IJN Yubari 1944
The IJN´s Experimental Cruiser in its Final Form

The IJN Yubari was a single experimental light cruiser built in the early 1920s to create a vessel with capabilities similar to the Sendai-class on a much smaller displacement featuring some new design-solutions. Among those were a destroyer-like propulsion-layout, armour integrated into the hull-structure as well as turreted main-armament in the form of two tin and two single 140mm guns. It was a brainchild of famous naval designer Yuzuru Hiraga. After seeing a good bit of action in the Pacific Campaign, Yubari was refitted by removing the single 140mm guns and replacing them with a 120mm DP-gun and more smaller AA armament before being sunk by an US sunmarine in April 1944 south-west of Palau.

I will be building the relatively recent Pit-Road kit presenting the 1944 configuration. Tetra Modelworks has a detail-set for the ship which should be a nice addition.