Pros: top quality kit, no mold flashing, comes with history of vessel and basic photo-etched parts. Cons: price of kit is a little steep for what's in the box! Photo-etched railing not included nor are the metal gun barrels which at the price of the kit should have been included :( Also there are no details on how the rigging of the halyards are to be done. I think all in all it is a good kit for a skilled modeler but if you're new to the hobby I would suggest the older not so expensive issue of this 1/350 kit TAM 78030
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
There's no lack of Yamato kits out there, including Tamiya's older (70s era) Yamato kit. That one can be had for a good deal less and is still a good kit, but this one is much much better. Many inaccuracies have been corrected, extra details have been added (e.g. the hull plating is 3-D textured), and photoetch parts plus metal anchor chains are included. The masts are molded in ABS plastic which is a lot harder to snap on accident, six 1/350 scale floatplanes are included, and most of the AAA turrets can be rotated after assembly. Straight out of the box, this builds up into a very impressive model, and some visual references are included. The kit does not include photoetch railings or a wooden deck, but Tamiya sells the latter at a very reasonable price (it's a Pontos deck rebranded) and you can buy a railing set from either Tamiya or any number of other manufacturers. Further PE details can be added though the kit parts are really not bad- in some cases arguably better. The kit can be built full hull or waterline, and includes decals and markings for the ship and aircraft. Note that this is the 1945 Yamato that is depicted in this kit, not as-built. Interestingly, some of the markings are not waterslide but stickers, the first I've seen in a Tamiya kit (usually you see these in Bandai kits more often). Overall, it goes together well and the instructions (which include a whopping 100 steps) are clear. With a minimal amount of additional aftermarket help, this builds up into an accurate studio quality model- something that would probably cost at least as much (and at a significantly greater effort) if you bought the older kit and tried to do likewise. There were no fit issues with this kit, though I do have one complaint about the hull. It's a two-piece (both upper and lower), which doesn't seem necessary given the box size. When you fasten the two parts of the lower hull in particular, there is a considerable gap that needs to be filled. It is difficult to do this properly as sanding it will likely remove the plating texture. This step actually took me longer than any other, including adding the PE detailing. Overall, I would say you definitely get your money's worth with this kit. It is expensive, but it's definitely the best one on the market in this scale (and arguably any scale). Read full review
Verified purchase: No
This updated version of the Ysmato makes it equal to or better than any other version on the market
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
One of the best kit on the market for 1/350 Yamato. If you can, get the newest 78025 version, not 78030. You won't regret it.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
GET SOME
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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