Calling all Japanese pre-war/wartime Merchant Marine fans

[reigels]

I see that HLJ has the 1:350 Hikawa Maru on pre-order (October release) for $37.40 , along with the photo-etch and wood deck sets.

Much cheaper than I had expected for the basic kit. Has anyone seen photos of the detail sets? I hadn't realized that these were coming out with the kit release.

http://www.hlj.com/ths-2011-hasegawa-preview

[D-Boy]

I see that HLJ has the 1:350 Hikawa Maru on pre-order (October release) for $37.40 , along with the photo-etch and wood deck sets.

Much cheaper than I had expected for the basic kit. Has anyone seen photos of the detail sets? I hadn't realized that these were coming out with the kit release.

http://www.hlj.com/ths-2011-hasegawa-preview

Scott, thanks for posting.

Hasegawa's "basic" and "Super Set" PE releases for the 1:350 Akagi were mutually exclusive, if I recall correctly.

Model Art Special #41 features photos of this kit, but those photos don't include any PE. So it's wait and see.

[D-Boy]

Pit-Road Aikoku Maru arrived today. Looks beautiful! One of the best 1/700 kits I've seen.

From the parts break down it looks like her sisters will be coming out as well.

Bob Pink.

HLJ just listed Hokoku Maru in 1:700 for a November release from Pit Road this morning: http://www.hlj.com/product/PITW-136.

What do you note as the major differences between ships within this class?

[reigels]

Civil version perhaps? Note that the deck hatches on Aikoku Maru which include combings for personnel access to the cargo holds are all separate parts. Looks to be built for a future straight cargo version on later releases. No difference in price however on the new release, which I might expect for a down-gunned version.

[reigels]

Pics of the two kits here:

http://pitroad.s232.xrea.com/newitem/in ... temid=1871

http://pitroad.s232.xrea.com/ship/index.php?itemid=1736

Looks like gun shields and new paint, so all parts included in both kits.

[Quincy]

The biggest difference between the classes is Gokoku Maru. Hopefully she will be released, or otherwise I will have to scratchbuild her using Aikoku or Hokoku as a guide. I think it would be a pretty easy conversion to do.




Bob Pink.

[Quincy]

Now, this is only a guess by but, if Rayden Models releases another ship kit, maybe it will be the other Maru on the Kinezaki's boxart? It looks like a different Maru other than Kinezaki? What do you guys think???????




Bob Pink.

[reigels]

I assumed the two ships were there to show that there were two hulls included. What you see is what you get (as with the train in the foreground). Hadn't noticed that the one in the back ground is a little different. Would welcome any new Rayden kits in 700, based on the first release. Most of the upcoming 700 stuff on their website however is rail road tracks, bridges, etc., but would love to see more ships.

[Timmy C]

Woohoo, finished my Brasil Maru at last! viewtopic.php?f=74&t=73052&p=438627#p438627

[Quincy]

Superb work Timmy!






Bob Pink.

[reigels]

Just about done with converting my 2A Maru into the aircraft transport.

Basically the same as the freighter version but with bigger hatches:

[Quincy]

Nice work Scott!!







Bob Pink.

[Bill Clarke]

SADO/SAKITO MARU can someone tell me the correct colour for the decks ?, instructions would have you paint it Linoleum, but don't think this is correct.
Also, would there have been scuppers along the hulll ? especially around the latrenes ?

[Gilbert]

SADO/SAKITO MARU can someone tell me the correct colour for the decks ?, instructions would have you paint it Linoleum, but don't think this is correct.
Also, would there have been scuppers along the hulll ? especially around the latrenes ?

Hello Bill,

I would follow Motoyuki-san's models. See here for SAKITO MARU: http://ww6.enjoy.ne.jp/~iwashige/sakitomaru.htm
and here for SADO MARU: http://ww6.enjoy.ne.jp/~iwashige/sadomaru.htm

Main decks are painted with an orange-minium colour. Guns platforms and superstructure decks are natural wood. For scuppers, follow the models

Gilbert

[Dan K]

I received the Fujimi 1/700 Sagara Maru yesterday. I don't have the Sanuki Maru but I imagine they are nearly identical. Same issues as with the Sado/Sakito Maru kit - hull freeboard short by 2mm, forward main deck should be metal or linoleum, not planked wood. It does have a sprue with her specific upper bridge face and king posts; also there are additonal main weapons with the seaplane sprues that is a little better than those with the std kit (also included).

Aft main deck is planked with molded on a-c trolley rails. Just out of curiosity, I wonder if her rails were, in fact, solid instead of the usual "bridge support" type rails. It's hard to tell from her deck photos. It would make building a detailed version a little easier.

Incidentally, there's a very nice 1/700 build of her in the Model Art Ship Modeling Special #22. Full color, too.

[Jim Smith]

Here are some photos of my Sado Maru from Fujimi - as usual, in her pre-war (NYK) colours.

Decks have been rubbed down to remove the (erroneous) planking provided in the kit.

Jim S (Freighter)

[Gilbert]

Gilbert

[Dan K]

NICE! WHat color did you use for the main deck, Jim?

[Jim Smith]

Dan,
The colour is my own concoction using Vallejo Model Color Black Red (70859), Vallejo Model Color Medium Sea Grey (70870) and Citadel (Warhammer) Scab red. All are acrylics - brush painted.

Sorry I can't give you the exact proportions/ratios but the mixing went from a vile pink to a muddy brown. It took several tries to get the colour I thought was right.

Hope this helps

Jim S

[Quincy]

Not liking the way Fujimi chose how to put Sagara Marus hull together! There are no pins/locator holes at all, making it rather fiddly to do so. I have it started but, it took alot of 3M tape to hold the hull halfs together adjoining them to the waterline plate. I dry fitted the deck pieces so that the hull would have its proper shape. Anyone else have this problem, or am I the only one?


Jim:


Your Sado Maru looks great! Did you have hull issues too??




Bob Pink.