Work in progress: IJN I-400 1:72

Looks like a German U-Boat, possibly a early pre war design?

As it looks it´s sub

Here it´s compared to same scale Type II A:

And here also to same scale Revell Type IX C:

okm

i'll play. is it U-26,a one off i believe, or is it a MILCH COW?

waynec

okm

i'll play. is it U-26,a one off i believe, or is it a MILCH COW?

Well... no Milch Cow is only half of this size.

I think now you recognise what this is. Scale is 1/72. Only three built.

And some progress:

Starts to take shape.

Under attack of B-17.

Now you propably know what this is going to be...

Hello!

Not my thing, but let's take a shot: Otsu-gata?

Good luck with your project and have a nice day

Paweł

What material is that?  Is that the new black styrene sheet stuff?

Pawel

Hello!

Not my thing, but let's take a shot: Otsu-gata?

Good luck with your project and have a nice day

Paweł

Yes a Japanese I-400, impressive effort in 1/72 scale!

Like the Germans many of Japans military designs although technically brilliant, were a evolutionary dead ends.

The scope of effort would have better served Japan as anti-submarine warfare targeting the US Gato class submarines or actual aircraft carriers.

Looking forward to seeing this build:)  

I'm going to be following this...

Yes, very interesting to follow

Hi guys!

It´s been while I have updated this. Not much happened because since last post I´ve been working with some costumes to one movie and puppets & set pieces to one children play.  Someone said, that there was quite hot summer some time ago, but I haven´t noticed that. Now it´s been bit more peaceful for a week, so it means that I got a flu

But that update.

I filled lower part of the hull with pu foam blocks. Next is to get it smooth with putty. Little bit thinking still how to execute upper part of the hull. Flood holes are quite big and I afraid, that when I make those parts from thin plastic it might twist. Maybe have to make a mold and make it by vacuforming. And because those holes are so big I have to make structures and plumming inside.

Here you can see what I mean:

And I found AA guns to it! Made by Choroszy Modelbud, Polland. Bought them from Jadar Hobby (Polland) http://www.jadarhobby.pl/172-choroszy-s03-machine-guns-25-mm-japan-navy-p-25514.html?language=en&currency=USD

Also there was IJN 7 meter rescue boat. Looking the blueprints they had one under deck in these subs.

Each AA gun sets have single, twin and triple guns. To I-400 one single and three triple is needed. One set have 128+ parts! Gee! I need microscope for these!!

And parts. Match is for scale.

And boat. It have 46 parts. Including davits.

And parts.

Have to take picture of the hull.

And here´s the current state of the hull:

I have the Tamiya 1/350 version, I think its a bit smaller and a whole lot easier to build

Phil

What craftsmanship you have....

Trabi, RE: the limber holes - how about this: make a cavity behind the holes' area by using cutout (across the beam) bulkheads (think of the bulkheads with 'notches' each side) then line with sheet so you have what are essentially long, narrow horizontal 'boxes' along each side.  Then add appropriate internal detail (the 'plumbing') and then use narrow vertical strips to create the separate "limber holes".  This is a simple description, since you could also incorporate the internal 'pressure hull' (curved) plus any of the support structures, all behind the holes.  Just depends on how far you want to take it... 8^O

I was thinking how ship superstructures are 'stacked' to obtain the complex profiles.  Same concept.

R/ Robert

BTW, what is the source for your plans?  I'd like to do a partial (whole?) sub display as a "stand" for the Tamiya Tenzan kit - in 1:48 scale.

R/

Robert

Thanks guys!

Rob: That is one option. And probably the easiest. Have to test different versions. And because this is huge project I´m willing to add as much details as possible.

I got plans from ebay seller "Great Plans". I have read, that people says that these are not accurate, but thus far what I have compared to photos these are best available. Mostly it´s the fore deck wich is wrong. I´m not 100% sure, but looks, that even Tamiya might have it wrong. Haven´t had the model in my hand.

One of the history/discovery channels had a show awhile back this summer on the 400 class that the US sunk off Hawaii after the war and after they looked them over.  Don't remember how much footage of the hulls was there either before or after on the dives they took down in a submersible.   Might be worth a look if you could grab some screen shots.....

Here are some videos:

www.youtube.com/watch

www.youtube.com/watch

Thanks guys!

That color footage was new to me and very helpfull!