Calling all IJN Fubuki-class (吹雪) fans

[Dan K]

Being pro-active. I'm pretty sure these photos were both taken while DesDiv 7 was escorting Nachi and Haguro out of Davao. Obviously, both ships are refueling from the cruiser. A very rare circumstance to view two sisters like this.

[Sieper]

Is there Any chance of, or Any way currently possible to build a 1/350 Fubuki type I with the type A turret? 3D printed turrets?

Also a type II with the plain type B turret (not B1 or B2) is high on my want list (just for the different look. Any way to build these?

[Dan K]

Well, AFAIK, there are no Type A or Type B turrets on the market in any form. These would have to be scratch-built.

It is kind of puzzling that FineMolds never expanded the fits any further. It wouldn't have taken that much more work, IMHO.

[Guest]

Thanks Dan, also in general for all the information you posted, invaluable! Such a shame. Hopefully someone will design a 3D print. We have now I think 4 different (at least) injected plastic B2 turrets and none of the others. Especially the type A is sorely missed, a beautifull turret, a world first back then and it saw much wartime use even.

[Dan K]

My pleasure.

If your scratch-building skills are decent, it might be possible to have those cast in resin after completing a prototype.

[Fivi_1241]

My poor Pit-Road Shirayuki has been badly damaged I was thinking that maybe I could salvage its lower hull and add it to Yamashita kit. Are the two hulls readily interchangeable, or would it take some major surgery?

[Dan K]

Unfortunately, I disposed of all my lower hulls, so i can't render an opinion.

[mikasa]

It appears that Yamashita is releasing another iteration of Ayanami. These are the translated notes from hobby search, but no new version of the kit instructions are up yet.

-We have newly developed a part that changed the torpedo transportation rail to a straight rail.
-We changed to the lower part of the bridge that has been implemented in Urami and made it closer to the actual ship.

[Mike W]

Can anyone tell me the differences between the NV3 and NV3U boxings of the Yamashita Ayanami?

thanks
Mike

[Dan K]

It would seem that YH is improving and correcting their kits as new or better research comes to light. Their first Ayanami kit's bridge actually more closely resembled that of the Amagiri/Asagiri/Sagiri/Yugiri subgroup, and they changed it to the proper version with the next release. The latest version has to do with more changes to the bridge structure as well as a small section of the shape of the torpedo trolley rail layout, though I am unaware from where this information came from.

So, on the one hand, improved accuracy is a good thing, but on the other, folks who have the prior kits in hand and care about accuracy may not be overly pleased. At least for the first Ayanami kit, one could just rename it one of the succeeding ships as above.

Ayanami, 1942 - Item # NV.3, incorrect upper bridge face (appropriate for Amagiri/Sagiri/Yugiri/Asagiri) released November, 2016

Ayanami, 1942 - Item # NV3R, REVISED & CORRECTED Ayanami with correct bridge face, released May, 2018

Ayanami, 1942 - Item # NV3U, REVISED & CORRECTED upper & lower bridge face & a section of torpedo trolley rails, pending release mid August 2020

Shikanami has also been revised with new trolley rails (and bridge,m I think).

(I have an original Ayanami kit in the stash. Undecided what to do with it.)

[Mike W]

Thanks Dan!

I had a little bit of store credit @ HLJ, so I got myself the NV3U Ayanami. What etch do you recommend for the Yamashita kits? I've noticed Tetra do some stuff but I haven't seen any etch for the Inazuma, that came with my Aoshima HMS Exeter.

thanks
Mike

[Dan K]

You're most welcome, Mike.

Tetra does make a set for the 1944Inazuma/1945 Hibiki: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10537107

There's also a Tetra set for an early war fit Hibiki, which would work for any of them: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10423500

Theoretically, one could use a Five Star set, but some adjustments would be likely.

[Dan K]

In addition to its just announced release of a late war 1/350 Ushio in July, Finemolds is also re-releasing its Ayanami 1941 and Amagiri 1943 kits at that time: https://www.finemolds.co.jp/WA/FW.html

[FRAMSailor]

The Yamashita 1/700 model of Ayanami shows the center tube of the triple torpedo mounts to be somewhat higher. I have never seen this before so I wondered if this is correct, a mistake or a one-off for just Ayanami?

[Dan K]

The raised, middle tube was a standard feature of the triple tube mounts used for the 61cm/24" torpedoes in the Mutsuki and Fubuki classes. It was eliminated with the improved triple mounts of the following Hatsuharu class ships. I don't know why this was necessary.

[FRAMSailor]

Thanks Dan, I learn something new every day on this forum. I guess there are a lot of 1/700 kits out there with the wrong tubes.

[Mike C]

Dan K: Thank you for the Ushio review. I had no idea the Shikinami was pre-war until I read that. Here are some additional observations on the kits.

The Shikinami uses the same box art as the Ayanami. They merely pasted new descriptions over the old ones. I assume this means the funnel bands shown on the art do not apply to the Shikinami, since none are indicated in the Shikinami instructions. The Ushio box art accuracy is suspect as well, since it shows a cowl vent next to the aft torpedo mount and one by the center depth charge rack.

Early runs of the kits included red plastic for the lower hull parts. Since the instructions indicate the little blocks on the rudder should be silver and they're on the hull behind the shaft supports, I think they are zinc blocks for marine growth control, rather than counterweights.

All of the kits, including the Ushio, have four of the main gun turrets AND torpedo mounts, even when fewer are needed. They may be useful for for Yugumo or Hatsuharu scratch builds and conversions. The anchor chain that is provided is a bit too heavy for my taste and copper colored. I have some 45 lpi black chain that is better suited. I found that on an online train outlet.

These are great little kits and Dan did an excellent job with differentiating between them.

Edit: The mast on my Sprue M is straight in my kits. Yours will probably spring back once detached (or even nudged on the tree).

[Dan K]

Thank you, Mike. I really appreciate the feedback.

The Shikinami uses the same box art as the Ayanami. They merely pasted new descriptions over the old ones.

Huh. I didn't realize that. Good eye.

I assume this means the funnel bands shown on the art do not apply to the Shikinami,

Not necessarily. In the IJN, all ships of a given destroyer division would wear the same funnel bands. Individual position within the divison was denoted by specific funnel markings once the hiragana writing on the hull was abandoned. Isonami, Uranami, Ayanami and Shikanami were all members of DesDiv 19, so it would be appropriate for them to wear the same banding. Ayanami was the first sunk.

The Ushio box art accuracy is suspect as well, since it shows a cowl vent next to the aft torpedo mount and one by the center depth charge rack.

Absolutely correct, and good eye x 2

I think they are zinc blocks for marine growth control, rather than counterweights.

Most likely so. Good eye x 3

have four of the main gun turrets AND torpedo mounts,

Keep in mind that there are two of each type turret, B1 and B2. These would be applicable to the Hatsuharu class, but no later classes, which gained the Type C, and D turret. The same is true of these particular torpedo mounts. These have a slightly raised center tube, and were carried only by the Mutsuki and Fubuki classes. Those on the Hatsuharus were different.

I agree about the anchor chains as well. Probably a little overscale.

They are great kits. Ushio must be selling well, as Hobbysearch Japan has just restocked them.

[KevinD]

The raised, middle tube was a standard feature of the triple tube mounts used for the 61cm/24" torpedoes in the Mutsuki and Fubuki classes. It was eliminated with the improved triple mounts of the following Hatsuharu class ships. I don't know why this was necessary.

Below are some photos of said mounts on a Fubuki (Amagiri wreck) in a somewhat worse for wear condition. In the photo of the upside down mount (#1 mount) the center tube can be clearly seen to be raised.

[Dan K]

Nice example, Kevin.