Nitta Maru

A detailed model of the Nitta Maru by Atle Ellefsen.

The Nitta Maru from Aoshima in scale 1:700 is a fine kit, depicting a rather seldom found subject: a pre-WW2 Japanese passenger liner. She was one of three sisters, all delivered in 1940 by Mitsubishi Shipyard in Nagasaki for owners Nippon Yusen KK, Tokyo. The vessels were intended for the Yokohama - Hamburg service however due to the war in Europe it was changed to Yokohama - San Francisco. Both Nitta Maru and her first sister Yawata Maru operated this run for almost 2 years before both were converted to escort aircraft carriers and commissioned in 1942 by the Imperial Japanese Navy as Choyu and Unyo, respectively. The final sister, Kasuga Maru, was never completed as a passenger ship. The hull was taken over by the Navy and converted into a third escort aircraft carrier, the Taiyo. All three ships met their fate within a year between 1943 and 1944 in way of torpedoes from US subs. The Choyu ex Nitta Maru was sunk by the US submarine Sailfish on December 4th 1943, 260 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan.

Her tonnage was 17 150 GRT, length 179.8 meters and breadth 22,5 meters. She was a twin screw vessel fitted with Zoelly geared turbines developing 25 200 BHP with a service speed of 21 knots and maximum speed of 22,5 knots. She carried 115 passengers first class, 100 second class and 70 third class.

I purchased the model from HobbyLink Japan summer 1998, starting work in April 2003. It took 8 months to finish it. Compared to the Hasegawa Hikawa Maru, which one would naturally think of as a sister model, this kit requires more tweaking and putty than expected. Especially in the forward superstructure sides and aft where the promenade deck ends. Although windows and portholes are well represented certain places, they are missing on the upper superstructure sides, on the forward part of the main deck in way of the raised deckhouse, in the aft facing superstructure ends and on the bridge wings. Plans or photos showing the aft part of the ship has been impossible to come by within the time allowed so missing windows have been added with artistic license. Portholes in the hull were drilled out with a 0.5 mm diameter. Columns are missing thus added, and the then non-existent bulwark on the wheelhouse roof was removed. Great deck details, great masts and boom renderings and main proportions. I used GMM 1:700 Merchant Ship PE, rigging is mostly stretched sprue but also includes a few strands of lycra. An elegant liner overall and must-have for all collectors of passenger ship kits!

Starboard view.

The water is rendered nicely in this view.

Profile view of Nitta Maru.

Close up of the stern in this overhead view.

Steaming along in this overhead starboard photo, showing the fine detail.