IJN Yamato, 1/350, 1945 - COMPLETED

[Joe Simon]

Thanks for the compliments gentleman! I'll look into the Floating Chrysanthemum. I have a book describing the final frantic days aboard Yamato.

[sandman-therealone]

As we know, the broader operation of trying to counter the Allied landing on Okinawa (which began on April 1st, 1945) was actually called "Operation Floating Chrysanthemum". But those people were not stupid. They knew precisely it was an hopeless attempt. I quote from Japanese naval historian Masanori Ito's book "The End of the Imperial Japanese Navy", published in 1956: "If, by chance, the crews of the participating ships were able to make their way to shore on Okinawa, they could join in the land fighting there and find glory. But it was clear that such a hope was impossible and that Floating Chrysanthemum was a suicide operation."

[Joe Simon]

The chrysanthemum was added for the final mission. To be technically correct I would have to paint over it which I won't do. Eliminating the crane tower would also fix the issue but I would also have to leave off the aircraft. Those took 2 months. The deck color would also have to change. I got thrown off by Tamiya's box art and an image in Skulski which shows the crane tower and image. Yamato has many more controversial details that to solve them all would leave an open argument for the other way.

[sandman-therealone]

Then don't...as long as it's an educated decision, while acknowledging and respecting the historical truth, it's fine with me (not that my anonymous opinion matters in any way). In a sense, Yamato was doomed to wear that emblem long before April 1945.

[Joe Simon]

Thank you!

[Joe Simon]

Main mast and aft gun director installed. The mast is a combination of Tamiya's lower tripod and Pontos upper brass works and ladders. The aft AA platform was also installed.

IMG_7324 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7315 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7318 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7314 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7310 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7309 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7308 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7307 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

[Dan K]

Crisp, clean work, Joe. So nice.

[J. Soca]

Always a pleasure to see your work Joe!




Jose

[Joe Simon]

Thank you Dan and Jose!

[MartinJQuinn]

Vegas is three month's away.....will she (and you) be there?

[Joe Simon]

No. Omaha the following year. I should have all 5 in the collection, Yukikaze, Yahagi, Myoko, Kongo and this. Omaha is a 8 hour drive for me. Much easier to transport all these models.

[Joe Simon]

Here is some progress on rigging. Many lines added to the main mast. I used stretched sprue and 0.015 rod for the white rigging tensioners.

IMG_7329 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7331 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7333 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7334 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7335 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7336 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7337 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7338 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

[pascalemod]

BIg fan of this build. THe hull paint looks superb, lower hull detail highlights are beautifully done also.

May I ask about your deck choice - you picked the scrubbed deck to paint. You omitted black for 1945 on deck because you dont believe it was stained black, or you just prefer artistically the moment where decks were scrubbed (also in 1945)?

[Joe Simon]

Thank you for the kind words! I am depicting her in late Feb, early March to show Yamato in all her glory. I won't be displaying the battle flags but did mistakenly add the Floating Chrysanthemum. I didn't want to show her with anything removed like the aft tower or rigging. The same with the deck. Hope this helps.

[Joe Simon]

Latest update, crane, bow staff and jack staff installed. Main rigging loops made of 0.003 fly fishing line. Vertical drop lines between super structure and main mast installed. They are made of stretched sprue. White rigging adjustment devices on the vertical lines made from 0.015 styrene rod and super glue.

IMG_7372 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7371 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7369 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7368 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7367 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7366 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7365 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7364 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7363 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

IMG_7362 by Joseph Simon, on Flickr

[Dan K]

Lovely work on that rigging, Joe.

[Goodwood]

Really looking great!

So as a slight diversion, I'm faffing about with Tamiya's "old" Yamato that I recently got from my LHS; surprisingly, they've spruced up the old girl in a few minor, but noticeable ways, including ABS parts for the main mast, forward jackstaff, and the extreme aft triple 25mm platform, and stickers for the walkways aft. I've built this kit twice before, once when I was 18 in full RC, back when the kit came with all that stuff (it was a birthday present�I'm 41 now), and the second time about five or so years later.

This time around, I'm going with a black deck Operation Ten-Go look, since I'd never done it before, and am wondering what exactly I should leave off. Yes, there would be no boats or aircraft, and someone said something up-thread about the aft crane being gone, but was there anything else? If they unshipped the crane, would the catapults still be there?

Thanks in advance.

[Joe Simon]

Thank you Dan and Goodwood! The aft crane was still there. The tower was removed. You are correct about the rest. The catapults were still there.

[Goodwood]

Thank you Dan and Goodwood! The aft crane was still there. The tower was removed. You are correct about the rest. The catapults were still there.

So just snip the tower off the crane and install the catapults anyway? Thanks.

[GewoonWouter]

I'm building a Ten Go Yamato and indeed, the catapults should still be there ^^

Nice rigging Joe, love the attention to detail. That must have been nervewrecking I reckon.