Calling all IJN Aoba (青葉) and Kinugasa (衣笠) fans

[DavidK]

Hello everyone,

would anybody have any good photo of Kinugasa dated after 1936 where funnel details can be seen, especially those on her port side? I repost the only such photo I�ve got from an earlier post in this thread. It shows the shape and count of her piping on funnels was different in 1942 from those seen on earlier photos and on the comparison sheet between Aoba and Kinugasa, also reposted below.

Any other reasonably clear photos of her after 1936 would be helpful, too. In return, here is a link to a good hi-res photo of her dated before her 1937 reconstruction at http://www.naviearmatori.net/eng/foto-189955-1.html.

Thank you!

This photo (of tripod mainmast looking aft at Fubuki?) appears on p 121 of Mechanisms of Japanese Heavy Cruisers, where it is identified as Aoba-1942 (just to muddy the water). Ditto for Gakken 44, p.85.

Dave K

[DavidK]

Thanks, Dan, that�s life.

I�ve got three leads that I am trying to follow right now, perhaps someone can help:

1) there is this shot of Furutaka with Kinugasa in the background - there�s higher resolution available at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fu ... a_1941.jpg but the scan is not good. There must be some better versions available like the second one on which Kinugasa is, unfortunately, cropped (hi-res at https://imgur.com/r/WarshipPorn/sIScl4D)

19411100 Furutaka with Kinugasa in the background_m.jpg

19411100 Furutaka stbd_m.jpg

2) there is another shot of Furutaka with Kinugasa in the background, perhaps taken few moments before the first one, that was published in Model Art Ship Special 50 but is far too small there to be able to see much:

19410000 Furutaka with Kinugasa in the background from Model Art Ship Special 50 p88_m.jpg

3) the same Model Art Ship Special 50 shows yet another photo on the same page, it�s Aoba according to the caption but this can�t be really told from the small picture and the sisters have been often mistaken, so perhaps there is a small hope, too:

19410000 Aoba or Kinugasa from Model Art Ship Special 50 p88_m.jpg

Any of these photos (or similar) in a better quality would be really helpful. The higher resolution the better of course (pls post a link or contact me via PM for larger images than this forum would take).
Thanks a lot!

I don't have the background to date this image (or even ensure it is Kinugasa), but it lacks the range finder dials, has enclosed HA guns and definitely has a seaplane catapult. So I'll let you decide http://www.naviearmatori.net/albums/use ... 155156.jpg
DaveK

[Dan K]

All the photos are from a SOTW volume called "Combined Fleet at its Zenith" which was originally shot in the fall of 1941 as part of a publicity record of the fleet. Sadly, none of these photos are particularly clear, as they were shot at a distance from Kako, if I recall correctly.

[Vladi]

Thanks for your responses, David and Dan!

This photo (of tripod mainmast looking aft at Fubuki?) appears on p 121 of Mechanisms of Japanese Heavy Cruisers, where it is identified as Aoba-1942 (just to muddy the water). Ditto for Gakken 44, p.85.

Dave K

This photo has been discussed earlier in this thread and identified by Mucho as Kinugasa because of her funnel piping arrangement. Although this arrangement is slightly different here than on the diagram, it�s still definitely closer to Kinugasa and different from Aoba at any time, so I consent to Mucho�s statement.

I don't have the background to date this image (or even ensure it is Kinugasa), but it lacks the range finder dials, has enclosed HA guns and definitely has a seaplane catapult. So I'll let you decide http://www.naviearmatori.net/eng/foto-189955-1.html
DaveK

Good point about the missing rangefinder dials! There is a VERY similar photo in Lacroix & Wells Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War on page 80 identified as Kinugasa in late 1936, but that one still has the dials in place. So the one I posted from naviearmatori.net should be dated later, but definitely before the modernization in October 1938 when the aircraft handling platform was added aft of mainmast, the aft main battery director relocated forward of mainmast, new torpedo armament installed and other changes made.

All the photos are from a SOTW volume called "Combined Fleet at its Zenith" which was originally shot in the fall of 1941 as part of a publicity record of the fleet. Sadly, none of these photos are particularly clear, as they were shot at a distance from Kako, if I recall correctly.

(This Dan�s comment relates to the last batch of photos I uploaded, not the one from naviearmatori.net) You remember it exactly, as always, Dan. There is at least one more photo taken from Kako at the same time (reprinted in Lacroix & Wells p. 258), but even less of Kinugasa can be seen on it. Its caption says these maneuvers of Sentai 6 happenned on October 18, 1941.

It seems I�ll have to use artistic licence once again on the funnel piping . Thanks!

[ijnfleetadmiral]

19410000 Aoba or Kinugasa from Model Art Ship Special 50 p88_m.jpg

The ship in the pic is definitely Aoba; if you look at the top of the mainmast, you can just make out the red 'meatball' of an Admiral's flag.

[Vladi]

Good point, thanks!

[G-Opt]

I presume you have this image? Sorry if it has been posted already....

[Vladi]

Thank you! Yes, I already have this one. This is an excellent shot, similar to another 2-3 overhead photos from about the same period. It can be dated approx. 1928-29 as she already has her first catapult in place, but definitely before her early 1930 refit when she received new shielded HA guns. It is really a pity I�ve got no such overhead photos of her (or Aoba�s) early war fit.

[Musashi]

Hi!

Is it correct, that Aoba had no bulwark?

[Dan K]

I'm not sure what you are indicating.

[Vladi]

Hi Musashi,

if you mean the "breakwater" (not sure about the terminology, too) that usually appears behind capstans on the bow, it really seems it was not there, just some slight "step" where the linoleum covered part starts. It appears neither on the Kinugasa as can be seen in the photo in this post in this thread nor on the Aoba as seen at 80-G-351758 by NHHC.

Vladi

[Musashi]

Thank you!

Yes, I meant the "breakwater".

[MrDryDock]

At the time Kako was sunk, were there any �on deck� difference between the Furutaka and Kako?

[Dan K]

Unlikely, but hard to know without real documentation or photos, which are virtually non-existent, AFAIK.

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Unlikely, but hard to know without real documentation or photos, which are virtually non-existent, AFAIK.

Dunno how much help these will be, but here are a couple pics of the two:

Furutaka at some point in 1941:


Kako in August 1942 (last known pic of her):

[Dan K]

IIRC, that last pic of Kako was taken at Rabaul or at the Shortlands.

[Mutsuo Sasaki]

I don�t remember when I have posted the second image. It comes from book of "Solomon Senki" mr Hasegawa Toichi aka doc Gunkan,also author of ship mechanisim of IJN carriers sent me this one. He passed away April, 2000.
In a new retrospect this cruiser must be Furutaka. Judging from the battle-line of fleet the cruiser in the foreground will be Aoba, i hope.
cheers,

[Dan K]

Thanks for the update, Mucho.

[Mutsuo Sasaki]

It was such a nice and sunny day,friday afternoon that I took an ample justice to repairing surface of the midter,cross section where the hull becomes seperated into two.

cheers,

[Dan K]

Wow, still beautiful, Mucho.