Calling all IJN Kagero-class (陽炎) fans

[drasticplastic]

That's what I thought. Thanks.

[Mike C]

The Tamiya's Yukikaze and Kagero kits depict late and early fits, which is probably why the etch was labelled for a specific ship, even though they're in the same class. Most of the generic parts would apply, though.

[MatthewB]

Another comment about Kager? in 1/700.

The new Pit Road/Skywave Kager? has a phenomenal PE set available for it, that says it is made by Flyhawk.

It is the first such set of PE where the Tripod Masts, rather than being folded PE are turned-brass. But the plastic Tripod Masts are not much larger than the Turned-Brass posts.

They have included some of the new-tool parts from the Kager? in their Yukikaze, but I am not certain what. If that included the hull, turrets/torpedos, and masts that would make for an impressive kit of the Late-War Kager?-class ships.

The Five Star PE for the Fujimi Yukikaze still remains one of the best PE sets for the Late-War Kager?-class, but if Pit Road creates a new-tool Yukikaze/Late-War Kager?-class along the same lines as the Early-War Kager? they currently have, that would make it the best kit and PE set available, with Five Star Models having some work to do in order to keep their Yukikaze PE set competitive (adding in turned-brass posts for all PE sets for IJN ships to their existing PE sets would likely be enough.

MB

[Dan K]

They have included some of the new-tool parts from the Kager? in their Yukikaze, but I am not certain what. If that included the hull, turrets/torpedos, and masts that would make for an impressive kit of the Late-War Kager?-class ships.

I have the new Yukikaze kit, and hope to have a review ready for June. This month is not feasible.

Yes, it's as good as the Kagero kit, and yes, it utilizes many of the same kit parts, with the rest tailored for the late war fit.

[MatthewB]

They have included some of the new-tool parts from the Kager? in their Yukikaze, but I am not certain what. If that included the hull, turrets/torpedos, and masts that would make for an impressive kit of the Late-War Kager?-class ships.

I have the new Yukikaze kit, and hope to have a review ready for June. This month is not feasible.

Yes, it's as good as the Kagero kit, and yes, it utilizes many of the same kit parts, with the rest tailored for the late war fit.

I sure do hope that this becomes the new Standard for other IJN kits in the future.

MB

[ijnfleetadmiral]

There are Waterline Series kits for eight of the nineteen Kageros:

Kagero
Shiranuhi
Yukikaze
Amatsukaze
Isokaze
Hamakaze
Maikaze
Akigumo

There is also - in addition to others of the class - a kit of Nowaki available in 1/350.

[Dan K]

Actually, there's more -

Kurushio Super Detail - from Aoshima, which is OOP

Oyashio, Nowaki, Tokitsukaze & Urakaze from Pit-Road/Skywave

Urakaze from Fujimi

[karih]

Hi all,
Has anyone seen a picture (structural drawing) of the frame spacing & bulkhead positions for Kagero-class destroyers? I am currently building 1/350 Tamiya model and wanted to replicate the frames showing through the hull plating (see photo).
Thanks!

[Dan K]

PM me with your email address for a full size version of this.

[karih]

Does anyone have a clear view on the navigation lights for the IJN Kagero-class destroyers? Old black&white photos do not tell much and I noticed that various modellers have used different solutions. I doubt that Tamiya instructions are correct

[Dan K]

Good question. I'm still looking. I've always thought that just the lantern itself was red or green. Different sources show red, green, or black (like Tamiya) colored backboards.

Postwar photos don't show that area to be different then the superstructure gray.

[karih]

Good question. I'm still looking. I've always thought that just the lantern itself was red or green. Different sources show red, green, or black (like Tamiya) colored backboards.

Postwar photos don't show that area to be different then the superstructure gray.

Hi Dan,
I agree with you: it is the lantern that has the colour. That is the only way that the nav lights fulfill the ancient old rules and show the light in correct angles. So the Yukikaze photo with my notes should be right. The backboard colour is bit of a question mark, but I have seen in many ships that it is matt black in order to avoid unwanted reflections.
Thanks again for your help!

[karih]

PM me with your email address for a full size version of this.

Hi Dan,
I used a bit of artistic freedom with the painting of frames. Based on the Kagero drawing the frame spacing in the bow & stern was around 600 mm and in the middle section ca 900 mm. So in 1/350 scale 1,7 & 2,6 mm. This was too much for my skills, so I used roughly the double 3 & 5 mm. I think that it does not look too bad.

[Dan K]

Wow. That's some really nice groundwork work for the oil canning of the hull.

The interesting thing about the navigation light boxes is that many Kageros (and other DDs) do show a darker coloration on that backboard both prior to and during the war. But not all.
I'm under the impression that the navigation lights weren't even used during wartime, at least at night.

I really don;t know what to make of it.

[Guest]

Dear All

From time to time I play around trying to have progress with my first 1/350 model, the Tamiya IJN Yukikaze.
I have the Tamiya (Pontos) detail set to improve the kit from the waterline and above, but I really have to do something bellow the waterline. The kit�s one piece (red) hull has no detail at all. It seems to me strange to have surface detail above the waterline and no detail bellow. So I am prepared to create some detail (with extra thin plastic sheets or masking and spraying Mr. Surfacer 500) to create the illusion of the metal plates, similar to those that are prominent above the waterline.

At this point I have 2 questions that I would like to share with you. I would be happy if you could give me your thoughts on them �

1. Do we know the pattern of the plates bellow the waterline? I have being unable to find good photos of the Kagero class on a dry dockyard to have a clue of the pattern of the plates � so I do not know how to proceed. My most probable way out, is to follow the pattern of the Fujimi 1/700 kit (which have some detail bellow the waterline). I don�t know why Tamiya omitted the surface details in this area. Is it possible the surface detail was flashed out completely in the real ship for better speed and performance, so Tamiya is correct?

2 My second question is more important to me. Do you know if the plates on the ship�s hull were welded or were they bolted? To be honest I cannot see any bolts on any Kagero class hull, but if I am mistaken, it is better to know now (that I can do something about it) than later, when I have already put hours and hours on my model �

As always, all your opinions will be very helpful!!!

With Best Regards
Paris Tsirchoglou
Greece

[MatthewB]

I saw earlier a comment by Dan K where he said that the Kager?-class ships were essentially identical as built.

Does that mean in 1941/42 they were still �structurally identical� prior to the loss of the �bows� on two of them in early-43, where I saw it mentioned that the Shiranui might have had the bridge reconstructed with the sloping front of the Y?gumo-class?

And as such, I would assume that the newer Pit-Road kits would work for any of the 19 Kager?-class pre-debowing of two of them in �43?

I know that the TROM should give an indication of the color of the different units (Maizuru, Kure, Yokosuka) as one way of differentiating some of them.

And some still carried the Funnel Stripes into 1942 (and maybe 1943 from some photos in the thread).

But are there any features that would allow some of them to be more immediately differentiated from the others?

MB

[Dan K]

I missed Paris's question from back in February. So, hopefully, my reply is still helpful

1. Do we know the pattern of the plates bellow the waterline?

Well, the hull strakes alternated, just as they did above the waterline.

2 My second question is more important to me. Do you know if the plates on the ship�s hull were welded or were they bolted?

Both. Welded throughout, plus riveted in the midsection to help with rigidity.

These two attachments should help.

[Dan K]

To answer your questions, Matt:

Yes, they were structurally identical, and yes, any of the Pit-Road kits should work, as long as they are early war fits.

Yard color could be used to differentiate them to some extent, but not for very long. Paint fades quickly.

The funnel band record is incomplete, so that may or may not be helpful. Plus, each ship in the division would likely have a single hiragana symbol painted on (usually) #1 funnel denoting administrative position. But, we can't confirm that this practice was firmly adhered to.

Degaussing patterns varied between ships but, again, the record is very incomplete as to which vessel carried which pattern.

Also, the tertiary piping on # 1 funnel leading to the steam whistles varied a lot between ships. Again, the record is incomplete on these.

HTH, Dan

[Dan K]

Btw, I've finally begun listing kits on P1. Just a few more years now...........

[MatthewB]

To answer your questions, Matt:

Yes, they were structurally identical, and yes, any of the Pit-Road kits should work, as long as they are early war fits.

Yard color could be used to differentiate them to some extent, but not for very long. Paint fades quickly.

The funnel band record is incomplete, so that may or may not be helpful. Plus, each ship in the division would likely have a single hiragana symbol painted on (usually) #1 funnel denoting administrative position. But, we can't confirm that this practice was firmly adhered to.

The yard colors do fade quickly, but the paints they used have different chemicals which produce a slightly different weathering coloration due to the seawater (the chlorine in the salt tends to like a lot of the pigments in the different Greys of each yard, and will produce greenish, blackish, or whitish colorations along with the typical buildup of salt, wear on the paint, and chips/nicks/etc. And the different colors will likely occur more dominantly in the yard colors that were either Lighter or more �bluish�). But overall they would help to at least produce a base to work from.

As for Funnel Bands & Administrative Markings for Divisions/Squadrons�

While the record on the Funnel Bands might be incomplete, and that of the Administrative Hiragana (or is it Katakana?) not firmly adhered to, where might I find that which we do know (and that which is suspected, and so on) of each?

Degaussing patterns varied between ships but, again, the record is very incomplete as to which vessel carried which pattern.

I saw the comments on these, where you said there were at least 3 or 4 different degaussing patterns.

Also, the tertiary piping on # 1 funnel leading to the steam whistles varied a lot between ships. Again, the record is incomplete on these.

HTH, Dan

What record does exist?

MB