Calling all IJN Myoko-class (妙高) fans

[TZoli]

Does anybody have drawing(s) of IJN Haguro in her 1936-38 state?

[cliftonra]

I cannot recommend enough the fairly recent "All About" series by Model Art. The Myoko book is about 172 pages and includes all of the upgrades throughout the 4 ships of the series. It uses 1/700 scale models, photos, sketches and more formal drawings (including fold outs to show each of the upgrades throughout the war. I've seen in is the US on Ebay (about $35US) and I purchased my copy from Hobby Search in Japan. There are actually 4 books in the series so far, but the best (IMHO) are the Myoko Class and the Takao Class. If you have an interest in these classes, I would certainly recommend them and hope that they expand the series even further.
Good luck!
cliftonra

[KevinD]

I cannot recommend enough the fairly recent "All About" series by Model Art. The Myoko book is about 172 pages and includes all of the upgrades throughout the 4 ships of the series. It uses 1/700 scale models, photos, sketches and more formal drawings (including fold outs to show each of the upgrades throughout the war. I've seen in is the US on Ebay (about $35US) and I purchased my copy from Hobby Search in Japan. There are actually 4 books in the series so far, but the best (IMHO) are the Myoko Class and the Takao Class. If you have an interest in these classes, I would certainly recommend them and hope that they expand the series even further.
Good luck! cliftonra

Thanks for that info. Just a question (well two) to clarify something from your above please.

1) You say ".........the fairly recent "All About" series..........".
How recent do you mean? I have books on both ships / Classes that I 'seem' to recall where by Model Art, but I bought them more that ten years ago (and which unfortunately are now half a world away in storage ). Hence my question.

2) And "There are actually four books in the series, but the best (IMHO) are the Myoko and the Takao Class"
I assume you mean that Myoko and Takao are just two of a (so far) four book series. Who are the other two books about?

Any chance you could post a photo of the cover of the Myoko magazine you refer to (please)?

[cliftonra]

Kevin, please accept my apologies. I am old, my life sucks, so these new fangled computers stimey me. So, photos would be difficult.

If you can get onto Ebay in the US (probably other Ebay sites as well) just search for "Model Art extra all about" and it should come up. On Ebay (USA) all four books are listed by a single book dealer (I think in Japan) whom I have purchased from and can recommend. The other two books are on "Imperial Japanese Fighter/Bomber/Attacker" and the last book is on "Imperial Japanese Navy Sea Planes" which does focus on the various seaplane carriers but the primary focus is on the aircraft themselves.

The Myoko book was only released a few months ago the others over just the past few years. These are not like the normal Model Art Navy magazines. Those are great, but they rarely provide the depth of knowledge that is found in these books. Hobby Search (where I purchased mine) shows them all on Backorder.

Now, Model Art ALSO did a similar "All About" series (which are also listed on the Ebay page under the same search) that relate to the more generic "Cruiser, Battleship, etc. This series is also excellent but focuses more on the modeling aspect of each title, reviewing kits and accessories. There are some photos as I recall but the book is more directed towards the 1/700 builders. I was able to get each of these though the Light Cruiser book was difficult and expensive.

I hope this helps.
cliftonra

[KevinD]

I hope this helps. cliftonra

It certainly does sir! I assume you mean the one below, which I have not seen before. And hence ordered.

Kevin, please accept my apologies. I am old, my life sucks, so these new fangled computers stimey me. So, photos would be difficult.

Well I am no spring chicken myself, so we are both in that boat! At least we are on here though.

[Dan K]

I don't have it, but it seems like a very good reference book.

I am fortunate in having the Ishibashi Cruiser volumes, which are probably as authoritative as it gets. So:

[TZoli]

I'm asking because in the mid 1930s likely from around 1931/32 it was intended to upgun the Haguro and all the Takao class heavy cruisers with the then under development but soon (1933) cancelled new /55 calibre 20,3cm gun. The gun development was apparently cancelled due to budgetary reasons, but I would like to draw the Haguro with this armament and I know the Myokos were soon to be modernized at that time to their almost final state. But finding drawings of the individual ships differences is more then difficult, this is why I asked for help.

[KevinD]

Gotta have a chuckle re the wording (below) of the add for this other magazine from seller of the Myoko mag.

I imagine by the end of the war the IJN had a lot of anxiety ships though!

Model Art Ship Special Edition
"Model Art Extra "All About Imperial Japanes Navy Anxiety Warships"
This issue carry a lot of photos and drawings of Imperial Japanese Navy Anxiety Warships in 1918-1945.

[KevinD]

Very interesting large web page on Myoko (Nachi) Class cruisers;
https://naval-encyclopedia.com/ww2/japa ... s-1927.php

And thanks for the tip on the Myoko Class magazine @cliftonra, I should have it in my sweaty little hands on Wednesday..

[KevinD]

I don't have it, but it seems like a very good reference book.

Just received my copy and have to say if you are a modeler then it is an EXCELLENT magazine / resource. If your not a modeler, well.....,,,,,,then.............it is still and excellent resource with many photos, a few new to me, and a multitude of plans and schematics of various areas (and of course lots of photos of various models). Five stars!!!!

And a five star seller / shipper in Japan also! So d?mo arigat? to him.

And thanks again for the tip @cliftonra!

I am fortunate in having the Ishibashi Cruiser volumes, which are probably as authoritative as it gets.

Dan, if I may ask, when you say 'cruiser volumes,' how many volumes are there and what Classes do they cover?

[Dan K]

Hi, Kevin -

There are two volumes within one sleeve (sold together) and they basically cover everything considered a cruiser since the formation of the IJN. The first volume is predominantly prior to WW1; mostly sail and steam. The second vol. covers more modern classes.

This is a follow-up to Ishibashi's first book on BBs. All were very expensive, limited print runs. Only 500 to 1000 copies, I think.

Some seem to be still available from Japan, but the price has skyrocketed. See:

https://www.amazon.co.jp/s?k=%E5%B7%A1% ... nb_sb_noss

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143540278882?e ... SwGrBeU6KS

[KevinD]

Thanks for the links Dan. Wow, not cheap! Outside my budget I'm afraid. Again, if I may ask, you say the price has skyrocketed; how much were they when first released?

[Dan K]

The Amazon JP price is actually closer to what I remember paying, around $350.

Very expensive, I agree. But these are from a venerated, master IJN researcher. And a very limited run. So, one pays the price.

[KevinD]

The Amazon JP price is actually closer to what I remember paying, around $350.
Very expensive, I agree. But these are from a venerated, master IJN researcher. And a very limited run. So, one pays the price.

Thanks Dan. I certainly dont doubt their quality, and if I had been aware upon release I would have probably bought one myself, although I really have no interest in pre WWI ships, so I may have been aware - and now have forgotten - as the cover art 'rings a bell'; so the much earlier ship inclusion is what may have stoped me buying at the time of first release. (I seem to recall paying almost that many years ago for Fukui's original two(?) volume set of primarily photos, again IIRC. )

Anyway, like a few other books now out of print which have gone considerably, you / others can not only enjoy the book, but know they made a sound 'investment' as it were.

[KevinD]

Gents,

For you modellers who insist on getting it historically correct, I noticed one little 'mistake' in the recent Myoko Class Model Art book - Dan K may remember this being discussed some years ago over on ComFleet navy forum - but there is an extra bollard on Haguro bow than what the mag shows. I have added now marked with red arrow. (But don't let this very minor error distract anyone from buying the magazine, it is a beauty!)

Also. just for confirmation, a video screen-grab of bow on Haguro wreck, and the inserts there from the earlier Myoko Class Model Art mag, where they also left it out. Just bottom right out of pic is the chrysanthemum.

[RichardAigner]

Hi all,
did Myoko embark any planes for Sho-1-Go in October 1944, and if she did, what was her complement?
TIA, Richard

[Dan K]

I don't actually know, but it doesn't seem unreasonable to expect her normal complement of aircraft at that particular time.