Calling all Japanese pre-war/wartime Merchant Marine fans

[DougKn]

I have been working on a Pacific War Japanese tanker recently, and I�m baffled by one of the structures on the deck. The 1/700 Fujimi Kyokuto Maru tanker model has a small photoetched part which folds into an open, slant-topped framework assembly which mounts to the after part of the foredeck. I�ve seen this thing in various pictures of Japanese tankers of the era, but I haven�t figured out what it might have been. Was it some sort of device for handling forward-running refueling lines? A rest for the forward boom? I�d like to know more about it so I can detail it properly. Does anyone have any insight, or better yet, close up pictures?

IIRC, I read somewhere (maybe even this board) that the Japanese practiced underway refueling in-line, using leading and trailing fuel lines. This was one reason the USN method was considered to work out better. The fixture was to help support the hoses from fouling on the fo'castle. I'm not sure if on the model this is accurately reflected.

[gvwalker]

Hello there, firstly may I say I am rather impressed by the depth of knowledge of IJN merchant ships in this thread, it really is quite thorough and I have learned a great deal.
I have read through all the posts but I would like to ask if anyone has a 2-view drawing or diagram of a Type 1C Class cargo ship as I wish to scratchbuild a small scale (1/1800) model of one.
I appreciate any assistance anyone could provide.
Thanks,
Graeme

[Dan K]

To Tim's question, it's part of a tension adjuster mechanism for the refueling lines as Doug has mentioned.

[Graham Boak]

"Ugly Ducklings, Japan's WWII Liberty Type Standard Ships" by S.C. Heal 2003, Naval Institute Press

I was advised to try this book, which is certainly fascinating but has little on the few C. Just a small silhouette and no plan view.

[janschu]

Hello out there,

finally our first kit has hit the shelves!

For those, who are not in the know of that, it is the IJA landing craft depot ship Tamatsu Maru, with additional
parts for the sister ship Mayasan Maru.

The kit is exclusively available via BMK, Burkhardt Masch Kleinserien.
See here: https://shop.modellmarine.de/product_in ... ts_id=1381

The master for our next kit is almost done. It will be the IJA landing craft depot ship Kibitsu Maru, with additional
parts for the sister ship Hyuga Maru.

Greetings from the North Sea Coast,
Jan Schulz, SIG-Waterline

[Jim Smith]

Graeme,
Type 1C Japanese freighter. I have built one in 1/700 using the FrogFoot World kit. See their website (model SS-003)

http://sachibiyoushitu.com/ff_04.html

Also see the following for dimensions etc:

http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/

Below are some photos of my model:-

Hope this helps.

Jan,
Good looking kit - I'll have to save my pennies!

Jim S (Freighter)

[AC Studio]

Can anyone identify the merchant ship (closest one) as show in the following photo. This photo was taken by US planes at the time they bombed Hong Kong, the photos shows Taikoo Dockyard under raid. I am not sure which date it was, but got the list of major raids below:

The following are some of the US air raid on HK, this could be a good reference to identify the ship in the photo.

25 -26 October 1942:
After midnight MajGen Claire L. Chennault�s 14th Air Force's North American B-25 "Mitchell" medium bombers attack Hong Kong.

27-29 July 1943:
Air raid on Hong Kong. On the 27th, No. 2 Repair Facility area is attacked by sixteen B-25 bombers and Curtiss P-40 �Warhawk� fighters.

16 October 1944:
IJN Submarine Tender SANTOS MARU Damaged in a USAAF 14th Air Force raid in HK.

15 January 1945:
At 0915, there is an air attack on Hong Kong. Over the next two days, all of HI-87's merchants except SARAWAK MARU suffer varying degrees of battle damage.

3 April 1945:
Hong Kong. USAAF Far East Air Force B-24 �Liberators� bomb the harbor and sink cargo ships HEIKAI and SHOZAN MARUs and heavily damage kaibokan MANJU. She partially sinks at 22-17N, 114-10E.

5 April 1945:
Hong Kong. Far East Air Force B-24 "Liberator" heavy-bombers sink both TOKAI MARU No. 2 and KINE MARU and damage CH-20, CH-9 and coast defense vessels CD-1 and CD-52 at 22-45N, 116-10E. The B-24's also damage fleet oiler KAMOI. The convoy is dissolved.


Refer to web site http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?138261 , could this be the Yamasachi Maru SS? According to this web site, she was 'laid down as a Bulk Carrier in 1943 but completed as a Tanker. On the 16th Janauary 1945 she was destroyed in an American air raid whilst she was alongside at Taikoo Dockyard, Hong Kong.'

[gvwalker]

Graeme,
Type 1C Japanese freighter. I have built one in 1/700 using the FrogFoot World kit. See their website (model SS-003)
http://sachibiyoushitu.com/ff_04.html
Also see the following for dimensions etc:
http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/
Below are some photos of my model:-
Hope this helps.
Jan,
Good looking kit - I'll have to save my pennies!
Jim S (Freighter)

Jim,

Great job on your 1C it looks great. Thanks very much for the photos, I think they will be enough for me to rough out a ship in 1/1800.

Thanks also for the link to Frog Foot; that will be handy reference for builds of other types. The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia link I found not too long ago and completed my store of dimensions for the IJN merchant types.

I'm about to start on a Type 1TM tanker so the 1C will be next.

Thanks again Jim, much appreciated.

Graeme

[Quincy]

Hey guys. Whats up? Been awful quiet here lately. Hopefully all the builds are going well.



Bob Pink.

[Timmy C]

I've started my Brasil Maru over in the Civvies Group Build thread.

[Quincy]

Coming soon from Niko Models-1/700 IJN Kozu Maru IJA 1943. Pictures can be seen on the Niko website.



Bob Pink.

[Gilbert]

Thanks for the info, Bob
Gilbert

[doog_k]

Hi All, I have read through the posts here but this question may have been answered and I've simply missed it.

However, I'm looking for some form of plans, as large as possible for Kimikawa-maru/ Kamikawa-maru/ Sagara-maru. I'm almost giving up and will have to draw my own from photos and Pit-Road's box art but I thought I'd have one last try. Any ideas?

[DougKn]

Hi All, I have read through the posts here but this question may have been answered and I've simply missed it.

However, I'm looking for some form of plans, as large as possible for Kimikawa-maru/ Kamikawa-maru/ Sagara-maru. I'm almost giving up and will have to draw my own from photos and Pit-Road's box art but I thought I'd have one last try. Any ideas?

Motoyuki Iwashige's "Visual guide of Japanese wartime merchant marine vol.1" has line drawings of Kimikawa/Kamikawa Maru in 1/700. It is available from Hobby Link Japan (HLJ). He also comes to this board occasionally and has a neat web page. I can send an index in English if you email me (I haven't done vol. 2 yet)

Side view (not overhead) of Sagara Maru is in Jentshura, Jung and Mickel's "Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1869-1945" as well as probably several other texts, such as the Skywave series.

[Ron Wolford]

Hello doog_k
I think DougKn is right, you should get a copy of "Visual guide of Japanese wartime merchant marine vol.1" it also has the Sagara Maru in it also. I assume you are trying to model them as Seaplane Tenders and not in their pre-war build. Even though, I think they had the same hull, they were two different classes of ships, Kimikawa Maru/Kamikawa Maru were built for the K Line and the Sagara Maru, was a S class freighter for the NYK line.
Here is the General Arrangement of the S class cargo vessels. I think this comes from the magazine "The Motor Ship" but I do not know what issue.

http://i56.tinypic.com/s3pk5l.jpg

Here is some pre-war pictures of the Kamikawa Maru

http://i52.tinypic.com/2u7x3zk.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/208fiqb.jpg

and Kiyokawa Maru

http://i55.tinypic.com/2hpnkf7.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/2v9c46s.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2e3o6ee.jpg


Hope this helps you in your build, and please post photos of your model.
Ron Wolford

[DougKn]

Great pictures, Ron

[Gilbert]

@ Ron : Thanks for sharing

@ doog_k : Motoyuki-san has e-mailed me, some months ago, his drawings for the following Marus :

Gilbert

[Gilbert]

and finally a S Class drawing

Gilbert

Sorry for the poor quality but the original file is too big. If interested, please PM me.

[Dan K]

I know they had the same hull dimensions (145m x 19m) but are they really the same hull? If yes, hmm, then substituting hulls may be an easier fix for the PitRoad kit.

[Gilbert]

I know they had the same hull dimensions (145m x 19m) but are they really the same hull? If yes, hmm, then substituting hulls may be an easier fix for the PitRoad kit.

Dan,
Their dimensions were very closed but not identical. Hulls had similar shape but not identical. Remember the "K" were built by Kawasaki, Kobe shipyard and the "S" by Mitsubishi, Nagasaki shipyard.
In 1/700, the difference should be close to 3mm ("K" are longer). This is confirmed by Motoyuki website 221,5Loa/218,5Loa.

HTH
Gilbert

Edit: spelling