Calling All IJN Kongo-Class Fans

[mermaid]

Has anyone noticed the variations of Kongo's tip of the bow?

It looks sort of raised on the Fujumi 1/350 model as opposite to undoubtedly leveled horizontally on many photographs.



Was is modified and raised up in one of their rebuilds?

[mermaid]

Since Atma informed me that Kongo's bow was raised a bit during its last rebuilt.

However, Haruna's and Kirishima's bow doesn't seem to receive a similar modification?

[Dan K]

When was Kongo's bow raised? Clearly not thru mid 1942.

[Atma]

Kongo's bow was not raised, the safeguards create the illusion of raised bow in Fujimi's kit. In the real ships when the the hull was stretched the bow remained slight raised. They where build with slight raised bow.

[mermaid]

Ok! Safeguard it will be! The question is then that not all ships of the class appears had that safeguard built. It is obvious that Kongo and Hiei had it built eventually. But Haruna and Kirishima did not.
Fujimi molded Haruna bow also "with a safeguard" which is wrong.
I also can't agree the bow had a raised profile initially when built.
Below is the Kongo at the builders. I can't see any raised bow here. Even a slight slope on the tip which is of course because of the curvature of deck and the angle of the shot. But definetly not raised even slightly.

[mermaid]

It's interesting, what bow Aoshima made for its Kirishima?
I read that The Kirishima hull was taken from their Kongo, so perhaps, bow there is also Kongo's.

[Dan K]

I have compared the following illustration with photos and believe it to accurately depict the variability of the bow fairleads and chrysanthenum mount plating at the bow. Clockwise from upper left is Kirishima, Haruna, Kongo, and Hiei.

The bottom illustration depicts the lengthening of the stern after rebuilding.

[mermaid]

Very funny! Thanks Dan! It looks like Fujimi made all their Kongo class with Hiei bow.

Still there is a flaw it this Gakken drawing. It shows a raising deck, which was evidently horizontal, according to the photos.
It's a shame that even most respectable source plans can not be trusted completely.

[Atma]

The bow was slightly raised, don't trust 50+ years old black and white pictures.
According to those two books, IJN Kongo class was unable to fire dead ahead over the bow cause the bow was slightly raised and obstructed the number 1 turret.
"The Big Gun: Battleship Main Armament 1860-1945" by Peter Hodges
and
"Battleships of World War I" by Peter Hore

[mermaid]

Atma, I really didn't expect that flawed suggestion from you even with your known admiration for Fujimi. These books are just an example how authors copy each others writings. May be one of them read something about japanese cruisers which indeed had a raised bow and confused it with Kongo's? May be they wouldn't fire straight for another reason, like not to knock off the flagstok ? I do not know. In any way it is a speculation.
Photograph however is generally taken as an evidence and is as true now as it was 50 or 100 years ago.

[Dan K]

I'm not sure I am following - the raised bow plating around the bow fairleads does not constitute a raised deck. Are you referring to something else?

[Ken53]

Atma!

Have Fujimi plans to come out with IJN Kirishima (full hull - scale 1:700) on the market, and when?

One who dig Fujimi full-hull

Yes, probably at January.

Okay Atma - once again!

IJN Kirishima Fujimi Full-Hull 1:700 ... when will Fujimi begin selling this version?

Fujimi Full-hull 1:700 IJN Nagato FH-8 / 421 513 - what year depicts??

Best Regards

[Atma]

Okay Atma - once again!

IJN Kirishima Fujimi Full-Hull 1:700 ... when will Fujimi begin selling this version?

Fujimi Full-hull 1:700 IJN Nagato FH-8 / 421 513 - what year depicts??

Best Regards

No full hull version at the moment for IJN Kirishima, and the 1/700 -both the waterline and the full hull version- IJN Nagato is early war (1941-1942).

[drdoom1337]

does anybody know what the Gunze equivalent to Tamiya Sasebo Grey is? I am planning on picking up a 350th Haruna and representing her in late '44.

[Philip LaVoie]

I would like to build the Harua in her 1945 final configuration from the 1/350 1944 Fujimi kit.

1) What AA changes were there from the 1944 kit to the 1945 sinking?

2) Are there any good pictures/drawing of her paint scheme in 1945? I am trying to figure out that stripe pattern.

3) What aircraft did she carry in 1945?

4) Any other significant changes from 1944 � 1945?

5) Also, on the casemates issue, is there any tutorials about making the correction on the casemate error? I am still not fully clear on what needs to be modified.

- Thanks!

[Dan K]

I will try to consult the Ishibashi volume over the weekend. I can't recall if I posted this schematic before here.

[Philip LaVoie]

Thanks Dan, I also have the Kongo Warship Pictorial book which has a couple pics, and found a couple 1/700 Haruna builds in her 1945 layout. I think I will be taking some guesses during this build.

One more question, the Haruna was fitted with depth charges. I have not been able to see where those were located, were they on the stern or side? On all the builds I have seen, I have not been able to pick them out.

[Atma]

Stern.
You can see them vaguely here:

Well, with Dan's pcitures the only "difficult" thing you have to do is to replace the first row of searchlight with a pair off triple 25mm AA in AA cradles and small lifting on the aft bridge with extra AA cradles fort the extra AA 25mm triple guns.
Notice also that all the turrets(excpet number 1# have a small AA platform with a pair of 25mm triple AA guns), and is not the same as the IJN Kongo used, is the small type, as found on IJN Ise and in IJN Fuso class.

[Philip LaVoie]

Thanks Atma, so she had depth charge racks on her stern. Do you think there was only one or a pair of them?

Was the camo striping also on her #3 and #4 turrets? I have not been able to confirm that. The only clear pics I have seen are from the bow. And I wonder if all of her 5 inch guns had the stripe patter.
Appreciate all the info everyone!







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtayjFeUFQY

[Dan K]

If the practice of mounting DCs on the stern follow their practice for their CAs, then there would be a pair to each side of the stern.

While the Ishibashi book does have a table that denoted her various fits, I can't read the column headers (3) for 1945 so, it's hard to say what her AA count actually is for 1945