1:144 U.S. Navy Landing Ship Medium (LSM) Plastic Model Kit
Product ID: 80-5123

Overview
Skill level: 5
Scale: 1:144
Length: 443 mm
Parts: 428

Description
Landing Ships of the LSM-Class (Landing Ship Medium) were used
from the middle of 1944 by the U.S. Navy in the fight against
Japan in the Pacific. Totalling more than 550 ships they were the
main component of the amphibious forces for landing troops and
vehicles on enemy beaches. The loading capacity of a LSM roughly
corresponded to a mechanized platoon. The steel hull had nine
watertight bulkheads. With an anchor located at the stern, the
ships could withdraw from the beach without assistance. Armour
plating protected the superstructures against small arms fire.
The early LSM were mostly equipped with six 20-mm Oerlikon guns
for self defence. The open-top cargo area encompassed almost the
entire length of the ship and was at maximum 7.9 m (26 ft) wide.
By the end of the war, nine ships were lost mainly due to
kamikaze attacks. After the end of World War 2 some ships went
into service with allies armed forces. In 1958 NATO partners
Germany received three LSM and two LSM(R).