Calling all IJN Soryu/Hiryu class Fans!

[Mike W]

Dan - i'm expecting another masterpeice from you when you get your hands on this kit!

Would I be correct in assuming Soryu was fitted with an external degaussing cable - like the excellent resin model fetured earlier in this thread? If so thats another bit of etch that's needed.

thanks
Mike

[Dan K]

Thx, Mike, though the way things are going, it could some time before I get around to building her.

The handful of known wartime photos of Soryu are too blurry to make out a detail such as a degaussing cable. (Those of Soryu at Staring Bay 1942 might be the clearest but, still indeterminate.) Still, it would be hard to imagine that she did not get one.

[ajkochev]

I recently read in Imperial Japanese Navy Carriers by Mark Stile that the Soryu had a bulbous bow like the Yamato did and this is why she was so fast, is this true?

[Dan K]

Nope, no bulbous bow. High speed due to 1) powerful machinery of 152000bhp, 2) relatively light displacement of 15,900 tons std., 3) highly favorable length to width ratio of 10.6

[Ryuji]

Old and new kit comparison.
- box art


- parts




- planes



- deck



- hull

[reigels]

Thanks for the side-by-side comparison. Very interesting to see the two kit this way.

[Dan K]

Thx for the comparison. Very nice to have it available. The new kit looks as good or better than the new Hiryu

[Charlie Scardon]

I am working on the newer Aoshima Hiryu. On the deck there are seven sets of raised lines that represent expansion joints. They run across the deck. Were the expansion joints covered with steel or wood? Does anyone have a photo of the deck of this ship? Thanks

[Dan K]

The expansion jooints were composed of steel and not covered with anything. Secured on one side and placed over a small (20mm?) gap in the wood deck. No closeups of Hiryu's deck exist (at least to my knowledge). Will try to look for other examples.

[Ledinot]

The new kit looks as good or better than the new Hiryu

Dan,
further to your comment on Ruyho bulges on the Shoho thread. The photo of Aoshima Soryu model kit (courtesy of Ryuji) shows five aft most bulges on the port side do have hoods, therefore these ones could be intakes. Do you know what the other two are intended for?

The Aoshima depiction of Hiryu seems to be worse at this point, as there are no hoods on port side bulges at all�

[Dan K]

I'm not certain; perhaps they forgot the hoods. Some of the hoods might be hidden under the catwalks.

I remember when building the new Aoshima Hiryu kit that I had to add some hoods to the model - scratchbuilt

[Dan K]

It may be that there are differences in the hoods between intake and exhaust. In examining Hiryu, for instance, I believe I can see two different setups. If we focus on her port side, on the two hull protrusions to either side of her bridge, we can see an obvious hood covering on the right side - first photo below.

However, on the leftmost one, what looks to be just some sort of grab rail or something at the top of the protrusion in the first phto appears to be a much narrower sort of hood aperture when viewed in the second photo below (ignore the line of red arrows - they refer to something else from another discussion).

[Ledinot]

Thanks, Dan. The right intake on the first photo definitely has a hood and Aoshima�s 1/700 Hiryu model kit should be corrected at this point. As for the left bulge � I am not sure. This detail (on the second photo) may be interpreted as a narrow footpath, and what seems like a left edge of the �hood� may be a continuation of the long shadow of something hanging from the edge of the flight deck. There still is a questionable dark blot above that bulge on both photos�

Anyway, let�s wait for the announced Fujimi 1/700 Hiryu; as I can conclude from the photo on HobbySearch (http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10160875a/20/1) there is a hood over the intake right to the bridge.

Aoshima 1/700 Soryu seems to have all bulges hooded on the portside.

[Dan K]

The other bulges do have hooded intakes, not a platform.

First, an illustration for the Gran Prix Shuppan volume on IJN CVs which happens to correspond to the very area on Hiryu that we are discussing, at frame 116. This aligns with #1 funnel on the starboard side, and the the bulge ahead of her island on the port side.

Second is a colorized photo of Hiryu's port side that shows all these areas in better relief. Many of the hoods are shallower than the one aft her bridge.

[Ledinot]

Well, as far as I can understand Japanese, the label of that left blue funnel on GPS picture means �ventilating shaft�, isn�t it?

Just kidding � I saw this picture translated into Russian. Seriously, I think there is a contradiction between what we see (on the photo) and what we believe in (the GPS picture). Have a look on what I mean; the hood on GPS picture is too broad to conform to Hiryu photo. I agree, there still is a possibility the intake was lower, and the hood was shallower � and narrower.

[Dan K]

Well, I think if the inlet were truly open, it would covered with a grill, as with the Shokakus. I'm certain there is a hood; it's just that the overhang/lip is smaller than what's illustrated.

[Dan K]

My assertion about these engine intakes may be only partially correct. In reading thru the GPS translation, it seems that some of these hull projections were engine room ventilator shafts. However, regardless of intake or compartment exhaust, it would mean they would have to vent into the hangar deck, thru the sidewall. (I can't confirm this). Which I find problematic because of the volume of air that would need to be displaced. How well could they possibly vent into the hangar decks if the lifts are closed/level with the flight decks?

Which is why some sort of external vent makes more sense.

[Ledinot]

As I could understand the Hiryu starboard side draft, two aft ventilating shafts were intended for engine rooms. The forward starboard large projection with three latticed inlets was supposedly used to ventilate four starboard boiler rooms; that �bulge� might be divided into several ventilating shafts (a separate shaft could probably go to the hangar deck(s).

I think the second and the third port side projections served similarly to air four port side boiler rooms. It seems that the foremost port projection was intended to ventilate hangar decks and other compartments; the outlet(s) could be located somewhere in the aft vent shafts.

[Guest]

Fine Molds has released a time back of very good looking 25mm guns. (Twins,Triples, with and without shields for 1944 ships)Also I believe they recently released a good 5" twin mounts. Called "Nano Dread" I guess it is the series title.
I have a set. Very small but highly detailed. Looks really good and to scale.

[Dan K]

Beautiful, but expensive, because only 4 per box.