Japanese Heavy Cruiser Tone

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Navy decided to convert the Tone-class to heavy cruisers, and construction of the Tone was completed in November 1938.
Designed to carry out reconnaissance even in combat, the Tone was armed with four 20.3cm twin gun turrets concentrated forward of the bridge, while the aft deck was intended for flying operations and could accommodate up to six floatplanes.
Thanks to her special hull design, she reached a top speed of 35 knots and had a long range.
When the Pacific War broke out in December 1941, the Tone served during the raid on Pearl Harbor and was also involved in the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippines.
In October 1944, the Tone contributed to the sinking of the USS Gambier Bay in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
She was later assigned to the Japanese Naval Academy as a training ship and returned to Kure, where she was damaged by an air attack by US Navy Task Force 58 in March 1945.
 In July, she was attacked by Task Force 38 aircraft in Etajima Bay and sank in shallow water.

Plastic model kit

• can be built as waterline or full hull model
• with photo-etched parts
• Hull is bolted for extra stability
• Transparent parts for windows and headlights
• masts are ABS reinforced for more break resistance
• with metal parts for anchor and anchor chain
• with on-board aircraft

scale 1:350

unbuilt / unpainted