parts used to depict fore and aft masts. ★Bridge windows and searchlight lenses are reproduced with clear plastic parts. ★Anti-aircraft guns have rich details. ★Parts for Mitsubishi F1M (x2), Aichi E13A (x4) aircraft, together with a stand to enable in-flight display, are also included. ★Full hull model display stand included. ★Metal parts depict anchor chains and propeller shafts.
