Calling all IJN Fuso (扶桑) and Yamashiro (山城) fans

[Dan K]

Regarding any linoleum on the bridge tower - the AOTS book is inconclusive, and the photos of a large scale Fuso and Yamashiro in a Gakken volume are too obscure to tell.

However, there is a Japanese model maker and hobby shop owner named Tam Tam who has created six museum quality 1/100 scale IJN warships, including Fuso. His work is probably as authoritative as it gets. This link will bring you to large file photos of his Akagi and Fuso, as the cropped versions below can't fully display the detail you seek: http://blog.livedoor.jp/nichirou/archives/54044349.html


Jim Lansdale has been researching seaplane codes over on the J-aircraft.com board. See: http://www.j-aircraft.org/smf/index.php?topic=16726.0

[mister me]

nice finds !

[mister me]

still another set of questions :

did 1944 fuso had :

- wooden emergency rudder ? if yes : stored at stern left or right ?

- single 25mm platforms at top of turrets : did they had some railings (not included in fujimis deluxe set so do those existed ?) ?

- blastbags : were the small structures/platforms with series of holes just under the main guns visible ? or fully hidden under blastbag (just visible if blastbags removed) ? not sure how to explain those pieces...

thank you !

[MatthewB]

On the model of the Fus?.....

Why does the stern of the Fus? say "???" (Fusau)? And on the wings of the airplanes "??" (Fusa)?

Is there something about the Fus? that I don't know (not that it would surprise me, since I don't know that much about it), given the strange spelling?

MB

[Dan K]

did 1944 fuso had :
- wooden emergency rudder ? if yes : stored at stern left or right ?

- single 25mm platforms at top of turrets : did they had some railings (not included in fujimis deluxe set so do those existed ?)

can't really answer these; not enough information

Why does the stern of the Fus? say "???" (Fusau)? And on the wings of the airplanes "??" (Fusa)?

Can't answer that one either

- blastbags : were the small structures/platforms with series of holes just under the main guns visible ? or fully hidden under blastbag (just visible if blastbags removed) ?

Those perforated platforms appear to be the anchoring base for the blast bags. I think this illustration from the AOTS book makes it clear.

[mister me]

ok thanks I will do my best

and concerning hiragana, I saw somewhere that it is relative to old fashioned/traditional historical way of writing some names of places, which changed a little with modernization of japan. So those words were written in a more vintage/traditional way, even using hiragana, instead of using a more modern fashion of writing/pronunciation.

[MatthewB]

- blastbags : were the small structures/platforms with series of holes just under the main guns visible ? or fully hidden under blastbag (just visible if blastbags removed) ?

Those perforated platforms appear to be the anchoring base for the blast bags. I think this illustration from the AOTS book makes it clear.

If you are talking about the platforms to the R/L of the barrels, near the front of where the Blast-bags attach....

Those are platforms that were used when mounting (and using) the 3" practice guns on the larger 12" to 14" barrels.




You can see the smaller 3" "Practice Gun" mounted in the bracket above the barrel, which is empty on the PE set.

I think that some PE manufacturers sell either resin or brass practice guns that can be mounted in the brackets, if needed.

MB

[mister me]

If you are talking about the platforms to the R/L of the barrels, near the front of where the Blast-bags attach....

Those are platforms that were used when mounting (and using) the 3" practice guns on the larger 12" to 14" barrels.




You can see the smaller 3" "Practice Gun" mounted in the bracket above the barrel, which is empty on the PE set.

I think that some PE manufacturers sell either resin or brass practice guns that can be mounted in the brackets, if needed.

MB

nope. It is the small vertical/horizontal platforms at juction of gun and turret
I indeed see them when there is no blast bag, and never visible when blastbags are fitted (as on your picture).
but what is strange is that PE and model engineers often create those pieces WITH blastbags fitted also...
like 1/350 fujimi's FUSO...
A bit confusing sometimes.

[ijnfleetadmiral]

November 2017 saw both Fuso and Yamashiro located in Surigao Strait. Both are upside down, but the plus side is that due to the extremely strong currents in the area both will more than likely remain undisturbed by salvage hunters.


Sonar image of Yamashiro. The tip of the bow is actually folded back over the rest of the wreck.


Sonar image of Fuso.


One of Fuso's main rangefinders.


One of Fuso's propellers.

[Atma]

still another set of questions :

did 1944 fuso had :


- single 25mm platforms at top of turrets : did they had some railings (not included in fujimis deluxe set so do those existed ?) ?


thank you !

Yes, Fujimi offer the railings separately, as a general set.

[Atma]

Hello !
Do you know if boat booms of Fuso were painted or left natural wood ? Especially in 1944 ?

IJN Mogami had them painted why not IJN Fuso. I painted mine on this assumption.

[Elmo44]

Hello All,

I'm pretty new to 1/700 ships. What version of Fuso is Aoshimas's No. 51 kit? Is the kit worth buildng or is it a waste of time?

Thanks

[maurice northcott]

Hi All
Hope somebody can help me by advising the best 1/700 IJN Fuso & Yamashiro in final fit please?

Kit number would be good if possible.

Many thanks in advance,
maurice

[Yves95128]

Hi everybody,
I'm new here, but I have been lurking in the dark for a while.
Quick question, I just got a Fuso 1/700 Fujimi, full hull FH31 (actually it's on it's way), could anyone tell me the year of the ship depicted (I suspect it's 1944 but not sure at all), as I want to order a wood deck, and there is so many and I don't know which one fits, (google doesn't help, they just try to sell whatever close to the search text). Thanks.

[Dan K]

No radar, so it seems like it's an early war version.

[Yves95128]

Thank you, Dan

[Elvis965]

Question regarding the single 25 mm platforms on top of the range finders for turrets 2, 3 & 4 for Fuso in '44.....

Should these have chain railing around them?

Fujimi did not include any in their premium PE upgrade, but they have the other chain railing for the top of the turrets.

I've looked through AOTS and there's no detail drawing of one of these turrets (unless I'm completely missing it).

The profile on pp 88-89 does not seem to show any chain around the platform, just the chain on top of the turret at the back.

Can anyone confirm? (Probably Dan or Atma....lol)

TIA

Bob

[Dan K]

Unfortunately, I can't answer this one. I've not a clue.

[Elvis965]

Unfortunately, I can't answer this one. I've not a clue.

Thanks Dan. It was bound to happen sometime!

From the models I've looked at, it seems like some people add them and some don't.

Seems weird that there wouldn't be anything there to keep someone from tumbling backwards off the turret.

I'm sure I have some 2 bar chain railing around somewhere. I think I will add it.

Bob

[Elbe1]

Hey everybody - as i�m building Fujimis Yamashiro in 1:350 right now, I have observed a major problem with the kits hull.
The whole hull seems wrong is case of positions, amount and state of the portholes. In addition to that, all that struts on the hull are totaly different in their position, compared to Gakken and Profile Morskie.

I know the problem of poor documentation for Yamashiro in her late years, but there are several pics from 1943 (should be taken in Truk/Chuuk Lagoon) where you�re able to see air-openings in the lower row of portholes. On the model, the complete lower row and parts of the upper row are shown closed!

Pic enclosed.

Question:
Is there any reason for or a fact that the struts where changed during her late years? (picture 2)
Is there any picture/source which is showing closed portholes except the kit from Fujimi?
Were portholes closed even temporarily... for example, opened again in the harbor?

thanks Daniel