One of the most interesting warships of WWII, the IJN battleship Ise was converted in 1944 into a hybrid battleship/aircraft carrier to help cope with Japan's loss of aircraft carriers incurred at the Battle of Midway in 1942. The aft deck and armament was cleared and a 70-meter-long flight deck was built, with two rails, 12 turntables, trolleys and tie-downs, plus two catapults. Seeing action during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Ise met its demise while serving as a floating anti-aircraft battery at Ondo Seto, being sunk by an onslaught of American aircraft.

Fujimi's full-hull model of the Ise in 1/350 scale is sharply molded in gray styrene, representing the ship as it appeared in October of 1944. The kit includes two Zuiun and two Suisei floatplanes, molded in clear plastic. Waterslide decals and signal flag stickers are provided, as is a large 1/350-scale full-color painting diagram. Other features include metal anchor chains, a nameplate seal, and display stands. This release also includes eight turned brass Type 41 36cm gun barrels and a set of 213 unpainted plastic IJN seamen in working uniforms. Another very welcome addition to the ever-expanding world of 1/350 naval modeling!