Calling all Japanese pre-war/wartime Merchant Marine fans

[Quincy]

Great Work Decemus!



Bob Pink.

[Quincy]

FYI- Regarding the Pitroad 1/700 IJN Mamiya kits, both the 1931 and 1944 fits: They DO NOT include the bow and stern main gun bandstands. You will have to scratch build them if you can find drawings of them. Or, just wait for the Aoshima kit to be released and check out their parts drawings on Hobby Search. This is kind of disappointing that Pitroad dropped the ball on this.




Bob Pink.

[Ron Wolford]

Hello Everybody
I have two of the Mamiya kits, both 1931 (one W163 and W163E, with photo etch). Both kits have the guns and the Bandstands. The bandstands are molded right in the middle of the spur C, parts C20 and C21, right across from the mainmast, part 18.

Ron Wolford

[Quincy]

Hi Ron: You are right about the band stands. I think I'm going blind. I apologize to Pitroad on my rant. There is still the possibility that the aft band stand rested atop of a boxed structure as portrayed on the upcoming Aoshima kit. If this is right, I have no idea? It is hard to make out in pictures of the real ship that I have seen confirming this ??



Bob Pink.

[Hen]

Hey guys,

does anyone know what�s going on at Dazzle Modelworks? The website is down and Scott hasn�t replied to emails for quite a while. I wanted to order more 2A and 2AT wartime standard freighters, but they are sold out everywhere�

Is anyone in contact with Scott Reigel?

[Michael Riddell]

Hi folks,

This is my current maritime project, Fujimi's 1/700 Sado Maru kit:



Construction is complete and I'm now onto the painting stage. I'm wondering if it's safe enough to use the disruptive camouflage scheme shown on Motoyuki Iwashige's page for the ship? Or has there been a revision in thought as per the Kunikawa Maru's pattern?

Mike.

[Dan K]

NICE! Not sure I understand; isn't Kunikawa Maru in overall grey?

[Michael Riddell]

NICE! Not sure I understand; isn't Kunikawa Maru in overall grey?

Thanks Dan! The awkward bit was adding the stanchions on the promenade decks. I have the Sagara Maru kit so I get to do that all over again...

I have my maru's mixed up - I meant the Hirokawa Maru! I see that Motoyuki-san made a new model with revised camo using the new Aoshima kit. I'm curious as to whether there's a possibility he's changed his mind about the Sado Maru and the other camouflaged Rikugun transports?

Mike.

[Dan K]

What new build of Hirokawa Maru using the new Aoshima Kit? I am unfamiliar with this development.

[Michael Riddell]

What new build of Hirokawa Maru using the new Aoshima Kit? I am unfamiliar with this development.

Sorry, I meant the model that you posted a picture of on the last page. I should have made myself clearer that I didn't mean an actual kit of the Hirokawa Maru, just that he altered one of the existing releases to represent that ship.

Since the pattern is different on his new model compered with his older one, I wondered if he'd maybe changed his mind on the camouflage schemes on any of the other ships.

Mike.

[Dan K]

I can't really say. In lieu of anything known, I guess I would rely on the patterns seen in his merchant ship volumes.

[Michael Riddell]

Not a problem, Dan! I thought that it would be a good idea to ask just in case.

Thanks,

Mike.

[Dan K]

Aoshima has released Kunikawa Maru 1/700, now joining her Kamikawa, Kimikawa, & Kiyokawa Maru sisters. I wonder if it's realistic to think that Aoshima would release Hirokawa Maru, given the need to change the deck scuppers, which would mean changing the hull. Image courtesy of Hobbysearch Japan.

[Quincy]

I forgot about posting her release the other day! Knew that I forgot something. That would be great if they did release the Hirokawa Maru and not have to scratch build those tedious scuppers. I'm still waiting to buy her other sisters as of yet.



Bob Pink.

[Jim Smith]

I've just received my kit of Soya (IJN ammunition ship) from HP Models but am planning to build it as one of her sister ships (Tenryo Maru or Minryo Maru) in civilian colours,

Both were operated by Nagasaki Kisen.

My question is - what were the funnel colours of Nagasaki Kisen? The photo shown here is indistinct and a trawl of the internet has come up blank.

http://www.jsu.or.jp/siryo/map/chishima ... tenryo.jpg

Can anyone help? Thanks
Jim S

[DougKn]

Couldn't find much on Nagasaki Kisen (other than it is a current registered line), but if it helps, CHIRYO MARU (SOYA's previous incantation) served the Tatsuunan Kisen K. K. whose funnel was black with white, red, white (touching) bands and medium green hull. Apparently MINRYO's wreck is listed as a dive site.

[Jim Smith]

Thanks Doug.

Looks like it'll be Chiryo Maru - mid green hull will add a welcome change to the model line-up.

Jim S

BTW - the website I quoted previously showed the same picture for Minryo Maru AND Tenryo Maru - so details must be pretty scarce.

[Hen]

Hey Jim! "The worlds merchant fleets 1939" does neither mention any of the ships nor the Nagasaki Kisen line. But regarding the Tatsuuma Kisen the book states that the hull was grey with red boot topping. See page 264 at the bottom. Doug's description of the funnel is backed by the book.

[DougKn]

Hello, Hen and Jim

I'm not sure why, but most of the color renderings of CHIRYO MARU I've seen have a green hull, ranging from pretty light to medium dark (like on the model from HB). Here's one from Shipbucket http://shipbucket.com/images.php?dir=Real Designs/Japan/MV Soya 1938.png. Both Talbots and "TWMFO1939" mention the line as having grey hulls. Maybe it was the Soviet customer that had green (easier to re-paint just funnel than whole ship). Soviets icebreakers used a bunch of different colors (and funnel markings), I've seen black, white, grey, blue, green, red on either hull or superstructure.(all were state owned), though not much pre-war, mainly black and dark grey (in B&W pictures of course).

Whatever color they used, it seems to have only lasted only a little while before being painted overall IJN Navy grey (pick shade). (then postwar white, orange and red hull colors.)

Have fun,

Cheers

Doug

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Looking forward to seeing the box art!