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

[Johan]

Hi there Ninjrk!

If you would ever consider my proposal please let me know! My build is not for the immediate future...

Thank you!

[ninjrk]

I'd be willing, but it's a prospective birthday present, so it might be a few months before I have the kit in hand.

[Johan]

No problem at all of course!

It's a future build for me too so I have the time. When you receive the kit and you're still willing we can check for the right parts. Let me know, I check the forum often.

Many thanks in advance!!!

[cliftonra]

On page 6 of this CaSF, Dan Kaplan posted a photo of a B5N landing on Shokaku. Just to the left in the photos is an area of decking which was located over the exhaust stacks and fresh air intakes (in plan view it is located just aft of the bridge). It is a different material than the wood deck. As I look at this I am wondering exactly what material this really is? The Miyukikai drawings seem to indicate that the material is non-skid steel treadplate, commonly used all over the ship/deck. The Fujimi 1/350 kits seems to indicate the same material. The 1/500 Shokaku from Fujimi also indicates the non skid metal. I don't have any of the 1/700 scale kits so I cannot comment on those.
However, when I look closley at the photo (it enlarges if you keep clicking) I don't seem to see any indication that the non skid surface exists. I considered that it might just be how the sun played off the deck, but there are definite shadows that come off the crash barrier covers and some other "near flush" elements close to the deck. Additionally, the color of this area is very different than the non skid decking which is directly adjacent at the left edge of the deck/photo.
I guess what I am asking is if there is photographic proof anywhere of exactly what this material is? Could it possibly be the same material which is at the bow of the deck? My next question is "what is the material on the deck at the bow?" Thank you

[Dan K]

The forecastle deck is surfaced with treaded steel, and the flight deck is rimmed with the same. The area you reference on the starboard side, inboard of the deck edge treading but over the funnel uptakes is also metal plating. It was always assumed to treaded but it's really not. Only the new 1/700 Fujimi kit gets this right.

[cliftonra]

Thank you Dan, that is exactly what I needed to know and the higher quality photo makes it obvious.
Thank you again.
cliftonra

[batka]

Hello Guys!

I am a little bit new on IJN Carriers, mostly BB's and CA's I have.
I have seen this kit: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10173110 and I like it very much.
Does anyone have any info about this kit? It is worth to buy it?

Thanks in advance,

Attila

[Dan K]

IMHO, these new Fujimi kits are the best available on this class, my nitpicking aside. The two-fer is cost effective. It probably makes sense to get the dedicated PE sets as well as they are comprehensive in scope. FineMolds also makes a special NanoDread accessory set dedicated to this class that would be worthwhile: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10177669

See:

New Fujimi Shokaku 1/700 review http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/sh ... eview.html

Fujimi PE set for Shokaku: http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/pe ... eview.html

New Fujimi Zuikaku 1/700 review http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/sh ... review.htm

Fujimi PE set for Zuikaku: http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/pe ... review.htm

Addendum to the Shokaku review: viewtopic.php?f=53&t=78499

[batka]

Thanks Dan!

I have read those reviews just I was not sure which "single" carrier can be in this box.

[Dan K]

Both CVs are packaged together as a two-fer, in this particular boxing.

[Haijun watcher]

OK, I'll post here, too.

This version has been announced in several publications. It�s really just a re-box of their 1941 Shokaku with different box art and decals. But, such great box art. So very evocative for me, almost certainly meant to be Hitokappu Bay prior to the Kido Butai�s departure.

Great. If I want to buy a 2nd-hand Tamiya Shokaku kit at a discounted price (20$ offered by one of the posters at the trading section) as oppose to buying a fully-priced Tamiya Zuikaku 1941 kit (49.99 dollars at my local model store), would it be easy to turn that Shokaku into a 1941 Zuikaku?

I am taking it the only major difference between the two sisters in 1941 were the hiragana deck markings that were unique to each ship?

[Dan K]

Been out of town. There are also some subtle differences in flight deck striping, but, yes, that's it.

[marijn van gils]

At the time of sinking, was Shokaku painted in camouflage like Zuikaku? Are there any photographs or drawings showing this?

Many thanks,

Marijn

[Dan K]

No she was not camouflaged at the time of her sinking. Camouflage was adopted after the Battle of the Marianas, in mid summer 1944.

[marijn van gils]

Pity...
I felt her sinking nose down would make for a compelling diorama, and I have always been attracted to the late-war camo schemes.

But many thanks for the info Dan!

Marijn

[Vlad]

Hi,

I've just skim-read this CASF looking for some information on the Zuikaku's camouflage scheme but couldn't find anything. Do we have a consensus on colours and pattern? Or, to phrase it another way, can I trust Fujimi's instructions in their new 1/700 kit?

The main nagging feeling I have is that the instructions call for light green and dark green on the hull, but the box art (and a couple of built models) has the hull in a medium grey with a green pattern. The other thing bugging me is the "Tan" bits on the deck. Were they painted "Tan" or are these just areas where the original wood deck is showing through? This to me is an odd one because that section of the pattern crosses over onto the parts of the deck that were steel yet there is no change in colour called for.

Apologies if these issues are conclusively settled and I just haven't looked hard enough, but thought I should ask anyway so we have the answer recorded in this thread

[Dan K]

I'm not sure there can ever be absolute certainty as to exactly how she looked, as the photographic record is in b & w. The officially proscribed camouflage was two tone greens for the hull. My feeling is that is probably how she was painted. The surviving CVs certainly carried those colors. Any greys carried by some models is probably the modeler's interpretation, or artistic license.

The flight deck is also a bit sketchy. I, too, would think the tan areas be unpainted wood but, as you mention, it doesn't account for any change of tone crossing onto metal treading.

More problematic for me is the retention of the squared, but off kilter, shapes on the flight deck. While there is no doubt these were part of the initial camouflage covering in the summer of 1944 (and can be seen in a training film taking aboard Zuikaku at that time), I personally see no evidence of these shapes in the famous overhead shot taken of her sinking in late October. I believe these were allowed to fade.

No time to scan a full size version of this photo but I grabbed it off the NHHC site. I just see basic camo shapes, no squared boxes on top of that. My two cents worth.........

[Vlad]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for your thoughts. It's a real shame that the stern third of the ship is covered in smoke in that picture, can't make out any patterns, but the front half is pretty conclusive. A bit of artistic interpretation might be required for the bare wood areas, I particularly like how Peter van Buren has handled this in his excellent build:

http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

Do you have some stills from the training film showing the "newly painted" pattern with the odd squares still on? I'd like to see some of these although I haven't decided if I want to mask them or go for the actual Leyte scheme without them. I will probably omit the squares to same myself the stress of masking them and use a combination of Peter's interpretation and artistic license for the stern area.

I found this in my file, I have no idea where I got it from, must have saved it a long time ago. It has a square on the front that shouldn't be there, but I like the additional dark green shape between the centre and aft elevators. This is a possible inspiration for the obscured stern area. What do you think?

[Dan K]

I'll get back to you with a color plate that I think is closest. In the meantime, here is a Youtube link to the summer training film. At the 2:08-:09 mark, you can see the remnants of the black lines on the flight deck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLBmh__VASY

[Dan K]

I haven't found a color plate that lays out my impression but, this illustration from the Model Art volume #537, Drawings of Imperial Japanese Naval Vessels, vol 3, renders best the camo demarcation lines and shapes as I see them.