Calling All IJN Kongo-Class Fans

[Hanchang Kuo]

According to description in japanese on the same page, those aircraft are bonus items included for the initial release. I guess they are tyring to send a message--a 1/350 pre-war Japanese carrier is coming. Hiryu in late 1930s perharps?

[chuck]

It would be a late pre-war, after about 1937, judging from the A5M.

[David Gatt]

I had a look at the images and I think the Fujimi Kongo looks a lot more detailed and a lot busier

[MartinJQuinn]

It would be a late pre-war, after about 1937, judging from the A5M.

Maybe the rumors of a pre-refit Kaga are true, but it will be from Aoshima, not Hasegawa...

[chuck]

I suspect a large and expensive kit of pre-refit Kaga won't sell very well, at least not outside Japan. Most of the interest in IJN warships centered around either the Russo-Japanese war or WWII.

[David Gatt]

Hi Guys, I've just completed the Bridge structure of my Kongo and am thinking of doing the rigging for the flag lines at this stage. Does anyone know where I can get my hands on a rigging diagram for Kongo?

What a lovely kit this is. I've spent nearly a week building the main Pagoda superstructure and B turret with Fujimi's Photo etch. I'm pretty impressed, no actually I'm very impressed.

Oh I've posted some pics of my almost complete Takao at on my web site. will also post some of the Kongo soon.

http://homepage.mac.com/davidgatt/modelsite/Menu10.html

[honneamise]

I have just received my Fujimi Kongo and, after initial excitement over the many details, I am a little dissappointed after a closer examination of the hull. The hull sides are incorrectly tapered, and this results in very odd looking angles around the casemate recesses. This is just plain wrong, the sides should be exactly 90� and all casemate edges perfectly straight. You do not even need further reference than the kit instructions, ALL the photos there show straight angles and the wonderful Takani boxart (worth the kit price alone) is perfectly correct, too.

This will be tricky to fix mainly due to the thick hull sides and the fact that the decks need a little widening after the correction.

I was really pleased when I realized that the Japanese manufacturers would do the IJN ships instead of leaving the job to Chinese brands with their usual lackluster results (imagine Trumpeter trying to replicate a Takao class hull with nothing but a three-view as reference), but I expected Fujimi to do it better.

Thankfully, the Aoshima kit seems to have correct hull sides. If I choose to build another Kongo class ship I will probably get theirs, I do not care for a little less detailing, with all the extra sets and PE parts around this will be easy to deal with.

[MartinJQuinn]

While going through the stash the other night, looking for stuff I may never build (that's probably everything), I came across my 1/700 Hasegawa Haruna. I have the Hasegawa photo-etch sets and clipper brass barrels and white metal blast bags, but my understanding is the kit is "inaccurate". My question is: how inaccurate is it? Does it require major surgery or can a decent representation be made of a late war Haruna without rebuilding the whole kit?

[Gilbert]

While going through the stash the other night, looking for stuff I may never build (that's probably everything), I came across my 1/700 Hasegawa Haruna. I have the Hasegawa photo-etch sets and clipper brass barrels and white metal blast bags, but my understanding is the kit is "inaccurate". My question is: how inaccurate is it? Does it require major surgery or can a decent representation be made of a late war Haruna without rebuilding the whole kit?

Hi Martin,

I have built this kit quite a long time ago when PE was'nt available. It wasn't too bad 20 years ago but should now out of date standard. I think you should wait for a new Fujimi release, hopefully in 2009, as Fujimi is going to release in december her sister ship Kongo in a new retooled kit as in 1944 Sho-go operation.

cheers

Gilbert

[MartinJQuinn]

Thanks, Gilbert. I figured with the new Kongo, the rest of the class would follow in 1/700. Maybe I'll parse out the PE and barrels and let my 7 year old have the kit.

[Dan K]

Well, if the new versions are really exceptional, I'll have two more Hasegawa kits for your son, Marty. He can build the class.

[MartinJQuinn]

Well, if the new versions are really exceptional, I'll have two more Hasegawa kits for your son, Marty. He can build the class.

If I can only get him away from Nintendo and back into the model room...

[nimitz4145]

During the battle of Leyte, the Kongo appeared as followed :

[Gilbert]

nice picture, thanks for sharing

cheers

Gilbert

[MartinJQuinn]

During the battle of Leyte, the Nagato appeared as followed :

Did you mean Kongo?

[nimitz4145]

During the battle of Leyte, the Nagato appeared as followed :

Did you mean Kongo?

Oops! What a pity!
I think i've made a "little" mistake.
I'll modify it tomorrow

[Adaks]

I have one question. When did Kongo Class receive blanked off portholes ? In 1942 or later ? Anyone knows ?

[Dan K]

As a general rule, sealing the portholes did not begin until either late 1943 or early 1944 for most IJN ships. Clearly, Hiei and Kirishima were never so altered.

According to their TROMS, both Haruna & Kongo under went at least two refits in 1943-very early 1944. I would tend to think that both ships received theirs during the Dec/Jan'43/44 - Jan/Feb' 44 respective refits.

[Adaks]

Thank you Dan.
I got Aoshima Kirishima (1/350). I noticed that she had a majority of her scuttles sealed (probably the same molds as Kongo). So it is not accurate for 1942 and should be corrected.

[chuck]

As a general rule, sealing the portholes did not begin until either late 1943 or early 1944 for most IJN ships.

Hmmm, Several Japanese illustrations show the Musashi with sealed portholes when first commissioned in August 1942. If that is correct, then the practice of the sealing portholes seems to have been instituted before the third quarter of 1942.

As to when a particular ship received this modification, It would seems to me the sealing portholes should be a fairly minor job easily within the routine self-maintenance and damage control capability of a major warship like Hiei or Kirishima. so it needn't only happen during significant dock yard visits, and only photographic evidence can confirm whether a ship had them at a particular time.

So I think it is possible, although not proven, that Kirishima and Hiei already had sealed portholes in Guadalcanal.