The Ship Model Forum

I started this build on the side lines some time in December. I thought I would start posting it here.

I am building the IJN Nagara in her configuration at Midway. This will be a diorama set after Nagumo transferred his flag to her and began an attempt at nighttime engagement of the US forces. The name plate on it will be "Desperate Charge". I will be attempting Chris Flodberg's shading method with oils as well as his methods for building water. It is supposed to be a nighttime scene, but I am not quite sure how that will play out yet. The only modification needed to the kit to get the correct configuration will be to rebuild the 13mm gun tub on the front of the bridge.

What I am using for the build is as follows:
Aoshima 1/350 Nagara 1942
Flyhawk super detail set for the kit
Fine Molds dual 13mm
Alliance Model Works dual 25mm guns

The main paints I will be using are:
Tamiya XF-53 Neutral Grey (Miazuru Grey)
Vallejo 846 Mahogany Brown (linoleum)
Model Masters 4672 Brass (brass tie downs)

Please feel free to comment.

Something to keep you sane when you've decided you've had enough fiddling about with small planes, eh?

Can't wait to see what you make of her!

So far I have water lined the kit, removed the molded on anchors on the fantail and replaced with PE, tracks on the fantail and replaced with PE, the wave break which will be replaced eventually, and the degaussing cable which I have started to replace with PE. All parts you see here are glued together.

I have started some of the other sub assemblies. This is all bridge work.

Goodwood wrote:Something to keep you sane when you've decided you've had enough fiddling about with small planes, eh?

You could say that. When I start stopping around the house like Fred Flintstone just getting home from work due to planes and decals it is time to put that kit aside.

Good topic. I'm interested in your opinion of the FLyhawk set.

So far pretty good. There are a few things like extra cable reals and railing that are not called out in the instructions, but it can be figured out with little issue. My only complaint as of now is that they only included PE for one of the float planes (which is of course the type I am not using). Maybe the linoleum tie downs could have been replaced as well. But the molded on ones are good on the kit because they are barely there which to my eye is good scale.

Angeliccypher wrote:So far pretty good. There are a few things like extra cable reals and railing that are not called out in the instructions, but it can be figured out with little issue. My only complaint as of now is that they only included PE for one of the float planes (which is of course the type I am not using). Maybe the linoleum tie downs could have been replaced as well. But the molded on ones are good on the kit because they are barely there which to my eye is good scale.

FWIW, I've had luck using sprue to recreate the thin supports of biplanes in 1/350. Perhaps that'll make up for the PE shortcoming?

Angeliccypher wrote:It is supposed to be a nighttime scene, but I am not quite sure how that will play out yet.

Try using a very dark colour for the seascape, use darker colours for the ship as well, and clad your sailors in heavy dresses if there are any on deck.

Pics to come soon. I have finished the degaussing cable, the wave break, and the four torpedo launchers. I am about the start tackling the upper deck areas and make sure they fit as well as remove some of the molded on detail that will be replaced with PE.

One thing I noticed on the Flyhawk set is the arms that extend off the sides of the ship for receiving people from small boats/launches. At least that is what I think they are. The position of them is right next to the forward torpedo launchers. This seems wrong given they would be in the way of the launchers. Anyone know where these are supposed to go?

This is the part I am talking about. I cannot find any decent pictures of the class that you might see this PE piece. Again it looks like it is right in front of the torpedo launcher. The photo is from Flyhawk's instructions.
Any advise is appreciated!!

Hi Gabriel,

Nice start and looking good! This topic is completely out of my area (yet), but who doesn't like a research challenge?

I found a site where you can find several colorized photographs of the class. (maybe you have them already)

http://blog.livedoor.jp/irootoko_jr/arc ... 78992.html

In some of the pictures, the part in question (are they called pilot ladders?) are shown, but not so much detail, sorry... I think the PE part should be lower, judging by the photos, even though it would still be on the way of the torpedo tubes. Maybe the aft "structure" is not properly represented.

How is that Hornet airwing going?

Those are boat booms and yes, they were positioned under the forward TT bay. I'm not so sure about it being supported by a collapsible davit.

Here is a rarely seen Yura 1940, with boat booms extended, also Kuma

Thanks Dan. Those pictures show the booms are connected more forward than the Flyhawk instructions position them.

When the ship is underway the booms have the ladders retracted I am assuming?

Angeliccypher wrote:When the ship is underway the booms have the ladders retracted I am assuming?

Correct, they wouldn't last long if left there

Does anyone have some good pictures of the retracted booms on the class?

In the link I provided on my previous post, 6th picture from top to bottom. Photograph of Kinu.

Still looking good!

Looked even better in person last night. Looking forward to more progress on this one.

Gotta get back to my ship projects.

TW

Hypno, thanks for that. I was hoping to see where the cables where and how much I should trim off the boom. But at least I know the positioning now.

Tim, thanks! Can't wait to see more progress on your growing 1/200 fleet. Although I am almost as interested in how you are getting this past the wife for display space:).

IIRC, Tamiya Neutral Gray XF-53 is far closer to Maizuru Gray than XF-18. Way too much blue.