Fujimi 1/700 Shokaku 1941 Addendum - reposted

[Atma]

Number #3 is a Type 96 25-mm MG Director.
Like this one:

[Atma]

As for number 22# is also a MG director for 25mm AA guns, you can find one in the face of IJN Tone class cruisers Pagoda and the IJN Mogami's Pagoda after her conversion to a seaplane aircraft cruiser in 1943. Number 23# and 21# is a High angled director mostly used for the heavy AA guns(12,7 cm, 10 cm, etc), and finnaly number 19# is a protected lookout spot, Type 13.

[Ledinot]

As for number 22# is also a MG director for 25mm AA guns

Thanks, Atma. As I could understand, the Type 96 directors were supplied with rangefinders and were of different shape -- these were the differencies?

[Atma]

The number 22# is an older type widely used by almost all major Japanese warship. Number 3# is newer type and is limited only in IJN Oyodo, IJN Agano and IJN Yamato class as far as I know.

Edit: Some IJN warships, example IJN Taiho, IJN Hiei, had unprotected(missing the cover) mg directors.

[Dan K]

Thx for the clarification, Atma.

The thing is, the directors on board the Shokakus were uncovered, at least some of the time. Which would mean the Fujimi kit is basically correct. Red circled item in the first photo is the top of the MG director.

[Dan K]

When not in use , they were covered, at least with canvas, though it does look a little like a sloping facing on the front. Note the two leftmost positions.

[Ledinot]

When not in use , they were covered, at least with canvas, though it does look a little like a sloping facing on the front. Note the two leftmost positions.

Not certainly sure what you mean, but the landing array - the forward one - is there. Sorry for boring so far.

[Timmy C]

#3 is "late period model", while #22 is "early period model".

[Ledinot]

#3 is "late period model", while #22 is "early period model".

I am awfully sorry, but your knowledge of Japanese is desparately wonderful... How did you manage to understand those words? Unbelievable.

[Timmy C]

We're lucky in this case that the characters are the same in form and mean the same in both Japanese and Chinese, the latter of which is my native language (though have lost much of it).

[Dan K]

Timmy, your language skills are always appreciated

Ledinot, my apologies for not being clear. As I said, my impression was that the directors seem to be open topped most of the time, at least for this class, though there are instances when they also seem to be covered, at least by canvas.

The Gran Prix Shuppan volume for cruisers shows an illustration of an enclosed director with three people crammed inside. An illustration from the carrier volume, below, shows it as both enclosed and open, which makes me think that perhaps the top of the enclosure was removable. I'm just not sure.

I've cropped some additonal photos of Shokaku after being damaged at Santa Cruz 1942, and at anchor at Yokosuka 1941. The (2) directors in first photo are at the very upper left, while the (2) directors in the second photo sit in the middle, with two triple 25mm mounts to either side. These do show some coverings, but, again, to me they look like simple canvas.

[Ledinot]

As I said, my impression was that the directors seem to be open topped most of the time, at least for this class, though there are instances when they also seem to be covered, at least by canvas.

Dan, thanks for the pictures. I don't know what CV deck is depicted on the bottom part of the page from GPS book (IMHO this is neither Shokaku nor Soryu class) but this drawing shows rounded but not round (encircled) MG directors' tubs. You probably saw the similar things on Shokaku class portside pictures or plans. The other two pictures you had provided definetely testified to the open and not encircled MG directors' tubs on the Shokaku starboard aft -- while the Futubasha 3D CG shows (and Fujimi realizes) shielded MG directors on the starboard aft gallery. I suppose IJN used a sort of frame for the canvas covers for those tubs, and frames seemed to be of smaller diameter than the tubs themselves.

By the way, the Fujimi 1/700 Zuikaku kit instruction sheet leaves these - questionable - two portside round (encircled) MG directors' tubs "empty"; moreover, there are no appropriate items in Fujimi PE set. The same "empty" tub is on the starboard, just below and after the island.

[Dan K]

The bottom GPS image is of Junyo.

As far as I can tell, the Shokakus did not have a "hard" top for these directors. OTOH, Shoho/Zuiho did. In fact, you can clearly see the angle topped director in the Zuiho pictures at Cape Engano, which makes me think that the tops were not removable for some models.

[Atma]

The hard top is removeable to is not suprising that in some ships is missing.

[Atma]

By the way, Dan I assume you have the Fujimi's IJN Kirishima. The unshielded director is the part number "M-35".
On Shokaku is the number "T-25", 1942 version "V-6" with cover and "T-25" without cover. In IJN Zuikaku is the same number as 1942 IJN Shokaku plus the "X-17" without cover.

[Ledinot]

As far as I can tell, the Shokakus did not have a "hard" top for these directors.

As far as I can understand the only question now is the shape (form) of these Shokaku class MG director tubs: were they rounded (semicircled) or round (circled).

[Ledinot]

On Shokaku is the number "T-25", 1942 version "V-6" with cover and "T-25" without cover. In IJN Zuikaku is the same number as 1942 IJN Shokaku plus the "X-17" without cover.

Thanks, Atma. Yes, two X17 items look very similar to the single T25 item in my Fujimi Zuikaku kit. I wouldn't say they both look like MG directors. But the main issue is that these X17 are not mentioned on the instruction sheet anyway.

[Dan K]

Thx for the references, Atma. I'll check 'em out when I get home.

Ledinot, for the Shokakus, all the director emplacements are fully round, as in the photo of the damaged one from the Coral Sea above.

[Ledinot]

Ledinot, for the Shokakus, all the director emplacements are fully round, as in the photo of the damaged one from the Coral Sea above.

I can not see the MG director tubs on the above mentioned photo "fully round". I do not have 3D glasses. Maybe you have more convincing proofs. Once again, there is a number of sources testifying to semicircle shape of MG director tubs on several IJN carriers.

[Atma]

By the way in IJN Hiryu in 1/700 the directors are the parts "M-36" with cover and without cover the parts "M-56".