Hasegawa 1:350 Antarctica Observation Ship Soya Kit HAZ23

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Soya, Japan´s first Antarctic exploration vessel, today forms a key exhibit of Tokyo´s Maritime Museum. Originally ordered in 1936 by the Soviet Union as one of three cargo icebreakers under the name Borochavets, and launched in 1938, the deal was cancelled and the ship commissioned in Japan as Chiryo Maru. In 1940, the vessel was taken over by the Imperial Japanese Navy, probably to transport ordnance. She was renamed Soya after a province in Hokkaido and the strait between Hokkaido and Sachalin. Soya survived the war and in 1956 was extensively converted for Antarctic exploration service. Between 1956 and 1962, she undertook six trips to the Antarctic. At Luetzow-Holm - Bay on Queen Maud – Land, the Japanese scientific station Showa was constructed.

 During the 1957-8 expedition, Soya developed technical defects, necessitating her premature return, assisted by USCG Burton Island. Upon this hasty departure, the expedition´s twelve sled dogs were abandoned and presumed dead. Surprisingly, two of the dogs were found alive upon the arrival of the next expedition a year later. These two dogs, Taro and Jiro, became immensely popular in Japan. Jiro died while still in the Antarctic in 1960, but Taro was taken home and lived out his life until 1970 in Sapporo´s University of Hokkaido. Both animals were stuffed and are on display at Sapporo and Tokyo respectively. Until today, the expedition, the ship and the dogs are remembered – in stamps and movies, amongst others. This may be a reason why Soya has been preserved. She had been replaced in Antarctic service in 1962 and was used as an icebreaker in Hokkaido until 1978. Since then, she is a museum ship at Tokyo.

Kit Details:

Length: 239mm

Width: 48.5mm

Height: 94mm

Parts: 323 pieces

Additional items are required to complete kit as illustrated