Sammy

There is something special about building a model of a ship that changed naval history. The IJN Nagato was the first battleship in the world armed with 16-inch guns, serving as the flagship of the Japanese Combined Fleet during some of the most consequential naval operations of the twentieth century. For scale modelers, capturing the … Read more

If you have ever stared at a photo of the IJN Mutsu and thought about recreating that iconic pagoda mast on your workbench, you are in the right place. The Mutsu was a Nagato-class dreadnought battleship that served the Imperial Japanese Navy from the early 1920s through World War II, and she remains one of … Read more

If you have ever stood in front of a display case staring at a finished Imperial Japanese Navy battleship, you know the pull these models have. The IJN Fuso is one of the most recognizable dreadnoughts ever built, with her towering pagoda bridge and unique silhouette that changed dramatically through multiple refits. Our team spent … Read more

If you have ever stood in front of a model shop display case and wondered which IJN Yamashiro model kit is worth your time and money, you are not alone. The Yamashiro, the second ship of the Fuso-class battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, carries a story that pulls scale modelers in. She fought her … Read more

Building IJN Ise battleship model kits is one of the most rewarding projects you can take on as a scale modeler. The Ise-class battleships hold a special place in naval history because of their unique hybrid battleship-carrier design, converted after the Battle of Midway in 1942 to carry both heavy gun turrets forward and a … Read more

If you have ever wanted to build a miniature replica of one of the most unusual warships in naval history, you are in the right place. The IJN Hyuga was an Ise-class battleship that started as a conventional dreadnought and was later converted into a hybrid aircraft battleship during World War II. That strange half-battleship, … Read more

Building a model of the IJN Haruna is one of the most rewarding projects a naval modeler can take on. The Haruna, a Kong-class battlecruiser later upgraded to a fast battleship, served with distinction across the Pacific Theater during World War II, from the raid on Pearl Harbor to the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Her … Read more

If you have ever stared at a reference photo of the IJN Kongo slicing through the Pacific at 31 knots and wanted to recreate that exact moment on your workbench, you are in the right place. The Kongo-class battlecruisers hold a special place in naval modeling history. They are among the most built and most … Read more

The North American X-15 holds the record as the fastest manned aircraft ever built, reaching Mach 6.7 (4,520 mph) and soaring to 354,200 feet above the Earth. Built in the late 1950s and early 1960s, this rocket-powered research aircraft pushed the boundaries of aviation and directly contributed to NASA’s space program. For model builders and … Read more

If you have ever stared at a photo of the Grumman X-29 and thought that canard-forward, forward-swept wing silhouette belongs on your display shelf, you are not alone. Our team has spent weeks tracking down every available X-29 forward-swept wing model kit on the market, building them, comparing fit and finish, and figuring out which … Read more