Calling all IJN Soryu/Hiryu class Fans!

[Timmy C]

Cool - coming in March from Aoshima - the Soryu kit with a hangar deck : http://www.hlj.com/product/AOS00570

And competing right against it, a 1941 one from Fujimi, also due for March: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10214640

[Atma]

Fujimi's 1/700 IJN Soryu is out :
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10214640
Enjoy !

[Atma]

Fujimi is realising the IJN Hiryu in 1/700 with a wave base, pre-order now:
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10222645

[youngb]

Hi

Has anyone made Fujimi's 350th Hiryu? Comments?

regards
Bruce

[Dan K]

I don't know that we've seen one posted as of yet. Mine's in the box.

[LordAnkarin]

Hello All, hoping someone could help me with a question.

I just picked up a Aoshima 1/700 Soryu on a clerance sale. The kit says its the Indian Ocean Raid version. I was wanting to build a Pearl Harbor version. Was there any major changes to Soryu in that time? I'm hoping I can retro fit it back to Dec 7.

I'd research this myself, but I unfortunately don't have internet except on my phone.

[Dan K]

Soryu received no physical changes between PH and Midway, save for the additional flight deck marking of a red hinomaru surrounded by white, for ID purposes at Midway.

The Soryu illustration is by Jon Parshall; the photo was discovered by Bill Somerville in some USAAF archives prior to the publishing of Shattered Sword. The photo was taken from high altitude, possibly by one of the B-17s.

[RNfanDan]

The photo was taken from high altitude, possibly by one of the B-17s.

Dan, this is a terrific photograph, if only in its provenance and discovery!

I appreciate that you posted it, sir.

Dan

[Dan K]

You bet. Incidentally, the comparison photo was compiled by Ed Low, IIRC.

[ijnfleetadmiral]

That is an amazing photo, Dan...thanks for posting. Even after his way-too-soon passing, Bill's legacy for amazing photos lives on!

[Dan K]

Yep, Bill was a very generous man. Very sad to see him pass so unexpectedly.

[Haijun watcher]

Would someone who has built either the Aoshima or Fujimi kits of this class, please elaborate on what Mr. Atma is talking about in this post in another thread below?

Just wondering what are the shortcomings of the Aoshima Hiryu and Soryu kits that would make their Fujimi versions superior.

Aoshima is dead on 1/700 compared to anything Fujimi(or Pit-Road) had released for the last 6 years. Minus IJN Soryu(Still the Fujimi version IMO is far better)...

[Dan K]

Well, Atma's contention is that Fujimi's kit are far superior. This goes in part to the scale accuracy vs. details philosophy that I've touched on before. Over the last decade or so, Aoshima focused on providing scale accuracy, which meant small details were not always included. Fujimi has tried to provide both scale accuracy and details by taking better advantage of slide molding and, possibly, better references. Keep in mind that Atma may also be a touch biased in his opinion, because he is a distributor for Fujimi, Tamiya and Finemolds.

It's debatable as to how well Fujimi has succeeded. Many people like the details, even if they are technically overscale. Fujimi's approach also appeals to digital photography, which allows for better capture and viewing of details. Aoshima seems to bending Fujimi's way as of late, though with questionable success.

OTOH, I believe Aoshima has done a superior job of providing correctly scaled wooden flight decks (planking), whereas Fujimi is consistently, and grossly, overscaled, IMHO.

[Henk]

But which kit should be the most desirable (most detailled) to built: Aoshima Soryu Indian Ocean Raid with the hangar bay or Soryu Fujimi 1938?

What will be the difference between both when put side to side when build?

I just can't choose!

Greetings,

Henk

[Dan K]

You must have missed this: viewtopic.php?f=60&t=153209

Check out the build thread link as well, at the start of the thread.

[marijn van gils]

Soryu is probably my all-time favourite carrier, so one day I must build her.

Are there any solid references available on her, like good books? Next to the handfull of photo's online, I have only found more general books with just a couple of pages and a couple of photo's on her next. Is there anything more comprehensive available?

Many thanks,

Marijn

[Dan K]

I'm unaware of a dedicated volume or reference.

[peppe]

it is a russian book on the clas but is in russian, lot of drawings and foto.
annex the cover
ciao peppe

[marijn van gils]

Thanks for the response guys!

Peppe, that looks very interesting! Do you know what the title and/or author would be in english alphabet (not translated, but just not in cyrilic), so I can search for an online shop that sells it? Or do you happen to know where it can be bought?

Many thanks,

Marijn

[LordAnkarin]

Soryu received no physical changes between PH and Midway, save for the additional flight deck marking of a red hinomaru surrounded by white, for ID purposes at Midway.

I am assuming the same thing with Hiryu? Since they were virtually always together from Pearl to Midway