Calling all IJN Fuso (扶桑) and Yamashiro (山城) fans

[USS California BB44]

I see that they're still missing a chunck of pagoda, as well as still having the seaplane on rather oddly.

[J. Soca]

Actually the pagoda looks complete to me now

im not seeing the gap that used to be just above the AA platform rear of the pagoda structure, it seems to me it was a rush put together model and the guy probably missed that level's part


Jose

[Atma]

The full hull Fuso 1938 in 1/700 have been released by the way: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10127414
Also Aoshima has announced a 1944 full hull Fuso in 1/700 as well for mid March release :http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10137101.
Unfortunalty the new Fuso in 1938 dosent have the new parts manufactured for 1945 and 1944 Nagato(New barrels for guns, new DP guns new AA guns, new main mast, new funnel etc).

[USS California BB44]

Now they just need some 1920s Fuso/Yamashiro, Nagato/Mutsu, Ise/Huyga and Kongo class, then we will be good on Japanese BBs for a long time. They look so good at that time period.

[Atma]

Starting to put the pieces together (dryfiting) of the new Fuso in 1/350 from Fujimi:http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10127267, with Fujimi photo etc and barrels from Fukuya:
The 36 cm main guns http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10134423, 15 cm and Heavy AA guns :http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10134424,
and the Fujimi's phot etc and wooden deck for Fuso :http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10134902 and http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10134904.
Suddenly I realised and by looking the Anatomy of a Ship:The Battleship Fuso that there is no 7.7 mm single guns - they where positioned at the Fuso's pagoda, at level VI, page 122 at Anatomy of a Ship:The Battleship Fuso -.
So Im asking if anyhone can inform me a photo etc/plastic/or resin manufacture of Lewis type 7.7 mm single guns for 1/350(also for 1/700 so I can use them for my 1/700 Fuso from Aoshima).
Thanks in advance.

Edit: Did Pit-Road's Takao or other Japanese warships in 1/700 have those guns too ? Cause I can vaguely remember I saw a pair of those AA guns in my old Takao(1/700) from Pit-Road.
Edit 2:Anyone can point me the position/number of light AA of Fuso during 1943, she still had only the 8 double 25mm guns ? Just before the addition of Type 22 radar(August 1944).Cause I want to represnt Fuso during 1943 when she had only the Type 21 Radar(July 1943).

[Atma]

Now they just need some 1920s Fuso/Yamashiro, Nagato/Mutsu, Ise/Huyga and Kongo class, then we will be good on Japanese BBs for a long time. They look so good at that time period.

We will never have enough IJN Battleship till No 13 class battleships will be released in 1/700 and in 1/350 ;p

[Dan K]

FineMolds new 1/350 WZ4A light AA set has one 7.7 gun. It's the only 1/350 acessory set to carry it.

None available in 1/700 - just too small to mold. Some of the cruisers carried 7.7mm prior to t the war but these were definitely removed prior to hostilities.

[Atma]

FineMolds new 1/350 WZ4A light AA set has one 7.7 gun. It's the only 1/350 acessory set to carry it.

Oh gosh I have forgot about that ! Thanks Dan.

[Atma]

I spend the last night browsing at the "Anatomy of A Ship:IJN Fuso" and comparing it with the Fujimi's Fuso in 1/350, so far so good I didnt find any errors, and I might even try to backdate it to a 1942 look.Is really easy all you have to do is to add shield to protected lookout posts at lvl IX and X, do not add the Type-12, Type-21 and Type-22 radar and add a Veggetable store infront of funnel wich is easy to sratchbuild it.A mistake I made when I was backdating the Aoshima's Fuso back to 1942 was to forgot to remove the small platforms of Type-22 radar at the top of the Pagoda, a mistake wich I will try not to repeat with Fujimi's Fuso.

Edit:Dan, can you please help me with number of AA guns of Fuso (and Yamashiro if possible) during 1943 ?When Fuso at least had only Type 21 at July 1943.
Edit2:Oops sorry for double post, can a mod merge my two replies to one ?

[Dan K]

I will see if the Ishibashi book can help

[Atma]

Dan, any news about the Fuso and Yamashiro's AA suit druing 1943 ?
Thanks in advance again

[Dan K]

T'was a busy w/e so I had time for only a glance. The AA/fit changes are laid out in a table in Japanese and I'm not certain if I'm looking at culmulative tables, or two different interpetations. Theere is a column for July 1943.

I'm at a bit of a disadvantage as this class is one of my weaker ones and I need to cross-reference her AA fit against a known fit and time, like 1941 fit, and work my way up.

[Dan K]

The AOTS FUso lists the addition of two twin 25mm AA and 17 single 25mm AA in 1943 to her 1941 fit. Is there a reason you doubt this?

[Atma]

No I dont doubt this, but I cant figure where is the location of the additional doubles. I know that Fuso in 1941/1942 had 8 double and Yamashiro in 1941/1942 had 9.In 1944 Fuso had 8 triple ones and 14 double I know the location of 1944 AA suit cause there is a nice diagram at the "Anatomy of Ship:The Battleship Fuso" book.But there is no info for the AA at 1943 and I dont have a single idea what was the AA of Yamashiro from 1943 and onwards.I can count the double and the triple from an Aoshima kit of Yamashiro 1944 but I dont know if Aoshima has it right and I dont know the AA suit of Yamashiro in 1943.
Thanks again Dan

Edit:Dan, do you have the "Anatomy of Ship:The Battleship Fuso" by Janusz Skulski ?

[Dan K]

Ok, I can see what you're getting at, Atma. I'll look again but I don;t think the Ishibashi book had a 1943 diagram.

Yes, I do have AOTS Fuso book. (AOTS = Anatomy of the Ship). If no twin 25mm AA added in 1944, then we can figure it out.

[Atma]

Sorry for my late responce.
Well all main turrets of Fuso had twins on top of them (strange, dont you find ?) while only number 5 had triple, so I suspect one of them must be the location of the two new double that was added(in 1943).The question is wich one:Number 1, 2 or 3.On the other hand I see four doubles arround number 3 turret and 2 doubles arround aft bridge in the AOTS book.My guess the 1943 doubles might be the two arround the aft bridge, what do you think, Dan ?
Now if we take Aoshima's Yamashiro as accurate according to the AA in 1944, Yamashiro had 8 triple and 17 double but Aoshima's instructions pictures double for the turrets but the part number is for triple. Hi-Mold kit of Yamashiro at 1944 also follows Aoshima's AA fit of 1944 with double 25mm on the turrets roof. But unlike Fuso's number 5 turret, Yamashiro's turret number 5 on Aoshima and Hi-Mold's kit have double like the rest of the turrets, same happens with the Fuso's number 5 turret(By the way Aoshima has same "mistake" on Fuso instructions of the AA guns for the turrets-the Kit number is for triple but the gun pictured is a double 25mm-).
Now according to the 1944 diagram in the AOTS book, Fujimi's 1944 Fuso have 2 mistakes:
1:Double 25mm AA guns on number 5 turret, shall be triple but we will have spare parts inside Fuso kit to replace the double with triple.
2:This is more complicated/serious, according to AOTS 1944 Fuso diagram, the 3,5 m rangerfinders on the platform that was infront of the pagoda just above the number 2 turret(the locatrion also of the 2 double 25mm AA that overhang above number 2 turret) they got removed in 1944, but I cant find a mention or diagram of the platform in the AOTS section of the difference between 1944 and 1941 Fuso pagoda's. Does the Ishibashi book have any diagram of Fuso's pagoda during 1944 ?
Plus, does Ishibashi book have any diagram or info about the AA suit of Yamashiro in 1944 ?
Thanks in advance.

[Dan K]

The Ishibashi book is so physically large that I have been loathe to attempt any scans. That said, I tried this AM to do just that, only to find that my scanner is suddenly not working. Will try to fix it at some point.

The Ishibashi book has diagrams for both Fuso and Yamashiro 1944.

To this point, I have really only focused on Fuso. In viewing the Ishibashi diagrams for 1941 vs 1944, it seems that in many instances, they moved the twin 25mm AAs from the deck or superstructure to the nearest turret top, then filled the former locations with triple 25mm mounts. The only exception seems to be the triple 25mm AA atop turret #5, as you've pointed out.

I've come to the same conclusion as I believe you have, that the twin 25mm to either side of the rear of the aft superstructure, immediately in front of turret #5, are the ones most likely added in 1943.

I can't really comment on anything else at this point.

[Dan K]

One thing I can post is a Shizuo Fukui sketch of Yamashiro's AA fit in August 1944. As a naval constructor, one of Fukui's assignments was to sketch the AA layouts of various remaining IJN ships during the summer of 1944. I know he did an extensive survey on the DDs; I am less familiar with sketches of other types. I'm not certain if his assignment was to include ALL remaining ships, or just certain types or some other parameter. These were all published in a series of very hard to find ship type historys in Japan.

These sketches are considered authoritive as they were made first hand by someone whose job it was to know. I've not compared this to the Ishibashi volume.

[Atma]

Wow thank again Dan for the nice replay/diagram, one last question cause I cant figure it from the picture, is the 25mm AA guns on top number 2# and 5# triple or double ? Number 3# and 4# seems to have double 25mm AA. Fuso and Yamashiro's light AA suit is almost identical.
Anyway thanks again Dan Excellent work on FineMold's Ayanami review by the way. Keep it coming !

[Dan K]

Fukui's diagram for Yamashiro indicates doubles for all turret tops whereas Fuso's #5 seems to have triples.

Scanner fixed and I'll try to scan some of the Ishibashi stuff soon. Thx for the kudos, Atma, I appreciate it.