Calling All IJN Kongo-Class Fans

[dbmoens]

Oops, I missed another important source. In the instructions for the full Veteran Umtimate Detail set, they show their recommendations for the parts, which include these items. I found a review at http://www.modelshipwrights.com/modules ... nt&id=5089 that has the instructions down near the bottom. They are a bit small, but might enlarge enough to be helpful.

[Dan K]

Gakken released #68 on the Kongos as a 2nd vol not too long ago. Good buildup of the Hasegawa 1/700 Kirishima in Navy Yard Special #7 (Spring 2008)

[peppe]

there are also two issues of model art waterline specials on kongo class, 15 (the class) and 35 (only on kongo & haruna in ww2)
_http://www.modelart.jp/english.wls.list.2009.html_
_http://www.hlj.com/product/MDAKS-35_
ciao peppe

[peppe]

one more source, the polish revue militaria XX wieku special with a article illustred by beautiful rendering in 3D
_http://kagero.pl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=119:mxxw-wydanie-specjalne-372008&catid=41:mxxw-wyd-spec&Itemid=29_
_http://sklep.kagero.pl/product_info.php?cPath=39_112&products_id=853_
ciao peppe

[Dan K]

I received my new Fujimi 1/700 Hiei kit last nite. It looks very good. The hull is an all new tooling - the torpedo blisters are considerably wider (as you would expect, for the Hiei was 1+m wider) than Kongo. The casemates are much better, but still not completely perpendicular. It's not rocket science - they should be able to do this hands down. Someone in their production dept. must not be sold on their actual configuration - no other possibility.

[Felix C]

Haruna light AA fit at Midway? Where would I find sources for this?
Or, can anyone advise? Where and how many 25mm were fitted? Anything smaller?

Did the Haruna have all the 6" casement pieces present as well?

I see the late war version is prominent but not an early war.

[Atma]

Haruna light AA fit at Midway? Where would I find sources for this?
Or, can anyone advise? Where and how many 25mm were fitted? Anything smaller?

Did the Haruna have all the 6" casement pieces present as well?

I see the late war version is prominent but not an early war.

Haruna had all the 6" casement except the 2 forward on each side like the rest of the class at Midway and by the late 30's early 40's.
Haruna's bridge was taller than the rest 3 of her class, equal size with Fuso's btw. It got reduced in size by late 1943 as you can see by the Fujimi's model in 1/350 and in /1700.
The number of AA was 10 double 25 mm light AA and 4 double 12,7 cm AA.6 pairs at bridge 2 at the number one funnel and 2 at the main mast(thats for the 25mm AA ones). Wait let me cannibalise the Fujimi's Haruna.
Here:

http://yfrog.com/j010074913t3j

Red cirlce is the location of the double 25 AA mm. Remember remove/do not add all triple 25 mm AA and the ones in the black circle shall be double ones not triple in 1941-42, while the 12,7 in the blue whare added only in late 1943.Also keep in mind that in 1941-42 the bridge(pagoda) was tottaly different(taller) same as the main mast.
Enjoy !

Edit:Fixed the link.

I received my new Fujimi 1/700 Hiei kit last nite. It looks very good. The hull is an all new tooling - the torpedo blisters are considerably wider (as you would expect, for the Hiei was 1+m wider) than Kongo. The casemates are much better, but still not completely perpendicular. It's not rocket science - they should be able to do this hands down. Someone in their production dept. must not be sold on their actual configuration - no other possibility.

The Hiei from Fujimi have some small details that whare missing from the previous (excellent kits indeed)two Kongo class releases from Fujimi, boat davits etc. All that makes the kit a small step forward.

[Dan K]

These are probably included on their extensive PE fret. Besides, the FineMolds versions are far superior. Doesn;t take away from the kit, IMHO.

[Dan K]

Dan, something not related to Taiho but do you know what exact date Haruna's bridge was lowered in height, during WWII?

I'm not aware that her bridge was lowered at all. Are you certain? That would mean removing and resiting her main director and apparatus.

According to her TROM, she refit in August 1942, Feb-March 1943, June 1943, and late June 1944. The Feb-March '43 refit seems to be be the most extensive. I will try to cross-check with the Ishibashi BB book to verify. We should take this over to the Kongo thread.

[Atma]

I'm not aware that her bridge was lowered at all. Are you certain? That would mean removing and resiting her main director and apparatus.

According to her TROM, she refit in August 1942, Feb-March 1943, June 1943, and late June 1944. The Feb-March '43 refit seems to be be the most extensive. I will try to cross-check with the Ishibashi BB book to verify. We should take this over to the Kongo thread.

Haruna had a very high bridge after the 30's modernization much like Fuso, if you look at Fujimi's kit of Haruna this was changed (lowered) arround the Feb-March '43 refit.But Im not sure when exactly.

[Dan K]

I've got conflicting information on this one.

Before I even consulted the Ishibashi BB book, I turned to one of my Japanese contacts, who is far more knowledgable about the IJN BBs than I. He said that such a rumor had been floating around for years but he doesn't believe it because no one has actually proved it.

His feeling is that IJN BB bridge level would not vary due to a consistent design format in which the air defence command deck was always the 10th deck level, and he sees no change when comparing prewar and post war photos. He did allow for the possibility of change and said he would post the question to some other contacts who were also knowedgeable in this area.

I then took a look at the Ishibashi book. For those who are unfamiliar with Takao Ishibashi, he is one of the acknowledged IJN experts in Japan. His name is always in the credits, somewhere. This particular tome was almost 20 years in the making. I think we had a thread on it once. Here's link to the cover: http://www.hlj.com/product/NAM63223

Anyway, I compared Haruna 1941 to 1944 and here, the bridge height decreased slightly, though all above air defense command deck. Assuming the book is right, the change seems to have come at the very top, where the top of the tripod framework supports the main director. It appears as if the girders themselves were lopped off slightly, then the director re-sited atop them, maybe to reduce topweight.

I don't have a great pic or side drawing of Haruna's bridge so, I'll just indicate with a simple line drawing. Below, the arrow points to the air defense command deck level. It wuld be the structure above that, under the the director, that was lowered. If it did happen, the early 1943 time frame is the only one long enough to really allow for this.

It will be interesting to see if my friend hears anything back.

[Atma]

Well if you compare this two pictures in the following links and the pictures from the Haruna wreck at the end of 1945 (I can find a picture atm, but you can check it for exmpale in the Classic Warship book "Kongo Class Battleship" page 68-69), the pagoda is definitely lower. What you think Dan ?
Here is the two link with pictures of Haruna during late 1939 early 1940:
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/3937/haruna04.jpg.
and
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/3376/haruna05.jpg

[Dan K]

2nd link not working, Atma.

[Atma]

Try now please.

[Dan K]

Great photos Atma, but both are from late 1934. Her pagoda structure has not yet been completed to even its wartime configuration. You can see the gantry structure under the director that may have been lowered in early 1943.

[Atma]

I dont think Haruna's pagoda had changed much from the period that those two photos are taken till 1943 when I belive it got lowered in height(Like the Haruna from Fujimi's kit in 1/700 and 1/350).Any answer from your friend Dan ?
Anyway the point is that Haruna's pagoda from the Fujimi's kit is tottaly different from those two pictures, is exactly the same as the wreck of Haruna - late 1945 - so in some point between late 1930's to mid war (1943?) the pagoda got lowered in height.

[Dan K]

Haruna's bridge did change significantly in terms of platform additions between 1934 (after her 2nd major refit/modification) and even the early 1940's.

No word from my friend but more research has yielded a nice schematic from Gakken #21 on Haruna's bridge 1944 vs. 1942 and, the changes are limited to the top of the pagoda above level 10, the air defense command deck. The postwar photos bear out the final configuration so, it seems the change had to have happened in early 1943

[Atma]

Nice pictures Dan thank you ! Okay so I assume there was one more change in Haruna's pagoda after 1934 (somewhare early 40's?) and the last circa late 1943.Btw is there any colour picture/schematic of how Haruna would look like in the 1945 camouflage? She was painted green (various tones of green)?
As for when the last change in Haruna's pagoda occured I guess by her TROM, December 1943:
11 December 1943:
BatDiv 3 departs Truk for Sasebo with DesDiv 4's MAIKAZE and NOWAKI.

16 December 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo. Refit, then training in Inland Sea.

25 January 1944:
Captain (later Rear Admiral) Shigenaga Kazu (former CO of CHIKUMA) assumes command from Captain (later Rear Admiral) Morishita who is selected to command YAMATO.

8 March 1944:
BatDiv 3 departs Kure for Lingga (south of Singapore) with a task group: carrier ZUIKAKU, cruiser MOGAMI, DesDiv 10's ASAGUMO, AKIGUMO and KAZAGUMO.

From December 1943 till March of 1944 Haruna seems to be occupied with post refit trials/crew training.

Edit:I include Kongo's TROM too wich seems reflects Haruna too:
16 December 1943:
Arrives at Sasebo.

30 January 1944:
Sasebo. Drydocked. Four 152mm guns (Nos. 1, 2, 11, 12) and their directors and two 25mm twin mounts are removed. Four 127-mm. AA guns (two twin mounts) and twelve 25mm (four triple mounts) are installed in their place.
14 February 1944:
Undocked.

27 February 1944:
Departs Sasebo for sea trials; returns the same day.

29 February 1944:
Departs Sasebo for the western Inland Sea.

1 March 1944:
Reassigned to the Second Fleet, BatDiv 3. At Rokuren Bight; after a stop at Buzaki Bight arrives at Tokuyama. Refuels.

[Dan K]

No colors at hand that I have, though, I know there were color films taken postwar that show her, a bit blurry, though.

The schematic on the above right is Haruna in her 1941, not 1942 but, it would be the same for those two years. It does show the change from the 1934 configuration. Another 1941 view is below. Compare that to the 1934 photos - there is additional buildup to the basic structure.

[Atma]

So judging by all those pictures/schematic I guess from the Kongo class only Haruna had drastic bridge alternations(from 30's and onwards).Hiei's bridge was totally different from the rest of the class, Kirishima sunk early in the war while Kongo's pagoda seems that her most easy to notice difference from late 30's/early war to late war pictures is the air defense command deck.
Anyway thanks again Dak for your pictures Your knowledge about IJN warships, saves the day again.