Jack G wrote:
"Also, if anyone could second my conclusion on the shape of the stern before I do any major damage to my model that would be great! I have already begun sanding but thought I better wait incase any experts disagree. Accuracy is all at the end of the day."
Seconding heaven one's request to see if we have an authoritative view on the stern shape. From the pictures heaven one linked, I'd guess that Skulski is correct in AOTS; however, the stern has buckled from impact just where the 'triangle' tapers into a thin edge. If this suggests distortion of the whole area, the current view of the stern shape could be correct.
I feel Skulski is right. If you look at the modernisations the Japanese did to their battleships (and Kaga) the stern was extended and the hull almost concaved in its path along the waterline. They may have discovered this added to the speed/efficiency. Aesthetically, the triangular transom was used on the stern extensions to Yamashiro and Fuso. Clear aerial photos of Yamato and Musashi under air attack show the deck at the stern really tucking in after the catapaults, too.
Given the hull is the biggest and most important part of a ship, it would be nice to get a definitive answer to this question. Does anyone have any clear wreck footage?
I highly doubt skulski was right.
1. Modernized Fuso and Yamashiro didn’t have a triangular transom. What they had was a traditional hydrodynamic tapered cruiser stern below waterline, but flared out above waterline to enlarge the deck area available to work the float planes. Yamato didn’t handle float planes at the extreme stern, there is no clear reason to adopt such a flared stern.
2. The skulski stern is not really a transom stern. The key feature that makes transom stern hydrodynamically efficient is the sharp knuckle at the bottom. This allow water flowing under the keel to separate cleanly, in effect giving the ship the water flow pattern equivalent to that of a longer ship. Skulski’ s stern has a rounded bottom. In this case the reason for the flat vertical stern depicted by skulski is not clear. It just doesn’t make sense.