Fujimi 1/700 Shokaku 1941 Addendum - reposted

[Dan K]

Both the Hara SHobo plans, and the Miyukikai plans, all show round director tubs for this class. Typically, classes do not mix different styles.

I will note, however, that I think the two MG directors on the starboard aft side are probably enclosed, like the two 25mm & two 12.7cm mounts ahead of them, to protect from funnel smoke.

[Ledinot]

The thing is, the directors on board the Shokakus were uncovered, at least some of the time.

Dan, the picture #2 inscription is �Shokaku mast, AA damage midsection #2, Coral Sea, May 1942�, but it definitely looks like the 25mm director tub; is it the stbd forward mounting (in vicinity of the island), the portside aft �standalone� mounting, or something else? I have also noted the tear-off hatch might imply the gallery/pathway to the right of the tub had been destroyed, and there were also distorted railings to the left of the tub. By the way, the photo of Shokaku damage you had posted later in this thread also showed distorted railings, not solid bulwark, between the stbd aft 25mm directors� tubs.
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There seems to be a solution to help solve the issue of the absent tie-down holes of Shokaku class decks, mentioned in your Shokaku class reviews. The name of this tool is the �IJN Carrier Moorage Hole Template�, produced by Rainbow (http://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/49289.html)

[Dan K]

Soryy, Ledinot, but I must respectfully disagree. That photo was cropped from the full one below. The MG director is clearly mounted in a full, round tub while the 25mm mount positions for this class are all semi circular shielding in front, excepting the two enclosed units starboard aft the funnels.

While not perfect in other respects, the 1/100 Gakken Zuikaku 1942 model would be a very good reference for these positions.

[Ledinot]

Sorry, Dan, may I know what are you disagreed with? I only tried to clarify the position of the 25mm gun director tub depicted on the photo you had previously posted, nothing else. Thanks for the full photo, now I have more reasons for the starboard midsection position of this MG director tub.

As for the Gakken series I think the models and drawings are 1/10 worth of photos. The same rule works for Myukikai plans and other plausible sources.

[Dan K]

Sorry, Ledinot, I misunderstood the point you were making. All is good.

I agree that nothing is as good as a photo but, photos are not always available for the IJN so, we must extrapolate or use the next best possible resource, no?

[Ledinot]

... we must extrapolate or use the next best possible resource, no?

1. I would say "extraprolate" -- some "pro" (for provision) should be inserted here just in case.
2. I think the next best possible resource (to the IJN photos) is the common sense, realized in the form of questions like "What a hell this thing is doing here?"