The Ship Model Forum

Thanks,Dan, howdy? these days. Was to ship her to the mainland, the corona virus pandemic/infodemic as reasons of shipping being suspended. Some scholar says the virus will disappear completely 70 days after the first breakout. 40 days at it´s peak...They are disclosing the virus is genetically modified and artificially produced, so it vanishes after this period.I hope so.

mucho,

The Navy Yard magazine nr.46 is slated to come out on 4th of March,lots of pics were taken, only few of them were used on reference pages. A friend of my acquaintance did suggest that Aoba100 & Furutaka100 models be taken photo of as lined up or side by side together.
Furutaka model received degaussing cable when I paid a visit to the mainland anno 2019, day after a violent typhoon which had disrupted infrastructures of the area...
cheers,
mucho

Outstanding, Mucho! Mine's on order. I can't wait to see it.

Good to hear from you as well. Best, Dan.

Navy Yard No.46 includes Furutaka and Aoba? Neither the HLJ or Hobby Search listings mention those, only Mogami class. Did I miss something? How extensive is the coverage?

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hi, Mike. as far as I can see from their mail, the first 14 pages will be used as a brief introduction of Aoba 100 on the N.Y.nr.46.
Then the Aoba will reappear on the next issue of nr.47.together with partially remade Furutaka 100.
If everything goes well with the magazine, they wlll go on dealing with BB/CX Hyuga 1944 and Chokai 1944 + rest of /most of Aoba´s and Furutaka´s shots in another publication. I can only say good and positive responses from home and abroad will condition it, though.
cheers,
mucho,

hi, Dan. I´ve noticed they have changed the cover photo to the above-posted one quite recently.
Have spent netto 5 years on making of her. Was quite a challenging build since some important sections of Aoba were not known so far.
cheers,
mucho

You've convinced me. HLJ, here I come.

Only five years?

I look forward to all of them. Particularly Chokai.

Yeah, starting from march 2013 with ca 3 years´blank period in between for a new build (of Chokai 100),Aoba was finished on the New Year´s day with a help of a prodigal son-in-law.
He will be doing antenna riggings for Hyuga and Furutaka soon.
Ca. 70 pics were taken of Aoba, but not all will be used for publication.

mucho,

Hello, guys. Since I don't see any 1/350 Aoba kit, I contemplate beginning a possible scratch built one (hopefully this summer). A couple of questions.

Is Kagero book on Aoba a good reference to begin with? I am especially interested in the hull blueprints.

And I am also curious about those panels on the superstructure's front. They are above the coning tower and seem to be metal sheets. I saw similar on Hasegava's Yahagi too but cannot figure out their purpose. Splinter protection?

By any chance, did Aoba have a camo at some point of her life rather than IJN grey all above the waterline?

Thanks.

I can't comment on the Kagero book, but maybe someone else can.

Wind deflection vanes on the front of the bridge superstructure.

IIRC, I don't beliive she ever wore camo, even at war's end.

Thank you. But I am ever more confused How it is supposed to work – blow away droplets from the windshield and observation platform while steaming? AFAIR, there is not such thing on Myoko and Takao classes.

PS There is a good picture of those panels in a 1/700 photo-etched upgrade on this very forum

That is exactly how it worked. See illustration below



In most cases, wind vanes were installed during 1942. There are countless photos of these ships with the windvanes.

Those "wind vanes" are called venturi. As the drawing shows they deflect air flow upward.

Air blowing into the bottom is deflected upward and compressed. This increases the velocity, creating an upward jet of air at the top that is moving faster than the oncoming wind. The rising air stream deflects incoming air upward, creating an area of relative calm on the open bridge behind.

They work very well. We had them on my first ship and you could stand out on the open bridge in a squall and the venturis would blow the rain up and over the bridge.

Phil

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A collision at sea will ruin your entire day. Aristotle

Thx, Phil. I knew there was more technical name for it (which I can never remember), though I think it's referred to as the Venturi effect.

Thank you, guys. I think it is a clear manifestation of the ingenuity of the ship's architects.

Could anyone say something about Kagero's book? I have 9 models in the pipeline, mostly IJN, and I hope to complete most of them next year (maybe too bold of me to say so given the fact that I've decided not to settle with what is available and go to the max with the rather inferior Pola from HobbyBoss). But 1/350 Aoba is still on my mind. I hope those blueprints of Kagero book are OK. But I am still suspicious about those vertical sides of the anti-torpedo bulges. they look like it is a freighter, not a warship. However, Furutaka blueprints from Profile Morskie looks the same.

Hi Adriano,

I cannot speak namely about the Kagero Aoba book but I´ve come to some discrepancies in some of their other books. Profile Morskie usually have some issues, too. I suggest you collect all Aoba photos you can get from the internet, crosscheck against the book and then make your decision depending on the level of accuracy you aim for. From my point of view the most reliable secondary reference is the 1/100 build by Mutsuo as featured in Navy Yard 46 magazine - he spent years in researching Aoba for his build and it is absolutely awesome.

Cheers, Vladi

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Battle of Savo Island Collection (all 1/700)
Recently completed: USS Wilson DD-408
At works: USS Astoria CA-34 | USS Patterson DD-392 & USS Bagley DD-386 | HMAS Australia
Prep stage: USS Vincennes CA-44 | Yubari | Kako

I meant to check my L&W copy last night, but forgot. However, the Gran Prix Shuppan cruiser book has a a cross-section of Furutaka as modernized with bulges. Given that the same hull was used for all four ships, and modernized the same, I would think this illustration accurate for Aoba.

I'll try to remember to check L&W anyway.

And, from Lacroix and Wells.........

Thank you for so much details. The last one is gorgeous as it shows even the metal sheet placement)

P.S. Kagero is like this (I hope the link works)