One of the features of this particular Atakebune that make it so interesting is the castle structure. Most Atakebune were simpler and just had nothing more than a single roofed house for the commander to oversee the battle. But, on this ship, the castle is very prominent. On the model, it makes for a nice project in itself.

Promotional image from Woody Joe.

Construction starts with the basic foundation structure, which is made to fit inside the opening in the deck. It was somewhat of a tight fit, so the opening had to be adjusted. You’ll notice a little piece of the base sticking out at what is the front of the structure. This is because there is a small structure at the front, which I’ve been considering modifying to more closely match the model at the Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum of which this model is based. The design of this section is nice in that you can mostly work on this structure separate from the rest of the model. Continue reading →