Calling all IJN Destroyer/DE fans

[Timmy C]

And here's Fujimi's 1/350 Shimakaze http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10342953

ETA November.

[Dan K]

Drat, you beat me to it. I did post in the new injection kits thread...........

[Dan K]

Pit-Road will release its as-built version of Shimakaze 1/700 in October: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10343282

No surprise here.

[Peter Rathgeb]

Hi all.

I am building (or plan to build) a couple of ships of convoy Tei No. 2 of 20.09.1943, in 1/350 scale.
Two of the ships I already own are the Heian Maru and the Akitsushima.

Now, I would love to also build one of the destroyers of the convoy, which were:
- Hibiki (Fubuki Type III - Akatsuki class)
- Makinami (Yugumo class)
- Yamagumo (Asashio class)

Knowing next to nothing about IJN destroyers, I would like to ask if any of these destroyers can be built (without too much conversion work, but maybe in combining existing kits) in 1/350 scale.

I know that very few of the IJN destroyers are covered in this scale, but maybe on of the knowledgeable guys here (Dan K., for example) knows more?

Thanks and cheers,
Peter

[Dan K]

Unfortunately, Peter, none of those choices is yet available. If you're up for some scratchbuilding, you could convert the FM Fubuki Type II kit to a Type III, and the Tamiya Yukikaze (though you should wait for the soon to be released early war Kagero just announced) to a Yugumo. Nothing lends itself readily to an Asashio, despite the seeming similarity between it and a Kagero type.

I know of one of the cottage resin mfgs. who is working on a Type III conversion but he's a bit bogged down as of late.

[Peter Rathgeb]

Thank you, Dan.

That's what I was afraid of. Well, I'm in no hurry (more than enough projects), so I think I can wait for the cottage conversion.

How will I/we be able to know when the man will release his conversion?

Thanks for your help and all the best,
Peter

[Dan K]

I'm sure he's want everyone to know it was available when it's finally ready. I'll give him a nudge over this.

That will be a great collection when done. What are you going to do about the other Marus?

[Peter Rathgeb]

I'm sure he's want everyone to know it was available when it's finally ready. I'll give him a nudge over this.

That will be a great collection when done. What are you going to do about the other Marus?

Well... I am really looking forward to this project. Even if Heian Maru probably did not have her disruptive camouflage applied at the time of the convoy.

The other Marus would be Kiyosumi Maru and Gokoku Maru. I cannot imagine that there will ever be kits of those, if you consider how many (not!) cargo / passenger vessels are available in 1/350 scale... or do you know of any?

Cheers,
Peter

[Dan K]

No others comes to mind. I suppose anything is possible for the future in 1/350.

Said manufacturer has read this thread and is planning to resume work on the Type III conversion set. No timeframe as of yet.

[MatthewB]

What is the deal with the white stripes on the stacks?

I have read a few places that they painted these out prior to the war, yet in the book Neptune's Inferno about the 1942 through early-43 Pacific War, there are survivors of the Solomons Battles who stated that the reason they recognized a ship as an enemy destroyer was due to the stripes on the stack.

These stripes were to identify the Sendai (Division) were they not?

If the IJN definitively did not have them in WWII, then I won't worry overly much about it (fortunately they are something located on an area of the model that is easy to re-paint if needed). But I would like to know if I do need to worry about it.

MB

[Dan K]

The stripes were used throughout the war, most of the time. See my response on the main thread to this question.

[Timmy C]

Max Factory/Hasegawa's 1/350 Shimakaze has been released: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10341418

I imagine Hasegawa will release the ship on its own, without the anime figure, under their own name at a later date.

[MatthewB]

Huh!

I thought the Kanmusu/KanColle Kantai Collection was in 1/700.

Color me wrong.

MB

[Timmy C]

As expected, Hasegawa's going to release their 1/350 Max Factory cooperative Shimakaze under their own brand, without the anime additions: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10357187

Because it follows the same kit philosophy as their new 1/450 kits (well-detailed, low parts count), it's only $33.

[Dan K]

That's a good deal. It would be most interesting to do a side by side comparison with the Fujimi kit.

[MatthewB]

We need more PE sets for the IJN DDs (especially the Fubukis, and Kager?s).

Both of these lack critical Early War PE sets.

And.... I wish that I had the room for 1/350 scale models.... Some of them (like the IJN Destroyers), just scream to me:

"DON'T YOU WANT ME!!!???"

MB

[MatthewB]

Oh, and is this image correct:



That the IJN DDs only had three strakes above the waterline?

I have not yet begun building my DDs, and I have decided that after the USS San Francisco, I want to start adding Straking to all of my ships.

So.... Looking back in this thread, and this 1/350 scale Shimakaze link showing the straking as lines on the drawings.... It looks as if the IJN DDs had only three strakes above the waterline.

One that made up the forecastle, and another two that made up the hull above the waterline to the main deck.

MB

[Dan K]

I see it as a simplification of her straking. As there is no photo clear enough, nor any readily accessible plan that I am aware with the hull plating pattern, we cannot be certain of her actual pattern. We do, however, have photos of other classes, which reveal more strakes. Shimakaze was really just an enlarged Yugumo to accommodate the extra torpedo mount and more powerful machinery. And, the Yugumos were just tweaked Kageros.

The launch photo of Isokaze below shows 5 strakes to the forecastle and 3 under the main deck. Given that Shimakaze was just a foot wider and deeper, I wouldn't expect any change to her pattern. My two cents.

Btw, the Fujimi version 3DCG illustration shows 4 strakes forward, which is a slight improvement. I think we need to see actual photos of each kit to be certain.

[MatthewB]

Yeah, I see that now.

The photo shows that there were/are seven rows of straking on that ship, which would probably be similar to others.

It looks like they just created the straking for what is called (in the model-aircraft field - Flying Model Aircraft): Stand-off Scale.

Meaning, if you are at a distance, it Looks Right, but were you to actually measure it, it would not be correct.

Now... The question of Straking becomes:

Scale or Stand-off Scale?

My cat seems to prefer "Scale" since he likes to play with the little threads of styrene created by scribing. I shall have to discuss this with him and his father.

MB

[Dan K]

The photo shows that there were/are seven rows of straking on that ship, which would probably be similar to others.

At the least. When I wrote 5, I meant above the waterline, as I was assuming you were referring to your posted image of the Hasegawa Shimakaze .

Scale or Stand-off Scale?

It's your model, so your choice. Personally, I think it is usually pointless to show them at all in 1/700. That's just me, though.