Calling all Shokaku (翔鶴) and Zuikaku (瑞鶴) fans

[Guest]

thanks a lot Dan , it more clear for me now !

Hi, Dom:

Fujimi released new 1/700 toolings of Shokaku & Zuikaku beginning in late 2010. I think most would consider them the "best" available tooling of this class, as would I, though they are not perfect. If you've had the chance to read throught this CASF thread, particularly the last page, you'll see my nit-picking.

[Johan]

Hello everybody!

I'm not at all familiar with IJN carriers and therefor my apologies for following general question:

The Fujimi 1/350 Shokaku/Zuikaku-kits look really wonderful and for what I understand the Shokaku-kit is early war ('41) and Zuikaku-kit is late war ('44'). Since apparently the sisters are much alike can the Shokaku-kit be built as an early war Zuikaku (already asked and answered I think) and the Zuikaku-kit as a late war Shokaku?

Is it true that the Shokaku-kit is being discontinued and will it be reissued later than? Is the Zuikaku-kit still being continued?

Did the Zuikaku carry the green camo till the end or was she repainted grey again afterwards?

What seems to be the cheapest price to get one of them? Prices seem quite high!

Thank you very much for replying!

[Dan K]

Since apparently the sisters are much alike can the Shokaku-kit be built as an early war Zuikaku (already asked and answered I think) and the Zuikaku-kit as a late war Shokaku?

The sisters are almost identical but, a mid to late war version of either has additional AA positions, radar (depending on the timeframe), and changes to the placement of one of the HA gun directors. If you haven't read thru this thread as of yet, it would be helpful if you did.

Is it true that the Shokaku-kit is being discontinued and will it be reissued later than? Is the Zuikaku-kit still being continued?

Typically, model manufacturers issue a production run of a kit, then wait awhile while demand rises, then run it again. Fujimi will probably run them again; it's just a question of when.

Did the Zuikaku carry the green camo till the end or was she repainted grey again afterwards?

Zuikaku did not gain green camo until the summer of 1944, before her final action. Grey until then.

What seems to be the cheapest price to get one of them? Prices seem quite high!

You'll need to surf the 'net for pricing. Sometimes, one of the boardmembers here looks to sell or trade one on the Wanted/Trade board.

[Johan]

Thank you very much Dan, most helpful and I will certainly read the thread!

[Johan]

Dan,

A little follow-up question? Was the Zuikaku ever in the color grey in the configuration depicted in the 1/350 Fujimi-kit? With other words, was the final configuration realised at the same time as the green color or did she see action in this configuration with the grey color? (don't really like the green and still reading)

Thank you!!!

[Dan K]

Technically, no, since the kit represents her final appearance at Leyte Gulf.

However, if you want to depict her in grey with a wooden flight deck, then delete the AA rockets and all the single 25mm AA mounts on her deck and you'll have her configuration at the Battle of the Phillipine Sea in June, 1944. You also have to add a Type 94 HA director to the portside boat deck, aft the orignal one. (If there isn;t an extra on the kit sprues as a remainder from the Shokaku kit, you can always get one from a Hasegawa equipment set.)

I was going to add something about changing the top of the main mast yardarms back to straight across, but it appears that Fujimi forgot to angle them back. A very small detail but, the kit is in error here.

[D-Boy]

I was going to add something about changing the top of the main mast yardarms back to straight across, but it appears that Fujimi forgot to angle them back. A very small detail but, the kit is in error here.

What can you say. Dan K is freaking awesome.

[Dan K]

Yes, the Master of Minutiae. THx.

[mopy]

Can anyone tell me are those two new toolings?
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10173110
And what period are they?
Fujimi makes 1/700 Shokaku as versions in 1941. and 1942., and Zuikaku in 1941. and 1944.

Thanks
Andrej

[Dan K]

These are the new Fujimi toolings, as 1941 versions of both. To help correctly depict either ship in its Dec 1941 -May 1942 fit, see my very first post on this thread: viewtopic.php?f=53&t=78499

[mopy]

Thanks Dan.

[Atma]

IJN Zuikaku will be out in December with a complete PE set in 1/350 by Fujimi:
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10205885

[Dan K]

Are there going to be any changes/additions to the tooling? Like the 2nd Type 94 HA director for the port side?

[Atma]

The model will be this one:
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10114881
It will be a limited release with a complete set of PE sets.

[Dan K]

No revision to the kit, then.

[drdoom1337]

I just ordered (preordered ) the 1/350 Zuikaku DX edition from HLJ. Is there anything I should know about the kit ahead of time? I can't find any reviews of the Zuikaku in 350th on the web (at least in English ).

[Dan K]

I'm sure I posted it earlier in this thread but, the 1/350 Zuikaku kit is the Shokaku kit with new markings, radars, extra AA and rockets. What it is missing is the relocated Type 94 director. I would suggest reading the first post of this link to get an idea of what I am referring to: viewtopic.php?f=53&t=78499

In other words, you must now attach the relocated director to the aft end of the portside boat deck.

[potchip]

I'm building the 1941 Fujimi Shokaku and to be somewhat different is changing it to the late 1942 configuration. I'm reading literally the description of how the radar arrangements differ to late Zuikaku - ie an early type 21 radar placed right on top of the island's director.

Is there anything else that need to be done - eg removal of the range finder sights?

I don't think the fujimi's reboxing of '44 Zuikaku as the '42 Shokaku is correct in that for Zuikaku, the director was removed, whereas for Shokaku it was not?

[canuckster]

Couple questions I need answers for please...

I've preordered the 1/350 Zuikaku DX from hlj and the Shokaku wood deck, what I didn't realize is that there was also a 350 Zuikaku wood deck, I'm assuming these aren't any different since it looks to me from pictures of the mold that the decks are exactly the same, would I be correct in this assumption?

I would prefer to backdate to Zuikaku 1941 and my understanding is this isn't very difficult at all considering the ships were virtually identical as well as these kits. My problem is is what planes to use later.

I would like to pose Zuikaku's first strike on PH, but I'm having a hard time deciding on what aftermarket to go for, are there major differences between the Fujimi and Hasegawa airplanes? Do they look similar enough when assembled to pose together? I like the Fujimi planes for the fact that they are one piece wing/fuselage, but the 350 Zero is discontinued and I can't find it anywhere. As well as I wouldn't have to buy nearly as many kits to get the strike plan I want.

Lets talk decals, one advantage of the Hasegawa planes is they have the aircraft numbers for Zuikaku, but not the double white stripes, are there any aftermarket decals out there? Would it be prudent to possibly wait on new 350 airplane kits since the existing ones aren't as "universal" as they should be and perhaps manufacturers are aware of this? Anyone have any insider info here?

[Dan K]

potchip - No, the sisters are identical with regard to their radar set-up atop the island. There is a misconception about the housing upon which the Type 21 radars were mounted. Before photographic evidence revealed that, in fact, both ships had their island topped Type 94 HA directors relocated to the port side, it was conjectured that one of them (I forget which) had its radar mounted on the director housing.

What made it seem so plausible was that those radars were mounted on housings that looked similar to the Type 94, but were a little smaller. One only has to look at photos below of Hiyo/Junyo or the Unryus to see the similarity (and I can tell you that none of those ships ever had a Type 94 HA housing atop the bridge). Particularly the Unryu bridge, which has a Type 94 director mounted to the side.

So, the Fujimi reboxing is correct.

canuckster - yes, both wooden flight decks acessories are identical. I cannot find the reference but, IIRC, one of my Japanese contacts reported that the Hasegawa aircraft versions were a little better. You probably can't go wrong with either choice.

I was thinking yes, there is a source of 1/350 IJN decals but I can't seem to find it. Maybe someone else can chime in.