The Ship Model Forum

I am building Tamiya 1942 version Mogami based on Miyukikai's plans, and still cannot find an answer to the question whose version is correct - Tamiya or Mr.Takami.
Tamiya has manufactured barbettes of the third and fourth turrets as follows:

One can see barbette of similar design at the pictures by Mikuma and Suzuya, but on these photos, they still have a 6-inch turrets.
On the drawing by Miyukikai they are shown as “ribbed” barbettes of turrets:

Are there any picture by Mogami (Mikuma) after the modernization confirming the correctness of one of these two options?

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Max Sh.

Interesting question, both IJN Mogami and IJN Tone class had barbettes on number 3# and number 4# turret and in number 2# turret in the case of IJN Tone class.
Here is two picture that confirm that.
First one is durring the 1935 trials:
http://img199.imageshack.us/i/shipmogami2.jpg/
Second one is during 1935 just a few months before the reconstruction to correct the issues with stability e.t.c.:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/39/wnjap61603nsmogamipic.jpg/
So, Tamiya is right.

Hmm... but in these pictures barbette is not as in Tamiya.
Here is one of pictures better quality

...and this pictures Mogami before modernization

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Max Sh.

Tamiya may have simplified the molding. I will check my references.

Nothing is clear from the photos. Most show no ribbing though there is a photo of both Suzuya and Kumano with thr triple 15cm mounts that might be ribbing. So, perhaps, there may have been bracing for the triples but none for the twin 20cm turrets.

From the pictures I saw, only IJN Myoko and IJN Aoba class had that bracing like in the Miyukikai plans.IJN Furutaka and IJN Takao class had a different kind of bracing more similar to IJN Mogami and IJN Tone. And from the pictures that I saw Im guessing Tamiya is almost right.

Is there a noticeable difference between IJN Kumano and IJN Suzuya? Same also for IJN Mogami and IJN Mikuma.

Not much time this w/e to pitch in save for this. Diffrences between the sister pairs is minimal. Maybe some aux piping on the funnels. This from one of the Maru Specials:

Also the top of the mainmasts, maybe, aerials on the turrets maybe

Well I guess is really hard to distinguish IJN Kumano from IJN Suzuya.

As with Yamato and Nagato, Model Art has released a Super Illustration volume for Mogami. It's a labor of love for the author and is going to be the best single volume reference you will find. Consist of 3D perspective drawings of the ship as completed, as refit with 20cm main guns and as an a/c cruiser. Great guide to structures and equipment as well. Dual Japanes/English captions and explanations. Highly recommended. http://www.hlj.com/product/MDA819

Quick question for everyone who can answer it !
Did the IJN Suzuya, IJN Mikuma and IJN Kumano had a change in the mainmast from the cross type to the Y type after the change from 15,5 cm guns to 20 cm main guns ?
Thanks in advance.

Without direct evidence, I think we can infer from indirect evidence that Tamiya is correct:

The manufactured barbettes are consistent with the barbettes for 6" turrets on the Yamato. Presumably they were designed for the 6" turrets which Mogami and Yamato shared. So we might assume Mogami to have had this type of barbette at least while she carried the 6" guns.
The ribbed barbettes are consistent with 8" turrets on the Takao, and probably represent the barbettes designed for the standard Japanese 8" turrets on the Takao classes and later.
But which type of Barbettes did the Mogami have after the convertion to 8"?
Well, if she lost her normal 6" barbettes and had standard 8" barbettes similar to those on Takao installed, then it would be hard to explain why her 8" turrets were not of the standard type, but instead had to be modified to fit 6" roller races. So I think the evidence is for Mogami having retained her 6" barbettes, ie the manufactured barbettes similar to those on the Yamato's 6" guns, even ifter change over to 8" guns. This is why her 8" turrest had to be specially modified.

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Assessing the impact of new area rug under modeling table.

According to L & W, the Mogami class barbettes were slightly wider than barbettes used for the Type E 20cm turret. As Chuck indicated, the 20cm turret used for the Mogamis were modified slightly larger to accomodate the larger footprint.

As for the supportive ribbing, there just aren't that many great phtos of the barbettes after the construction phase for this class. An exhaustive review of my photo references shows only Mogami herself with ribbing, at least around commissioning time. The ribbing is paced wider than indicated in the Miyukikai plan.

Nothing shows for any of the other ships, particularly Suzuya and Kumano.

To answer Atma's question about changes to the mainmast, the changes seem to have come during the 1937-38 set of refits, prior to the changeover to 20cm mounts. The only exception seems to be Mogami, whose mainmast tripod was reduce, and revised agin during that changeover.

HTH

Thanks Dan

just purchased both the carrier & cannon versions to build
I read that the colour is supposed to be Sasebo gray whereas Yamato/Musashi are Kure gray

are the 2 colours that much different? - i looked online for pictures but found it hard to get a good colour sample & thought you guys might have used both (for varying models) & thought a real world perspective of differences might be better

thx for advice

Yokosuka Grey has a tinge of green to it, say, vs. the Kure Grey.

Can anyone scan the Tamiya Mogami 1/350 Heavy Cruiser instructions for me? Kit # 78023, ( the full gun version).

Thanks in advance

Larry

Check here:
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10099009

Thanks Atma,

I have these, but they are missing the parts list and when I print them out there is some distortion.

I'll keep looking...