Last year I had been on a bit of seaplane/flying boat kick and while researching I came across the Japanese Seiran aircraft. As I fell further down the rabbit hole I learned about the Japanese I-400 series of aircraft carrying subs. The history on these subs and aircraft is amazing and anybody that doesn't know it should give a quick read. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-400-class_submarine
Sort of formulated a plan to do the Tamiya I-400 in 1/350 scale and then do a 1/48 Seiran all folded up with the front of the hanger and start of the catapult scratch built as a base.
Off I went online shopping and the prices sort of scrapped that idea.
Then one day I was near one of the only places in town that still sells models and popped in for some paint. There on the shelf was the I-400 kit! Since I happened to have a 25% off coupon I had been holding for a while it is then mine at a cost that made me feel better about what the 1/48 Seiran kit was going to cost me.
So down to business
Normal Tamiya box. Even in 1/350 this is a large sub!
Pretty much your standard new(ish) instructions and paint guide
There is a rather nice stand with hardware to secure it and very well done name plates. There is also a stand to show one of the Seirans separate.
Hull demarcation line will be easy since two pieces. The deck has nice detail. The space between the planks is a bit large for the scale but paint and weathering should fix that up
Not a lot of parts but there never is with subs. What there is are really nicely molded.
Enough parts for two Seirans all assembled, wings out, ready to fly and four folded up for the hanger. Only need three of them so have a couple of spares for something. They are very well molded. The panel lines are a bit heavy but again paint will help.
Nice little photoetch mostly for the aircraft and radars. Also two big "ballast" bars. Like their 1/48 armour line I guess they think small kits need weight?
Beautiful decals. Not sure why they went with black glass and white frames for the canopies though. I will try painting one as well and see which is better. The flags are on a very very thin sort of parchment paper and are a complete work of art
Some sub assembly's done but boring so no pictures.
Aircraft all done but still in their high gloss coat of tinted Future. A coat of dull coat will subdue the weathering.
Rear one has a rough painted yellow band since you can't see one little part of it anyway and those bands were a fight to get on
Will be on the cat. They are tiny little kits!
Since you can't see them inside the hanger and I considered cutting it open so you could but it is still not going to show much so I displayed one on the trolley. There is a small base that it can go on and at least you can see what they look like all folded up.
The progress on the decks was fast.
Base coat way off colour because that will change. The few real pictures of show it was pretty beat up even though it was never used as intended so I will be weathering it fairly heavy. Brush painted for a deliberate blotchy look.
A darkening wash of Citadel "Agrax Earthshade". More blotches and uneven tones especially on main deck. Some detail painting done.
Coat of tinted Future (I use this ALOT) to highlight details, create fake shadows and add depth. Once dull coated this will be very close to the colour mix recommended in the instructions but not just a monotone brown
Decks finished.
With tinted Future. Detail hidden by gloss.
With first coat of dull coat. Details pop.
Whole thing base coated
Gloss tint coat on whole sub. Makes the limber holes in the side black but not a huge contrast like paint would. Gives the rest a nice blotchy look.
Next is a flat coat to subdue it all.
Aircraft complete (well so is the sub but no pictures yet)
Testers Dull Coat over tinted gloss tones down the dark but lets the tiny panel lies still show nicely
The grey on the folded wing version looks horrible in the pictures but when you consider that it will fit on a nickel then you see how it would just look feathered in real life. Same applies for what looks like exccsive weathering on the grey parts of the wings. The almost microscopic chipping came out great.
The ready to go version shows the effects a bit better. Actually very happy how the canopy decals came out now that the gloss isn't hiding the framing.
Annnnnd Done!
Just shy of 20 hours on the bench not counting paint drying time. As I said at the start of this thread this kit was built more as a side project and reference for building a 1/48 folded Serian being removed from the hanger so it is strictly out of box with a focus on the finish. This means no railings, ech ladders, gun sights etc. Just a shake and bake build. I may break down and add railings to at least the antiaircraft gun decks later if I can find a nice cheap set of generic rails.
Dull coat tones down all those black blotches nicely.
Built it with crane up but it blocked the area I wanted to see the most so stowed it.
Note that I did not use the big Japanese flag decal you see on most models and drawings of this sub. Of all the pictures I looked at I only saw one distant shot that may or may not have had it there. In fact in the surrender videos' the numbers are even painted out on the starboard side. Besides I would think that if I was a Japanese sub captain in 1945 the last thing I would want is a 20 foot white rectangle with a bullseye in the center painted on the tower!
For a good idea of just how big these subs were here it is with a 1/350 liberty ship
Ahhhh what do we have here? Coming soon to a forum near you.
