aoshima (1186)

Aoshima brings us a model kit of K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand), the futuristic car from Season IV of the iconic TV series "Knight Rider"! Eight LEDs duplicate the classic scanner effect across the front and rear, and a voice playback gimmick is included with the voice of Akio Nojima, who provided K.I.T.T.'s voice in the Japanese-dubbed version of the show! The light and voice effects are operated with an external switch. The Season IV version of the vehicle includes four fog lamps, a monitor-type instrument panel, and a late model roof console. The roof window is removable, and the retractable light can be opened and closed. Requires two LR44 button-cell batteries, not included.  Specification Scale: 1/24 Item Size/Weight: 32.7 x 21.7 x 9.5 cm / 450g

With the end of the Russo-Japanese War, both Japan and the United States came to regard each other as potential enemies. This was because, while the United States was aiming to acquire interests in mainland China, Japan's policy of expanding its interests in the continent, in which Japan, China, and Russia had all firmly gained a foothold, was not what they wanted. Both countries strived to increase their naval power, and after World War I, Japan built eight battleships in response to the United States's Daniels Plan (a large fleet construction plan centered on ten battleships and six battle cruisers). The 88 Squadron plan centered on eight ships and battle cruisers was implemented, and the Nagato was the first main battleship of this 88 Squadron plan. The idea was that Nagato would be able to surpass or even fight on an equal footing with the battleships planned by each country's navies, and as the strongest battleship equipped with a 40cm gun -- the largest naval gun at the time -- she was built at the Kure Naval Arsenal in Taisho 6. Ground was broken on Aug. 28, 1917, she was launched on Nov. 9, 1919, and completed on Nov. 25, 1920. Thanks in part to the establishment of the Washington-London Disarmament Treaty, Nagato reigned as the strongest battleship in the Japanese Navy, along with the Mutsu. Nagato took part in Operation Midway, the Battle of the Mariana Gulf, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf, but this was no longer an era in which the naval guns of battleships were used to decide battles; her only gun battle was in the Battle of Samar, when she showered the U.S. escort carrier group with her main guns. After the war ended in Yokosuka, Nagato was requisitioned by the U.S. military. In July 1945, she became the target test ship for a hydrogen bomb test. Nagato showed strong defensive capabilities, enduring the powerful explosion of the hydrogen bomb and remaining afloat for several days. However, a few days later, Nagato suddenly disappeared from the ocean, and she never let anyone see her sinking. Aoshima brings us a 1/700-scale waterline model kit of the Nagato, the battleship that was most popular among the people of pre-war Japan! Her appearance during the Pacific War with the addition of anti-aircraft weapons is simple, easy to assemble, and accurately reproduced with thoughtful parts configuration. Newly designed equipment has been added, including countless twin machine guns, high-angle guns, and aircraft catapults. Many parts are slide-molded for density and precision; in addition to armaments such as destroyer main guns and machine guns, carrier-based aircraft and other equipment have been updated. The following parts are updated with new molds: Type 89 12.7mm twin high-angle gun Type 96 25mm twin machine gun Radial davit 9m cutter Kure Type 2 Type 5 injection machine Type 95 water reconnaissance aircraft 90cm signal searchlight 110cm signal searchlight 12m fire launch 7m cutter Chrysanthemum emblem Anchor

The aircraft carriers Hiryu and Soryu were built under the London Disarmament Treaty in 1930, and were part of the 1933 disarmament expansion plan. Soryu was completed first, but further improvements were made to Soryu, and Hiryu was completed at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on July 5, 1939. Based on the operational experience of the previously completed Soryu and Kaga, it was decided that Hiryu would have the bridge installed in the center of the hull so as not to interfere with the aircraft taking off; the chimney on the starboard side was placed on the port side to be on top of the ship. Although the arrangement was favorite in terms of weight distribution, it was discovered that the air currents generated from the bridge had an adverse effect on carrier-based aircraft landing on the ship. Therefore, aircraft carriers built after this time had a bridge on the starboard side; Hiryu and Akagi were the only ones with a bridge on the port side, giving them a unique appearance. She became an extremely successful and powerful aircraft carrier, with features such as high-speed performance exceeding 34 knots, improved hull strength, improved defense capabilities, and a carrying capacity of 57 aircraft. Hiryu's military history includes support for the invasion of the continent in 1945, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 8, 1945, the capture of Wake Island, the sweep of Java and New Guinea, and the Indian Ocean operations. In the battle, the bomb squad she carried had an amazing hit rate, sinking the British aircraft carrier Hermes and the heavy cruiser Cornwall. At the end of May 1944, Hiryu left Japan to participate in the fateful Battle of Midway. Early in the morning on June 5, 1945, Captain Tomonaga of the Hiryu judged that the first attack was insufficient and requested a land attack, and the equipment of the Air Force that was on the other ships, waiting on the mother ship, was transferred to land. This led to a hectic situation in which they had to change to attack equipment. In addition, a reconnaissance aircraft reported the discovery of an enemy task force, and in an unusual situation where the equipment of the Air Force was changed to ship attack equipment again, a U.S. Navy bomb squadron dive-bombed the Akagi and Kaga, and all three of Soryu's ships burst into flames in an instant. Hiryu was the only ship left unscathed, so she launched an attack on the American aircraft carrier Yorktown, rendering Yorktown unable to navigate. However, Hiryu was bombed by the attack force launched from the remaining two aircraft carriers, and out of four bomb hits, two close hits caused her to burst into flames and become unable to navigate. It was assumed that the destroyers Arashi and Nowaki were torpedoed, and they were thought to have sunk, but they were later found drifting aboard the Hosho. The plane was spotted and they hurriedly went to rescue them, but by the time they arrived at the scene, they were gone. Aoshima brings us a 1/700-scale waterline model kit of the Hiryu, known for her success in the early days of the Pacific War and her bravery at the Battle of Midway. The parts structure is simple, easy to assemble, and accurately reproduced. In addition to various equipment such as regular machine guns and high-angle guns, newly designed equipment has been added, including an anti-aircraft firearm with a smoke shield on the starboard side where the chimney is located. Many parts are slide-molded for density and precision; in addition to armaments such as destroyer main guns and machine guns, carrier-based aircraft and other equipment have been updated. The following parts are updated with new molds: Type 94 shooting device Type 89 12.7cm twin high-angle gun Type 89 12.7cm twin high-angle gun with smoke shield Type 96 25mm twin machine gun Type 96 25mm triple machine gun 12m fire launch 12m fire boat Radial davit 9m cutter Chrysanthemum emblem Anchor

The Washington Disarmament Conference prevented the creation of the 8.8 Fleet, and the Japanese Navy was forced to be at a disadvantage, having 60% as many capital ships as the United States. With the idea of compensating for this inferiority with other ship types, they focused on the shell-class cruiser, which had no restrictions on the amount it could carry, had a displacement of less than 10,000 tons, and could carry the largest eight-inch caliber gun among auxiliary ships. However, they decided to build a large number of these shell-class cruisers to compensate for their inferiority in capital ship strength. Following this policy, four Myoko-class cruisers were built, each with a displacement of 10,000 tons -- just below the treaty limit -- and equipped with ten 20-centimeter guns and eight torpedo tubes. However, since U.S. and British shell-class cruisers were equipped with eight-inch (20.3cm)-caliber guns as stipulated by the treaty, the next ships to be built were changed to eight-inch guns, improving the striking power of the naval guns, and using a swivel-type gun. Her attack power was increased by upping it with torpedo tubes. This was the Takao-class cruiser. Aoshima brings us a 1/700-scale waterline model kit of the Takao, a heavy cruiser that is still popular due to its majesty! Her late-war appearance, including her characteristic bridge, plus the electric probes and anti-aircraft guns added through modernization, can be accurately reproduced in a simple and easy-to-assemble parts configuration. Newly designed equipment has been added, including machine guns, high-angle guns, and aircraft catapults. Many parts are slide-molded for density and precision; in addition to armaments such as destroyer main guns and machine guns, carrier-based aircraft and other equipment have been updated. The following parts are updated with new molds: Type 96 25mm triple machine gun Type 96 25mm machine gun No. 13 electric probe No. 22 electric probe 60cm signal searchlight Type 89 12.7cm twin high-angle gun 110cm signal searchlight 11m fire launch 12cm fire launch 12m fire boat 9mm cutter Radial davit Kure Type 2 Type 5 injection machine Chrysanthemum emblem Anchor

The destroyer Yukikaze was completed on Jan. 20, 1940 as the eighth ship of the Kagero class. Her construction site was the Sasebo Arsenal. After completion, she was assigned to the 16th Destroyer Squadron of the 2nd Torpedo Squadron along with Hatsukaze, Tokitsukaze, and Amatsukaze. During the Pacific War, she participated in the southern invasion operation at the outbreak of the war, and exchanged fire with the Allied fleet at the Battle of Surabaya. Since then, she was involved in fierce battles such as the Battle of Midway, the Battle of the South Pacific, the Third Battle of the Solomons, the Ga Island evacuation operation, the Battle of the Mariana Gulf, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the Yamato surface suicide attack; miraculously she has always survived. Through these battles, Yukikaze's hull changed significantly, and she transformed from a powerful ship with strong weapons for ship-to-ship combat to a ship with enhanced air defense combat weapons. A new machine gun turret was built in front of the bridge, and one twin 25mm machine gun was installed there. In addition, the 25mm twin machine guns installed in the center of the hull were changed to triple guns, and in 1944, the second main gun turret at the rear was removed and two 25mm triple anti-aircraft machine guns were installed. As the battle intensified day by day and her consort ships were lost one after another each time she participated in battle, she became the only survivor of the A-class destroyers, including not only the Kagero class but also the similar type Yugumo class. After the war, all of her weapons were removed, a living facility was built, and she became a demobilization ship, transporting Japanese people from overseas. It is said that more than 10,000 demobilized soldiers were carried on board the Yukikaze, including manga artist Shigeru Mizuki. On July 6, 1947, she was delivered to the Republic of China as a war reparation ship, and her name was changed to Danyang. The Republic of China welcomed Yukikaze as the flagship of their fleet. She was dismantled in 1970 due to the effects of typhoons and deterioration. Aoshima brings us a 1/700-scale waterline model kit of the eighth Kagero-class destroyer, Yukikaze, a lucky ship that fought in various battles throughout the Pacific War and survived until the end of the war! Her appearance in the latter half of the war, when her turret was removed and her anti-aircraft weapons strengthened, can be accurately reproduced in a simple and easy-to-assemble parts configuration. Newly designed equipment has been added, including 12.7cm twin guns, anti-aircraft guns, naval vessels, and other items. Many parts are slide-molded for density and precision; in addition to armaments such as destroyer main guns and machine guns, carrier-based aircraft and other equipment have been updated. The following parts are updated with new molds: Type 96 25mm triple machine gun 70cm signal searchlight Direction finder antenna Third-year model 12.7cm twin gun (C/D type) No. 13 electric probe No. 22 electric probe Type 92 quadruple torpedo tube Type 94 depth charge thrower Quartrant davit 7m cutter Anchor

On Dec. 29, 1942, the Suzutsuki was completed at the Mitsubishi Nagasaki Shipyard as the third Akizuki-class air defense destroyer equipped with a long 10cm gun. After completion, the 61st Destroyer Squadron was formed with four ships: Akizuki, Suzutsuki, Hatsuzuki, and Wakatsuki. Suzutsuki's first mission was on March 22, 1943, on a mission to transport property for an air base. Upon completing her mission and returning to the mainland on May 22, she escorted the battleship Musashi back to Yokosuka. After that, she was engaged in convoy escort and transport operations. In 1944, she was severely damaged twice by torpedo strikes from American submarines, having her bow severed, but each time she recovered and returned to the front, demonstrating her strength of military fortune. On April 6, 1945, Suzutsuki participated in Operation Tenichi-Go, the Yamato surface special attack operation, and worked with Fuyutsuki to defend the battleship Yamato. Suzutsuki fired anti-aircraft fire to defend Yamato, but ended up coming under fierce attack from U.S. military aircraft herself. As a result of this attack, the bridge was completely destroyed, the engine section and the front of the hull were severed, and the ship was unable to take action. After the battle, Suzutsuki was thought to have been sunk, but she managed to return to Sasebo, where she was hurriedly placed in dock. However, once she was taken into the dock, she sank to the bottom as if exhausted while being drained of water. When she was repaired at the Sasebo Arsenal, her bridge was changed to a simplified square strudture, and she was converted into an air defense battery without power. During the Sasebo air raid after this air defense battery was renovated, she shot down an incoming P51 Mustang fighter. Suzutsuki ended the war as an air defense battery, but after the war the structure above her hull was removed, and she, along with her sister ship Fuyutsuki, became a breakwater in Wakamatsu Port, Fukuoka Prefecture. Aoshima brings us a 1/700-scale waterline model kit of the third Akizuki-class destroyer, Suzutsuki, which participated in Operation Tenichi-Go along with the battleship Yamato. Her appearance in the latter half of the war, when her anti-aircraft weapons were greatly strengthened, can be accurately reproduced in a simple and easy-to-assemble parts configuration. New equipment has been added, including the 10cm high-angle cannon, which is a characteristic of Akizuki-class destroyers, and an enhanced anti-aircraft gun. Many parts are slide-molded for density and precision; in addition to armaments such as destroyer main guns and machine guns, carrier-based aircraft and other equipment have been updated. The following parts are updated with new molds: Type 96 25mm triple machine gun 70cm signal searchlight Direction finder antenna Type 98 10cm twin high-angle gun No. 13 electric probe No. 22 electric probe Type 92 quadruple torpedo tube Type 94 depth charge thrower Quartrant davit Radial davit 7m fire boat 7m cutter Anchor

Aoshima brings us a 1/24-scale model kit of the Toyota UCF30 Celsior from 2000, immediately after the full model change! The suspension is the spring type, and the height can be adjusted; window frame masking stickers and new decals are included. Includes Window frame masking stickers, new decals

The US-2 is Japan's world-renowned high-performance flying boat. To commemorate the 20 years since the first flight of the prototype US-1A Kai, Aoshima's 1/144-scale aircraft series will be releasing a limited-edition US-2 with luxurious benefits! The bonus includes an embroidered patch (9cm x 9cm) with the 20th anniversary logo mark (ShinMaywa Industrial Cooperation), manufactured by Navy Gear 4U, which delivers to both the U.S. military and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. In addition, the kit can be made as one of three types: US-2, US-1A modified prototype No. 1, and US-1A modified prototype No. 2. The main landing gear and flaps can be built deployed or retracted, and a display base is included. The kit honors the 20th anniversaries of both ShinMaywa Industries and the US-2, which has protected the safety of Japan's seas and skies. This is an injection-plastic aircraft model kit. Features Material: PS, ABS Badge and limited decal are included. Selectable kit, one type can be chosen from three types. Main legs and flaps are selectable between deployed and retracted state. Includes a pedestal to replicate the flight state. Plastic model requiring painting and gluing

The battleship "Nagato," featuring its distinctive bent funnel design from the 1924 refit to the 1936 modernization, is now available as a 1/700 scale plastic model kit. With a well-balanced parts configuration, this kit is designed for easy assembly while maintaining accurate details. Specification Item Size/Weight: 39 x 14.2 x 6.3 cm / 350g Scale: 1/700

The Royal Navy aircraft carrier "Illustrious," which played a crucial role in the "Taranto Raid" that heavily damaged multiple Italian Navy battleships during World War II, is now available as a 1/700 scale plastic model kit. With a well-balanced parts configuration, this kit is designed for easy assembly while maintaining accurate details. It also includes carrier-based aircraft such as the Swordfish torpedo bomber. Specification Item Size/Weight: 39 x 14.2 x 6.3 cm / 370g Scale: 1/700

Aoshima brings us a 1/12-scale model kit of a custom version based on the 1979 Monkey! Various custom parts such as mufflers and seats are included; rubber tires are included for an enhanced sense of realism, and vinyl pipes are included for the wires.

Aoshima brings us a detailed model kit of the Kawasaki KZ400E Z400FX released in 1981!  It reproduces the E4 seat pattern, square mirror, club bar and more; metal springs are used for the rear shocks to enhance the sense of reality, and realistically textured rubber tires are also included. This item is made using a mold from the 1980s.

Aoshima's latest 1/24-scale model kit of the CZ4A Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X from 2007 comes with full C-WEST aero specs. Includes Front bumper Side step Rear bumper GT wing Aero bonnet Window frame stickers

Mazda's proud Infini FD3S RX-7 is now a 1/32-scale model kit from Aoshima! Features Mazda's proud rotary sports car is now available! Retractable headlights can be assembled with selectable opening and closing. Easy model with only 33 parts Low-down version can be assembled with selectable parts. What is a Snap Kit No painting required: The body color is reproduced by coloring the plastic material, eliminating the need for painting. The glossy body is also a highlight. No glue required: No glue is required by adopting the fit-in method. High reproducibility with fewer parts: High reproducibility was realized in 1/32 scale while simplifying the kit.

The Legendary “Phantom GT-R” Is Here! The elusive second-generation Skyline GT-R, famously known as the “Kenmeri GT-R,” is faithfully recreated with stunning form and detail. This plastic model kit offers a choice between standard ride height and a lowered stance. Features Easy-to-build model with 25 parts Color separation areas reproduced with stickers Optional assembly for lowered suspension What is a Snap Kit? No painting required The body color is reproduced by coloring the plastic material, eliminating the need for painting. The glossy body is also a highlight. No glue required No glue is required by adopting the fit-in method. High reproducibility with fewer parts High reproducibility was realized in 1/32 scale while simplifying the kit.

The Legendary “Phantom GT-R” Is Here! The elusive second-generation Skyline GT-R, famously known as the “Kenmeri GT-R,” is faithfully recreated with stunning form and detail. This plastic model kit offers a choice between standard ride height and a lowered stance. Features Easy-to-build model with 25 parts Color separation areas reproduced with stickers Optional assembly for lowered suspension What is a Snap Kit? No painting required The body color is reproduced by coloring the plastic material, eliminating the need for painting. The glossy body is also a highlight. No glue required No glue is required by adopting the fit-in method. High reproducibility with fewer parts High reproducibility was realized in 1/32 scale while simplifying the kit.