Midway carrier war 1/700 Enterprise and Akagi

Interesting conversation.

Yeah, I really don't like using Polyester, it's too..... stringy. I much prefer cotton, however cotton has those lumps in the fiber that makes it hard to look like mist. It's ok for wakes and whitecaps but not for mist. I was thinking of cotton however, pulled out, sprayed with a thinned acrylic varnish, then molded into the shape I want. Trim it to match the funnel and see how it looks prior to attaching it. It would have some exhaust color to it I would imagine.

modelcrazy

I was thinking of something like that for my 1/350 Akagi on a water base. Was trying to come up with an idea for the water discharge without making it look like a waterfall 

I started out with a clear sheet plastic template to regulate the shape. Each of the streams were seperate pulled cotton strands. The cotton is then brushed with thick gel. The result however is too opague to my liking, ideally you want it see-through. I wonder if an ellipitical 'cone' of clear sheet will do better with less cotton around it (and brushed wet to become semi-transparent?) 

polyester threads are too random I'm afraid, good for smoke but not that great for streams of water, cotton provides more directional threads. 

potchip

I'm going to pretend this is Akagi steaming full ahead as required for launching therefore with a bigger discharge

The water injection was meant to mediate an issue with all conventionally-fueled carriers.  That the stack gasses would create a turbulent updraft alongside the glide slope of landing aircraft.  By cooling the stack gasses down, it was thought that they would not have as great an influence on landing aircraft. 

But, the temperatures needed for stack draft, especially at maximum power were just too great.  Oil-fired boiler exhaust is in the 1800-1500ºF range.  Gasses heated to such temps also expand rather rapidly, too.

Expereience later suggested sailing off the wind by 5 or 10 degrees off the bow, which deflected the stack gasses off the apprach glide slope.

Also, that pumping corrosive seawater through heated exhaust stacks created maintenence issue that were hard to resolve anywhere but a shipyard or large naval port.

Now, as to the model, a person might try adding pulled-out cotton balls hit with a spay fixative.  Note that stack gas is only black early on in the lighting off.  Once all the burners are lit and running, the gases are almost invisible.  So, plain white cotton would replicate the effect nicely.

I was thinking of something like that for my 1/350 Akagi on a water base. Was trying to come up with an idea for the water discharge without making it look like a waterfall 

Beautiful work on them and beautiful job on the water. It's rare to see reaistic wakes and turbulence.

Very nice!  How did you do the stack exhaust on the Akagi?

Ahhhh.  Ok thanks for pics and explanation.  Not that familiar with IJN.

Might play with some polyester fill, starting out mostly solid and teasing it out to a thinner look down and back.  Mist it with hairspray or matt/semi matt clear to hold it then glue in place last. Just a little fuzzy brainstorming.

Thanks for the feedback. 
Yes agree the exhaust is exaggerated, in fact the water base is the result of me wanting to experiment with the stack discharge. 

Akagi/Kaga's vents do have this this system where seawater is discharged together with the smoke. This feature is seen in some actual photos and often stylised in artist drawings promoinantly - eg the 1/350 Akagi's box art, as well as Fujimi's 1/700 kit boxes.

Photos of Kaga

under way (with a smaller stack) and Akagi in 3 deck config

with discharge showed the direction of water generally going downward as opposed to smoke, even though the volume is more like a misty discharge that dissaptes in the wind, than a solid waterfall. Note for the Akagi photo, the smoke comes from a secondary vent that points upward and obviously did not have the water discharge system. They were combined into one after the reconstruction. Though I think it will be hard to model a misty discharge, so there's some more experimentation required. 

I'm going to pretend this is Akagi steaming full ahead as required for launching therefore with a bigger discharge 

Both are very nicely done, water base is beautiful.

Only nit to pick would be your smoke from Akagi's funnels.  Being white, glossy, and going all the way to water it looks more like a waterfall.  Might try to go to a grey/black flat finish and trail it toward the stern.

Marcus McBean

Beautiful looking ships, your work looks amazing.

I'd like to second that.

Potchip,

Beautiful looking ships, your work looks amazing. 

Marcus