The Nagato-class of battleships/ battlecruisers was the final class of battleships built in the late 1910s/ early 1920s by Japan with two units in total. Nagato and Mutsu were built shortly after WW1, taking in the knowledge gained at Jutland by the Royal Navy. Since the Washington Treaty went into effect, the two remained the only two mayor units launched for over a decade until the Yamato-class entered service. They featured a relatively high speed, decent armament and good armour, yet shared many weakpoints with other battleships.
Prior and during WW2 both units recieved several upgrades, yet only Nagato survived the war. A higher amount of AA-armament and better fire control was implemented, being highly useful in the later stages of the war. Both units saw action in several battles, yet they never stood against another battleship.
Mutsu detonated in 1943 whilst being at anchor, sinking immediately. Until today it is unknown what exactly caused the detonation of the magazine. The most likely explanation is either a planned detonation of explosives to scuttle the ship, or an accident where open fire ignited parts of the ammunition. Since there is no detailed documentation about the mishap, the real cause for the sinking will remain a mystery. Large parts were later raised and scrapped, a few barrels being used as pieces in museums and memorials, together with other artifacts recovered.
Note: This model is recommended to be used in the 1/3000 scale. The model itself isnt scaled, the scale table is down below.
1/4000: 5,6cm or 2.2in
1/3000: 7,5cm or 2.95in (recommended)
1/2000: 11,25cm or 4.3in
1/1000: 22,5cm or 8.85in
For self calculation: The Mutsu is 225 metres or 708ft long
The model is intended to be used with little supports as possible, yet some are recommended around the main superstructure and the barrels, especially below the secondaries. The level of detail is more than mixed in this model, some parts may not be printed at all. I recommend using a resin printer for this, with supports placed under fragile parts like the barrels and individual decks. Up and downscaling might be possible, yet I dont know to what extend.
If you have ideas for more ships to model, feel free to message me.