Calling all Yamato (大和) and Musashi (武蔵) fans

[Mike W]

It certainly is! It reminds me of instructions on some older USN models who insist you paint the wooden decks or flight decks wood colour instead the Blue that they actually were! What's more some people still ignore the fact the decks were Blue, like the guy who built an awesome model in 1/72 (or was it 1/48?) of a USN Escort Carrier, complete with full airwing on deck. Everything was fantastic, one of the best models I've ever seen but he didn't paint the deck Blue, he did it natural wood colour!

Anyway, regards the Yamato's wood decks, the question is how to go about painting them. My original plan was to assemble the hull minus all the railings and sticky out bits (as they would get damaged handling the model whist building) and then airbrush the entire hull assembly with my chosen representation of Kure Navy Grey, then apply a wooden deck sticker thing (which worked well enough on Hosho!).

All the wooden decks I've seen are natural wood and it seems a shame to paint them Black! I've noticed there is a dark wood sticker thing but it's not available yet, so I've not seen what it looks like. So first question is, has anybody seen it yet and is there any links to pics of it? I think it's either by Artwox or KA Models. This would still be my preferred option.

I could airbrush it a slightly off Black Dark Grey and drybrush some highlights but masking over all little bits and turret barbettes would be a pain. Last option is resort to some good old fashioned hand painting for the deck to avoid masking. Luckily I do have some Vallejo and Lifecolor Black, White and Various Greys that can be used.

That's my 3 options but one general question springs to mind, how solid was the Black paint (or stain) used?

thanks
Mike

[baseballbrat]

It certainly is! It reminds me of instructions on some older USN models who insist you paint the wooden decks or flight decks wood colour instead the Blue that they actually were! What's more some people still ignore the fact the decks were Blue, like the guy who built an awesome model in 1/72 (or was it 1/48?) of a USN Escort Carrier, complete with full airwing on deck. Everything was fantastic, one of the best models I've ever seen but he didn't paint the deck Blue, he did it natural wood colour!

Anyway, regards the Yamato's wood decks, the question is how to go about painting them. My original plan was to assemble the hull minus all the railings and sticky out bits (as they would get damaged handling the model whist building) and then airbrush the entire hull assembly with my chosen representation of Kure Navy Grey, then apply a wooden deck sticker thing (which worked well enough on Hosho!).

All the wooden decks I've seen are natural wood and it seems a shame to paint them Black! I've noticed there is a dark wood sticker thing but it's not available yet, so I've not seen what it looks like. So first question is, has anybody seen it yet and is there any links to pics of it? I think it's either by Artwox or KA Models. This would still be my preferred option.

I could airbrush it a slightly off Black Dark Grey and drybrush some highlights but masking over all little bits and turret barbettes would be a pain. Last option is resort to some good old fashioned hand painting for the deck to avoid masking. Luckily I do have some Vallejo and Lifecolor Black, White and Various Greys that can be used.

That's my 3 options but one general question springs to mind, how solid was the Black paint (or stain) used?

thanks
Mike

Mike, Since the deck seems to have been rubbed in soot, did you ever think of using some kind of black wash on the wood pieces. If anything, try different ways on the excess included with the deck pieces. If your model is the new tool tamiya kit, Pontus makes a black deck! Check here: http://www.hlj.com/product/HBD35009WD1/Nav

Good luck!!!

Jim

[baseballbrat]

Ran into this and thought you might like to read this!

http://ww2db.com/doc.php?q=88

[Mike W]

Mike, Since the deck seems to have been rubbed in soot, did you ever think of using some kind of black wash on the wood pieces. If anything, try different ways on the excess included with the deck pieces. If your model is the new tool tamiya kit, Pontus makes a black deck! Check here: http://www.hlj.com/product/HBD35009WD1/Nav

Good luck!!!

Jim[/quote]

Thanks Jim but that deck is a bit big for a 1/700 model! White Ensign have one on pre-order (by Artwox I think) but there's no product picture yet and I was wondering if any existed of it!

thanks
Mike

PS meant to ask something else. In my recent house move, I seem to have misplaced my Tamiya 1/700 Musashi (1998 tooling). I do still have some stuff stashed at my folks house but assuming it's not there and is lost which is considered the best 1/700 Musashi out of the newer Tamiya kit and the Fujimi kit? (1942/3 fit with 12 6.1 inch guns)

[Mike W]

Thanks Jim but that deck is a bit big for a 1/700 model! White Ensign have one on pre-order (by Artwox I think) but there's no product picture yet and I was wondering if any existed of it!

thanks
Mike

PS meant to ask something else. In my recent house move, I seem to have misplaced my Tamiya 1/700 Musashi (1998 tooling). I do still have some stuff stashed at my folks house but assuming it's not there and is lost which is considered the best 1/700 Musashi out of the newer Tamiya kit and the Fujimi kit? (1942/3 fit with 12 6.1 inch guns)[/quote]

Any ideas anyone?

thanks
Mike

[kraveen]

i'm upgrading the triple shielded 25mm aa on my arii 1/250 musashi. i hollowed out the shielded part and placed the fully assembled deck 25mm aa gun inside the shield and it fits i'm just having a heck of a time trying to find a piece of brass thin enough to fit between the barrels that resembles the part of the mount i removed by replacing the kit supplied part. the question i have is did anyone man these shielded mounts on the inside? i've seen pictures of the deck 25mm triples and they have seats but how were the shielded mounts controlled?

[Sauragnmon]

Considering the shields were, as far as I know, a protective cover over the units, it's hard to imagine they weren't crewed on the inside. They used the same guns, which means they were fed from box magazines that had to be switched rather frequently, not to mention if you look closely there are vision ports and the like in the mountings.

[chuck]

i'm upgrading the triple shielded 25mm aa on my arii 1/250 musashi. i hollowed out the shielded part and placed the fully assembled deck 25mm aa gun inside the shield and it fits i'm just having a heck of a time trying to find a piece of brass thin enough to fit between the barrels that resembles the part of the mount i removed by replacing the kit supplied part. the question i have is did anyone man these shielded mounts on the inside? i've seen pictures of the deck 25mm triples and they have seats but how were the shielded mounts controlled?

Yes, those mounts were not only manned, but required a large crew of 9. Seats are only provided for the 2 men who operated the training and elevation hand wheels. Everyone else stood.

[kraveen]

Does anyone know if the 4 triple 25mm mounts closest to stern of ship on aircraft handling deck were shielded or open?

[bucketfoot-al]

Does anyone know if the 4 triple 25mm mounts closest to stern of ship on aircraft handling deck were shielded or open?

They were open, meaning that they were not enclosed in turrets. They DID have the 5/8 octagonal deck shields as did the open 25mm mounts on the wood part of the deck.

As an aside, I did a mental backflip when I saw your question because it showed me that the word has spread that there were 4, (not 2) triple 25mm mounts on the A/C handling deck! (Erroneous placement of, and erroneous number of open 25mm mounts has been a pet peeve of mine for years.)

Please feel free to take a peek at the last Index page of my Yamato website which has a diagram showing the deck gun configuration as of April 1945. Link below my sig.



Cheers!

[kraveen]

When I click on the link it says proxy error don't know what that means. Did you know I was referring to musashi not yamato?i Know yamato has the 2 triple mounts at the stern of the ship I'm referring to the mounts that are on main deck level just before catapults

[kraveen]

Here's a pic

[kraveen]

This should work

[chuck]

The 4 mounts on the end of the boat crane sponsons on both Yamato and Musashi were enclosed with shields as soon as they were added.

Those shields were there to enable to AA crew to stay with their mounts when the main 18" battery opens fire. Otherwise the crew would be injured and incapacitated by the blast. The 4 mounts in question were particularly susceptible to blast from the aft turret, so they got the shields as soon as they were added.

Only later when japanese anti aircraft situation became desperate did they begin to forego shield with new additions to the 25mm batteries, reasoning the extra barrels is worth it even if the crew has to run to the mounts only after main battery is secured from firing.

[baseballbrat]

This should work

Where did you find this photo and are there more?

[kraveen]

I google searched 1/10 Yamato model and selected images and there are a few close ups of that area

[kraveen]

Fujimi has a 1/700 scale full hull musashi kit and those mounts have no shields and there is also a japanese 3dcg musashi model book that shows these mounts with no shields are these based on newer research?

[bucketfoot-al]

The 4 mounts on the end of the boat crane sponsons on both Yamato and Musashi were enclosed with shields as soon as they were added.

Those shields were there to enable to AA crew to stay with their mounts when the main 18" battery opens fire. Otherwise the crew would be injured and incapacitated by the blast. The 4 mounts in question were particularly susceptible to blast from the aft turret, so they got the shields as soon as they were added.

Only later when japanese anti aircraft situation became desperate did they begin to forego shield with new additions to the 25mm batteries, reasoning the extra barrels is worth it even if the crew has to run to the mounts only after main battery is secured from firing.

Chuck - the 5/8 octagonal deck 25mm shields would not have protected the crews from the 18" gun blast. When the main guns were operating the open deck 25mm crews had to be evacuated to the interior of the ship. The aircraft deck rear 25mm mounts were not housed in turrets which would have provided protection from the main gun blast...

[Bill Gormley]

Apologies for jumping into the conversation but I'm curious as I'm currently building the Tamiya kit. Can I clarify what needed to be evacuated before the main guns were fired? Was it just the open mounts or also some of the enclosed AA batteries (e.g. the four mounts behind and to the sides of the stern-most turret)? And more generally, can someone explain what effect the main guns would have had on exposed crew members?

[bucketfoot-al]

I am afraid to answer as I am frankly unsure that we are talking about the same ship (Yamato vs Musashi) or even communicating regarding the meaning of "enclosed" vis a vis 25mm AA.

Lets use the following terms:

"Shielded" - Open mounts with 5/8 Octagonal shields

"Enclosed" - Mounts in turrets

Bill, I am not sure what mounts to the rear of the main battery #3 you are referring to. I have attached a diagram that should help to alleviate some of the confusion that I am having in figuring out what mounts everyone on this page is talking about.

To the best of my knowledge, the turret-mounted 25mm would NOT need to be evacuated when the main guns fired.

The effect of the blast force of the main batteries on anyone on deck and unprotected at the time (depending on distance, etc) would range from:

1. Instant death including all of their clothes literally being torn off their bodies by the blast force, being blown overboard or having all their bones crushed by being thrown against the hull, to

2. Being knocked unconscious while having their ear drums torn and getting a nasty concussion to boot...

...you get the idea...