The Ship Model Forum

There are two PE choices, a shallow one and a deep one. The three decals are one for each of those choices, and one for if you stick with the plastic version. I can't find any indication of how to make the choice between the two different depths of the PE.

I reviewed the online images of the instructions to no avail. I suspect there is conflicting information about the size of the markings, and both options were included.

Zuiho in Dec 1942 appears to have the wider version, but this is half a year later.

There is a structure on the right side of the hull below the funnel. There are stairs leading down to a platform, then something behind the platform - I don't know what that is. I'm not sure whether knowing would help me know how to fold it, but I thought I'd ask. The parts are MA39 and MA47. MA 39 is the platform and its railing, but there is a part extending behind that MA47 gets combined with somehow. Here is the instruction sheet courtesy Hobby Search Japan. The two photographs showing it are side-by-side middle right.

(Well, looks like I don't know how to link in the image, here is the url:)

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10546949/70/2

That's the boat boom and the access platform. There's one on each side. When stowed, it rested upon some posts projecting from the hull. When in use, it extended perpendicular to the hull at 90*.

Ah. Now it all makes sense! Thanks! I wish they'd included a turned brass version of the boom, but the PE part may give the right effect.

Earlier in the thread you posted a photo of Shoho showing the degaussing cable. Thanks for that. Is there just one per ship? Or is there a cable on each side? On the photo it looks like it is level on the sides of the ship all the way, but that it must wrap around the protrusion for the AA mountings. Any ideas if it just stays level going around those, or does it drop down below the protrusions? I don't know how these were held in place really....

Yes to one cable wrapped entirely around the ship. Technically, that's actually not true. It's a bunch of cables tucked together, often bundled within a metal box sheath. Attached to the hull using brackets, as per the illustration below.

Every ship or class differs in exactly how it was positioned on the hull. Generally, it was high on the hull, trying to follow the contours of the main deck. Depending on how tall a sponson or support was, the cable would either wrap under it, or warp over it. IN Shoho (and presumably Zuiho)'s case, it looks like they went over.