by Nye Nava
1/700 HTMS Thonburi, 1941 (S&S)
In mid-1930's, The Royal Thai Navy ordered numbers of warships from Japan and Italy for their first naval development project. Contacts awarded to Mitsui Bussan Kaisha Company, Japan included two training sloops (HTMS.Tachin and HTMS. Maeklong) and two coastal gunboat (HTMS.Sri Ayudhya and HTMS.Thonburi)
HTMS Thonburi's (a.k.a. Dhonburi ) keel was laid down on 12.01.1936 at Kawasaki Dockyard in Kobe, Japan launched on 31.07.1937 and commissioned on 5.10.1938. The ship was named after the former capital city of the Royal Thai Kingdom.
HTMS Thonburi was 2,350 tonnes full load and her dimensions are 77 x 13.41 x 4.2m. She carries 2 x twin 200mm Japanese made guns (removed from aircraft carrier "Kaga ), 4 x single 75/51mm Swedish made dual purpose guns and 2 x twin 20mm Danish made machine guns.
HTMS Thonburi was engaged a French Indo China squadron which leaded by the 9,000 tonnes light cruiser "Lamotte Piquet in the "Naval Fighting at Ko Chang on 17 January 1941 morning. A ship had serious damages and later sunk at Lam Ngob area, east of Ko Chang in the evening, 20 crew were lost.
HTMS Thonburi was refloated 7 months later and repaired but serious damages made her less combat capability, she served as a training ship until decommissioned in mid 1959.
The Royal Thai Navy preserved forward gun turret and parts of bridge and superstructure as HTMS. Thonburi Memorial at the Royal Thai Naval Academy, Samut Prakarn.
This kit comes from Japanese manufacturer; S&S , hull and superstructure were sand off and re-shape, lot of modified are needs. 200mm. gun turrets and other IJN equipments come from Pit-Road. I used Fine Mold, Lion Roar and Fly Hawk PE sets for railing and other details as well. Crew comes from Eduard pre-painted naval figures.
