Tamiya 31615 - 1/700 RN Battleship Prince of Wales Battle of Malaya Sea Model Kit - classic naval modelling kit for diorama builders  [31615]

Prince of Wales, an Important Royal Navy Ship

The Prince of Wales, second in the King George V class, entered service in March 1941 and saw immediate operational use, including the hunt for the German Bismarck. Later she was sent to the Far East to reinforce Singapore's defences. During the Battle of Malaya Japanese air attacks led to her sinking. Tamiya recreates the ship at 1/700 scale and includes scale models of the attacking Type 96 "Nell" and Type 1 "Betty" bombers.

Events Leading to the Ship's Loss

Departing Singapore on December 8, 1941, the Prince of Wales steamed to intercept Japanese landings in Malaya. Misleading intelligence resulted in no contact at Kuantan, and by December 10 Japanese aerial reconnaissance had found the battleship. The resulting bombing raid caused catastrophic damage and the ship was lost, a significant moment in the early Pacific war.

Profiles of the Attack Bombers

The Type 1 "Betty" entered service in 1940, powered by Mitsubishi air-cooled engines, with a range over 4,200 km and a maximum weapon load near 1,000 kg. The older Type 96 "Nell" dates from 1936, had similar Mitsubishi powerplants, an 800 kg payload and a range around 4,000 km. Both models are included in the kit to represent the attackers.

Scale Model Details

Tamiya's 1/700 scale Prince of Wales measures 322mm overall and shows fine detail such as 35.6cm L45 quadruple gun turrets and 40mm Pom-Pom anti-aircraft mounts. The set contains seven bomber models plus a display stand so modellers can recreate the aircraft attack formation above the ship.