I’m glad this thread meets a need.
On the NE05 turrets themselves: Up to this point, I‘ve pretty much used the turrets from the E-10 set for my Type A builds, modifying them to include side ventilation ports, stiffening bands, & rear turret slide doors (for ejecting spent shells), as none of the previous offerings provided for these necessary details. Amazingly, the new turrets off the NE05 set already contain all of these details, very finely rendered, so no scratchbuilding is needed. What a time-saver!
I think the blast bags are perfectly formed, sized and fitted, which I’ve never been able to say about prior versions. The gunlayer viewports are perfectly sized in height relative to the turret roof for the Type C/D turret that this unit represents.
Prior to this new version, I’d never actually measured out the turrets and compared them for scale accuracy. Using dimensions given in the Gran Prix Shuppan IJN DD book, I’d say that these turrets are dimensionally correct. Which is wonderful. Previously, I’d thought that the turrets provided by the retooled Aoshima Kagero kits were the most correct, but these NE05 units are clearly more correct, though a bit smaller than the Aoshima units. (I will cover the Fujimi Kagero turrets as part of the next post.)
IMHO, these new units are currently the best available, but there are still a few qualifiers to be considered. Starting with the least important:
• All IJN DD turrets had some assortment of hand grab rails mounted on them. Previous kit and accessory versions only provided for some molded on rails in the center of the turret top. The NE05 versions have added a very finely rendered rail along the edge of the top (as seen in the photo of NE05 sprue c above). Truthfully, any version’s grab rails are way overscale for 1/700, and really inappropriate, but it does provide for some nice detail. I considered trimming them off but, it’s far more work than necessary. I can live with it.
• The barrels are very nicely rendered, and tapered. I’ve thought about leaving them on, but, they are so easy to bend that I think I will replace them with brass rod. Some may wish to consider proper 1/700 brass barrels, but that would be a pricey addition for me. I have to draw the line somewhere.
• Six identical turrets come with each boxing. Each turret comes with two horizontal stiffening bands. For accuracy’s sake, know that only the Yugumo class DDs and Shimakaze carried the Type D turret, which did carry the stiffening bands on all three turrets. The earlier Type A classes, the Asashios and the Kageros, only carried stiffening bands on #1 turret. (This also applies to earlier IJN DD classes and their respective turret types.) So, using the NE05 turrets for the earlier Type A classes will require removing the bands on turret #s 2 & 3 to maintain true accuracy. Removal should be too hard with careful application of a blade and some light sanding, as the bands are easily accessible.
• These turrets come molded in two pieces, aside from the two barrel/blast bags per mount. There is the usual turret, and a bottom piece, with molded stiffening struts and base ring. All wonderful detail, but it poses an unexpected problem with the addition of the base ring. Virtually all 1/700 Type DD kits currently on the market, with the exception of the Fujimi Kagero class kits, already come with a turret base ring molded on the deck. Using the new NE05 turret on top of one of these will render the turret as too tall on its base. So, one has to sand off the bottom ring from the turret, or remove the base ring from a deck. It will be easier to sand off the turret mounted ring. To illustrate this last bullet point, I took a couple of silhouette photos. On the left below, is the new NE05 turret unaltered, sitting on top of the base ring in #2 position. Below that is a turret from the E-10 in the same position. The NE05 turret is clearly taller off the base. It’s just not right.
I still have actual comparison shots of six different turrets to post, soon.
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