Calling All IJN Kongo-Class Fans

[Gilbert]

Regarding the Fujimi 1/350 Kongo; the second aft most casemate guns (port and stbd) are shown as removed both from the actual ship and the model. On the model the base of the gun is still present and is depicted more or less as a semi-circle base raised off of the deck outboard of the superstructure deck in this area. Is this actually the way the real ship was modified? I'm certainly no Kongo class expert and was wondering if anyone could shed any light as to how this area should actually be modeled. Did the real vessel have a circular base left when the actual gun was removed or should the semi-circle be removed to show only the deck in this area? Thanks

After having looked at different japanese publications, if you want to depict her as in 10/1944 in Sho-Go, Kongo retained only half of her original 16 casemate guns (8 port and 8 starboard). From bow to stern, the remaining casemates were n� 3-4-6-8. This appears on all drawings I've seen and on differents models in various scales (1/350 and 1/700) built by japanese modellers. Moreover, there is no trace of any circular base for the removed guns.

cheers

Gilbert

Sources: - Model Art #15 "Kongo Fast Battleships Class"
- Kojinsha Maru "Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy - #3

[Dan K]

Frank, you've hit on a pet peeve of mine, if only in 1/700. The Hasegawa kits also suffer from this issue. When the mount is removed from the casemate, no roundtable should remain. An examination of photos for all ships of the class in early war fit show a completely blank casemate where the mounts have already been removed (foremost and midship).

I can only hope that the new 1/700 Fujimi gets this right. I'd be curious about the new 1/350 Aoshima versions as well.

[denstore]

After sifting through these pages I�m still asking myself, which is the best 1/350 Kongo out there, and what should I do to make it better? Fujimi or Aoshima? And what about the Kirishima?

[Mperor]

Has anyone ever tried the... Fujimi 42073 - 1/700 IJN HIEI kit...?

I'm thinking about trying to get all 4 Kongo classes, at the 1/700 scale... But I'm wondering which 'brand' works best.

I have the Fujimi Hiei (as mentioned above) and the Hasegawa Kirishima (HASEGAWA 43112) available for purchase at my store.

Assuming without any P-E, naturally.

Is any one brand better than the other...? I've looked in the galleries and only saw the Kirishima from Hasegawa, and the review was mixed. What do you guys say?



And I'm really starting to see how the superior modelers are making such a difference on their models. I saw a naked Hasegawa Kongo model and it looked pretty plain, but with some personal touches, the ship looked more awesome than ever. But that kinda skill is something I unfortunately don't have at this time, so it does get a little discouraging, heh, it's so hard to 'tackle' it and try to learn - you wouldn't know where to start learning. I have no clue how they scratch build their own models, least for the whole 'styrene plastic sheet' ordeal. I saw Kostas' Hasegawa Kirishima and was just shocked at how awesome it looked.

[J. Soca]

Have you ever checked Lar's webpage before? if you haven't check the link below, he's modeled 3 Kongo class battleships from Hasegawa ( Kongo still yet to come though) i asure you if you take a look at his build up process on each one of them many of your questions will be answered, HTH


http://www.aeronautic.dk/Warships%201-700.htm


Jose

[Dan K]

I just received the new Fujimi 1/700 Kongo 1944. Fit looks to be late (oct.) 1944, given what I see in the Ishibashi BB book. I would echo most of the comments that Mike Quan made about the kit on SN and that I posted on P.13. Detail is excellent, esp. on the hull, bridge structure, funnels, aft director structure. Closed scuttle covers for hatches are finely molded, as are the holding brackets for the degaussing cable. In scale, too.

Weapons are very good, Mike is right about the single 25mm being second only to the new Nanotech line from FineMolds - most impressive. Deck is a seperate, full piece. Kit is about 2mm longer than the Hasegawa version.

Unlike the Hasegawa kit, the scuff plating under the anchor chains is there. Unfortaunately,as also mention, the biggest flaw is the casemates. It's as if they pantographed the 1/350 kit. Damn shame as the rest of it is excellent. I think the casemates are noticable and bothersome, at least to me, so I can;t give it the kit of the year in 1/700 rating. Would be very interested tosee if they release a Haruna or a Kirishima. If yes, and the casemates were corrected, then I'd strongly consider getting another hull to compensate.

[Mperor]

The suggestions are well appreciated...

I've been to the site and Lar's web page is simply breathtaking.

The only issue there is - his models are the fruits of very great modelling skills that I do not possess at the moment - as well as the amount of details is quite astonishing.

And a great many parts of his ships are scratch built.

For those reasons, it's somewhat hard to see the vanilla, from the box look of each model, which pretty much how, at my current level, the ships will end up looking in the end, heh.



But thanks for the Kongo suggestion. I'll look into it and see if my store can order it...




Or maybe I'll just get the two kits that I can get and try them out... Who knows. lol

[WI_Chris]

Where did you find the new-tooling for the Fujimi Kongo '44? I've looked and I can't find it. all I can find is the old Fujimi/seaway version.

Chris

[Timmy C]

Here are two places where it's available:
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10077557
http://www.hlj.com/product/FUJ42017

[J. Soca]

The only issue there is - his models are the fruits of very great modelling skills that I do not possess at the moment - as well as the amount of details is quite astonishing.

And a great many parts of his ships are scratch built.

Right about that he's been on the business for a while now don't feel bad though all in good time, don't forget we all start from bottom-up.


Jose

[Mperor]

I'm actually curious about some things about the Kongo ships...

Were they all built at the same docks?

I ask because I'm wondering if they were all of the same colors - in which case would anyone know how that color is called?

I'm thinking maybe... Sasebo Arsenal from Tamiya, but I may be totally wrong.

As well as the deck - were they all of a similar tan?

Any information on the color schemes of the Kongo girls would be appreciated.

Would anyone know the answer to that?

[Mperor]

Right about that he's been on the business for a while now don't feel bad though all in good time, don't forget we all start from bottom-up.


Jose

I know, but there's always that awe when you see a great piece of art and work, that you wish you were up to par and produce something of a similar caliber.

I'm still trying to comprehend the whole scratchbulding process.

But as of now, the best I can do really is the 'out of the box' models, with minimal personal touches. Hence why I said Lar's models are zillion times better looking than the vanilla original models from the boxes. =\ lol

I'm thinking I may get the Fujimi Hiei and the Hasegawa Kirishima... and figure it out... on my own to see which manufacturer I'd prefer... Heh.

[Gilbert]

I'm actually curious about some things about the Kongo ships...

Were they all built at the same docks?

I ask because I'm wondering if they were all of the same colors - in which case would anyone know how that color is called?

I'm thinking maybe... Sasebo Arsenal from Tamiya, but I may be totally wrong.

As well as the deck - were they all of a similar tan?

Any information on the color schemes of the Kongo girls would be appreciated.

Would anyone know the answer to that?

Hi Mperor,

they were built in different Navy Yards :
-Kongo at Vickers and Sons, Barrow
-Hiei at Yokosuka
-Kirishima at Mitsubishi, Nagasaki
-Haruna at Kawasaki, Kobe
Source : Warships of the IJN 1869-1945 by H.Jentschura, D.Jung and P.Mickel

colours were as follows according to J.Snyder booklet "IJN Navy Greys"-
-Kongo 5/42 to 8/42 Sasebo Grey, 8/42 to 3/43 Kure Grey, 3/43 to 7/44 Sasebo Grey, 7/44 to loss Kure Grey
-Hiei Yokosuka grey for all her service life
-Kirishima Sasebo Grey for all her service life
-Haruna 9/42 to 8/44 Kure Grey, 8/44 to 1/45 Sasebo Grey, after back to Kure Grey with some Green stripes on main turrets

Weather deck were quite similar in tone when new. When faded, the Hinoki Cypress tended to turn to light grey colour. Kongo was the only ship ,IMHO to have teak.

Hope this helps

Gilbert

[Mperor]

Hey Gilbert,

Thanks a ton!

That really would help indeed, as I'm planning on probably getting the paints for them. I'd probably go Kure on them.


I'm currently mixing the 'greyish tan' for my Yamato, so I imagine it'd work alright on the Kongo girls as well.




Thanks a lot again!

[Gilbert]

You are most welcome.

But if you want to stay accurate, you cannot go with Kure for two of them (Hiei and Kirishima)

cheers

Gilbert

[Mperor]

I have actually never heard of or seen the color Yokosuka grey, and I don't think Tamiya manufactures that kinda color either.

That makes things very tricky. =\

[Gilbert]

I have actually never heard of or seen the color Yokosuka grey, and I don't think Tamiya manufactures that kinda color either.

That makes things very tricky. =\

If you want the most accurate colours for IJN, try WEM colourcoats. They are available at White Ensign website. But they are not acrylic but like Humbrol

cheers

Gilbert

[Dan K]

Yokosuka Grey has a touch of geen to it. You could experiment by taking Kure Grey and adding a few drops of a green.

To the best of my knowledge, none of the Kongos used Hinoki cypress as a deck covering. Nagato (though not Mutsu) was the first IJN BB to do so. Not clear if it was teak, or the bei-matsu used on CV flight decks, that was used on most IJN BBs

[Gilbert]

Yokosuka Grey has a touch of geen to it. You could experiment by taking Kure Grey and adding a few drops of a green.

To the best of my knowledge, none of the Kongos used Hinoki cypress as a deck covering. Nagato (though not Mutsu) was the first IJN BB to do so. Not clear if it was teak, or the bei-matsu used on CV flight decks, that was used on most IJN BBs

Yes Dan, you are right, it's not Hinoki for Haruna, Hiei and Kirishima, but bei-matsu. Hinoki was for Nagato, Yamato and Musashi.

cheers

Gilbert

[Mperor]

Very interesting.

So Hinaki wood would be the one that greys out over time?


Then how different is the Beimatsu? Also of a greyish tan? I google-imaged it, and it came up with a normal wood tan, however, obviously not showing the works of aging.