Calling on IJN Akizuki-class (秋月) fans

[JasonW]

Thanks Dan, much appreciated.

As an outlier, can I safely assume the same thing holds true for most IJN ships, including light/heavy cruisers and battleships regarding the linoleum strips and steel deck color. I know it will require some research per individual ship, time frame, etc., but generally speaking.

[gscott]

Jason, I believe your general assumption regarding painting is correct, although AFAIK the IJN battleships had wood main decks, not linoleum like the cruisers and destroyers (at least from WWI through WWII).

[JasonW]

Jason, I believe your general assumption regarding painting is correct, although AFAIK the IJN battleships had wood main decks, not linoleum like the cruisers and destroyers (at least from WWI through WWII).

Awesome, thanks Greg. I've just started back into warship modeling and haven't done a ton of IJN stuff so trying to get the lay of the land.

[Harquebus]

Who's doing new PE for these kits? Can you give a hint?

That would be me. I've been puttering around with drawing some etch since 2001, off and on, and it has only recently gotten to the test stage. I still have some modifications to do, but I don't have a release date since I'm tied up with other projects at the moment. Dan K has seen samples of the test etch. Feel free to suggest anything I may have missed, but I reserve the right to reject any more parts that would require me to redesign the sheets.

<SNIP>

Mike

Mike C, Dan K or anyone else in the know:

Any word on this Akizuki PE set? I need two sets even if I never get around to building these kits (I have three Nichimo IJN destroyers), because they would make an added 'sweeten-the-deal' kit bonus to a potential buyer...

THANKS!

[Mike C]

I have to apologize for the delay, Harquebus, but I got the fret I made to correct some errors and found that there were noticeable discrepancies between step spacing on the side ladder, inclined ladders and vertical ladders. In addition, a test build of the side ladder with platforms and rails was far too fragile, so a second revision fret was planned. That also stalled work on the instructions.

Then the Covid-19 virus hit and I lost contact with my guy in Hong Kong who had been processing my brass at a reasonable price. I don't know if that was caused by the virus, or the political climate. Either way, I need to find a new etcher who won't charge me California prices. I don't know what I could charge for the frets in their current state.

This was one of those projects that started out with great enthusiasm and the best intentions, then life got in the way. Sorry.

[Heaven One]

Hello, I am asking if anyone has looked into the linoleum deck layout of Fuyutsuki. I am interested in whether there was linoleum just aft of the bridge? A lot of sources depict there being a small portion of linoleum deck before metal, but others show it as just plate metal. I can't find any pictures that give a good look at this area. The area in question is highlighted by a red arrow in the attached photo, which is of a line drawing from Model Art vessel Special issue 71.

I have found a picture of Harutsuki in Gakken 23 where it appears that there is linoleum at this point due to a clear texture change. However, I have already found a handful of differences between Fuyutsuki and her sister ships of her subclass which make me want more evidence before deciding what to do. There is also attached a picture of Yoizuki also from Gakken 23 but I cannot tell if there is a change or not. Fivestar's 1/350 detail kit depicts metal plating in this section using its photo-etched brass deck, so before I cut out the section that seems to be linoleum I thought I would seek some confirmation from any experts, thanks.

[Dan K]

Unfortunately, there are no views of Fuyuzuki in this area. In fact, the two views that you have posted seem to be the only ones even remotely related to this area for any of the AKizukis. The same seems to be true for all the available plans.

With that said, it was the general practice among the Type A class DDs, and others, to have a small area of the main deck aft the bridge laid with linoleum, though this was not always symmetrical from side to side. And, I agree that the Harutsuki pic (linoleum 2) show a very different surface than the metal treaded areas slightly further aft.

Interestingly, the 1/350 HobbyWorld-Monochrome-Trumpeter-Wave Akizuki class kits all show some linoleum in this area, though I've no idea what their source material might be.

Fuyuzuki underwent some fit changes as well as repairs due to torpedo damage, but I doubt that this area was ever changed. She probably wore linoleum in the area indicated.
My two cents.

[Heaven One]

Thanks, I think I will make the call to include linoleum for that area then. I have seen some other aerial photos of Akizuki class members where there seems to be a difference in light reflection in this area. With the Harutsuki picture in consideration, I think it is good enough evidence that there probably was linoleum there on Fuyutsuki.

[Bayuro]

Hello Dan K, it's me again. I'm planning to collect some Aoshima Akizuki class in the future and I noticed in the internet that some of the sister ships particularly Suzutsuki have bevel edge bridge superstructure compare to most have rounded edge. I just want to know if there are other sister ships of the Akizuki class have similarly beveled edge bridge superstructure so I can sort them out.

[Dan K]

it's me again.



I'm planning to collect some Aoshima Akizuki class in the future

I'm not sure how urgent this plan is, but know that Yamashita Hobby is planning to release it's own Akizuki class kits, starting with Fuuzuki, in the near future. Hopefully by year's end. Or next year. It will be interesting to compare kits.

Suzutsuki have bevel edge bridge superstructure

Suzutsuki was torpedoed in early 1944 and lost her entire bow, and incurred severe damage to her bridge. When she was repaired, she was given a simplified bridge and bow form. So, depending on when you depict her, you could go for either configuration.

The Gakken volume #23 on the Akizuki class seems to indicate that Wakatsuki might have gotten a similar bridge repair after being damaged at Rabaul in November, 1943, but I've not found any such mention anywhere else. I tend to doubt her bridge was damaged to such an extent.

HTH.

[Bayuro]

About Yamashita Hobby, yes I remember they released some 10cm AA turret but thats all about it. Fortunately, Aoshima is starting to reproduced their waterline series but with more enhanced tooling on their accessories including their Akizuki class.

About Suzutsuki, I used to think that she was constructed with simplified or angled bridge superstructure to simplify production, but it turns out I was wrong. I should have checked out Wikipedia first. According to Wikipedia just like you said, her bow was destroyed and it required her bridge to be repaired but with simpler angled superstructure. Again, thank you for enlighten me.

[maxim]

Yamashita Hobby will release their Akizuki class kit. They will release at least four different kits.

I talked to them this year in May in Shizuoka.

This was their sign mentioning the delay:


https://www.modellmarine.de/index.php/f ... ffsmodelle

[TZoli]

Well the Akizuki class often divided into 3 or more sub-classes:
Akizuki, Fuyutsuki and Michitsuki. So such changes in the structural elements are normal.

[gscott]

Yamashita Hobby will release their Akizuki class kit. They will release at least four different kits.

I talked to them this year in May in Shizuoka.

This was their sign mentioning the delay:


https://www.modellmarine.de/index.php/f ... ffsmodelle

I hope this releases soon...waiting impatiently. Yamashita's other DD's have been really nice in general.

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Funky camouflage scheme in the right photo!

[Dan K]

In case some folks have missed the news, Teruzuki was discovered and surveyed in Ironbottom Sound 6 days ago.

The Wiki recap:

"On July 10, 2025, Robert Ballard's E/V Nautilus discovered Teruzuki on the sea floor and conducted the first visual scan since her sinking. Her bow has collapsed to one side, and much of her superstructure has fallen off to one side, the detached stern was located some distance away. The gun turrets remain intact though the forward super-firing turret has sunk down."

Video from the expedition: https://nautiluslive.org/video/2025/07/ ... discovered

Some stills (click through): https://www.reddit.com/r/Shipwrecks/com ... zuki_1942/

One of the most interesting things about the wreck is that one of her Type 94 HA directors was found lying on the deck. If I understood things correctly, this is the REAR director. Filled with instrumentation. Which means at least one of the early ships had a functional rear director and not an empty shell, as the Akizuki and Hatsuzuki trials photos would seem to indicate.

[Dan K]

One more.

[Dan K]

Yamashita Hobby Fuyutsuki release is listed: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/11344466

[maxim]

Is it known which other variants of the Akizuki class Yamashita Hobby will release?