Calling all IJN Tone (利根) & Chikuma (筑摩) fans

[Dan K]

Martin has the kit right now, so I can't really tell you what is included on the small PE fret that comes with the kit. I would advise waiting as well - someone is going to to do something, I would think.

[Firecaptain]

Well the degaussing cable is a separate extra cost set.......

[Dan K]

If you need to see the brackets, yes. Otherwise, just use strene strip.

[Atma]

Just finnished Tone from Fujimi and I was wondering of how to indetify Tone from Chikuma as both cruisers are almost the same, anyone can help me to spot difference between those two cruiser ?

[Dan K]

Actual differences between the two are minimal and obscure, it they exist at all. Various items such as the location of various aux. funnel pipes, intake grills, possibly the turret rangefinder ends have all been cited as possibly different but, nothing is confirmed.

The only sure thing is that Tone had an extra AA crew's rest quarters installed in front of the bridge, under the AA platform, after Leyte Gulf but, Chikuma was already gone by then. And lots of extra AA by 1945.

[Dan K]

Actually, I may have this wrong. I've come across a 12/1943 photo of Tone with the extra AA crew qtr compartment. If Tone has it this early, then it's a good bet that Chikuma does, too. Incidentally, the new Fujimi kit does not provide a part for this compartment.

OTOH, I have identified one incontrovertible, easily identifiable piece of evidence that distinguishes Tone from Chikuma, with a little guidance from Gakken #47. Both ships carry a 2kw daytime light on the upper cross brace of their foremast. Chikuma carries her on the port side, Tone on the starboard side. See the photos below.

[Atma]

Wow thanks Dan Thanks very much.
And some news about a future release for Tamiya's Tone in 1/350.Yankee Modelworks are planning to release a photo etc set for Tamiya's Tone in 1/350 at February, here is the link :
http://www.hlj.com/product/YNMYKM-3033.
Enjoy !

[SeanF]

OTOH, I have identified one incontrovertible, easily identifiable piece of evidence that distinguishes Tone from Chikuma, with a little guidance from Gakken #47. Both ships carry a 2kw daytime light on the upper cross brace of their foremast. Chikuma carries her on the port side, Tone on the starboard side. See the photos below.

Unless, of course, a photo happens to be inverted. Not saying if they are or aren't, just that there's nothing in those shots that can be used to prove it one way or the other (clues like backwards letters, island on the wrong side of the carrier, etc.) unless we know for a fact that the ships are what the captions say they are - and if it's the light that makes the determination, then we have a circular argument. That's for photo identification, though. For building models of the two ships, that's a pretty cool find.

- Sean F.

[Dan K]

Fortunately, there are plenty of photos, and the positioning is consistent.

[Atma]

Dan have tried the new Fujimi's Tone and Chikuma in 1/700, whats your opinion ?

[peppe]

to confirm the differences from tone and chikuma this illustration from the book "mechanism of japonese heavy cruisers" page 20 and also on warship of ijn vol on mogami and tone classes p190
1 o-ring antenna of radio (different height, chikuma heigher, tone lower)
2a light on chikuma
2b light on tone
as you can see identifing the two ideograms in parenthesis for tone and for chikuma
ciao peppe

[Dan K]

Good work, Peppe. The O-rings are actually RDF loop antennas.

[Atma]

Can anyone post pictures of IJN Tone after the war. Im interesting for the rangefinders of number 2# turret.
Thanks in advance.

[LAE519]

Hi Atma,

I have this shot here in the office - I think I have some others at home... HTH

[LAE519]

And another...

[Atma]

Thank you very much !
The second btw is IJN Aoba, anyway from the first picture of IJN Tone it shows that her openings of the rangefinder windows wasnt enlarged like IJN Myoko, IJN Takao and IJN Aoba during 1945.
Thanks again LAE519.

[Atma]

And if someone is wondering of what Im talking, take a look at IJN Aboa, her rangefinder of number 2# turret got an enlarged opening, this apear to IJN Myoko and IJN Takao too(I dont know if number 3# turret in IJN Aoba and number 4# in IJN Myoko and IJN Takao's case got the same upgrade) and that happend in 1945 only. I assume the reason for this is that IJN use those 3 ships for AA battery only and the main guns was used for AA support, during the last months of the war.
So from the picture LAE519 posted it seems the IJN Tone didt recieve that uprade and maybe the reason for that is cause IJN Tone was operational(but no fuel available) unlike the heavy damaged cruisers in Singapore(IJN Takao, IJN Myoko) and IJN Aoba in Kure harbor.


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[Dan K]

Atma, I'm curious as to why you think the openings were changed? It's not going to change the optics of the rangefinders by much, if at all. A lot of work for marginal gain. Perhaps you can post the references/photos on the appropriate CASF threads that seem to indicate the differences.

I don;t recall posting this view of Tone

[Atma]

Maybe Im the only one but I see that the openings were changed. And now that Im look your phot of IJN Tone Dan, I think IJN Tone had also larger openings.
Okay at the moment I got the Classic warship book in fron of me. It has IJN Myoko in his front page and in pages 14. Comapre the page 14 with the page 13, you will what Im talkiing about. Also compare photos of IJN Aoba early in the war and the one I posted above.
Fujimi gives the option to fit the enlarged opening also Hasegawa, so Im starting to belive that besides the IJN Myoko, IJN Takao and IJN Aoba the IJN Tone got the same upgrade.
No clue if this happend to IJN Haguro and IJN Ashigara.

[Dan K]

I'll try to review tonite.