The Ship Model Forum

I decided to post my first Work in Progress here mostly to get feedback on some of the tricky decisions I will have to make in this build. Thanks for your interest and help!

My obscession (quite likely already noticed on this forum ) is the Battle of Savo Island. My aim is to build at least one ship per class of all direct participants. Yunagi is #6 out of 11.

The kit
I am using the Pit-Road 1/700 IJN Destroyer Hayate kit as a basis for my build. Although Pit-Road also offers a Yunagi kit, that one depicts Yunagi in her late-war fit when she lost the aft set of her dual torpedo tubes as well as the aft and mid-ship 4,7� guns were replaced with dual 25mm AA guns, so I thought it was not useful for a Yunagi at the time of the Battle of Savo Island. Actually, now it seems I will make use of only SEVEN parts of the original Pit-Road kit (the hull, waterline plate, forecastle deck and funnels) and I suspect these are present in any of the Kamikaze-class kits. There�ll be lots of leftover plastic - sorry to the environment...


The PE set
As I wanted to improve the kit further so I checked for available PE sets. There were none directly for the Kamikazes so I considered the Tetra Mutsuki set but in the end I bought the more comprehensive Rainbow IJN Destroyer Mutsuki Class 1926-1932 upgrade set. This set is intended for the Hasegawa Mutsuki kit but I decided to take the risk, especially because of the largely open bridge structure that I wanted to improve. The Mutsukis were originally very similar to the Kamikazes (obviously except the bow, torpedo armament and some other details) before their refits in mid-thrities.

The set is really extensive, apart from four PE sheets it includes resin mounts and brass barrels for the main guns (that are incorrect/oversize in the Pit-Road kit), two resin triple 24in torpedo mounts (not to be used for a Kamikaze-class destroyer) and even a brass foremast. Some modifications would indeed be necessary because of differences between Mutsuki- and Kamikaze-classes and also to account for the different mold, but it seemed it will be possible to use many parts of the set.

First steps
I always start with attaching two nuts into the hull allowing the ship to be screwed to a working pad during the build and later on to a seabase. Then I glued on the waterline plate and after treating some discrepancies with liquid putty and sandpaper I drilled out the portholes. Next step was preparing a crude start for the future seabase using the bare hull of the ship to avoid damage to details later. I use wall filler to sculpt the larger waves/wake while the hull is wrapped in a food film (shrink-wrap) for protection.


Now this is when the real fun starts. The Pit-Road kit represents the Kamikaze-class deck arrangement correct for the first batch of the class but - as was suspected already in the CASF thread and finally confirmed to me by a Japanese modeler nicked VAN- there was a change in the design applied for the last 4 ships (Asanagi, Hayate, Oite and Yunagi). For the late type the fore torpedo reload rails were relocated from port to starboard so this needs to be modified for the Yunagi. This is rather unpleasant as most of the deck is affected. There was also an additional spare torpedo stowage to starboard for the late type and some additional changes that will be discussed later.


So I removed the "Aztec steps", torpedo stowage and reload rails on the main deck where the real Yunagi differed from the Pit-Road kit. I decided to replace also the quarterdeck details with those provided in the Rainbow set - there were two options available and the one with mine-laying rails and two depth charge racks between them are correct for Yunagi. The fit around the bollards aft is not ideal but I hope it will not be too obvious in the end. I tried to do as little damage to linoleum attachment stripes as possible in the process as the Pit-Road stripes were fine and I did not want to have to replace all of them.

I still need to attach the degaussing cable to be mostly done with the hull but I simply had to check about the Rainbow bridge first (the main reason for me getting the Rb set). Will it fit onto a hull different from Hasegawa? Well, not exactly, but with some little tweaking I think it will work out just fine. I also addressed one additional detail where the Mutsukis differed � a large opening on the starboard side had to be deleted for Yunagi.


That�s it for now - watch this space for more

Will follow this with great interest .

Daniele

Thanks!

References
I should have perhaps started with a recap of references, most importantly photographic. Well� So far I�ve got exactly TWO photos of Yunagi herself:

• The best, hi-res and very useful one is showing her in Sept 5, 1936, I�ve got several versions of this incl. a colorized one
• Another photo taken few minutes later

That�s it!
No wartime photo, but thanks God for these two as they show quite a lot of detail.

Now the rest of the Kamikaze class � all in all I�ve got 10 photos of mixed quality.

• The most useful of them is broadside of sister Asanagi (also late type like Yunagi) as commissioned in 1926
• also very useful (and the only useful wartime photo of the class I know of) is this heavily damaged Hatakaze (due to accidental explosion on stern in March) in Yokosuka on October 06, 1943 � hooray, an evidence of the degaussing cable!

Thanks to the similarities among the Minekazes, Kamikazes and Mutsukis, many photos of the other classes are also useful. I searched the net and Dan K kindly supplied a good deal of useful ones, many thanks! Quite a few of them have already been posted in the CASF thread. So I end up with about 40 photos of the three classes. They are of variable quality, most of them indeed pre-war.

For textual reference there�s the great gem of Tabular Record of Movement for Yunagi. That tells us e.g. that she was last drydocked at Sasebo before the Battle of Savo Island so the corresponding dark grey shade should be used. But there will be a long way before I come to painting her.

To make the list of references complete there are also some books:

• Tashiro Iwashige: The visual guide to Japanese Navy small combatant in WW2;Destroyers
• History of Japanese Destroyers, Ships of the World 453, 1992
• Mark Stille: Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers 1919�45 (1), Minekaze to Shiratsuyu Classes, Osprey New Vanguard 198

The first two are OOP and written in Japanese so not really useful for me except for more photos and also some drawings - we�ll touch on especially at the first one. The last one is available but not going deep enough for our purpose.

Anyone any other ideas?

Think I got this from Dan K.

I also have this colorized photo of Yunagi from 1937 showing the rigging fairly clearly.

I will be following this progress closely!




Bob Pink.

DavidK wrote:Think I got this from Dan K.

Yes, this one shows the difference between early- and late-type Kamikaze bridge (and fwd TT reload rails arrangement) .

DavidK wrote:I also have this colorized photo of Yunagi from 1937 showing the rigging fairly clearly.

That is the same photo as I linked above (first of the two of Yunagi herself, dated Sept 5, 1936). I just don�t know what date is correct, 1936 or 1937.

We had such a nice weather here today that I joined my wife to do some gardening. Hope to get back to do some work on my build tomorrow

References (continued)
An extremely useful drawing I got from VAN. It comes from the above mentioned book in Japanese by Tashiro Iwashige, thanks to VAN for the translation! A great summary of modifications of an early-war late-type Kamikaze. Some of these mods can be clearly seen on the 1926 Asanagi (vents) and 1936 Yunagi (bridge, reload rails, funnel hoods) photos.

Degaussing cable
So some advance on the Yunagi today. First of all I completed the degaussing cable according to the photo of Hatakaze in Yokosuka 1943 (above) and also a
post-war photo of Yukaze at NHHC (Minekaze class). Interestingly her cable seems to be installed a bit higher aft than on Hatakaze where the cable is just above portholes. On the contrary, Kamikaze had it even higher in 1945 (see below). No clamps are visible on either photo so I used just a cut sheet styrene and I positioned it as on Hatakaze.


Aft deckhouse/gun platform
Then I started evaluating the PE deckhouses against plastic kit parts and photos. The aft deckhouse/gun platform looked fine to me and dimensions corelated with the kit, the only difference I noticed was that the small deckhouse on the gun deck appears to be hollow on the Kamikazes and Mutsukis! It can be seen clearly on the Hatakaze photo and many others, if examined carefully. The sides and roof of the deckhouse are rounded. So I cut this upper part off the PE and modified it accordingly. Agreed?


Searchlight deckhouse/RDF platform
Now we come to the searchlight/aft steering/RDF platform aft of the #2 funnel. Neither the PE part not the original kit parts match what I can see on the Kamikaze-class photos but in this case perhaps the kit parts may be a bit closer to reality for early-type Kamikazes (it seems the Mutsukis and perhaps late-type Kamikazes were more different there). (Edit: the PE part is 8,3mm long vs. plastic 6mm) It appears the platform had two levels � higher and wider (edit: it looks wider on the Kamikaze but same width or even narrower on Yunagi, check photos below) for the searchlight; and a lower level where the open aux steering was originally and where a small box-like structure with the RDF aerial on top was placed later. Excellent reference here provides an IWM film showing (from approx. 8:20) Kamikaze in Singapore after surrender: In between the two platform levels there might have been an inclined ladder with its railing covered with canvas (just like the ones on both platform levels) � check the Yunagi 1936 photo.
I think there maybe was an additional difference between early and late-type Kamikazes � the film (Kamikaze herself) shows a noticeable gap between the RDF platform and the funnel (note the torpedo reload stowage was already removed here), while Asanagi (late-type Kamikaze) on the 1926 broadside photo shows the steering platform extending towards the funnel (above the torpedo reload stowage). What do you think? �Perforated triangles�
Notable above are also perforated "wings" or "triangles" extending to the side behind the searchlight platform on both Yunagi and Asanagi photos. I only noticed them just now, I wonder what was their function?
Note also the vent shown on VAN�s drawing is missing in the film (Kamikaze) vs. both Yunagi and Asanagi photos show it clearly. This vent also appears narrower on late-type Kamikazes when compared to Mutsukis and the Rainbow PE.

Your comments on this part would be highly welcome!

I think the RDF platform as seen in the Yunagi and Kamikaze pics is probably correct. I found this late war photo of a damaged Harukaze showing pretty much the same thing. I'm looking for a better quality version, if I can only remember which Gakken volume that it's in.

Thanks, Dan! I thought you�d find something in your unbelievable archives

Searchlight deckhouse/RDF platform (continued)
So what I now consider doing is cutting the PE part along the red line (of course also in the other plans). The blue area is where the vent will go. The upper edges of the vent are rounded on the photos, so I�d create it rather from a styrene sheet instead of using the relevant PE part. It�s hard to judge if the result will be correct from the overhead view but without any other reference there�s probably no help. �Perforated triangles� (continued)
What is still left open are the "perforated triangles" (green). The Yunagi photo shows they are not parallel to the long axis of the ship but slanted to the side, and there are in fact two triangles (one above the other) on Yunagi. There is nothing similar on the early-type Kamikaze photos (pre-war and post-war) so I really hesitate what to do about this.

I thought I should start using some topic headlines to make the thread more organized so I completed them to all of my prior posts, too.

Torpedo stowage
Before I can continue with installing the torpedo reload rails on the deck the stowage for reload torpedoes needs to be in place. These have to be smaller than on Mutsukis because Kamikazes carried no Long Lances but smaller 533mm torpedoes. Four reloads were available on late-type Kamikazes, two per stowage on each side. Considering the 7,1m length of the torpedo plus some tolerance for the supporting structures etc. the stowage dimensions should be approx. 10,5 x 2,2 x 1 mm in 1/700, which roughly matches measurements on the Asanagi broadside photo. The stowage was equipped with loose �doors� designed to channel the force of an eventual explosion out of the ship. Interestingly enough, the lower row of �doors� cannot be made out on either Asanagi or Yunagi photos, only the upper (on the �roof�) row can be seen on Yunagi. So I adapted the horizontal part of the PE stowage to show the �doors� on my Yunagi. I am not sure of the exact number of �doors� for the 533mm stowage but I hope this can be forgiven to me �Perforated triangles� (continued)
I just noticed the upper "triangle" at the photo of the docked Yunagi below, clearly extending to starboard. The bottom one is not visible here: Searchlight deckhouse/RDF platform (continued)
The photo of Mikazuki (Mutsuki class) under attack shows more details of the two levels and the RDF deckhouse. Here the searchlight platform overhangs further aft and the proportions of the two levels are different from Kamikazes though. There is a �perforated triangle� visible, but it may also be a support of the overhanging platform in this case, so no definitive answer yet for a late-type Kamikaze. Any ideas/comments highly welcome!

I have been doing minor works on the aft gun deckhouse, the bridge and I also assembled the main guns, but nothing much of interest to show so far. Yet another two questionmarks that arose in the meantime:

Aft deckhouse/gun platform (continued)
Where the ladders going up the aft gun platform should be? They are depicted on the plastic parts but right where the gun platform deckhouse side is one level above, so not much likely correct. There are none provided in the PE set (unlike in case of #2 and the RDF deckhouses). So far I have not been able to locate them on photos of either Kamikaze or Mutsuki classes. But how did the gunners go up to man their armament?

#2 gun deckhouse
There is again a discrepancy in length between the PE and plastic � the PE being 8mm long and the plastic 10,5mm. After checking available photos I think the deckhouse on the Kamikazes was actually longer than on Mutsukis so the length of the plastic part seems to be more correct for Yunagi. It seems though railing around the gun reach only as far aft as the PE part and then there is a gap and a smaller box-like structure on the roof (seen on both Asanagi and Yunagi photos). So I will either combine the plastic part with the PE for its top (and add extra threaded antiskid plate) or use the PE and extend it with styrene.

Please share any thoughts on the open issues (also from previous posts).
I hope to get to do some real building next week

Really enjoying the in-progress!

email sent

Hi again after a few days - and thanks for your feedback, PetrolGator and Dan K!
This is where I am right now (none of the subassemblies are glued to the deck yet):


I spent most of the time on building these two parts:


Bridge (continued)
I am really excited about how the bridge from the Rainbow PE set turns out!
So far I have noticed the following differences between the PE bridge and what can be seen on the Yunagi photos:

• Large oval opening at the lowest level on starboard (already deleted)
• Metal framing around the �tunnel� for torpedo reload rails at the lowest level on starboard (partially addressed)
• Missing triangular braces supporting the compass bridge fore (to be done)
• Sheet metal roof instead of canvas, stretching over upper part of bridge windows (installed approx. in 1941, like on the Yukaze post-war photo) (to be done)
• Piping running down the side at the compass bridge level (to be done)
• Missing triangular braces supporting the upmost level (to be done)
• Two directors and no searchlight at the upmost level (to be done)
• Glass windshields at the upmost level (to be done)

#2 gun deckhouse (continued)
I used the respective Pit-Road parts to extend the PE deckhouse by the extra 2,5mm as discussed above. Also scratchbuilt a �box� at the upper level and the large vents under the gun platform from plastic sheets.

Watch this space for more

Loving it!



Jose

Thanks so much, Jose!

I have some sad news to report today. Sure you all of you know this: you�ve been working on something for some time, everything going on smooth and nice � and suddenly you begin to realize that you�ve been wrong all the time and that you should either digest that your model will be off - or throw away what you�ve done, try to repair what can be repaired and start over again.

This is what happened to me when I was nearly complete with the top level of the bridge and I realized that there were more subtle differences between Kamikazes and Mutsukis than what I noticed when cataloguing differences between the PE bridge and what can be seen on photos and drawings of Yunagi and other Kamikazes. I managed to correct some of them, e.g. the top bridge level platform that should have been oval-shaped instead of cross-shaped with no supports down to the compass bridge level.

So far so good, but then I learned a tough lesson (and this did not happen to me for the first time I admit). One of the issues that I wanted to adjust was the shape of the aft platform of the compass bridge. I attempted to carefully mill out part of it to make room for a ladder going up from the boat deck. When I was nearly done, unfortunately, the milling tool slipped out and damaged (among other things) the bridge windows to starboard . The immediate effect of the disaster was so bad that I haven�t thought about taking a photo, so what you can see is current status after my first attempt to find out what can be salvaged. It does not look much good

Never lose hope!

Ouch.

Well, I've dropped plenty of mine in progress, so I feel your pain.

Thanks for your condolences , Dan!

Bridge (continued)
After I recovered from the shock of the bridge disaster and reconciled that the bridge will never appear as nice and clean as before (just because of a silly detail that I wanted to correct when it was already too late!), I went on to repair the damage the best I could. Considering that the windows upper edge will be behind the roof overhang it ended up better than anticipated, ufffff The two resin binoculars come from Veteran Models.
I consider the bridge now ready for a base coat and some retouching, other parts will be added only after it is airbrushed and attached to the hull.

Here is the updated list of modifications to the Rainbow bridge and their current status:

• No oval opening above the main deck level to starboard (deleted)
• Different framing around the gangway for torpedo reload rails at the main deck level (addressed)
• The bridge �house� at boat deck level should be approx. 1mm shorter aft for Kamikaze class, so that the foremast part under the compass bridge is still visible (ignored, realized too late)
• The aft platform shape at compass bridge level was slightly different (mostly ignored after the disaster)
• Missing ladder going up to compass bridge level on starboard (added)
• Missing triangular supports under the compass bridge overhang fore (added)
• There should be a compass instead of the foremost binocular provided in the PE on compass bridge (done)
• The top bridge level platform was oval-shaped instead of cross-shaped and no supports down to the compass bridge level on Kamikazes (modified)
• Three-piece windscreen at the top level (added)
• Raised circular platform under the main director (added)
• Two ladders (instead of one on Mutsukis � there was another torpedo reload stowage) at the aft end of the boat deck (to be added later)
• Lookout positions above compass deck level with supports going to the top level (considering to omit them as these end up usually largely overscale anyway)
• Additional smaller director forward of the main director (both directors to be added after rigging), no searchlight/blinker lights/binocular at the top level on Yunagi
• Sheet metal roof instead of canvas, stretching over upper part of bridge windows (installed approx. in 1941, like on the Yukaze post-war photo) (later)
• Pipe running down the side on starboard at the compass bridge level (later)
• AA machine guns: sources say two 7.7mm Lewis guns on bridge, which was totally inadequate for 1942. Dan K suggested these might likely have been replaced with dual 13mm machine guns after Yunagi was strafed in March 1942. That sounds quite likely as this is what happened to many other older IJN destroyers (before those surviving were augmented with multiple 25mm while losing some torpedo tubes in late 1943 and 44), so I will go this way (later)

Let us see what comes as the next step