Ok....moving on to the next subject....1/700 IJN UNYO This Waterline series carrier scored a second place in both the Adelaide (Open Class) and Melbourne (Smaller than 1/500 Scale) Ship Classes in 2005.
IJN Escort Carrier UNYO - Brief History
Launched as the 'Yawata Maru' an NYK Liner in 1939, she was converted to an escort carrier from January- May 1942 at the Kure Naval dock yard and renamed UNYO in July 1942.
The Taiyo class (Taiyo, Unyo, Chuyo.) were the firstcarrier conversions for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Unyo spent here life ferrying aircraft to various bases, training pilots and
performing escort duties. On the 19th January 1944 during one of these duties Unyo was struck by 3 torpedoes and badly damaged, returning slowly to Yokosuka by the 7th February.
It was not until 2nd April that Unyo entered drydock for repairs, which were not completed until the 28th June. During this time it is probable that her Anti-Aircraft armament was increased and the camouflage pattern typical of late war Japanese aircraft carriers was applied. The Unyo was the last of her class to be sunk, going down on the 17th September 1944 when she was hit with 2 torpedoes, fired by the US submarine Barb.