1/350 Yamato Tamiya premium

[Jon C Ryckert]

Great work on the weathering. I have pretty much the same aftermarket items as you, but my build is down the road a way. I have seen where some modelers use the numbers, but I thought Yamato used white rectangle instead. Not by any means a big deal, just wondering if you had more info on that. Again, really enjoy your build.

[Edoardo81]

Hi Jon, yes you are right!
I followed pontos instructions but I didn't take a loot at my book reference.
The instructions showed number, while the book white rectangles!
So it's better using the last ones

[Edoardo81]

Hello everyone, I’m finally posting some updates.

First of all, I can tell you that I finally managed to fix the numbers on the raised section of the hull.
I used the dry transfers included in the Pontos kit, but I noticed that on the raised non-slip areas at the bow and stern, they didn't adhere very well.
So I decided to make my own decals and apply them instead. However, I soon discovered that printers can't print white ink, so I had to look for a professional print shop that was able to do it.

It was not easy (I went through about ten of them before finding one, and not all of them have a system that can print on decal sheets).

After that, I had to create the numbers in Photoshop, and I spent even more time looking for the correct font because the numbers 3 and 4 have a very distinctive shape.
Finally, thanks to AI, I found a Japanese website where a guy recreated the fonts used by the Japanese Navy during World War II.
The font is called IJN PN Base.

So I created the numbers in Photoshop and sent them off for printing!
Here is the result on the bow:

Freshly applied, along with a coat of the Tamiya decal-setting solution that helps the decals conform properly to the fine surface details. Once everything has dried, I’ll apply a matte clear coat to seal it all in place.

As for the rest, I’ve continued working on the main deck area. I built the breakwater along with its associated fittings and the ventilation intakes for the spaces below deck.

I drilled out the pipe above because it was molded shut, and that didn’t look very realistic to me.

The Pontos paravanes were also assembled—they are highly detailed and quite intricate to put together.

I also installed all the winches and their lines.

It’s a shame I wasn’t able to run the actual cable through them because it wouldn’t fit through some sections of the 3D-printed parts.

Now I’ll work on finishing the stern section before moving on to the central island structure.

[Edoardo81]

Here al little step foward.
I've putted the gun directos on the stern.
Here the difference between the base kit and the upgraded one.
Simply outstanding.

I left one with the shutters opened so you can see inside the gun director

[Edoardo81]

Hi everyone, a little update. The hull is almost complete. A few details are missing on the sides and the railings, but I'll add them at the end to give me more freedom when picking up the hull without breaking anything. Now I'm returning to the central island and working on the command tower.
The command tower is almost complete; I need to move on to the top rangefinder, which, however, is an extra kit and therefore needs to be assembled and painted separately.
A few modules need to be attached around the tower; I'll also paint those separately and then glue them together at the end.

Now comes a phase where I need to assemble many components, and only at the end I paint them all together and then assemble them.

[Edoardo81]

Hi everyone, here I am again after a week-long break.

A quick update: I’ve made progress on the main rangefinders.
I used aftermarket parts, and I have to say the quality and detail are impressive.

There are interior parts as well; I primed them before assembly because I doubt the primer would reach inside the openings once they were put together.

And here they are, assembled.

Final painting will have to wait a bit, as I plan to do everything at once near the end, with many other components.
Here, I’m starting to arrange all the sighting and communication systems on the open-air section on the of the command tower.
They’re ready for priming, too.

And finally, the primed tower.
There are still other components to add separately.
I decided to do it this way because reaching every corner and cranny is already difficult enough; if I were to add more parts to the indicated mounts now, I’d risk paint and primer will fail to reach the most hidden areas.

See you next time!