IJN Zuiho aircraft carrier, 1/400 JSC

[Yu Gyokubun]

A whole formation of thirty planes on the flight deck will surely be spectacular!

I look forward to it

Yu

[modelperry]

The foredecks are on their way to completion. Here are some pictures. Fit issues are minor throughout.

Greg

[Don Boose]

Looking most excellent, Greg!

Don

[Paperwarrior]

Very impressive work, Greg. I'm enjoying this thread.

Jeff

[modelperry]

here is the aft deck and flight deck. no real challenges. I did have to trim the inside of the deck that wraps around the rear wall to improve fit a little bit though.

Now I have to switch gears a little bit and build some planes to fit in the hanger and elevators. I think about three of each type will do.

Looking at the hanger, there is no way that 30 planes can fit into what's provided. Some investigation shows the hanger to be too narrow and I suspect too short also. However what is provided at least gives one an impression of how the hanger was configured.

Greg

[asaf]

looking great

nice colors on deck

[Paperwarrior]

Impressive work. I look forward to the next installment.

[Don Boose]

Excellent work, Greg.

The deck markings, by the way are a large hiragana character "zu" (づ) with a smaller "ho" (ほ) below it.

Don

[modelperry]

Originally Posted by Don Boose

Excellent work, Greg.

The deck markings, by the way are a large hiragana character "zu" (づ) with a smaller "ho" (ほ) below it.

Don

I was wondering about that. So its just the ship's name in Japanese characters. Makes sense.

Thanks Don!

BTW started the first plane, a Jill, for the hanger deck. The fuselage and wings are built. The wings were appropriately cut so I can do folded wings. Will post pictures in a later post.

When did they mount the torpedos on these? in the hanger deck or on the flight deck? Trying to decide if I need them installed for the hanger bound Jills.

Thanks,

Greg

[Don Boose]

Greg -

I am transmitting from the reading room of the Military History Institute (a place well known to you) and, although I surrounded by reference books, I can't easily grab the ones that may be relevant.

But this source available on line indicates that aircraft were struck below decks and rearmed in the hangar: The Battle of Midway Roundtable

My recollection is that Paschal and Tully go into some detail abut IJN doctrine and TTP (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures) in their book Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway [by Jonathan B. Parshall and Anthony P. Tully, Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books, 2005, reviewed here: http://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/5...idway--review]. My copy is on the other side of the campus in my office, unfortunately.

This article addresses doctrine and TTP, but not the specific issue of how aircraft were armed: Midway: Sheer Luck or Better Doctrine? by Thomas Wildenberg

I have no idea if the Japanese changed their procedures later in the war.

Sorry not to be able to give a more helpful answer. Someone more knowledgeable than I (NimitzFan? Commander Ted? Yu-sama?) may come to the rescue.

Meanwhile, you might like to see this beautiful rendition of the Hasegawa 1/700 kit of Zuiho by Jae Won Kim: http://www.steelnavy.com/HasegawaZuihojwKim.htm

Don