IJN Akagi, tri-deck carrier - It Carries Planes!

[Thom216]

So, the modelling monkey within me wanted to start another build, cause doing two at the same time always works out!😅

 

I do have a few trucks in the stash, but I wanted to continue an IJN theme, this time building the tri-deck version of the Akagi, in its first incarnation as a carrier. I'm currently also building the proposed battlecruiser version in the Salty Sea Dog GB.

As far as I know, only Hasegawa makes the tri-deck carrier, and it's a water line kit, but like the battlecruiser build I definitely wanted a full hull. So another Fujimi kit was bought in order to take its lower hull, which I think is shaped better than the Hasegawa version.

 

So, kit parts!

 

The upper hull from the Hasegawa kit.

 

And the Fujimi lower hull. (BC Akagi looking on from the background and hoping it is not forgotten!)

 

Between the two manufacturers, I feel Hasegawa has better detail on upper hull and superstructure.

 

I also have some PE and wood decks for this kit.

 

I doubt I'll use much of the left hand PE fret.

 

First off is working to get the Hasegawa upper hull to fit the Fujimi lower hull. The lower hull is slightly longer and a bit wider at the bow, so some sanding will be needed to match them up.

To start, I glued the upper hull parts at the bow and stern. There are bracers for the upper hull, but I want to keep it flexible until it's fully glued to the bottom.

 

Then I took some styrene strip and glued that either side of the lip of the lower hull.

 

I test fit the parts a few times, using a hobby knife to scrape off some inner plastic from the Hase parts until they were more flush where they meet up.

 

And because the shape differences occur more at the bow and stern, I decided to start gluing amidships, where the mating surfaces are flush together.

 

I'll be moving slowly fore and aft, gluing small sections at a time until that's done. I may encounter some fit issues with the deck, but I'd rather the hull lines up right and worry about any possible gaps up top later.

And that's where Tri-deck Carrier Akagi is at the moment.

 

Model on!

 

Thom

 

https://imgur.com/a/A2byUXO

Edited March 25, 2023 by Thom216

[Robert Stuart]

"It Carries Planes!"  Very true.
I remember a brief discussion about aircraft carriers in chat.

An interesting build, it'll make a change from the ground and air vehicles in other builds - and you are adapting the kit to full hull.

[Thom216]

So, FIT ISSUES!! 

 

And I figured these were going to happen. How often do you try and mate together parts from different manufacturers and think they are going to click together?

 

At the stern, just like with the battlecruiser Akagi, there is an underbite, but unlike that build it is wide enough also that simply sanding it out will not be enough.

 

And the bow.

 

I've already started working on the bow issue. I split it back open again and will glue the sides to match up with the lower hull and then fill the resulting gap and profile it back to shape at the front edge.

For the stern, I'm thinking I'll have to do the same, split the back open again to match the sides, and I may have to hack off the underbite and section it back. 

I can see both options moving the fit issues up and effecting the deck, but I'll deal with that when I get to it.

 

Model on!

 

Thom

[Robert Stuart]

Interesting problems Thom, wonder what the solution will look like.

[PeterB]

Hi Thom,

 

Might it be possible to take a thin slice out of the middle of the lower hull so as to shorten it a little - that could help with the problem at the stern? If you then fill the bow and stern sections with filler or something  you should be able to sand them down to match - just a thought!

 

Pete

Edited March 25, 2023 by PeterB

[Thom216]

47 minutes ago, Robert Stuart said:

Interesting problems Thom, wonder what the solution will look like.

Cutting and splicing!😜

 

18 minutes ago, PeterB said:

Hi Thom,

 

Might it be possible to take a thin slice out of the middle of the lower hull so as to shorten it a little - that could help with the problem at the stern? If you then fill the bow and stern sections with filler or something  you should be able to sand them down to match - just a thought!

 

Pete

Had considered that, and still might do. I'll have to see what I feel better about doing. 

[Thom216]

Alright, so I started with the bow. I took a PE razor saw and reopened the bow in order to line it up with the width of the bottom hull. I glued the sides down until reaching the bow, which left a 'bit' of a gap. So I charged into the styrene stash and found piece with a good width, cut it to 'shape' and stuck it in.

 

Much of the gap has closed up there and the rest will be taken care of with some sanding. While that dried, I went to the stern, and 'nipped the tip.'

 

This is a piece not to be losing! (now I realize I should have cut this piece in half and when gluing back on pushed them to the sides. Now I'll have to add some stryene to the outsides of it to help blend it back in.)

 

Then as I did with the bow, I cut through the seam and opened up the sides so I could glue them individually towards the back.

 

I glued the 'tip' back on and observed the gap left over... (I'm not worried, you're worried!)

 

Some shims are in place here.

 

All that'll buff out.

 

Much more to do!

Thom

 

 

 

Edited March 26, 2023 by Thom216

[ArnoldAmbrose]

11 hours ago, PeterB said:

Might it be possible to take a thin slice out of the middle of the lower hull so as to shorten it a little - that could help with the problem at the stern? If you then fill the bow and stern sections with filler or something  you should be able to sand them down to match - just a thought!

       Gidday @Thom216, I was thinking along Peter's idea too, but you seem to have had a win yourself. I generally don't like to play around with bows and particularly sterns if I can avoid it. But as I said, it looks like your method has worked.

       I wouldn't have thought of a carrier in this GB but as you've pointed out, they carry planes (as their name suggests 🙂) and have been used for aircraft transport besides combat. I believe that the IJN Shinano, the biggest of them all until post WW2 was intended as a supply carrier, to replenish the others.

       Anyway, enough of me rattling on. Good luck with this, I'll be watching her progress. Regards, Jeff.

[Trevor L]

Impressive work. I wouldn't even consider taking on something like that!

[Thom216]

@ArnoldAmbrose That was in consideration. but I had already started gluing the sides before that point, and at least this is a far smaller area to 'correct.' Thanks for watching - and I hope to finish it!😉

@Trevor L Thanks you! And part of it is just not realizing what you are getting into it!😜

 

Alright, with the sectioned stern, it came out narrower in its new position. Next time I do this (cause I still have the full-deck version to do at some point as well) I will cut the piece lengthwise before going across, which would leave two pieces. They would then be glued on even with the sides and will just leave an easier gap down the middle to fill. But as it went, it was alright, I cut some chunks of styrene to an approx.. shape and glued them on and then sanded it all flush.

 

The shape is there, it just needs to be finalized and smoothed out. Then the bow!

And yeah, I am now anticipating fit problems with the decks.

 

Finally, a quick comparison shot with her proposed 'other' self.

 

Model on!

 

Thom

Edited March 26, 2023 by Thom216

[ArnoldAmbrose]

40 minutes ago, Thom216 said:

I cut some chunks of styrene to an approx.. shape and glued them on and then sanded it all flush.

Chunks of styrene, filler and sandpaper - where would we be without them?

       That's an interesting comparison between the two versions of the ship. She would have been very powerful in her original guise, but then she was as a carrier too. The hangars seem of a strange shape to me at present. Oh well, I'll just have to keep watching, to see how they turn out. 🙂

       Regards, Jeff.

[Thom216]

1 hour ago, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Chunks of styrene, filler and sandpaper - where would we be without them?

       That's an interesting comparison between the two versions of the ship. She would have been very powerful in her original guise, but then she was as a carrier too. The hangars seem of a strange shape to me at present. Oh well, I'll just have to keep watching, to see how they turn out. 🙂

       Regards, Jeff.

One of the drawbacks of not being purpose-built carriers is that they had to squeeze everything for the aircraft into  on top of a battlecruiser hull. 

It was quite congested in there.

 

It was the same thing with the Lexington class being converted from their intended battlecruiser role. It wasn't until the Yorktown class that the ships were purpose built around their aircraft.

Edited March 26, 2023 by Thom216

[Thom216]

Going back to it, I trimmed up the bow piece a little bit.

 

I used a high grit to start taking down the 'extra' plastic. And some CA to fill some holes.

 

And where she is at the moment.

 

Now I'm going to start hitting the seam line going down the sides.

 

Model on!

 

Thom

 

 

 

[Thom216]

Aaargh!!! I can NOT stop screwing myself up!!

 

I went to use Testors contour putty for the sides, thinking it would be nice and easy to sand off (it is an old tube too, I do not recall when/where/how I bought it...) I put a thin smear down both sides along the top and bottom seam and, after drying. started sanding. Then cleaning the sanding stick. Then sanding. Then cleaning the sanding stick. Then sanding stick. Then cleaning the sanding stick.... The damn putty keeps clogging up the sanding stick/paper far before I see any result. I shoudl have stuck with CA!

Anyone have any idea how to dissolve this stuff?

 

 

 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by Thom216

[JeroenS]

Nice work Thom, I'm always in for cutting plastic bits. You seem to be doing fine, the hull is shaping up. 

 

As for your putty issues, maybe a file will do the trick?

[Robert Stuart]

Looks like good progress there Thom.  Not sure about your putty issue.

  

9 hours ago, Thom216 said:

Anyone have any idea how to dissolve this stuff?

Without ruining the plastic? Sorry.

 

[PeterB]

wet/dry sandpaper might be a better approach? You could try something like methylated spirits or rubbing alcohol on the sticks.

 

Pete

[ArnoldAmbrose]

On 3/26/2023 at 11:16 PM, Thom216 said:

It was quite congested in there.

Gidday Thom, despite the congestion I count 59 aircraft in the hangars, not counting the two at the stern, not bad I think. 

 

11 hours ago, Thom216 said:

I went to use Testors contour putty for the sides,

I use Tamiya putty white. It's all I've ever used so I don't know how it compares with other stuff but I'm happy with it. It seems to sand OK, although the sand paper I use is expendable. Regards, Jeff.

[Thom216]

4 hours ago, PeterB said:

wet/dry sandpaper might be a better approach? You could try something like methylated spirits or rubbing alcohol on the sticks.

 

Pete

91% Isopropyl Alcohol! That's doing the trick. A little soak with a Q=tip and some good rubbing, and it's coming off. Thanks!

[PeterB]

5 hours ago, Thom216 said:

91% Isopropyl Alcohol! That's doing the trick. A little soak with a Q=tip and some good rubbing, and it's coming off. Thanks!

That stuff will dissolve just about anything organic - including you if you drink it. I wonder if it is stronger than the "Polish Pure Spirit" a friend plied me with many years ago at University?😆

 

Pete

 

 

[Thom216]

The sides are coming along. Using PPP and sanding it down. A couple more sanding sessions and they should be good, but now I think I will also do the armor bands. I have the 1/350 Akagi to transfer the shapes from, so I can do a facsimile of them with thin styrene.

Pics to be posted of the attempt.😀

[Thom216]

The Attempt!

 

I started with drawing the general shape of the armor bands used on the /350 Akagi on the /700 with a pencil. I then placed some writable scotch tape over that and transfered the shapes to a master, straightening the lines out with a ruler. That was then cut out and placed against the hull to see how it looked.

 

I then transferred that to some thin styrene for both sides.

 

That was then glued down and sanded in. On the /350 the lines are sharpest at the bow and blend in aft and down, so that's how I sanded it.

 

Now, of course to the Mark-1 Eye Ball, it looks good, and the Mark II-Thumb, it feels nice and smooth, but hit is with a gray to see how it goes...

 

Definitely some more work to be done. Both sides need to be smoothed out better near the top and the port side has some delamination to take care of.

That was just Round One!!

 

Keep on a'modeling!

 

Thom

 

 

 

[Thom216]

Alright, the back and forth continues with some self-inflicted damage. While sanding the stern armor plate into the hull I managed to nip the side of the rudder housing on both sides, creating flat spots.

 

Simple answer I say, 'replace them!'

 

Some appropriate round stock was stuck in and snipped/sanded to height.

 

A follow-up shot of primer showed some gaps to fill, but it's not too bad considering.

 

And just cause I was feeling a little 'wiggy...'🙃

 

Surprised myself that the holes were right on!

 

Then back for serious work, I didn't like the gaps I was seeing around the deck pieces. Because the sides are slightly wider to fit the new lower hull that was a by-product, but I figured I

could do something to correct that. So out came the saw! Again!

 

I used a file to widen the split and then started gluing the sides in.

 

I'll show some pics later of the stern and the absolute cake I made of the detail. (Never fear, a solution is winging its way from the Far East even as I type!)

 

To the bow!

Same thing, I took a razor to the prow and cut into it, making sure to leave a gap I could squeeze closed around the deck piece.

 

And the gaps around the edge is gone! I need to do more repair work now, but when have I not had to do repair work on this!?😅

 

More pics to come, so model on!

 

Thom

 

 

[ArnoldAmbrose]

5 hours ago, Thom216 said:

Same thing, I took a razor to the prow and cut into it, making sure to leave a gap I could squeeze closed around the deck piece.

Gidday, been there, done that too. You're doing a great job of the hull. And I liked the photo of Akagi and her 'reflection', the sixth photo down in the thread. Regards, Jeff.

[JeroenS]

Good reconstruction work. Cutting and filling, why not?