Calling all Japanese pre-war/wartime Merchant Marine fans

[Peter Rathgeb]

Thank you very much for your help, Dan and Ron. I will keep trying to track one or botb of these.
In the meantime, another question: One of my future projects will be Kiyokawa Maru in civilian (K.K.K.) markings.
I have seen that, according to e.g. Mr. Iwashige's website, the decks of the wartime Kami-etc...-kawa Maru class ships are all dark grey. Would this be the case for the prewar ships, as well?
Thanks for any hints.
Cheers,
Peter

[Ron Wolford]

Hello Peter
See Page 32, half way down, of this board, not all the links still work but the info is still good. The steel decks of Pre war Japanese Merchant ships were reddish-brown, to help hide rust stains.

Ron Wolford

[Dan K]

I tried plugging that T# into an ISBN locater previously, and came up with nothing. So, not sure if that's really an ISBN #.

These postcards should help, as should the postwar shot for rigging. Just ignore the radar mast.

[Peter Rathgeb]

Thanks again, Ron and Dan.

Especially the deck view of the first postcard is extremely helpful!

Cheers,
Peter

[Haijun watcher]

Hi all,

I'm guessing that Hasegawa's 1/700 Hasegawa Heian Maru, with the dazzle camo box art, is an October 1943-Feb.1944 fit?

It says the ff. on her TROM at Combinedfleet.com:

23 October to 7 November 1943:
Yokosuka Navy Yard. Refitted. The four 152-mm guns are removed and replaced by two 120-mm AA gun (10th Year Type), two Type 96 25-mm twin mounts and two Type 93 13.2-mm twin mounts In addition, a Type 2 sonar is installed. The crew complement is increased to 242 men. HEIAN MARU's dazzle camouflage pattern is possibly applied at this time.

I'm not familiar with the armaments mentioned above. Would it be that hard to backdate to a Feb. 1942 (during USS Enterprise's Kwajalein raids) Heian Maru using a spare parts IJN ordnance set?

The same TROM says she had the ff. installed during her late 1941 conversion:

15 October 1941:
Registered as a prospective submarine tender in the Yokosuka Naval District. Begins conversion at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries� shipyard at Kobe. Four 6-inch (152-mm) 41st Year Type single mount guns, one 3.5 m range finder, two Type 93 dual 13-mm machine guns and one 1100-mm diameter and one 900-mm diameter search lights are fitted. A degaussing cable (anti-magnetic mine device) is also fitted.

[Dan K]

Well, the 152mm guns are the same as those fitted to the secondary batteries of the Kongo and Fuso classes, as well as the main battery of the Aganos. Here, they were fitted onto a mount with an open backed shield as seen on the 5,500 tonners. (For a reference, just Google "Hasegawa 1/350 Heian Maru, and go to images. It will be pretty apparent.) IMHO, it was an pretty large weapon to mount on an auxiliary.

While there is no such specific mount in any 1/700 IJN accessory set, I wouldn't hesitate the similar 14cm gun and mount from either the Pit-Road NE-03 set, or the older E-5 set. IN this scale, they barrels would be indistinguishable. FineMolds makes excellent twin 13mm guns and searchlights.

[Wataru]

Maybe is this?
Drawn by Kihachiro Ueda.
http://homepage2.nifty.com/i-museum/194 ... /heian.htm

[MatthewB]

Why is there no list of available kits in the Auxiliary and Merchant Marine categories (IJN or not)?

MB

[Dan K]

Because someone has to have the time to put a list together. Plus, here, there's also an additional ton of cottage industry resin kits. Takes time to research. Volunteers are welcome.

[MatthewB]

Because someone has to have the time to put a list together. Plus, here, there's also an additional ton of cottage industry resin kits. Takes time to research. Volunteers are welcome.

Challenge accepted.

Where do I begin the list?

MB
P.S. I already have about 12 IJN/IJA Auxiliaries and about five USN Auxiliaries for WWII listed - I made a list for kits that i need to get for my own collection.

[Ron Wolford]

An easy place to start, at least for the IJN, would be to go to E-bay and type in 1/700 or 1/350 Maru. After that it get a little more challenging! Another good reference, for 1/700 IJN, is Model Art #871. Good Luck!

Ron Wolford

[Dan K]

Good suggestions. Matthew, PM sent.

[Jim Smith]

Matthew,
When compiling the list, is the plan to include 'straight' kits e.g Aoshima Hikawa Maru (merchant and hospital ship) or to include some merchant conversions e.g. Pit Road Rio de Janeiro/Buenos Aires Maru (converted to sub' tenders) or Aikoko/Hokoku Maru (converted to AMCs)?

For my part, I have a list of about 30 (mainly Japanese) auxillary ships that I've built or have in my stash - if interested PM me and I'll be happy to share the info.

Jim S

[MatthewB]

I got the list assembled, and emails to Martin.

If anyone else wants to add to the list, I would certainly be interested to see what they have (I stupidly put it in a Table in MS Word format, making it difficult to Copy-Paste into a message).

Perhaps Martin will have posted it before I can transcribe everything out of the table.

And... Any contributions are welcome.

As are offers to sell ships.

MB

[Haijun watcher]

Is there a Tamiya equivalent to the "Navy Grey" on the Skywave 1/700 Aikoku Maru's paint chart?

Or will Kure or Sasebo Grey suffice?

I'm assuming that it's Kure Grey because Aikoku Maru was registered in the Kure naval district, according to her TROM on Combinedfleet.com.

[Dan K]

I think Kure Grey is a safe enough bet, personally.

[Dan K]

The instructions call for Mr. Color C-32, which is Yokosuka Grey, but I still think Kure Grey is ok.

[Peter H]

Hi All

I have recently purchased the 1/350 Heian Maru along with both of the etch sets and the correct ArtWox Wooden deck, however I have noticed on both other Hasegawa kits (Passenger & Hospital) they use all four life boats on either side. Simple question is why are they not used on this Sub Tender model?

Thanks in advance.
Peter Hoskins
Sydney, AU

[Quincy]

Hi Everyone:

Do any of you know of any websites with 1/700 IJN Merchantmen drawings/plans? I have both of Motoyuki sans books, plus PSM ship drawings. I have searched the internet and have come up empty. Any help would be much appreciated.





Bob Pink

[Dan K]

however I have noticed on both other Hasegawa kits (Passenger & Hospital) they use all four life boats on either side. Simple question is why are they not used on this Sub Tender model?

I can't say for certain, only that this arrangement was widespread for merchant converted auxiliaries. Compare the prewar Kamikawa Maru class ships to the wartime versions, for example. I just think that without passengers, there was less need, and some equipment could be eliminated.


Can't help you, Quincy, with your request. Don't know of any.