Agree Chuck. While 1/144 models (I didn't catch it, but at that price its got to be that scale) are awesome, somehow buying a built-up one only to have to 'retool' it isn't particularly appealing.
But then again, this isn't aimed at the ship modeler, is it?
bucketfoot-al
Creator of the Yamato/Musashi Archive Photo Gallery https://battleshipyamato.com
dulce et decorum est pro patria mori
On the left hand side of the page, see the third article down for a ton of in-progress pics. it looks like the builder might have used the Halinski paper kit as a pattern for the build.
It looks like he does brass for a living, so its probably no big deal for him, although 99% of us mortals could not even get started on a project like that. Also couldn't help noticing he has the decks painted gray, so looks he's made both of us happy, Al....
I'm not completely happy with all his work (the deck is too garish for one), but there's still a lot of info to glean. Also, a little detective work says that the Japanese edition of the Skulski book includes updates not included in the English version, and the "Yamato Super Illustration" book includes drawings and detail every bit as advanced as Skulski.
His attempt to light up the inside of the model is cute. But in wartime warships travel blacked out. Even in peace time I doubt the inside of directors, bridge, control spaces and such would be visibly lit at night. This is not an ocean liner. The night vision of men in spaces where external observation needs to be conducted is important.
Assessing the impact of new area rug under modeling table.
That is a very astute observation, Chuck. I never noticed that before. I see no indication of one in any photo or plan that I have. Yet, it seems unlikely that they wouldn't use an indicator.
I wonder if it was somehow integrated into the rear of the mainmast, or a/c crane tower, or even the rear jackstaff. Just specualting.
yes Chuck others did have the light arrays, as soon as i read your question my models of Yamashiro and Fuso came to my mind because i remember i took my time scratchbuilding the light cross array on both, here is the proof. the picture underneath Yamashiro is Fuso and is showing the lights too. On my Hiei's gakken the model also has the lights but there are no real life pictures showing it.
I'm glad you posted that, Jose. This means there is precedent for mounting the lights on the aft superstructure. Maybe we need to look closer...............
Dan K wrote:I'm glad you posted that, Jose. This means there is precedent for mounting the lights on the aft superstructure. Maybe we need to look closer...............
That could be a posibility Dan. BTW i forgot this my 3D Nagato book also shows the rendered images of the ship with the lights on the aft superstructure.
Except one, I don't know of any photo of Yamato that was clear enough and taken from the right angle such that had the formation lights been present on the main mast, it would have been discernible. The only exception is the very clear photo of the Yamato undergoing fitting out at Kure, and taken from dockside above her port quarter. I suspect this photo had too much influence on later view of Yamato's arrangement. Because the formation lights were not in that photo, so it was absent from all subsequent reconstructions.
Assessing the impact of new area rug under modeling table.
My Mistake - Your Gain: As I was reading through my newly arrived Super Illustrated Yamato (lots of drawings with Japanese and English text) last night, I started thinking it looked familiar. Yup, there it was in the back of my stack of Yamato resources. Anyone interested in it? I paid $25 + UPSP shipping. Only looking to cover my out of pocket.
In the Shipyard:
1/350 Yamato
1/350 USS Intrepid CVA-11 (1954 SCB-27C)
1/350 Uss Nimitz (1976 Med Cruise)
Looking at the photo of Yamato taken at kure, it seems to me that there is simply no place on the superstucture where this light array can both be seen over the top of the aft 6" turret, never mind the antenna mast on top of the turret, and clear the arc of the 25mm mounts on aft director tower. I don't think the light array can be on the A/C crane mast because training the crane would also train the light, which would seem like a very sloppy solution for a light that is meant only to be seen from behind. I also don't think the light array would be on the jack staff because flying a flag on the jackstaff would obscure the light. So I suspect the light array was somewhere on the main mast. I will guess is it offset to one side rather than in the middle so as to clear any ensign that might fly on the main mast.
I suppose there is also the possibility that the light array was not fixed, but instead is hoisted up onto the main mast for use and struck down when not in use. There are plenty of precedents for signal lights arranged in some meaningful way being hoisted up the mast like a flag for use.
Assessing the impact of new area rug under modeling table.
chuck wrote: I also don't think the light array would be on the jack staff because flying a flag on the jackstaff would obscure the light.
I suppose there is also the possibility that the light array was not fixed.
Chuck if the flag was hoisted high enough on the jackstaff i don't think it would've obsecure the lights.. i know you have seen these shots before and even the model showing the light's array on the jackstaff that is on pg 120. i think it was the perfect place for those lights to be if you ask me, although you can be right when you wrote the array wasn't fixed though.
I noticed the lamps on the ensign staff. They are illustrated in ATOS and is represented in Yamiya's 1/350 kit. But I thought they were navigation lights and it didn't occur to me they might be the same thing as the formation lights on other Japanese ships.
Assessing the impact of new area rug under modeling table.
nice looking jackstaff though