I spotted an auction for completed models of two Japanese ocen liners; the Hikawa Maru and the Yawata Maru. I put in a bid on them and that turned out to be the only bid on the models.
The reason for bidding on the models is that the Hikawa Maru is depicted as she is today as a museum ship berthed in Yokohama.
The Yawata Maru was a member of the Nitta Maru class of cargo ocean liners intended for service from Japan to Europe. As they were built for the NYK Lines their names started with N, Y, and K. All ships in the class were designed with the thought of converting them into auxiliary aircraft carriers. Yawata Maru was converted to an aircraft carrier named Unyo.
The Hikawa Maru served as a hospital ship during the war and was one of two(?) Japanese ocean liners which survived the war. She was put back into service on the Yokohama-Seattle-Vancouver (BC) run after the war and served until 1957. She was berthed as a museum ship in 1961 but the museum was shut down in 2006. NYK Lines undertook her restoration in 2007-2008. She was reopened to the public in April 2008. I've had the pleasure of visiting her twice; once prior to and once after her restoration.
Here are photos I took as I unwrapped the kits and prepared them for display....
