Dragon Models 1/700 U.S.S. Buchanan DD-484 And U.S.S. Landsdowne DD-486 (Twin Pack) Smart Kit
Dragon’s latest 1/700 scale ship set comes with two complete kits – the first is USS Buchanan (DD-484) and the second USS Lansdowne (DD-486), both of which were Gleaves-class destroyers. The former was commissioned in March 1942, and it served in the Pacific in such campaigns as Guadalcanal, Luzon, Formosa, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. USS Buchanan steamed into Tokyo Bay on 29 August 1945, and on 2 September it carried General MacArthur to the battleship Missouri to accept the Japanese surrender. A sister ship of Buchanan was USS Lansdowne, commissioned in April 1942. After sinking a couple of submarines along the Atlantic seaboard, the destroyer transferred to the Pacific. The ship was heavily involved in escort and combat missions as the Allies island-hopped their way north towards Japan. USS Lansdowne also arrived in Tokyo Bay on 29 August, and on 2 September it transferred Japanese emissaries to the Missouri for the official surrender ceremony. The two ship kits are highly detailed, making use of a large number of newly tooled parts. For example, the superstructure, bridge and deck are new. Smaller details such as 40mm twin guns are also new toolings. There are also numerous photo-etched metal parts to replicate extra-fine details like ladders. As destroyers of the same class built almost simultaneously, the ships share the same construction. The kits have been designed to accurately reflect their appearance in 1945. Their different markings are provided by appropriate decals. Dragon is pleased to bring to modelers these two sister ships that sailed together into Tokyo Bay and witnessed the official end of WWII.