Commissioned in June 1930, the IJN heavy cruiser Chokai fought throughout the Pacific war, serving as flagship for the IJN 8th Fleet. She was critically damaged in action by US aircraft during the Battle of Samar in 1944, and had to be scuttled.

This is Aoshima's second release of the Chokai in 1/350 scale, again sharply molded in gray styrene with a nice black display stand. This full-hull model builds into the Chokai as she appeared in 1944 (the previous release was a 1942 version). Includes a selection of reconnaissance floatplanes, and photo-etched metal parts for the Type 21 radar, machine gun sets, and mast yards. The 16-page instruction booklet is in Japanese and English, with descriptive illustrations to make assembly a breeze. An excellent addition to any collection of 1/350 ships!