Calling all Japanese pre-war/wartime Merchant Marine fans

[Burkhardt]

WOW, see this first time!!!! Great stuff and i hope I can sell it next time.....................

[Freighter]

Jan,
Great looking shots of your forthcoming releases. They might even tempt me back to the 'grey' side of merchant ships. The 'extras' (daihatsus, rafts etc) will make them look 'busy' ships with a lot of diorama possibilities.

Any chance of progress shots when you build the 'Taiyo Maru' from Frog Foot World?. That will probably be my project early in the New year.

All the best,
Jim S

[Timmy C]

Fujimi's Sakitomaru has been released: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10133274

[Graham Boak]

I intend buying a Mayasan Maru when available, but have one quibble: are the plates on the side of the hull over-emphasised?

[Gilbert]

Fujimi's Sakitomaru has been released: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10133274

Thanks for the heads-up, Timmy

Gilbert

[Quincy]

Thank you Timmy for the news! That means mine will be on the way probably after Christmas.





Bob Pink.

[janschu]

Hello,

@Jim, well, actually a lot of those vessels were painted quite colourful. Just take the three tone dazzle scheme (light grey, medium grey,
dark grey)combined with wood, dark grey or red brown anti rust decks. Hokoku Maru, Sado Maru, Nako Maru, to name a few. Or the
late war two green anti submarine camouflage combined with red brown or dark grey decks. For example Awa Maru, Kinka Maru,
Kashii Maru.
For sure i post pictures of Taiyo Maru, when i start that kit. Actually i am really looking forward to build that one! Four bar and three
bar railing is ordered via Burkhardt and when the items arrive i will start.
@Graham, i think, the shadows over pronounce the hull bands. I made them with Aizu tape on the master (about 0.1mm thick). So, if you
think they are still too thick, you may sand them down.

Greetings from the North Sea Coast, Jan

[Sergey]

Good evening, I am very interested in Japanese ocean liners and remains in the project. I know that from the outbreak of World War II in the draft and stayed 3 Japanese liner: ASIA MARU, JAPAN MARU, EUROPA MARU. ASIA MARU, JAPAN MARU, EUROPA MARU these liners were to be three smokestacks and diesel engines! I would like to know what the Japanese shipping company they were supposed to belong? What they BRT? What size they were supposed to be? And my second question: how many Japanese ocean liners because of World War II and remained in the project? If you can please tell me the names of the Japanese ocean liners and the rest of the project and their BRT? I sincerely hope for understanding on your part. I am almost 9 years vainly seeking the names of the Japanese ocean liners and remaining in the project from the outbreak of World War II. I really hope that my topic you are interested. With respect to you, Sergey

[aeronautic]

HI guys
I hope some can help me out!
Do any of you, have some drawings of the beautiful liners Asama Maru - class ?

My dream is to build at least 2 liners i scale 1/700 by scratch-building

Regards Lars
aeronautic

[janschu]

Dear Lars,

yes there is a drawing of Asama Maru. I have found it in the book "The Golden Age of Japanese Passenger Liners".
I received my copy some days ago. Thanks for the tip, Jim (freighter)! The drawing shows a side view
and top views of numerous deck levels, and when scaled to 1/700 they should be very helpful.
The book is available here: http://www.pacificfront.com/catalog/pro ... ts_id=2981
Maybe there are also some drawings in Motoyuki san�s second book "IJN Cargo Ship in WW II Visual Guide #2"
This book is available here: http://www.hlj.com/product/MDG23041
My copy is just being shipped, so i can tell you more, when it arrives.

But, why scratchbuilding? There is an Asama Maru kit on the market from Frog Foot Models. You may ask Gernot, if he
gets a copy for you or you can buy Frog Foot kits via http://www.fleetnet.jp. I had the opportunity to see Jim�s Asama Maru
(in her prewar outfit) and the kit looks really nice. For further information you may ask Jim.

Greetings from the North Sea Coast, Jan

[Gilbert]

Hello Lars,

Just to complement what Janschu said about Frogfoot models, Asama Maru is ref : SSC-004 and Kamakura (Chichibu) Maru is ref : SSC-003.

I have both kits (Thanks go to Gernot) in my stash and they indeed look very nice.

Gilbert

[Freighter]

Lars,
Photos of my Asama Maru can now be found on the FrogFoot website (see Gallery). My model is 'pre-war' (NYK colours) although Frogfoot provide an excellent wafer of gun tubs for those who want to model the troopship variant.

As I said in my previous post, I obtained an early production model via Gernot (thanks again!!).

Frogfoot World, in asking to put my photos on their website, asked for my opinion of the kit - a refreshing approach from a supplier who is clearly improving kit on kit. I listed what I thought were the inaccuracies and also explained what 'work arounds' I made (which included using Burkhardt's lifeboats to replace those supplied with the kit). I would point out that I did not make a correction to the promenade deck as I was trying to get the model built for display at Telford.

If anyone wants a copy of my observations (in Excel format), drop me a line

wifflesnoop@yahoo.co.uk

Jim S

[aeronautic]

Gilbert, Jan and Jim S

Thank you guys for the help - I should just find Frog foot website
I do not know if they are too hard to get here in Denmark, but I will give the styrene plastic a chance.

Jim S - you have a beautiful model of Asama Maru

Earlier I found a pic.of a model of Asama Maru - At first glance the model looks like a full scratch build, but the instruction look like a plastic kit - Is this Frog foot or a new "boy in the class" ?

regards Lars

[Quincy]

That sure looks like a "new" kit in the pipeline, judging by the picture/instructions. Here is for hoping!!




Bob Pink.

[Quincy]

I forgot to ask, is that the Brazil/Argentina Maru next to the scratchbuild one? If it is, notice the main gun platforms.



Bob Pink.

[Gilbert]

Gilbert, Jan and Jim S

Thank you guys for the help - I should just find Frog foot website
I do not know if they are too hard to get here in Denmark, but I will give the styrene plastic a chance.

Jim S - you have a beautiful model of Asama Maru

Earlier I found a pic.of a model of Asama Maru - At first glance the model looks like a full scratch build, but the instruction look like a plastic kit - Is this Frog foot or a new "boy in the class" ?

regards Lars

@ Lars,

-Frogfoot website (in Japanese) is here : http://sachibiyoushitu.com/ff_01.html . FYI, Their kits are resin, not styrene plastic.
-The Asama Maru picture, as Bob says, is definitely not Frogfoot but a new forthcoming plastic kit (Fujimi ?).
@ Bob,

The ship behind Asama Maru looks indeed like a Brasil/Argentina Maru kit. You can have a look at Motoyuki's San build here : http://www.hlj.com/product/MDG23041

Gilbert

[janschu]

Hello,

to bring some light in there, i have found these pictures of Asama Maru in the forum of Motoyuki
san�s website. A guy named "Sugaya" is doing a scratchbuild one. This is no upcoming kit, i don�t
know what the meaning of the "instructions" is.

@Lars, the Frog Foot kits can either be purchased from Mr. Funayama (http://www.fleetnet.jp) or you may
ask Gernot if he can get them for you.

"My" Asama Maru arrived on Friday. Detailling is ok, well the portholes have to be drilled out and i plan
to replace the bulwarks, bollards and winches anyway. The main issue are the hull dimensions. Hull width
is ok, but the hull is too short by 17mm! Curiously the correct hull dimensions are given in the
instructions.
In order to save the kit, i plan to neglect the hull proportions , cut the hull in two amidships and
lengthen the hull. That means, the upper levels have to be scratchbuild then to make them fit. I guess
there are drawings in Motoyuki san�s upcoming book (the ship is on the front cover), so i can check it out
when the book arrives.

Since i am really interested in three of their new releases, the store ship Mamiya, the transport Kashino
and the store ship Irako, i asked Gernot if he can find out the actual kits dimensions for me. And since
the dimensions are good (Irako too short by 1mm, Kashino by 1.5mm, Mamiya exact) i will order them.

Transport Kashino:


Store ship Mamiya:


Store ship Irako:


It is a real pity, that there are such issues with many of the Frog Foot kits, since others like Taiyo Maru or
the oiler Ose (to name a few) are really beautiful. So, hopefully the makers will do the research more carefully
in the future in order to avoid these mistakes. Maybe they just have to get feedback from the buyers, they
can tell them what is good and where the kits need to be improved.

Greetings from the North Sea Coast, Jan

[Gilbert]

This is no upcoming kit, i don�t
know what the meaning of the "instructions" is.

Jan,
If you look closely at the "Asama Maru" picture, you will see the usual boxart and the logo "waterline series" used by the japanese companies for their 1/700 kits. Moreover, the instructions are similar to the ones they use on the first page and an "Asama Maru" profile appears as well. I might be wrong but I think a plastic kit is coming.
HTH
Gilbert

[aeronautic]

Yes I found Frogfoot's website
Jan S: The pictures of the freighters is looking very good.
- But I think the missing 17mm in the Asama Maru is more than a little mistake also seen in the light, that resin kit are more expensive.

Therefore I will make the model by scratch - unless there are a new ship in the pipeline (Asama Maru) from Fujimi!!!!
- The paper/instructions looks to me as an pre-production release for use intern in a company (maybe Fujimi as the ship along is Argentina/Brasil Maru from Fujimi) I have the kit of Argentina Maru in her pre-war outfit - one of the best kit ever build, due to the nice detailing and fit etc. Also look at the box art in the top, that is a expensive feature to make if we are not talking production line kit.

-maybe one should drop a line to Fujimi and ask

Lars

[Quincy]

Thanks Gilbert! I can't wait for Motoyuki-sans upcoming book! And, hopefully in the future, the Asama Maru kit/Fujimi??



Bob Pink.