In early 1943 US Navy intelligence was receiving numerous sighting reports of the light cruiser Yubari from several different areas. As the Yubari was a single ship class, ONI was puzzled how the ship could be in several places at the same time. Soon new aerial photography solved the mystery. The sightings were of the new Akitsuki class destroyers, a new class that bore a strong similarity in size and layout to Yubari. The mistake was understandable as, prior to the appearance of the Akitsuki the silhouette of Yubari was unique and the ship was one of the best known of IJN warships.

The Yubari was an experimental design laid down in 1922 under the 1917 building program. Designed to test the ideas of Naval Constructor Hiraga, the ship mounted the same broadside as the 5,000 ton cruisers (Nagara type) and had the same speed performance but on a displacement of only 2,500 tons. All of the armament was placed on the centerline and four of the six guns were in twin turrets. The hull design was also a radical departure from previous practice. The design was a success and the techniques used led directly to the design of the Kako class cruisers. Many of the features pioneered in Yubari were repeated in all subsequent Japanese cruisers.

In 1984 Tamiya issued an excellent kit of the Yubari as in 1944 at the time of her loss. The kit can be constructed straight from the box with excellent results but even the best kits can be improved upon. Tamiya's Yubari has a couple of minor errors and simplifications.

There were two types of boat davits in common use in the Japanese Navy. For Yubari, Tamiya has provided the wrong one. The kit shows the radial type davit whereas Yubari was equipped with the goose necked davit that was tilted outward by a crank activated worm gear. In appearance, the davits are mounted in the same places but are tilted inboard and the boats are mounted outboard of the davit arms. They are suspended with a bracing bar for quick launching and the forward pair of boats have supports underneath. They are NOT mounted on the deck as shown in the kit but are suspended at the same level as the motorboats. See drawings for clarification of this. Replace the davits from Skywave weapons sets and save Tamiya's parts for another project. Shave off the molded on boat chocks.

Under the forward triple 25mm gun tubs you will note a circular bulge in the side of the deck house (part 22). This is meant to simulate the support under the mount... remove it and replace with a piece of plastic rod centered under the overhang. Match the pattern of the aft triple 25mm tubs supports. The vertical supports under the bridge wings (part A12) can be thinned down and cross braces (x pattern) added behind the openings from either photo etch or sprue. The depth charge racks at the stern are plain and will benefit from either detailing or replacement with better parts from Skywave or scratch built items. The Tainiya 25mm guns are good but I prefer the ones from Skywave's E-7 weapons set. The Yubari was equiped with spare torpedoes located under the anti-aircraft platform amidships. These may have been replaced with quick reload gear but there is no solid evidence. Using the kit parts as a pattern, the masts should be replaced with sprue or wire for a more delicate appearance. If railings are desired, Tom's Model Works 2-bar style are best. Part A2 can be replaced by a Skywave USN director tub and a seperate searchlight from any of the weapons sets. These are minor little improvements but collectively they make a big difference in the final result.

Tamiya omitted one other detail that must be added. Yubari was fitted with a degaussing cable and retained this up to the time of her loss. This must be added to the hull from brass or copper wire or from sprue. I opted for sprue, building it in sections for easier control. The cable encircles the hull just below deck level as shown in the drawings.

The box art is an excellent painting guide except for the following points. The forward triple 25mm mounts are shown with white canvas covered railings. These platforms were the standard Japanese pattern with metal splinter shields, painted dark gray (hull color). The bridge wings in most photos are open railings, not covered with white canvas as shown in the art, but this could be optional. The same goes for the AA platform amidships, usually open railings without covers. Lifeboat covers in wartime were not white as shown but would be a gray, perhaps slightly lighter than the hull color, or brown canvas.

1/700 Scale Drawings