HB Models 1/1250 HB M-42A Soya Japanese auxilliary 1941

Another unusual ship from the Japanese shipping specialist Juergen Streich under his HB models label. This small ship is grey & armed for wartime service.
Soya was ordered by the Soviet Union as Volochaevets in 1936 but became Chiryo Maru whilst still building. Early in 1940, she became a munitions transport for the Imperial Navy and was re-named "Soya". Soya survived WW2 and became a tender in the Japanese Maritime Safety Agency and in 1978 became a museum ship in Tokyo.