Calling all IJN Soryu/Hiryu class Fans!

[Dan K]

No changes that I am aware of it.

[Haijun watcher]

Does anyone here know what types of aircraft were used in Hiryu's deployment off French Indochina in 1940?

I assume she had A5M Claudes aboard, but what other aircraft? Was it too early for her to have Vals and Kates aboard or did they still have earlier aircraft like the Susies and B4Y Jeans, etc. embarked?

Could one use an early aircraft set for her air group which was the same as Soryu's late 30s air group then?

[Haijun watcher]

BUMPED for the question above. Anyone?

[Dan K]

B5N2 Kates were in service by 1939. D3A Vals were undergoing carrier qualifications aboard Akagi and Kaga in 1940. So, those were probably not in time for Hiryu off Indochina.

[Mike W]

I've just finished my Fujimi Hosho and my Fujimi Ryujo is well underway. Next is Aoshima's Soryu 1941, however, I've mis-placed my WEM IJN Greys booklet. Can anyone confirm which Grey she would have been painted in, at the time of the Pearl Harbour attack? My guess is Yokosuka Grey but I want to be sure before breaking out the paints!

thanks
Mike

[Dan K]

Drydocked at Yokosuka, Sept 22 - Oct 8, 1941.

[Mike W]

My Soryu build is progressing, just put the deck decals on and I'm ready to paint the island's decks. The instructions say to paint it Wood Brown, so my question is do they mean Natural Wood or Linoleum?

thanks
Mike

[Geno the Viking]

Wood color which is more of a tan/grey.

I don't know of any IJN carriers that had the brown linoleum on the flight deck.

[Mike W]

It's not the flight deck. I've used the KA Models wooden flight deck sticker for that. I'm talking about the decks on the island, for which the instructions tell you to paint in Wood Brown. Hence why I'm wondering if they mean Natural Wood (similar to the flight deck) or Linoleum.

thanks
Mike

[Geno the Viking]

Oops I better read better.

From everything I remember those should be metal decks on the island so they should be the standard IJN grey for the period and shipyard.

Like to hear what others know.

[Mike W]

Can anyone else comment about the Island's deck colours on Soryu (1941)?

thanks
Mike

[D-Boy]

Can anyone else comment about the Island's deck colours on Soryu (1941)?

thanks
Mike

Bill Waldorf's beautiful build of the Soryu does not show any linoleum on the bridge. http://www.bismarck-class.dk/shipmodels ... art_7.html

He provides an email link at the bottom of each page of his build, so you might want to be in contact directly.

[Geno the Viking]

I can't think of any instance where the IJN linoleum was used on upper decks or small areas. Destroyers and cruisers used it on the main decks. Some of the battleships used it on aircraft handling decks. I can't offhand recall the linoleum used anywhere on any of the aircraft carriers unless new information has recently been found.

[Mike W]

I can't think of any instance where the IJN linoleum was used on upper decks or small areas. Destroyers and cruisers used it on the main decks. Some of the battleships used it on aircraft handling decks. I can't offhand recall the linoleum used anywhere on any of the aircraft carriers unless new information has recently been found.

Precisely what I was wondering, perhaps Aoshima know something we don't. Some IJN Battleships had Linoleum on some of their 'Bridge' decks, whether or not it was removed during wartime, I do not know.

thanks
Mike

[Dan K]

While there is no photographic evidence available for CVs, there is anecdotal evidence that linoleum was used on internal spaces. This could include bridge decks. External decks were probably steel, some with treading. Absolutely no wooden decks for the bridges.

[Mike W]

While there is no photographic evidence available for CVs, there is anecdotal evidence that linoleum was used on internal spaces. This could include bridge decks. External decks were probably steel, some with treading. Absolutely no wooden decks for the bridges.

So best leave the external Island decks in the hull colour then?

thanks
Mike

[Dan K]

Yep.

[Haijun watcher]

Many of you probably remember forum member Ryuji's excellent dual build of the Fujimi Soryu 1938 and Aoshima Soryu 1942 build at this other thread.

As one can see, there were notable differences between the 1938 and 1942 versions of Soryu. Especially when it comes to differences in the island superstructure.

I was wondering when was the refit(s) that would have seen the majority of these changes made?

Was it before the Nov. 1939 Deployment of Soryu /CarDiv2 in support of the landing operations on Hainan Island?

Nothing earlier than April 1941 is stated on either Soryu's or Hiryu's TROM on combinedfleet.com, and it was only searching through Akagi's TROM that I even found out about CarDiv2's support for the Hainan operation.

[Dan K]

The original occupation occurs in early 1939. CarDiv 2 doesn't show up until November. For some reason, I don't see it in their recent coverage om the war in China: http://www.combinedfleet.com/Rising.htm

[Haijun watcher]

Do you think one can use the Aoshima 1942 kit to build a 1940 Soryu? (when she carried Jeans, Claudes, etc.)

I sent Ryuji a PM about his dual 1938/1942 Fujimi/Aoshima Soryu builds but so far got no responses.