CDW

Did some searching and figured out how to do the translation. It is a process, but it's explained very well in this short video. (411) How to Convert Image to Word Document - YouTube I tried it out and was able to translate the Japanese text in my instructions to English in fairly short order, but you will need to go through a few steps to do it. My instructions: img20210611_14132694.pdf The translation from Word: ・ Kawanishi Type 97 Flying Boat (H6K) It is the first four-engine flying boat in Japan, and at the same time it is a special aircraft in the history of Japan Airlines as the first four-engine aircraft designed by a Japanese. In 1934, the Japanese Navy instructed Kawanishi Aircraft to prototype nine large-scale flying boats. Kawanishi Aircraft, which had previously returned to short companies in the UK and had the know-how of making large metal flying boats, made full use of the state-of-the-art construction technology of the time, such as a double-digit box structure using waveboards, to complete a beautiful aircraft that had not been seen in flying boats in various countries until then. The first unit, which made its maiden flight in July 1946, showed good stability and maneuverability, with no other problems that were somely lacking horsepower. After the increased prototype up to Unit 4, it was adopted as a type 97 flying boat in January 1948, and made its actual debut in the latter half of the Sy-China War. His main mission was to patrol and transport the oceans, but it was also used for bombing and long-distance transport of torpedoes. However, in the middle of the Pacific War, low-speed and poor bulletproof equipment began to cause damage from anti-aircraft fire and enemy aircraft, and it was likely to be easily shot down in air combat with U.S. bombers (especially B-17 and B-24) and, consequently, Catalina flying boats. Therefore, the end of one great war went to the rear mission, and one main duty was replaced by the type 2 flying boat. However, the stability and the transportation ability were changed, and the 97 type flying boat was used as an airliner in the private sector before the war. The southern route by Dainair, which received 18 aircraft, gracefully fyed across almost the entire western South Pacific, including Saiban, Bangkok and Ponave. The Allied codename is Mavis. ◎ Data (Type 23) Overall width: 40.0m, Total length: 25.6m, Engine: Venus 53 type air-cooled 1300hPX 4, maximum speed. 385km/h, armed: 20mm machine gun x 1, 7.7mm machine gun x 4, 800kg torpedo or bomb x 2 ・ Kawanishi Ni type flying boat (H8K) Appeared as a follow-on aircraft of type 97 flying boat, it is a masterpiece aircraft boasting the world's best performance as a flying boat that appeared in World War II. The Type 97 flying boat, which was adopted in 1947, demonstrated excellent performance, but the short Sunderland of the British army and the Martin 156 clipper of the U.S. army, etc., which had been tested around the same time, all surpassed the 97 type, and the Navy immediately directed the trial manufacture of a new four-shot high-performance flying boat that could compete with these. The required performance is a maximum speed of 4 Km / h or more, a cruising range of 7,408 Km or more, 5 20 mm machine guns, 4 7.7 mm machine guns ...

Keep in mind the aircraft was not transported by the ship, just loaded onto the ship for maintenance while anchored then offloaded when maintenance was completed. The mooring on the ship rotated so the aircraft could be positioned in any way that allowed maintenance to be performed, so i guess it would depend on exactly what maintenance or repairs was being performed as to the direction the aircraft was positioned.

This is just a, "what if" suggestion. Never tried and don't know if it would work.... Online, there are cut and paste text translators to go from one language to another. In the web browser Microsoft Edge, there is an add-on language translator as well. When I go to certain foreign websites, I just click on the "translate" button to see what it says in English. Now it's got me wondering, what if you scanned and saved your instructions as a PDF file then opened them in the web browser. Would it translate the Japanese into English from the PDF file? I don't know but I am going to make it a point to give it a try. It just might work. I also have instruction sheets written in languages other than English that I will try out.

Great idea Lou. Next time I'm at Lowes, will look for one of those.

Thanks and welcome aboard, Denis! I see a larger scale scratch built Akitsushima in my dreams. It's only a dream at this point mind you. 🙂

I would say it does a bit of both. However, at this micro gauge (small fraction of a mm), twist drilling using a hand tool is just not a viable option. You will be breaking bits ever time you turn around. Been there and done that, it just doesn't work.

Maybe because the molds are a bit worn out, but my kit hull had sketchy porthole detail. I decided I would drill them out so they can be seen after the painting is completed on the hull. I have a corded Dremel tool, but find it a bit too large and clumsy to comfortably drill holes in small scale work. I found this little cordless three speed rotary tool on Amazon for a small price. After applying a couple of coupons I had, it brought the normal delivered price (with Prime) down from $20 to only $13. It runs on a 3.7 volt lithium ion battery and is charged with a standard cell phone charger. Has a variable three speed switch and comes with an assortment box of various "dremel type" bits. The drill bit I have chucked up in the photos is not included with the bits that came with the tool. Fits very nicely in the palm of my hand and gets the job done nicely. I think this tool will come in handy for a lot of small scale tasks working with plastic models.

This is my great great grandfather and g-g-grandmother not too many years after the ACW ended. He died in 1892 at the age of 60. He was a cowboy long before the war started and a natural fit in the cavalry.

My great-great grandfather was part of Capt JJ Dickison's 2nd Florida Cavalry, H Company. A small confederate group with a storied combat history in the ACW. I heard a lot about it from my elders growing up. "Richard P. Weinert, a historian in the Office of the Chief of Military History, U.S. Army wrote “Dickison was one of the ablest guerrilla commanders produced not only during the Civil War, but probably in all military history of America.”

The program is old, from somewhere around 2006 or 7, called "Tile Print". It's no longer available for sale as the company appears to have gone out of business, webpage no longer functions. So by now there are probably a lot of programs and features I am unaware of. This program is one I used a lot when I built and was flying RC aircraft. By the way, when you receive the plans from this Polish site, they come in PDF a format that does not allow any modification whatsoever. Like Lou said in an earlier post, they even come watermarked with your name on them. It's to prevent pirating.

I bought the Akitsushima drawings because they are in PDF format. Quick delivery via email or a site to download the file. Also, I have a program on my PC that will custom scale a PDF file object/s to any desired scale and then the capability to tile print the scaled drawings in 8.5 x 11.

What a beauty and a symbol of national pride.

This is where the magic happens

Another fine mess you've gotten me into, Ollie. You just had to go and show me that website, didn't you? Oh well, like the old saying goes, "we can't take it with us." You just helped me find something else to spend money on, Lou. 😄

Nice find! Thanks for sharing the link/photo

You can buy a 1:200 scale card model of the Akitsushima. I've never done a card model yet. Another option would be scratch buildING a 1:144 model, as there is the 1:144 Arii H8K2 Emily model. In my opinion, would rather start a scratch build project without having to do the aircraft by scratch as well as the ship. I bought my plans here: PM-039 - AKITSUSHIMA '43' air tender polish-made.com

No worries at all Yves....I have been thinking exactly the same idea. Just this morning, I ordered the line drawings of the Akitsushima from Poland. I definitely want to try my hand at scratch building from plans but 1:72 scale is too much. Going to begin searching for a smaller scale sea plane and work from there. 1:200 scale would be good I think.

Beautiful paint work OC. Takes a steady hand to do that. Can you imagine marching out on the battlefield armed with a drum while everyone around you are shooting and being shot with rifles, cleaved with swords and bayonettes??

Thanks for the links, Mike! The 1:72 Akatsushima the guy scratch built is amazing. The Airfix box art he created was a spoof on his friends it appears. The ship in 1:72 is huge.

The photos I've seen of the 1:350 kit look amazing. Very limited production, mostly resin and photo etch. This 1:700 kit hull needs a lot of work to do it justice. It looks like the mold in which it was cast is rather long in the tooth. Much of the hull porthole detail is obliterated on my copy. It would be nice if someone like Flyhawk came along and did one in 1:700, but I guess there are many other selections that would be better sellers for them. Global Toy in HK are offering the 1:350 kit for $312 plus shipping. For everything you get, the price is right I think. But a lot of modelers are not going to run out and buy one of these.

I like the paint scheme and it is an unusual subject. Don't know if it's available, but I wrote a publisher in Japan to try to acquire detailed drawings of the Akitsushima. Not certain whether the item is still in publication. We shall see.

Photo from Wikipedia

IJN Akitsushima Seaplane Tender with added aftermarket details, 1:700 scale.

With the ship's boats and life rafts in place, going to give the model a pause until my Scharnhorst reference book arrives. Can't do the rigging without some reference material. Should have had the reference book from the beginning. 🙂 Need to make that a habit with these ship models because I have never been one to collect reference books of any kind.

Thanks for the encouragement Lou.