Hasegawa - WL.D043 - Destroyer Akishimo

Class: The Yūgumo-class destroyers (夕雲型駆逐艦 Yūgumo-gata kuchikukan) were a group of 19 destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. The IJN called them Destroyer Type-A (甲型駆逐艦, Kō-gata Kuchikukan) from their plan name. No ships of the class survived the war.

Warship: Akishimo (秋霜, "Autumn Frost") was a Yūgumo-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was at the Battle of Leyte Gulf of 23–26 October 1944, assigned to the 1st Diversion Attack Force. On 23 October, she rescued 769 survivors of the cruiser Maya. On 24 October, she assisted the torpedoed cruiser Myōkō. The next day she suffered minor damage in a collision with the destroyer Shimakaze. On 26 October she rescued 328 survivors from the cruiser Noshiro.

On 10 November 1944, Akishimo was escorting troop convoy TA No. 4 from Manila to Ormoc, Philippines. She suffered heavy damage in an air attack by U.S. Army B-25 Mitchells during the withdrawal; the ship took a direct bomb hit and lost her bow with 20 killed and 35 injured. The destroyer returned to Manila at 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph), then to Cavite Navy Yard on 11 November for repairs.

On 13 November, a U.S. air raid on Manila struck Akishimo, then alongside the destroyer Akebono at Cavite pier (14°35′N 120°55′ECoordinates: 14°35′N 120°55′E). Direct bomb hits set both ships ablaze. The following day a large explosion on Akishimo further damaged both ships; Akishimo rolled over onto her starboard side. There were 170 survivors, 15 crewmen killed and 25 wounded.

Brand: The Hasegawa Corporation (株式会社ハセガワ Kabushiki Gaisha Hasegawa) is a company that manufactures plastic model kits of a variety of vehicles, including model aircraft, model cars, model ships, model armor, model space craft and science fiction kits. Based in Shizuoka, Japan, Hasegawa competes against its neighbor, Tamiya, though it does not have as large a line of products.