1/700 Taiho (??) 1944 - Fujimi

[Dan K]

Since the last update, I�ve been working to complete the stern area and boats. When all that�s complete, I will then be able to mate the flight deck to the hull.

I started by adding the main deck rails and a leadsman�s platform. Note that the Fujimi (and AH) PE rails do not extend all the way back to the bulkheads. The resulting gap on either side could act as the opening for the accommodation ladders at the stern when in those were in position, but I think that gives them a bit too much credit. I filled these in with extra railing.

Drainpipes for runoff from the flight deck rain gutters were added to the support columns, and I prepped the hull for some paint plating effects after hull red was applied to the waterline.

[Dan K]

The forecastle deck, stern deck, and stern AA deck were then painted grey. Hawser reels were added to the stern and the AA platform emplaced over them. Btw, Fujimi didn�t bother to provide any hawser reels. Admittedly, the documentation about those reels is unclear, but it�s reasonable to speculate based on earlier carriers.

Once everything was glued in place, the tape for the plating was removed.

[Dan K]

Ship�s boats were created using the AH PE, which (it has to be mentioned) is pretty much a knock-off of the Five Star PE, with portions of the instructions left out. Not helpful.

I would have preferred to use 12m motor launches and motor cutters from Pit-Road and the NE series, but those were in short supply. Given the PE, it was easier to strip down the more generic boats from the Waterline Consortium Large Vessel Ordinance sets and use them.

When I've finished painting them, they'll be glued in place.

[Chuck Bauer]

Beautiful boats, Dan!

[Dan K]

Thx, Chuck.

One correction: the Artist Hobby boat PE appears to duplicate the Flyhawk version, not Five Star. Also, the accommodation ladder davits and life ring racks at the stern are extras; they are not supplied in the kit.

[J.F.S.]

Outstanding work,Dan!

[gscott]

Impressive, Dan. Your attention to detail and quality of work continues to improve with each new project.

[garyrunnalls]

Thanks Dan for taking the time to do this WIP. It's like a free 'how to REALLY detail your IJN 1/700 Taiho" model book. Absolutely stunning and a great read, I can't thank you enough! If I was on the Board of Directors at Fujimi or Hasagawa, I might want to approach you as a paid consultant. Keep up the Great work you are doing more good than imaginable.

[Dan K]

Thx, guys. I appreciate the encouragement.

I just like to make the W-I-P interesting and useful.

Boat straps installed. Normally, I would use paper, but I purchased some Five Star versions on sale, so I though I would try them. Aside from having to cut them down in length, they worked out well. No need to strap the inner boats down as one will never be able to see them.

I also painted the underside of the aft flight deck. The deck is now ready to be mated to the hull.

[Vladi]

Looking awesome, Dan! Love the lattice work

[JIM BAUMANN]

its looking increasingly sharp!!

I am following...!

JIM B

[Quincy]

Looking good, Dan!





Bob Pink.

[Dan K]

Thanks!

BTW, for those keeping score at home on consistency, I did have the mandatory "drop the model" incident a few days ago. Fortunately, only two boats popped off. Stout construction, it seems.

Obviously, I am now using a heavier construction base.

[marijn van gils]

Good to have the 'drop the model incident' out of the way! Now you can remain relaxed throughout the rest of the project...


That boat deck is looking nicely busy!

I notice some grainy texture of your paint in the lattice-work photo. It is mostly visible on the masking-tape, where it doesn't matter luckily.
The texture reminds me a lot of what I would occasionally get when thinning Tamiya acrylics with isopropanol. What paint and thinners are you using? At what pressure and distance from the model?
I got rid of it by throwing away the isopropanol and thinning with Tamiya lacker thinner ('yellow cap') instead, and airbrushing with a high thinning ratio and very low pressure (0,9 bar).

Cheers,

Marijn

[Bill Livingston]

I would second Martijn's point...

I use an airbrush for all my painting and have noticed that very often people spray paint that isn't thinned enough, too far away from the surface being airbrushed and at too high a pressure.

The result of those three errors, or a combination of any of them, is that the paint is virtually dry by the time it hits the model resulting in the texture that both Martijn and I have noticed.

Closer, much lower PSI and thinner paint... the consistency of low-fat milk, is about right... I would suspect it's your spraying distance and pressure which are the major culprits.

Several very fine coats is the way to go... The surface should have no obvious signs it's been 'painted' at all... apart from the fact it is the right colour!

It's easy... it just requires a small adjustment in technique and a little practice.

[Dan K]

Yes, I agree, the paint coat is a little marbled. Again, I suppose I am fortunate here as so much of this location will be hard to view.

I almost always use Tamiya paints and thinner for my IJN builds, and I typically shoot at 20psi. Usually, there's no problem, as the plating strips can attest to.

In this particular case, as Bill pointed out, I probably shot from a little too far away, allowing the paint molecules to dry enroute. It was also a particular dry day, humidity-wise. The common wisdom is that humidity affects enamels more than acrylics, but very low humidity does allow the alcohol based thinner to evaporate just that much faster.

It's all apparent in hindsight, right?

[Bill Livingston]

I would try to reduce your pressure as well... 10 or 12 psi is plenty, I actually go lower and have very thin paint, spraying from three or four centimetres away at most... yes, that close!

I use a range of Iwata airbrushes with a decent compressor and frankly, changing to these made more difference to the quality of my work than pretty much anything.

[marijn van gils]

+1!

You obviously don't have a problem getting the paint where you want it to. But I have found that lower pressure and higher thinning makes it much easier. It necessitates more passes, but allows for much more control when getting the paint into those hard to reach spots at the back behind all the detail, without drenching the detail in the front.

[Dan K]

I appreciate both your pointers on pressure and distance. I typically shoot from 4 - 6 inches away and have rarely gone below 15psi except for some very delicate spot/repair work done at less than 10psi. I thin the Tamiya paint with about 25% thinner. In this case, I'll bet I painted from further away than 6 inches.

I will experiment with those proposed settings. Thx!

[Bill Livingston]

You will think nothing is happening at first... because as Martijn, says, you need more passes... but once you master airbrushing at these pressures and levels thinning, you will be amazed.

You will have to post back some examples of how you get on...