This model kit is perfect for representing the six patrol-craft of the Yangtze Patrol squadron of the US navy or the defense forces of the Philippines during early WW2. It features a FDM printed hull and SLA hi res printed detail bits.

The Yangtze Patrol was a prolonged US naval operation from 1854–1949 to protect American interests in the Yangtze River's treaty ports. The Yangtze Patrol also patrolled the coastal waters of China where they protected U.S. citizens, their property, and Christian missionaries.

The Yangtze River is the longest river in China and it plays an important commercial role, with ocean-bound vessels proceeding as far upstream as the city of Wuhan. This squadron-sized unit cruised the waters of the Yangtze from Shanghai on the Pacific Ocean into the far interior of China at Chungking.

In the early 1920s, the patrol found itself fighting the forces of warlords and bandits. To accommodate its increased responsibilities on the river, the United States Navy constructed six new gunboats in Shanghai during 1926–1927 All were capable of reaching Chungking at high water, and all year-round. These vessels gave the Navy the capability it needed at a time when operational requirements were growing rapidly.

USS Panay

USS Panay had as her primary mission the protection of American lives and property frequently threatened in the disturbances that the 1920s and 1930s brought to a China struggling to modernize, create a strong central government, and later counter Japanese aggression.

Throughout Panay’s service, navigation on the Yangtze was constantly menaced by bandits and soldier outlaws, and Panay and her sister ships provided protection for U.S. shipping and nationals, as other foreign forces did for their citizens. Often detachments from Panay served as armed guards on American steamers plying the river.

As the Japanese invaded South China, American gunboats evacuated most of the embassy staff during November 1937. USS Panay moved upriver to avoid becoming involved in the fighting around the doomed capital. Three U.S. merchant tankers sailed with her. The Japanese senior naval commander in Shanghai was informed both before and after the fact of this movement.

On 12 December 1937, Japanese naval aircraft were ordered by their Army to attack "any and all ships" in the Yangtze above NanJing. Knowing of the presence of Panay and the merchantmen, the Imperial Japanese Navy requested verification of the order, which was received before the attack began about 13:27 that day. Although there were several large US flags flown on the ship under the command of Lieutenant Commander James J. Hughes, as well as one painted atop the cabin, the Japanese planes continued strafing and bombing.

Panay was hit by two of the eighteen 60 kg (130 lb) bombs dropped by three Yokosuka B4Y Type-96 bombers and strafed by nine Nakajima A4N Type-95 fighters. The bombing continued until Panay sank at 15:54.

A formal protest was immediately lodged by the U.S. ambassador. The Japanese government accepted responsibility, but insisted the attack was unintentional. They claimed that the pilots could not distinguish between Chinese and U.S. flags from the distance of 300 or more yards that the pilots attacked. A large indemnity was paid as the matter was settled with the Japanese.

USS Oahu

Oahu operated all along the Yangtze from the river's mouth to Chungking and in the tributaries in protection of American lives and property into the 1930s. In the course of her service with the Yangtze Patrol Force, the gunboat convoyed American and foreign merchantmen up and down the river, supplied armed guards to U.S. and British river craft, landed bluejackets at treaty ports threatened by unrest and evacuated foreign nationals in times of danger.

the gunboat made intermittent patrols down the length of the river on convoy duty and then, following the Japanese invasion of China, served as escort for merchantmen and protected American neutrality in the conflict. Following the sinking of sister gunboat Panay off Nanking by Japanese planes 12 December 1937, Oahu picked up the survivors and carried them to Shanghai, returning to the scene of the incident to conduct salvage operations.

As the Japanese campaign in China grew, the gunboat operated only on the lower river as far as Wuhu and Hankow, in addition serving as station ship and radio relay vessel for American officials at the temporary U.S. embassy at Nanking. Whenever the warship attempted to cruise the river on regular patrol, she was convoyed by Japanese minesweepers that kept watch on her movements while protecting her from attacks by their planes. Oahu late November 1941 departed Shanghai for the Philippines as signs of approaching war with Japan became clearer.

Following a long and difficult voyage across the South China Sea, the gunboat, never designed for open sea operations, arrived at Manila Bay in the week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. When war began, the warship operated in and around Manila Bay and Cavite Navy Yard on inshore patrol and in support of U.S.-Filipino forces on Bataan until after the fall of that peninsula 8 April 1942, and then continued to operate about the island fortress of Corregidor until sunk by enemy gunfire on 5 May. She was struck from the Navy List three days later.

Oahu, one of the last "old China hands", never actually voyaged to the U.S. She received one battle star for World War II service.