Tamiya 78027 - 1:350 Chikuma Japanese Heavy Cruiser

Plastic model kit of the Japanese heavy cruiser Chikuma in 1:350 scale

Chikuma was one of the most distinctive Japanese heavy cruisers – all four main turrets were placed ahead of the superstructure, while the entire stern was given over to floatplane operations. Tamiya 78027 recreates the ship in 1:350 scale using a 2012 mould, in which new parts were developed from the mould of her sister ship Tone.

The model depicts Chikuma in the early period of the Pacific War, before the later additions of anti-aircraft armament and radar equipment. The hull is split lengthwise along the sides and joined to the deck with screws, giving rigidity to such a long structure. The kit can be built either as a waterline or a full hull model – a display stand is included in the box.

The kit goes well beyond plastic alone: thin-walled details such as aircraft handling trolleys, catapult rails and mast rigging supports come as photo-etched parts, the anchor chains and propeller shafts are metal, and the masts and antennae are moulded in ABS, keeping them slender and rigid. The main gun barrels can be set in two positions, and the included Nakajima E8N and Kawanishi E7K floatplanes can be displayed on board or in flight on separate stands.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues (hull split along the sides, joined to the deck with screws)
• Parts allowing the model to be built as a waterline or full hull display
• Clear parts: bridge windows and searchlight lenses
• Photo-etched parts: aircraft handling trolleys, catapult rails, mast rigging supports
• Metal anchor chains and metal propeller shafts
• ABS masts and antennae
• Nakajima E8N and Kawanishi E7K floatplanes with stands for in-flight display
• Main gun barrels that can be set in two positions
• Display stand
• Booklet with the ship's history and a colour painting guide
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:350
• Catalogue number: 78027
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Model length: approx. 576 mm, width: approx. 71 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate (complex kit with photo-etched parts and metal components)

Please note: glue, paints and modelling tools are not included. This model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

The build starts with the decision whether the ship will sit on its stand as a full hull model or be finished as a waterline display – the side-split hull, screwed to the deck, gives a solid and rigid structure either way. The photo-etched and metal parts call for patience, precision tweezers and cyanoacrylate glue, but they are exactly what gives the model the scale delicacy of its rigging and aviation equipment. It is worth painting the smaller details before fitting them, as access to many areas becomes limited once the ship is closed up.

For painting we suggest colours typical of early-war Japanese warships: grey for the hull and superstructure (e.g. Tamiya XF-75 IJN Grey), dark linoleum brown for the decks (e.g. XF-79 Linoleum Deck Brown) and red for the underwater section on a full hull build (e.g. XF-9 Hull Red). The included colour painting guide and the manufacturer's instructions give detailed paint codes. Decals are best applied over a gloss coat, which limits decal silvering, with a matt varnish as the final finish and a wash to bring out the detail.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling side cutters for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper to clean up sprue gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Cyanoacrylate glue for the photo-etched and metal parts
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Screwdriver for the hull-to-deck screws
• Brushes in various sizes
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Modelling wash to bring out the detail

About the ship – Chikuma:

Chikuma was the second ship of the Tone class and was completed in May 1939. The design of these cruisers was shaped by long-range reconnaissance duties: all four twin 20.3 cm turrets were positioned ahead of the superstructure, while the whole stern was set aside as an aircraft deck with catapults, capable of handling up to six floatplanes. This allowed the ship to scout for carrier task forces without giving up forward firepower.

With a standard displacement of approx. 11,200 tons and a length of 201.6 m, Chikuma had machinery producing around 152,000 hp, giving her a speed of approx. 35 knots. Her crew numbered around 874. The ship took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor and later in the Battle of Midway, performing the scouting role typical of her class within the carrier forces.

Chikuma was sunk on 25 October 1944 during the Battle of Leyte, in the fighting off Samar – one of the most dramatic surface actions of the Pacific War.

Original specifications (Chikuma, Tone class):

• Type: Tone-class heavy cruiser, second ship of the class
• Completed: May 1939
• Standard displacement: approx. 11,200 t
• Length: 201.6 m
• Main armament: 8 x 20.3 cm guns in four twin turrets, all mounted forward of the superstructure
• Aviation facilities: stern aircraft deck with catapults, up to 6 floatplanes
• Power output: approx. 152,000 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 35 knots
• Crew: approx. 874
• Service: attack on Pearl Harbor, Battle of Midway; sunk on 25 October 1944 during the Battle of Leyte (off Samar)

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, a city regarded as the heart of the Japanese model industry. The business started out in the timber trade and released its first plastic model kit in 1960. The brand is known for extremely precise injection moulds, well thought-out kit engineering and excellent parts fit, which is why its models are chosen by beginners and experienced modellers alike. In the field of ship modelling Tamiya earned its reputation with the 1:700 Water Line series, and since the turn of the 1970s and 1980s it has also developed large 1:350 warship kits – richly equipped and often supplemented with photo-etched parts and metal components. Tamiya instructions are clear and illustrated step by step, which makes even complex kits much easier to build. Beyond the models themselves the company supplies a complete modelling range: paints, glues, tools and brushes. Today Tamiya is present in dozens of countries and remains one of the most recognisable brands in the hobby.