1/700 IJN escort carrier UNYO

[Dan K]

And while there is no good overhead photo of Chuyo, there is some documentation on her fit, which includes the directors as seen in this illustration.

Maybe you want to go with Chuyo?

[Dan K]

This schematic produced by Shizuo Fukui seems to indicate two MG directors located as indicated. More than that does not seem obvious, to me, anyway.

[Jarekk]

Dan K, once again I am very grateful for your help.
Now I am spending more time looking for information than building model.

The case of weapons is closed.
However, there are other issues to be clarified:
1) directors
- 2 next to a wheelhouse - sure,
- 2, at a stern and a bow - not sure, could you confirm it?
2) radars
Japanese Wikipedia says that during the last period there were three radars: "No. 21", "No. 22" and "No. 13". Could you confirm it?
3) boats
Information from Japanese Wikipedia: during the last period there were one 12m motorboat, one 12m launch boat and two daihatsu landing crafts. Could you confirm it?
4) flight deck
English Wikipedia says "Although no arresting gear was fitted". Is it possible?

In the workshop:


Best Regards

Jarek

[Angeliccypher]

Cool subject and nice work so far.

[Dan K]

1) directors - 2 next to a wheelhouse - sure, - 2, at a stern and a bow - not sure, could you confirm it?

Unfortunately, there is not enough evidence to absolutely confirm or deny. Personally, I do not believe there was a director at the stern (the flight deck overhang is too great to make a director effective in that location). I doubt there was one forward, but I can't prove it one way or another.

2) radars - Japanese Wikipedia says that during the last period there were three radars: "No. 21", "No. 22" and "No. 13". Could you confirm it?

Well, again, no photos, but other documentation points to the No. 21 and the No. 13 to be installed. There was really no good installation point for a Type 22, which is nominally a surface search radar. See the illustration below.

3) boats - Information from Japanese Wikipedia: during the last period there were one 12m motorboat, one 12m launch boat and two daihatsu landing crafts. Could you confirm it?

The Gran Prix Shuppan volume on IJN CVs has a table indicating that the Taiyo class carried one 12m motorboat, one 12m launch boat, two 9m cutters and two 13m daihatsu. The Fukui schematic above indicates that she was still carrying both 9m cutters as of August, 1944. It also indicates that her boat deck is crammed with additional 25mm singles, so it is possible that one daihatsu was deleted to make room for the additional mounts, depending on how the boats were stored/stacked.

4) flight deck - English Wikipedia says "Although no arresting gear was fitted". Is it possible?

I think so. Other Japanese sources, like the Kaijinsha History of Japanese CVs, and the Gakken Perfect volume on IJN CVs (below), both cite/show 8 arrestor cables. Also, all the sisters show the extended steel latticework arrays at the aft end of the flight deck that were used to position lights used by pilots to align their flight paths on the horizontal axis (port - starboard). Why install those if there's no intention to use the ships for landing?

Further, all the TROMS indicate duty as both merchant convoy escorts as well as attending large fleet units and groups in convoy. There would be no point in having relatively slow ships escort larger,faster fleet units unless to provide ASW, reconnaissance, and possible CAP support.

My thinking is that Taiyo was completed without arrestor cables, either because of the urgent need for a relatively fast aircraft ferry, or perhaps because the cables were in short supply. I then think that she, and her sisters, gained that capability later on during a refit. Can't prove it, though. HTH.

[Jarekk]

The photograph, which I found on the Internet. Ki-61 on the flight deck of Taiyo.
Carrier barricade?

[Dan K]

YES! Great eye again. No need for a barricade if you are not landing aircraft.

That's a Kawasaki Hien on deck. Obviously on a ferry mission. Here's the other pic. Notice the top of the forward, starboard side radio mast rising behind the propeller:

[Quincy]

Great progress, and great pics! Didn't Unyo or one of her sisters transport Irving's and Ki-48 Lilies? Those would look pretty neat up on deck.





Bob Pink.

[Dan K]

I'm sure they did. No pics, though.

[Jarekk]

Including Irvings and Lilies on the model goes with gray camouflage and I would prefer to paint Unyo in green one.

[Jarekk]

Progress in the workshop:



Dan K, information about the boats I found here:

[Dan K]

Understood. Keep in mind that Shizuo Fukui was charged with charting the actual AA layout of each remaining IJN ship in the summer of 1944. He personally inspected each one. His diagram indicates both 9m both in place a mere 6-8 weeks prior to her sinking. My money's on him.

[MartinJQuinn]

Impressive work.

[bilou06]

Nice built !

[Jarekk]

Progress in the workshop:



The results of my translation from the Japanese language:



How do devices look like?

[blacman]

Hey Jarek !

As I answered on our domestic Forum:

1 - Protected 25mm guns controler -one propably was on bow deck and might be another ones sides close to 25's
2 - High angle azimuth tracking device
3 - Covered 1.5m rangefinder - but most likelly No 5 was intalled on Unyo
4 - 4m High Angle Ragefinder
5 - Protected 1.5m rangefinder
6 - Target tracking device (as you described: lateral displacement angle rate ....)
7 - Observation and direction controller (as you described: orientation measuring .....)




very nice build

[Quincy]

She is really shaping up nicely!




Bob Pink

[Dan K]

I concur that #5 was more likely used than #3.

[Jarekk]

Dan K, I have great doubts about the deployment of the radar type "21".
If aircraft carriers type Taiyo have a windshield, in front of windshield, there is not place for radar, in the middle of the deck:





In this figure, the radar is positioned exactly where the windshield:



This photo of Taiyo shows that radar was positioned on the right side of the deck.



Where radar type "21" should be disposed? In the middle of the deck or to the right side of the deck?

[Dan K]

All I can tell you is that the practice was to place it in the middle of the deck. They used a variation on the disappearing searchlight mechanism. At a guess, they shoehorned it into that compartment immediately ahead of the elevator.

What is a bit more interesting is that the radar array is mounted to the front of the base, as opposed to on top of it.