Aoshima 1/350 IJN Heavy Cruser Takao WIP

I'll watch this one. 

Great kit, excellent modeler.

She did her best work in pitch black night.

This should be good...

Oh boy.

Alrighty, this ia about a four and a half year old zombie thread.

Reserection time

I'm planning on completing this by next year's IPMS, but that's still iffy.

I restarted last night figuring out where I was i the process. It seems that I wasn't far at all. Just a few holed drilled in the decks for vents and such, most of which were attached and the hull glued together and that's all. It's amazing how much my skill has improved in those short years. I shake my head at the work that was done. No problem, easy fixes. A little sanding here, trimming there, filling here and we are back on the road.

Pics to follow once I have something to show.

Great thread! I'm happy to see it back, hope you can make the self-imposed deadline, but hey enjoy yourself.

Bill

Thanks Bill,

I like Japanese cruisers, they have lovely lines IMO.

I got all the vents, capstans, cable reels and bollards attached. There were a lot. I used the kits cable reels because they were well done. The reel bases are a little thick but the reel details are better than I could achieve with PE reels.

My plan is displaying it as she probably looked during the second naval battle of Guadalcanal on Nov 14th 1942. The Takao, her sister Atago and the battlecruser Kirishima, light crusier Nagara and six DD's battled the Washington and South Carolina and four DD's. The Takao was the only heavy to escape damage. Her guns will be facing port and port torpedo tubes run out.

Next is assembling the torpedo tubes and the 01 deck amidships.

modelcrazy

Her guns will be facing port and port torpedo tubes run out.

Don't forget to spin the gun directors to port as well.

I did this one about 10 years ago or more, nice kit for sure.I love the Jap Heavies,real cool with the triple turret foward.

Of course the only similarity between yours and mine is the name,so I look forward to seeing your treatment.

I wasn't sure how good that kit was.  I'll have to try to find one at Modelpalooza in October.

CapnMac82

 

 

modelcrazy

Her guns will be facing port and port torpedo tubes run out.

 

 

Don't forget to spin the gun directors to port as well.

 

Thanks Capt. Little things like that can really mess you up

ikar01

I wasn't dure how good that kit was.  I'll have to try to find one at Modelpalooza in October.

 

I don't think they're manufacturing the Takao anymore but her sister the Chokai. Same kit just a little different superstructure and deck accessory placement. 

After the Akagi I'll watch anything you build!

I thought for sure you'd go for something nice and easy after the Akagi! 

Thanks John.

Chad, I did. Just a few "quick" builds.

Although to be fair, the Helldiver was started while I was putting the finishing touches on the Akagi.

I must say I do like a nice 109!

My favorite would be the Hurricane, always liked that one.  I do, however, remember building the old Aurora 109.  It had solid wings with markings raised on itss surfaces and came in a dark metallic green plastic.  It might have had the pilot molded into the solid cockpit.

Back to the ship, I never understood the resoning behind having three turrets up front, ith one sitting behind and deck level.

In the waning days of any recognizance of the London Treaties parts 1 and 2; cruisers were limited to 8 inch guns and 10,000 tons disp.

Our New Orleans class cruisers had 9 such, the British Countys had 10. Japanese ships were always top heavy, so I suppose a third turret on the main deck helped.

Bill

It's amazing what you can do with such small pieces. Looks like this will be fantastic.

In addition, I think Japanese doctrine was more of decisive battle.  Having 9 barrels forward would match the entire battery of a US cruiser, and in a charging attack from somewhere off a headon or straight stern attack, all forward guns could be brought into action.  Then break off for the Long Lance torpedo attack.  They were right fond of that fish.

goldhammer88

They were right fond of that fish.

They had reason to be.

The Japanese heaves were a force to be reconed with. Broadside and they were downright trouble. Unfortunatly (not for the allies) Like Bill said, they were top heavy and early in their career they had issues with hull strength so the torpedo blister was added. They also didn't fair well in high seas.

The history of Japanese cruiser development is facinaing (if you're into that sort of thing). The Tone class for instance, bennifited with the forward main gun placement. The aft deck contained a flight deck for the scout float planes. Japanese doctrin did not provide a scout asset on carries reliying on their cruisers to provide the scouts.

The torpedoes were a diffrent story. Highly explosive; a round hitting in that area was almost a guarantee critical hit. After the battle of Midway, while we were hunting the cruisers, the Mogami ditched her torpedoes while the Makuma didn't. The Mikuma's sinking had a lot to do with her torpedoes detonating.

goldhammer88

In addition, I think Japanese doctrine was more of decisive battle.  Having 9 barrels forward would match the entire battery of a US cruiser, and in a charging attack from somewhere off a headon or straight stern attack, all forward guns could be brought into action.  Then break off for the Long Lance torpedo attack.  They were right fond of that fish.

 

Takao's carried 6 guns forward,just double mounts,

I believe it was only Mogami and Mikuma and the other two of that class that carried triple mounts of 6" guns instead of 8" of all the other heavies

Then Tone and Chikuma carried 8x8" all forward 

My bad.  Not all that familiar with IJN ships.  Without blowing up the instruction pic MC posted, looked to be triples rather than twins.

goldhammer88

My bad.  Not all that familiar with IJN ships.  Without blowing up the instruction pic MC posted, looked to be triples rather than twins.

 

Nah no bad on your part just conversation,I'm not an expert but I really like reading about the Japanese Heavies.I got the Squadron in action book awhile ago,very informative but pricey now.

After that gluing session , some of the glue got under the tape and melted the dimond pattern deck just fore of the starboard catapult. After trying to come up with ideas the only three I can think of is 1. find a PR dimond pattern deck replacement 2. sand the area and cust continue on or 3. revert to the old armor solution, put a tarp over the catacult or onn the deck to cover the area. Anyway, if I go with the third choice I'll have to change the scene from a battle scene to just her steaming along and the crew doing daily chores.

I completed the 02 deck and flight deck, installed the torpedo launchers prior to installing the decks and filled the gaps. I also replace the doors and ladders in the small boat well using gereric IJN ladders and doors PE sets. Aoshima gives the builder a rubber sprue tree for the gauss cable and you attech them using pieces. I started that process using CA but need to refer to refereces befor proceding.

The damaged deck.

If anybody has any ideas for the deck, yell out please 

Turn to ships work.

Since you're doing a battle scene, what about hiding the worst of it under say, a 5" hit.  Use your wave and wake skills to do the smoke and flame effect.

Might be able to rescribe the lighter damage around the edges.

My original idea was the second naval battle Guadalcanal where she came out without a scratch. I don't want to damage her so I'll just show her steaming unless I can come up with a way to repair that area.

I can see I may have to get more popcorn, order my next ship model, or two, and keep an eye on this build.

I'm also thinking of doind the Nagato.  If I was a glutten for punishment I could do it as it looked after the operation crossroads tests.  Or cheat and show it as it looks after it sank at Kwajeline atoll after it ran over the rocks and capsized.  That might be more fitting in a 1/700th scale kit.

love watching your builds steve , 

how did the agaki go at your modeling show ?

Thanks Steve. The Akagi won third.

I completed the gauss cable and finished the seam clean up around the small boat well and flight deck. It looks like the funnels and conning tower are next.