IMAI TALL SHIPS

IMAI is gone, they went bust about 2 years ago.

Which is a pity they did some nice kits and covered a few subjects that others didn't.

FYI, Hobby Link Japan still has some of their 1/350 scale ships in stock.

that's sad to hear, and just when I thought I found a great kit to build the company is out of business

You can find Imai ships on Ebay. I happened on to the Imai brand a number of years ago and went on a hunt for their kits. I have a number of the kits and I still look for them on Ebay. There are several kits on Ebay now - "the Sant Maria" and the "Galeass". Monogram and some of the Heller models used the Imai molds. Good luck!

On your U.S. does the model come with the two "gang way" decorative parts. If so that's the rare and correct deco for the Constitution. I bought the Monogram United States of ebay a while back and it had the decorative pieces so I put them on the 1/96 scale gangway for the Big C.

Imai was a hit and miss company. I built the Chinese Junk, Roman Warship, and Viking ship and these were highly detailed kits. I now have the 1/120 Amerigo Vespucci and it has 0 detail on the hull and deck. I'n not really keen on all the clear parts such as the lifeboats and deckhouses.

I didn't know they had the US. I've looked at the Cuttysark and Constitiution. Nice kits too.

Scott

alot of the Imai molds are being used by Aoshima now.They are coming back with the larger Tallships now. if you go to Hobbyy Link Japan you will find what they have so far. I just received a 1/150 Napolean. But the are not cheap around $150.00 including shipping.
Rod

I have the Imai 1/200 scale USCGC Eagle. It is more up to date and accurate in the decak layout and fitting s than the ancient Revell 1/253 scale kit. However, there is no detail on the hull - no plating lines, rivets, etc., which are pretty prominent on the real ship. This is too bad, as it is the largest model of EAGLE available in plastic.

The Imai 1/350 scale tall ships are available in Academy boxes. As I understand it, the Imai kits were all waterline models. The Academy versions of the kit added a lower hull, and were available for half the price. For example, the Imai 1/350 scale USCGC Eagle was $20, (and hard to find) while the Academy version of the kit is $10, and is on the shelves in the local shops.

-Bill