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1/350 ship updates

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  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Portsmouth, RI
Posted by searat12 on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:00 AM

Again, I have not heard or read about any Japanese cruisers ever capsizing, though the torpedo boat 'Tomozuru' did, and because of this, one of the primary Japanese warship designers (Admiral Fujimoto) was sacked, and many Japanese heavy cruisers were modified by the addition of hull bulges to improve stability (and of course, the 'Mogami' class had to be almost entirely re-built because of bad welding).  The big problem was not so much the original designs, but the General Staff kept insisting on additions in weaponry that overloaded the heavy cruiser designs.  The addition of hull bulges solved this problem, though it did slow the ships down by a knot or two (these were extremely fast ships in their day, with top speeds approaching 35 Knots!).  I have not heard of the same complaint regarding Japanese light cruisers regarding stability, and they were never bulged. 

Where Japanese light cruisers fell short was in armament and armor, but that was because these ships were not envisioned to fight as warships like those in the West, but to act as leaders of destroyer flotillas (basically, 'super destroyers' of a size sufficient to carry the additional command staff needed to direct a flotilla of destroyers).  To the best of my knowledge, the only Japanese light cruisers that had much of a chance as a warship 'standing in the line' with heavier ships were the modified 'Oi' and 'Kitakami,' which were rearmed with some 40 'long-Lance' torpedo tubes (and never was such a ship more needed than in the Guadalcanal campaign, but instead, these ships were kept in Indian waters the whole time!!)....

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: san francisco,ca
Posted by raider-hall on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:08 AM
Waiting for that LHD WASP class to come out.
  • Member since
    August 2008
Posted by tankerbuilder on Friday, May 1, 2009 9:45 PM
 Hello  searat12  as a former tin can sailor I personnaly can tell you ther,s a whole world of difference between a FLETCHER , GLEAVES , SUMNER and GEARING . The GEARING I was on , the U.S.S. OZBOURN D.D.846 was a GEARING LONG HULL . (yes, there were even hull length differences ) I would say probably wartime and almost postwar . The OZZIE was the epitome of the design . She had (originally) 4 five inch 38 twin mounts . She had 40 mm. antiaircraft mounts(6) and (4) 50cal.  Two stacks between which was a five shot torpedo launcher . Aft at the fantail SHE had two depth charge racks .Aft of midships ,port and stbd were (4) k guns which I never saw fired . Forward on the 01 deck and slightly aft of mount two ,port and starboard were two hedgehog launchers .  We carried two motorwhaleboats . Then came FRAM (LOSE mt 2 and 3 ,torpedo launcher and ALL the antiaircraft weapons . Between the new heightened stacks an ASROC launcher and command ctr . Aft at 01 level ,twin helo hangar ,flight deck and retractable refueling system .And you shoulda seen the NEW enlarged c.i.c. and radar array . This ship was still a GEARING and the new stuff seemed to exacerbate her worst habit , which was to roll port or stbt and right sharply with a corkscrewmotion in heavy seas . She was stricken and sold to argentina and rechristened as the ALMIRANTE BRION after that I lost touch with my seagoing home (my first one ) tankerbuilder
  • Member since
    August 2008
Posted by tankerbuilder on Friday, May 1, 2009 9:53 PM
hey searat12 do you think that anyone is ever going to do a H.M.S.RODNEY  in 1/350 ? I would like to see that one because of their unusual gun and deckhouse arrangement . Plus ,if you looked at the RODNEY and her sister from dead above they looked exactly like big watermelon seeds in their shape .  tankerbuilder
  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Portsmouth, RI
Posted by searat12 on Saturday, May 2, 2009 12:09 PM
I haven't heard anything definitive about HMS Rodney and Nelson yet, just rumors from Trumpeter (in my view, both REALLY ugly ships, and the 'Richelieu' is a much more elegant solution to produce the same effect!), but as for the destroyers you mentioned earlier, I did indeed admit my mistake and (temporary!) historical slackness to Tracey White, which you will note if you scroll back far enough....
  • Member since
    April 2005
Posted by ddp59 on Saturday, May 2, 2009 7:18 PM
tankerbuilder, according to navsource, ozbourn is same length as gearing & had same number of 5" turrets at 3. even shows a broadside of her with the 3 turrets. i don't think none of the gearings had 4 turrets because weight. 
  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: Groton, CT
Posted by warshipguy on Saturday, May 2, 2009 9:24 PM

I actually like the appearance of HMS Nelson and Rodney, and would very much welcome their appearance in 1/350 (full hull) scale.  I never really appreciated waterline kits.  And, I don't think that Richelieu has the same visual effect as the British ships; Richelieu's funnel is downright hideous and the three forward turrets in the Nelsons is very unique among battleships.

Bill Morrison

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Portsmouth, RI
Posted by searat12 on Sunday, May 3, 2009 2:33 PM
I can see your point about the Richelieu's funnel, perhaps I shoud have suggested the 'Dunkerque' instead!  If you like HMS Rodney, you must REALLY like IJN Tone!
  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: Groton, CT
Posted by warshipguy on Sunday, May 3, 2009 6:34 PM

Tone is okay but not my favorite.  I agree with Dunkerque/Strasbourg . . . they are most attractive ships.  But, if it were up to me, there would be a 1/350 full hull model kit of every battleship/battlecruiser/heavy cruiser in every possible configuration.  That is probably why I would be a failure as a business executive!

Bill Morrison

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Portsmouth, RI
Posted by searat12 on Sunday, May 3, 2009 8:11 PM
Ha ha!!  Yeah, it IS tough to decide 'where to draw the line' and establish production priorities, and that's a fact!!  No matter WHAT ship you might want to 'push to the back of the queue,' there is always SOMEONE that is a particular fan of that ship, and will not be convinced otherwise!  So Touche'!  I hold myself humbled!
  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Portsmouth, RI
Posted by searat12 on Sunday, May 17, 2009 4:35 PM
More updates; looks like Aoshima will release its 1/350 Japanese light cruiser 'Nagara' at the end of September, Trumpeter will be releasing a 1/350 Graf Spee, along with (apparently!) another Graf Spee from Academy (perhaps a motorized version of the Trumpeter kit?), and the Trumpeter Prinz Eugen is due out at the end of June, beginning of July......
  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: EG48
Posted by Tracy White on Sunday, May 17, 2009 4:55 PM
The Academy kit was announced first... I doubt these are the same kit.

Tracy White Researcher@Large

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Portsmouth, RI
Posted by searat12 on Sunday, May 17, 2009 7:59 PM
I hope not!  There were some rumors going around that te Academy kit might just be a 'blown up' version of the old Heller 1/400 kit, but I also know that Academy has produced copies of Tamiya kits in the past (though how thay would get a hold of the Trumpeter version so quickly without some sort of deal, I have no idea).  We'll just have to wait and see what comes out!
  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Portsmouth, RI
Posted by searat12 on Monday, May 18, 2009 8:43 PM

..And to add to the 1/350 'Mogami' by Tamiya (in her later aircraft-cruiser mode), Tamiya has announced that they will soon produce a 1/350 'Mikuma'.... This courtesy of Stikpusher...

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=78022

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 11:08 PM

Now Squadron and Brookhurst are showing a new release Hobby boss 1/350 Pola, Italian Navy 1941... and in the $20 range.... 

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=HY86502

http://www.brookhursthobbies.com/Product-Detail.cfm?P=6939319265029&N=10

Anybody know this was coming out?

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    February 2005
Posted by warshipbuilder on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 4:16 AM
Yes, it's a re-pop of an older kit from a different manufacturer.

It's not a new mould.
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 10:09 AM
Is it a decent kit? For $20 I wont expect much, but it sounds like something to have fun with...

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    February 2005
Posted by warshipbuilder on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 6:39 PM
The new 1/350 Graf Spee has now appeared on Trumpeter's website.

Box art -

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Portsmouth, RI
Posted by searat12 on Monday, June 15, 2009 10:09 AM

Aoshima has announced the release of the 'Myoko' class heavy cruiser 'Haguro' for early August!  See here: http://www.aoshima-bk.co.jp/scripts/eng/shohin-eng.aspx?id=427

 

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