Kagero Publishing Imperial Japanese Navy Type B1 Submarine I-15 (1939) & I-37 (1943) - Kagero Super Drawings in 3D No.73 via Casemate uK

[Julien]

Imperial Japanese Navy Type B1 Submarine

I-15 (1939) & I-37 (1943)

Kagero Super Drawings in 3D No.73 via Casemate uK
 

 

The Type B1 Submarine were the first of the Type B Cruiser submarines built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. They were intended to be long range boats with a range of 14000 nautical miles. They had 6 forward 533mm torpedo tubes with 17 torpedoes being carried. They had a 14cm Deck gun, and unusually would carry a float plane for scouting. The hanger was faired into the conning tower and the aircraft would be catapulted from the forward deck.  20 submarines of the class were built. Later on in WWII some of the boats would have the hanger and catapult removed to replace it with a second deck gun. Submarines I-36 & I-37 had their hangers removed in order that they could carry Kaiten manned suicide torpedoes.  Neither I-15 or I-37 survived the war. I-15 was sunk by the US Destroyer USS McCalla of San Cristobol in 1942, and I-37 was sunks by US Destroyers USS Conklin & USS McCoy Reynolds of Leyte in 1944.

 

 

This is the latest book in Kagero Publishing’s superb series of Super Drawings in 3D.  As with the previous books it has a brief history and the ships specifications at the beginning. The rest of the 65 pages are filled with the now well known style of beautifully drawn 3D renderings of every part of the ship.  It is obvious that a lot of time has been taken to get the drawings this good and accurate, and there is a wealthy of information for the modeller to use during their build. Every area of the upper hull and superstructure is dealt with plus the lower hull including the propellers and rudder.  There are a lot of close up renders of most of the equipment fitted, and the Seaplane carried by I-15.

 

 

As is the norm with this series, Kagero have included B2 fold out sheets. The first features line drawings of both submarines, the second features deck guns, torpedoes and the seaplane.

 

 

Conclusion

If you love Japanese submarines and like to model them as accurately as possible then this book is most definitely for you.  Highly recommended, 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

 

 

 

 

[whitestar12chris]

On 1/12/2020 at 8:16 PM, Julien said:

 

 

 

This is the latest book in Kagero Publishing’s superb series of Super Drawings in 3D.  As with the previous books it has a brief history and the ships specifications at the beginning. The rest of the 65 pages are filled with the now well known style of beautifully drawn 3D renderings of every part of the ship.  It is obvious that a lot of time has been taken to get the drawings this good and accurate, and there is a wealthy of information for the modeller to use during their build. Every area of the upper hull and superstructure is dealt with plus the lower hull including the propellers and rudder.  There are a lot of close up renders of most of the equipment fitted, and the Seaplane carried by I-15.

 

 

 

I have just received a copy of this, I am very disappointed with it. There are some massive inaccuracies im sad to say.  This i know as im currently super detailing Nitto's 1/200 I-19 who's instructions are a wealth of information with numerous detail line drawings, also i have a number of photos of amongst others I-15.

Here are just a few for reference;

1) Rear of the conning tower there is a circular observation platform for the rangefinder and there is a framework for the twin ariels. (the rangefinder is shown but not the platform to use it?). The top front of the conning tower is missing the binocular housing.

2) The rear ariel mast drops into a recess, not shown, the area in front of the hanger is inaccurate, no sign of the turntable that is part of the launch ramp.

3) The biggest mistake is the B-1 type had a split rudder, i.e. the rudder was below and above the stern, (the illustration just shows metal arch, which was the rudder guard).

 

 

The list goes on based upon my own research. Considering the photos available, as well as the scale models from Japan, this publication sadly is a part work of fiction.

 

In all fairness to Julien, unless your a submarine buff, like myself the publication on face value looks a great title like all their others.

 

All the best Chris