Kyokuto Maru – IJN Auxiliary Oiler
 
The ship:
The Kyokuto Maru was completed in 1934 at Kawasaki Dockyard, Kobe.
 
Gross Tonnage:         10,051 tons
Dimensions:              502.3’ x 64.9’ x 37.1’
Propulsion:               1 Kawasaki (MAN – type) diesel engine, 8611 hp, maximum speed   19.5 knots
Oil Cargo Capacity:   93000 barrels @ 42gals/barrel or approx 12687 tons of crude oil
Armament:               1 x 4.7 – inch (120mm) LA gun
 
The Kyokuto Maru had a long career which included ‘Operation Z’ – the attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941, ‘Operation C’   - Raids into the Indian Ocean in March 1942, ‘Operation MI’ – attack on Midway.
 
She was also present at the battle for the Eastern Solomons (Guadalcanal etc) in August 1942.
 
Kyokuto Maru suffered heavy damage following a torpedo attack by USS Hoe (SS258) in February 1944 but was repaired at Davao and Singapore and returned to service.  She was present at the defence of the Philippines battles in August and September 1944 and was bombed outside Manila on September 21, 1944, sinking in shallow water.  The hulk was raised in 1948 and towed to Osaka where she was reconstructed and relaunched in 1952 as the California Maru.
 
Kyokuto Maru/California Maru was eventually scrapped in 1963.
 
The Kit:
It’s great to see some of the supporting Merchant Ships being issued by Fujimi.  This is the Fujimi kit released in 2008.
 
The kit can be built as Kyokuto Maru or as one of her sisters (Toa Maru & Toho Maru).
 
The kit was essentially straight out of the box.  The model is painted with Humbrol acrylics.  As usual, I replaced the masts with brass rod and used fly tying line for the rigging.  Photo etch is included in the kit and I have supplemented this with parts from Lionroar and GMM’s Merchant ship set.  Crew are Eduard IJN Naval Figures.
 
  
Jim C Smith
(Freighter)