Calling all Nagato (長門) and Mutsu (陸奥) fans

[Filipe Ramires]

Very nice build Paulo!!!
Are you giving her any weathering or a sea base???
Good work.
Regards,

Filipe

[chuck]

Does anyone know if Nagato had steel beam arc-of-fire blockers on her 5" AA guns? I doubt she had electric arc-of-fire restrictors as Yamato, a much more modern ship, still relied on beam blockers to keep her mounts from firing into the ship. Without them It would seem quite easy for crew in the heat of battle to fire accidentally into the superstructure.

[Paulooi]

Hello Felipe,

Yes there will be a sea base and enough rust to keep the crew busy with paint-brushes. Hopefully I can wrap this up by the weekend.


Paul

[Dan K]

As far as I can tell, she did not. THere are two overhead photos of both Mutsu & Nagato in 1941 in Maru Special #1 taken from very low altitude (under 1000') and I see no such arrangement. Nor in some clear pics of her at Brunei 1944, nor in this pic taken in August 1942 (credit: Fukui) click to enlarge.

[MartinJQuinn]

Great picture, thanks Dan.

[ajkochev]

Looks very good. I love the IJN.
How did you make the covers over the searchlights around the funnel?

[J. Soca]

I remember reading this sailor�s recount while he was onboard Nagato on her last sail to Bikini Atoll some years ago, close to 5 years ago to be more precisely. I wasn�t doing much now and I took the liberty of finding it one more time and posting it here I think it really deserves to be here on the Nagato section, maybe a lot of the guys have seen and read it already but for those who haven�t, read it all you are going to enjoy it as I did now and years ago. I just wish there were more like this one Enjoy it!! I�ll try to find another one I saved on my favorites about Nagato's final fight while she was anchored at Yokosuka, I couldnt find it now I have so many things saved here, give me until tomorrow I'm sure I'll have it by then.


http://www.bikiniatoll.com/nagatolog.html

[J. Soca]

Just as I promised here it is, get yourself some popcorn or some treats and enjoy the reading I know is kind of a long reading but is worth it if you are an IJN fan or not you are going to love it.

http://www.combinedfleet.com/picposts/Nagatostory.html

[Paulooi]

Here's how I do the wrappers for the searchlights:

1. Cut approximate circular sections of baking aluminum foil using a needle or the micro-cutter with a brand new tip, about half inch diameter (adjust accordingly depending on the size of the searchlight.
2. Press circular foil over a bullet shaped object --- I use worn out Dremel stone bits; make sure to have a neat and uniform look to the surface---this should make a deep cup
3. use a sharp razor to trim around the edges to get a straight hem-line
4. Apply some thick superglue inside the cup
5. Carefully position the wrapper onto the searchlight, lightly pressing it down without crushing the foil cup; leave to dry
6. use a toothpick or needle to "wrap" the corners and lower hemline tighter around base of searchlight to complete the shape
7. paint over with color of choice!

[Paulooi]

Continuation on wrapping searchlights...... patience carries the day!



Paul

[nick]

Very impressive

[Guest]

I'd only wrap one or two lights for contrast because the kit lights look better than the wrapping.

[Paulooi]

ALL the main lights around the funnel were wrapped during the Battle off Samar. Only the ones on the bridge stack were not wrapped based on the reference material.



Paul

[J. Soca]

I like that idea of using aluminum foil paper Paul , keep up the good work!

[Gloup-Gloup]

Hello all

Very well done, nice job of paint ...

Happy modeling

Marc P
Quebec,Canada

[Paulooi]

Hello everyone,



I've completed this project!

Finally mounted the ship and sculpted the waves. Also attached the "blast" cone onto Turret B showing IJN Nagato attacking Taffy 3 in October 1944 in the Battle off Samar. It was the first (and last?) time in her history that Nagato fired at a surface enemy in anger. Her gun fire was attributed with (depending on the source) damaging USS Samuel Roberts, St. Lo and Gambier Bay but there's also plenty of accounts that she did not stay long enough in the firing line to inflict that damage.

At any rate, Nagato typified the Japanese battleship at the end of the war....giants with huge guns, bristling with anti-aircraft guns but vulnerable in the face of overwhelming American airpower.

Enjoy the pictures. It's on to the Myoko but first, I will be taking a spring vacation to Japan (material sourcing and research!).



Paul

[Paulooi]

Close-ups of the deck details.

[ajkochev]

Absolutly love it! Excellent work!

[Sauragnmon]

Nice work, love the blast effect you did, really turned out nicely... looks beautiful...

[El Guapo]

Very, very impressive build!!!