All craft groupbuild Dec '09 - Jan '10...

[reigels]

I've done a little more work on my 1/700 Kamikawa Maru to Kagu Maru conversion:

• Main deck glued in place adding a little more sheer to the stern area (will reinsert the 'tween deck from below after painting),
  Bottom of the ship cut out to facilitate a cargo hold extending beneath the waterline,
  Focsle added with a couple PE doors,
  Bulwarks removed to be replaced later,
  Remaining hatch covers built,
  Superstructure decks cut from Evergreen 2020 (just stacked in place here),
  Bridge face cut to size,
  Started work on reshaping the bow.

Any feedback or constructive criticism is appreciated.

[Gilbert]

She's coming up nicely, Scott , keep up the good work.

Gilbert

[ajkochev]

Here is the Kitamami I'm working on. This progras is as of today. None of the super structure is glued yet. I've been putting off doing the triangular bridge but cannot do it too much longer. Gonna finish the hull soon and start painting.

[Quincy]

Scott: Your progress is coming along great on Kagu Maru.

AJ: Your Kitakami looks like a kit and not scratchbuilt . I wish I could scratchbuild like you do.




Bob Pink.

[aleccap]

HELP ! could someone please help with this question, although at the moment I'm dragging my feet a bit, one of the two model I'll build has caused a slight problem.
IJN light cruiser Yubari in 1923-27 in the pix below on the raised bridge, is that a single 5 inch gun, normally this model is displayed with 2 quad or 2 doubles.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2725/418 ... 4c84_o.jpg
Also, this bridge appears solid, in the 1944 this was changed from solid to a web-like structure on both sides.
Sorry not the bridge where the blokes control the ship, the bridge above the 2 torpedoes 'things'

[Timmy C]

The guns are 1,2,2,1 from fore-aft or aft-forward - that is, the bottom turrets are single-barreled while the top ones are double-barreled.

[reigels]

1/700 Kagu Maru:

• Portholes filled, and bow and stern recontoured, then primed with Mr. Surfacer 500 from a rattle can (I love that stuff!).
  
  Had some success with the new bulwarks by laying out strip styrene over the plans on top of Scotch removable double sided tape. It's perfect for this since the parts come off easily and it will not react to liquid styrene glue.

Plans and photos of Mr. Motoyuki Iwashige's model show the bulwarks set back slightly from the side of the ship, but that looked a little exaggerated and I placed them flush. Artistic license if it's not accurate, but I don't see the setback in photos.

[aleccap]

Timmy C - I know about the main armament my concern was the raised bridge in the back section btween the stack and rear main armament, on top of this 1927 onward this held 2 quad nest/types of weapons, before 1927 was this, as on the original photo a single 5'' gun, I'll see if I can get a photo.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2752/418 ... a2e4_o.jpg
Okay just above the torpedo tubes and raised above the deck, this 'bridge' 1927/44 held two double heavy machine guns, in the original photo of the Yubari before 1927 you can see a single gun, has anyone any idea what this single gun was, to me its look like 5'' but this is a guess, thank you.

[Timmy C]

Oh I see - my bad. Well, it's definitely not a 5" - the main guns are 5.5" already, and that smaller gun is much smaller than those. I think it's the 3" gun that gets removed in 1932-33 as listed in her TROM: http://www.combinedfleet.com/yubari_t.htm

[Kym Knight]

Detail and paint added to mid section, depth charge racks, crane and catapult finished, main guns assembled.

[Gilbert]

Very nice (and fast) WIP, Kym. She is looking great

Gilbert

[Quincy]

Kym, you've got one helluva build going on!





Bob Pink.

[aleccap]

Will you, or have you already used the solid brass barrels for the main guns, the value pack looks great, over a thousand Yen whatever that is in UK - and I suppose the thought that has to be asked, with a battleship already finished and Yahagi heading the same way, would you consider building 8 destroyers and 10 Forward as a completed diorama ? Like I say Kym, its only a thought, and I know you like the BIG stuff, it would make a good subject that believe hasn't been done.

[aleccap]

While I'm awaiting my 1-700 IJN Yahagi from Hong Kong, I've made a second start on Yubari with the forward bridge almost finished.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/418 ... b738_b.jpg
At times, I wish my camera wasn't as good as it is, with the naked eye, this looks the dogs dodars, blown up, and straight away it requires a good clean. But then again, there's not many people that's gona carry a 10 million megpix camera around with them.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2755/418 ... 92b8_o.jpg
The crown or nest on top of this structure (anti-blast ring) I'm trying a little something with the first, now broken up model.

[Phantom Bill]

My Tatsuta scratchbuild is moving...along...slowly. The hull is almost shaped, just needs some filling and profiling before the prime/final sanding. The aft deckhouse is ready for some more detailing, painting & P/E. After the first wood was cut, I found more information (isn't the internet great?!!) that clears up questions about the hull profile and deck arrangement. A build like this can make you truly appreciate the work that goes into producing resin or plastic kits.

Next up...prep hull for plating, portholes, paint; paint aft deck house, add hatches, rails; finalize bridge plans.

[aleccap]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/419 ... 9f15_b.jpg
Most of the body work now gone in, I'm really dragging my feet with this project, remember this is my 2nd Yubari as the first one, I was unhappy with the drilled out port holes.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2638/419 ... f20a_b.jpg
I can't post the actual photo just in case of copyright, just to say, Yubari pre 1927 drapped in canvas, perhps very windy, just didn't want people viewing certain parts of the ship, either way, a bit of an headache with the clear stuff, allowing to dry and then being careful painting over giving (I can hope) the appearence of canvas, I've finished my D-Day diorama, a Japinese destroyer 90% of Yubari and just started on another PT diorama, and oh still waiting for my Yahagi.

[Timmy C]

Here's some work on my 1/700 San Diego, trying to accurize and detail it as much as feasible. Note that this section is nowhere near finished, so ignore the messy painting

Pictures were taken with my cellphone, which has a less-than-desirable macro function, hence the blurriness.


As the kit fails to accurately instruct the builder on the correct parts for San Diego and lacks the accurate parts needed for San Diego, some research was required. Splinter shielding in front of the open bridge was added (poorly), as was the one in front of the second row of portholes. Random pieces of junk were used to detail the open bridge, with hoops from metal wires used for the sky lookout positions which are filled in with glue and will be painted later to give it a solid look.

[Kym Knight]

Good to see ya got a horse in this race Timmy and your off to a good start by the looks of things.

[GTDEATH13]

Everybody's doing great...

I have made little progress too, not worth showing since it is only rail bars and antennas and other assorted stuff that have been added to my late Fletcher...

I hope I will manage to do some painting after New year's day, since I am leaving on a 10 day deployment on Monday (yep fourth consecutive Christmas away from home, way to go me... )

Kym is leading the way gents... Let us hope that we will catch up with him...

[ajkochev]

Kym is leading the way gents... Let us hope that we will catch up with him...

I thought the goal was to finish a build before the end of January, not see who gets done the fastest.