Hasegawa 1:350 Akagi

I see that http://www.freetimehobbies.com/HAS40025/  sells the ship for $329.00

PE Set A+B are $56.00 each

PE Set C is about $ 40

Wooden deck kit is $ 119.00

I'm not sure if everything is in stock,but those are the listed prices.

The kit has 12 a/c if you want more,add that in also

I'm glad I grabbed mine when it 1st came out,only $ 219.00 I will build it when I retire in 3 years,I know I wouldn't give it the attention it deserves at this time !!

It is a great looking kit in box,I can't wait to build it

Don't forget Hase's Super Detail set (40071) for about $100.

Hi Barrett. I am doing an Akagi too, started a few months ago. If you take on the full version, make sure you like to work with brass!! :)  Because there's alot! :)

I bought the Hasegawa sets (A, B, C and the Super set, the wood deck, the Eduard Agaki 1/350 set (better railings than Hasegawa), 3 extra sets of planes plus some better guns, etc. All told, I guess I spent $750...but if you work it out by the hour, its not that bad. I estimate the Akagi will take me approx. 1000 hrs, so about 0.75/hr....not so bad when you look at it like that :)

Here's some pics to illustrate my point about the photo etch tho:

One page of the photo etch instructions:

And all of what you see there is only the underdeck supports, hehe. ...still 3 times more pe to do. Like I say...a long project, but the cost is acceptable if you view it the light that you will probably not spend any more money on models for about a year and a half. lol Cheers and good luck...hope you take it on too!  

A. 12 aircraft in a 1/350 carrier kit is ridiculous.The Kongo I'm working on has almost that many.

B. I'd love to see more of Firedeck's work.

"A. 12 aircraft in a 1/350 carrier kit is ridiculous."

I think you need more than that to fill up a deck too, but you have buy more if you want to have more in this case.... same with anything else I guess :) I am doing 4 dozen or so, and I'm glad thats it for me as far as little planes are concerned! ;)

Anyway, here's a couple of pics of half of them, the torpedo bombers, I am doing.  Here, I am removing the molded on canopies (what a pain I know, but I wanted to make pe canopies for mine, as in a pic further below, so they had to come off. Clear plastic is brittle I found out lol. Anyway...

 and each plane has 8-9 decals (plus 3 more for each prop).... around 500 decals total for the airwing :)   -as below, plastic canopies have been removed and new pe canopies, painted separately, will be added near the end along with props, etc.

Below are my first attempts at pe canopies (using a 1/350 "Bridge Windows" set) which were unsatisfactory...see pics further below for final canopies used 

Starting on the Zero's:

There are 12 of these, plus another 12 dive bombers and the 24 torpedo bombers of course...lotsa planes :)  

Thanks for your interest in my work TD4438! Cheers, Tim

Firedeck:

Great challenge on both a personal and modeling level.  The initial work looks very impressive.

Why don't you consider your own build thread, I'm sure many would follow with interest in you further "adventures".

Firedeck,

WOW! It does look like a great project. I agree with you in terms of cost per hour. It should work out pretty well. Looks like one of those capstone projects to me, though--something you take on after years of practice and learning on smaller projects. I am definitely going to keep it in mind. I agree with an earlier poster. I think everyone would really enjoy a WIP on this. It would be great to see it come together. Thanks for sharing with me and for your encouragement. Best wishes on this serious undertaking.

I was wondering where Firedeck has been.Every time I get irritated with my work,I remember his Yamato.

Good LORD man, other than that I'm speechless

With all that metal work you should be able to secure a journey men card as sheet metal worker.

Disturbing....

I would go nuts. Well, even more nuts!

Lovely work so far. Watching with interest.....Cheers mark

Thanks for the interest in the Akagi, so here's a couple of updates:

Brass strips installed on linoleum decks;

Applying pe; props, landing struts, canopies, etc:

AS the Quaker saying goes: "Better thee than me". All that microscopic PE! Looking great.

What a nice project !

Continue your good work !

Best 1/350 aircraft I have ever seen!

 What did you use for the canopy PE?!%?!

 Gaston

Those above planes are the Kate torpedo bombers of course, and I have also started the Zero's (as below)  and after that I will do the dive bombers. 

Torpedo's

Starting the Zero's:The Zero's will get the same treatment as the Kates.

Starting on the hull...including wiring for LED lit portholes:

THIS is an impressive project

Okay, I nominate Firedeck as the Lord & Master of PE! Wow!

Bill

Ummmm;

     Firedeck ! are you nuts ? Well I guess not , as your work attests otherwise .Gees, I am glad the one I have is 1/700 !

Did you finish it or did it finish you? I got one for my 60th birthday. Ordered the wooden deck, dirt cheap from China and being sent on the proverbial lethargic ship. Post pics. I dont know which PE sets make the biggest difference on the final look. Plus I dont what to spend a fortune on A-M details. Thx 

I built one of those for a friend.  It's one heck of a kit.  I looked at what the extras went for and decided to settle for just the P.E. set.  

If you have any parts left over you want to get rid of, let me know, I'm always lookinf for extra parts for one of my scratch built ideas. We can work out the cost at that time.