The Ship Model Forum

Thank you Darius :wave_1:

Much learned with build and investigation brought with your help much results for changes and improvements to do for making a more realistic Mikasa at Tsushima battle. :smallsmile:

Very nice Christian :thumbs_up_1:

Hello,
the last pictures I made from my Mikasa, about 1 week ago and showing her 99% ready � last brush works, i.e. at the hammocks on foremast, cleaning from dust and rigging rests and the final matt varnish coat must be done.


[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/11/56442001.jpg/][img]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3010/56442001.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/191/40077875.jpg/][img]http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/1539/40077875.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/826/26203189.jpg/][img]http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/2903/26203189.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/34497662.jpg/][img]http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/6450/34497662.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/51/60453534.jpg/][img]http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/1701/60453534.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/543/64143503.jpg/][img]http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/808/64143503.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/580/68839835.jpg/][img]http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/6413/68839835.jpg[/img][/url]


Cheers,
Christian
:wave_1:

Hi Captain and thank you.

Even it itches in my fingers to start Dreadnought now really, I will finish Mikasa first. As you now, rigging and final small Detail works can be really time consuming and I had not so much time last weeks to work on Mikasa further. But as told, I suppose that I will finish her soon, means in next week.

[u]My conclusion until now about this kit is:[/u]
A nice old kit, but with particularly noteable Fitting Problems of the hull halfes and the deck to stick correctly as following problem, as well latest knowledge (thanks to DariusP and Pepe) about original at Tsushima shows that small armament of 75mm and 47mm guns is simple wrong in kit. Four of the 75mm must be at least 47mm 3pdr (as the 4 included in kit) and 4 further smaller 2.5pdr 47m at both bridges are missing. If having enough spare parts in back Hand, it is no Problem ... if you don't have, it will be critical. ;-)
The rest of the kit is well in quality, but the named Problems above with the hull fitting destroyed my faith into earlier thinking that (expensice) Hasegawa kits = automatically highest Quality.

Chjeers,
Christian

Very nice Christian.
Glad you persevered on this build.

Mikasa is looking good. :wave_1:

Mine is still sitting on the shelf unfinished :whistle: .

Hello,

about 95% of rigging is done, aqs about 98% of the ship in total. Some Details missing as for example search lights or the rest of hammocks on both bridges. On rigging some lines are missing yet and all must be straighten ... and after all, the final Job must be done: Matt Code from Humbrol and ready!


[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/515/21580124.jpg/][img]http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/125/21580124.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/826/25798356.jpg/][img]http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/6227/25798356.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/689/87607849.jpg/][img]http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/9669/87607849.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/208/37457317.jpg/][img]http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9859/37457317.jpg[/img][/url]


The finish is in sight! ;)

Hello,

and the next little update ... slowly Mikasa takes a final look. ;-)
The ship's boats were almost finished (at the rowing boats still missing the helm, I have to scratch from plastic sheet), and also some more weathering and aging effects and detail painting with a brush and oil paint. Finally, the hull has already gotten the first (still wet) oil color mixing ... still looks a bit desolate, and is far from finished of course.

Here are the pictures ...

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/12/24147553.jpg/][img]http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/784/24147553.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/716/22282090.jpg/][img]http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/769/22282090.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/703/38639544.jpg/][img]http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/3411/38639544.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/692/53482826.jpg/][img]http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/8886/53482826.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/51/19246400.jpg/][img]http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/394/19246400.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/836/05ab.jpg/][img]http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/4733/05ab.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/33/10325795.jpg/][img]http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/5916/10325795.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/89/38653456.jpg/][img]http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1796/38653456.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/32/93084253.jpg/][img]http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/7937/93084253.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/801/31227102.jpg/][img]http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/8949/31227102.jpg[/img][/url]


Cheers,
Christian
:wave_1:

Hi Nicolas,

As far as I investigated, only few Navies beside Japanese used them for some time and I only remember a photo of a British Pre-Dreadnought showing her in WW-1 or before. But the Japs used them until end of WW-2 and they are visible on many photos.
I think they gave some safety at least. When an enemy grenade explodes, there are many splinters and fragments flying around from gremade itself as from steel or other things of the ship itself. Because even Mikasa has as all battleships a Conning Tower, there were still pilot house, rangefinders and small guns, search lights etc. manned too and such hits by grenades had at least an effect like a grapeshot to crew and officers (and btw, Admiral Togo and staff officers were always on open bridge in battle too).
Masts were saved with hammocks, because they were importat for lookouts on searchlight platforms, as well masts hoist the antenna too. Such fragments and splinters can work like a flying sawblade ...

:wave_1:

HI Christian

splinter guard with hammocks :shock: really effective :scratch:
as usual, a great job :thumbs_up_1:
Nicolas

Hello,

time for next little update. Particularly I made the hammock splinter guard around both masts in first steps and I started with canvas around railing both bridges. Further I started with the bigger motorized boats � but all is not yet ready and so a real in the middle of process picture.

The hammock splinter guard was made out of tissue. You know, they have several layers of thin paper and I used 1 layer, cut them in strips of about 1cm and rolled them up. After this I used glue and yarn. The brown yarn is maybe too thick or looking too thick, but as told, the work is still in process and after final works I will rate again.
The canvas have the first of two layers of paint only � 1 is not enough, because Gunze sail color will not cover above Revell Contacta Clear made canvas directly.


[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/79370089.jpg/][img]http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/3355/79370089.jpg[/img][/url]

Here an example piece of my hammock making... The piece will be cut to pieces before installing:

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/593/99104427.jpg/][img]http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/5875/99104427.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/259/54505602.jpg/][img]http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/355/54505602.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/811/79135154.jpg/][img]http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/5232/79135154.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/443/24743429.jpg/][img]http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2679/24743429.jpg[/img][/url]

Here the starboard side. I left space for the ladder on both masts, because simple question: When also covered with hammocks, how will crew climb up to platform and searchlights? Well � so I let them unprotected. ;-)

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/443/24743429.jpg/][img]http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2679/24743429.jpg[/img][/url]

And finally a picture of the starting painting job on motorboats. I just started with deck painting of the wooden planks � much detail painting left over here! ;-)


[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/17/23815524.jpg/][img]http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/2159/23815524.jpg[/img][/url]



Cheers,
Christian
:wave_1:

Glad I could help Christian but it was you who caused me to start researching Mikasa a bit more. And I have managed to find some sources I didn't know about before so both sides benefited! :)

Hammocks - yes, hammocks from Hasegawa's kit are VERY over scaled and clumsy. I will wait with interest how your experiments with resin will go. Have you got a link to Ishida's ones?

Thank you Darius. :-)

Without your help I would have made for sure a wrong small gun armamanet on my Mikasa. ;-)
About hammock splinter guard I make in moment some trials about, which will be the best solution to make in 1/350. Until now no pleasing results ... maybe I buy from Ishida / Japan the resin one if no better result suddenly found.

Excellent work Christian! Your Mikasa looks just great! :thumbs_up_1:

Thank you Nicolas :-)

HI Christian

it really is a beautiful work you do on your Mikasa :thumbs_up_1:
bravo
nicolas

Hello Captain,

no worries ... issue is solved now and I made decision so far. ;-)

... so time for a new update from IJN Mikasa build. After the positions and sort of light armament (76mm and 47mm guns) was clarified � both existing Mikasa kits are wrong as also many books tell wrong too about this � with many thanks to DariusP for his help, I made them.
General problem: 76mm are enough in kit included, but only 4 x 47mm 3pdr. Necessary are 8 x 47mm 3pdr and 4 x 47mm 2.5pdr.
Missing guns were made by cannibalism of my wrong painted Varyag (47mm 2.5 pdr + new base) and 4 47mm 3pdr made out of the superfluous 76mm left from Sevastopol + things from spare box (those from Mikasa are not useable to rebuild a 47mm out of them!).
Further, as visible, I made both bridges, bots masts and some little things too � but this is all still in painting and weathering process and far from ready.


[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/51399674.jpg/][img]http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/4525/51399674.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/194/14672637.jpg/][img]http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/46/14672637.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/21/15280258.jpg/][img]http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9158/15280258.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/801/40042991.jpg/][img]http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/4520/40042991.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/812/04ao.jpg/][img]http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/6821/04ao.jpg[/img][/url]


Further I started with one of the many small boats in matter of detailing �

[url=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/13/67580454.jpg/][img]http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/5959/67580454.jpg[/img][/url]


I have soon 1.5 weeks holiday and so more time to build my Mikasa. :-)


Cheers,
Chrisitan
:wave_1:

Christian I am sorry you have stopped this build.

I am in the same position as you, thats why I to have givern up on this ship, there are to many conflicting comments on what and what was not on at the time.

Its on the shelf I see each day and only needs the rigging, but it also is not up to the period its surposed to be from the comments here and other sites.

Hope you find something soon to build.

Not really, because the only people who would know the answers to those questions are the very same people who advised on the kits ;) As long as you build them exactly as per the kit's intended ship and time frame, you'll be fine.

[quote="Timmy C"][quote="Christian M."]
Really ... is there any ship kit as far as correct enought to be build mostly straight out of the box with only upgrading things and some minor corrections / improvements? I have slowly doubts... :-([/quote]
Most of Dragon's new WWII destroyers ;)[/quote]

Sure Timmy? ;-)
Isn't there any "complaint" expectable that configurations of all the Oerlikons and Bofors is wrong for the ship in named time area? :big_grin:

[quote="Christian M."]
Really ... is there any ship kit as far as correct enought to be build mostly straight out of the box with only upgrading things and some minor corrections / improvements? I have slowly doubts... :-([/quote]
Most of Dragon's new WWII destroyers ;)