1/350 Hasegawa Akagi Complete.

Oh man, you are a glutton for punishment.  Going to watch this one, you will build a prize winner for sure.

Just be sure to have some plastic under all that brass.

Thanks Art. I've found a nice white sheet under the chair and workbench saves much time and sanity. This thing has a monster hull, close to the Hood and Yamato in length.

I have been eitching to start it for over a year.

Her length is not surprising, considering what she was laid down as.

I have her arch enemy on the shelf, got from another member here, hopefully will get to build it one day.

goldhammer

I have her arch enemy on the shelf,

Which one is that?

The Merit Enterprise, CV-6, in 1/350, the hull plating is attrocious.  The weld seams would be about a foot high if actually to scale.

Also have her in Academy's 1/700.

goldhammer

The Merit Enterprise, CV-6, in 1/350, the hull plating is attrocious.  The weld seams would be about a foot high if actually to scale.

Also have her in Academy's 1/700.

 

That's what I was thinking. I was lookking at one of those. Too bad Trumpy doesn't make one.

Tojo72

As if that box didn't have enough parts,you had to go out and get more.Well your build will no doubt be more impressive then mine,I will certainly watch and learn.

 

Yeah, and I looking into the 3D 25mm twin guns but I'll see how well Hase's PE works out on their 25mm's

That's a strange coincidence, I was looking at my Akagi boxed set last night too. Found the useless reference book at the bottom, too. I opted for turned gun barrels and a supplemental set of biplanes. I'm skipping the mind-numbing deck framework brass PE and just folding up some metal grid and highlighting it with some random details. It's good enough for me and there's enough work to be done on the deck, sides and 22 tiny planes. 

My question for you and other ship builders is, when and how do you put in all that deck support and framing PE without damaging the wooden deck? It will also need to be primed and painted, but I dont want overspray and I also dont want to handle the deck too much and risk bending the damn PE.  Ideas or experiences??

I built that beast for a friend.  He paid for the kit but after doing his Mogami carrier I  wasn't asboutto go aftermarket on it.  With all the sprue it had they only give a small amount of aircraft for the flight deck.  I still think it's a strangely designed ship conversion.  I'll make the same offer I make to anyone I find doing this ship,.  If you have parts left over, which I'm sure you will, I'll take them off your hands.  We can negotiate the terms later if you agree.  I'm not going anywhere.

By thge way, my brother is a pshcholigist if you think you need him,  Or...just get a six pack now and then and just be amazed at how they did the conversion to turn it into a monster carrier.

This will be fun watching you slowly slip into madness during this build...LOL. 

I to have this kit and all the goodies, so you will have my full attention... good luck with the  build.

Marcus

Oh man. You've got nuggets of steel taking that one on and then putting a deadline on it. If anybody can do it then you're just the guy that can. I don't subscribe to builds very often but I just may do that to this thread. Really looking forward to this Steve.

Bocks Suv

My question for you and other ship builders is, when and how do you put in all that deck support and framing PE without damaging the wooden deck? It will also need to be primed and painted, but I dont want overspray and I also dont want to handle the deck too much and risk bending the damn PE.  Ideas or experiences??

This is my first with a PE girder system. I'll take a pic of the insane instruction sheet that comes with it's own stand alone box. To answer your question, I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it  It occures to me to apply the deck and cover it with some painter's take for protection first. Like you surmizzed, pushing down on all the brass may just make a total mess of what $50 $70 worth of PE and several nights of work? I'm usually not too concerned about over spray. I black base everything, except the wood deck, and spray the base coat over it. The black base allows for shadows, expeciall where an AB can't reach. I have a .18mm brush that can handle the lines pretty handley.

ikar01

I built that beast for a friend.  He paid for the kit but after doing his Mogami carrier I  wasn't asboutto go aftermarket on it.  With all the sprue it had they only give a small amount of aircraft for the flight deck.  I still think it's a strangely designed ship conversion.  I'll make the same offer I make to anyone I find doing this ship,.  If you have parts left over, which I'm sure you will, I'll take them off your hands.  We can negotiate the terms later if you agree.  I'm not going anywhere.

By thge way, my brother is a pshcholigist if you think you need him,  Or...just get a six pack now and then and just be amazed at how they did the conversion to turn it into a monster carrier.

 

Ikar,

I would love that Mogami. Yes. is a evil plan of Hasegawa to supply just a fragment of aircraft needed for any of the attacks, unless is the few Zeros on the deck just prior to her getting hit at Midway. I have 3 of their after market boxes to supply enough Kates for the Pearl first wave. I would need another box for the proper number of Val's for the second wave. Any aircraft I have left over will go to the Kaga I want to get some day...$250 plus another $250 for the detail set 

If I have anything left, which like you said I will, it's yours.

Thanks Marcus and Mustang,

We're all Texans here (I'm just displaced) so you you know we have the huevos to tackle something like this.

Actually, this and the my wood HMS Victory would be my pinnacel kits, and yes Mustang, I may be a little too optimistic to think I could make it be next June, but Im going to try. I just need to keep away from those squirrel moments

Steve, I will cast the bowline to you and wish you godspeed.  

With the POW and SC on the ways, where do you have the space to build this beast?

The girder system is what is going to make this model stand out.  When I built the 1/700 Akagi, I was amazed at the engineering that was done on it to covert it to a carrier. Its so artistic.  Its going to be a work of art.

Scott

Thanks Scott, As far as room..... I'll mour the NC up nect to her British counterpart. Actually I need to complete some 5" mounts tonight and check to see if anything else is needed prior to paint.

I'm hoping to get the hull together tonight and figure out some of this PE.

I think the Akagi is a mean looking ship, especially in the water. The bent funnel, girders and overall highth make it look like a monster, with the Kaga a close second. 

Been a couple of years since I looked, but the Graf Z has alot of girder work as well, and most, IRC, is PE, along with a bunch for the radars she was supposed to get.

Going to watch this one with a cold one or two in hand.

goldhammer

Been a couple of years since I looked, but the Graf Z has alot of girder work as well, and most, IRC, is PE, along with a bunch for the radars she was supposed to get.

Going to watch this one with a cold one or two in hand.

 

The Langley too was all girders and steel rods.   

I started on this monster last night. The past two night were me trying to make heads or tails of the PE and relationship to the kit. Unlike Eduard and others who tell you which part to replace in lew of the PE part. I surmise that Hasegawa built the kit and added the PE as add-ons. There doesn't seem to be any "replacement parts" per say other than the girders in the "Super Set", everything else looks to be an enhancement to the kit. One just needs to keep an eye on all 8 sheets of PE to make sure you don't miss anything.

After making the 3x searchlights, 3 tiny parts each, and setting them aside so I didn't lose them, I when ahead and installed the bulkheads. Be aware that one of the stern bulkheads has an additional part attached and must be installed a certain way so you can attach the rudders, as if I was going to install rudders….pfft

GM, does the GZ have this many girders?

Here are the instructions in the "Super Set"

Actually, I'm kinda excited to start on them.

Following with great interest!

Thank you my friend.

Mopar Madness

Following with great interest!

 

Your moniker was aptly chosen.

Bruce, because the Akagi was one of the first Japan created and no one had any experiance, they put the island on the Port side, placed the funnel pointed to the sea and added water to the exhaust to reduce the risk of smoke over the deck. Clearly neither idea worked well. Pilots tend to turn left during an emergency and the US had the better idea with the stack, place it high over the deck. The problem with that is it disturbes the airflow (that's why the Akagi and Kaga had such small islands, but again, as it turned out, wasn't that big of a problem either since you head into the wind anyway.

Templar, I had no idea when I choose it it would be so accurate.

Steve,

Those instructions look a lot like the plans I detailed when I worked for a firm doing structural steel for the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Oh boy, it looks like a fun project.  

I'll feel like I'm making a bridge. 

Intense stuff. Will be continuing to watch.