Chikuma by Javlin - FINISHED - Tamiya - 1/350 - PLASTIC - IJN Heavy Cruiser

[Javlin]

I finished the Yahagi and now have started the Chikuma moments later literally.Some history.....

Chikuma
Country    Japan
Ship Class    Tone-class Heavy Cruiser
Builder Name    Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Laid Down    1 Oct 1935
Launched    19 Mar 1938
Commissioned    20 May 1939
Sunk    25 Oct 1944
Displacement    15,200 tons standard
Length    649 feet
Beam    60 feet
Draft    21 feet
Speed    35 knots
Crew    850
Armament    8x200mm, 8x130mm, 75x25mm anti-aircraft, 12x610mm torpedo tubes
Chikuma was a Tone-class heavy cruiser built at Nagasaki by Mitsubishi. With her large seaplane capacity, long-range scouting missions fitted her well. She was a member of Sentai 6 (Sixth Squadrion) until transferred to Sentai 8 in Nov 1939. She participated in exercises and patrolled off southern China until the outbreak of the Pacific War. She participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor, the event that sparked off the war, as an escort to the fleet carriers; one of her seaplanes flew pre-strike reconnaissance mission over Pearl Harbor before the attack. Immediately after Pearl Harbor, she sailed for Wake Island to assist in the conquest there. During Japan's conquest of the South Pacific in the opening six months of the war, Chikuma played a part in many of the key events aside aircraft carriers. She was also present beside the carriers when they met their end at Midway in Jun 1942. On 24 Aug 1942 she participated in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, and then on 26 Oct Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, both off the Solomon Islands. In the latter action, she was moderately damaged by American dive bombers and was placed out of commission in Japan until late Feb 1943. In early 1944, she was transferred to Sentai 7. She participated in a cruiser raid into the Indian Ocean in Mar, then fought off the Mariana Islands in Jun. Off Philippines, she was attacked by submarine and aircraft on 23 and 24 Oct as she headed toward the eastern shore of the island of Samar; at the battle bearing the island's name, she helped in the sinking of escort carrier Gambier Bay, but was later seriously damaged by torpedoes. Destroyer Nowaki took on Chikuma's crew as Chikuma was abandoned. When Nowaki was later sunk, all but one of Chikuma's crew survived.  https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=37

 

I give you Chikuma next to the IJN Light Cruiser Yahagi....

[Javlin]

Thks fellas for looking in they keep getting a little bit bigger and more time I figure 8-10 wks if I keep at it like in the past Yahagi took 7 wks. Kevin

[Javlin]

Just to let you know I have only been slacking a little bit.I ran out of mt Humbrol seeing I hate to order paint like hull red I made the gray I had some old railroad colors I had gotten for cheap and created my own color I think it's called Kure95(?).The color is a tad darker then the Humbrol  I was using and I made plenty of it it's Lacquer based.I spent one hour on each piece of deck just painting the grey details X3 then went cutting some of it off for the firehose stations.The firehose stations required me to roll the center(hose) section on different diameter metal rods well you got to anneal the brass or it ain't happening.It happened and I started building the stations and cut off the molded in ones.The Tamyia kit was different in this regard hoses,vents and ammunition boxes are molded in while Hase makes them all separate much more desirable to me at least.You can paint them on the tree with a clean separation on the deck it is what it is.

 

The shots worked no more migraines and pain from T8/9 up to C4 sleeping better .Pics.........Blasted see those specks crap I cleaned my a/c which is literally 2' away and turned it back on and got blasted with fluid and wet dust got some cleaning to do

Edited October 2, 2019 by Javlin

[Javlin]

It's been slow go'in this go round pics tonight show the ammunition boxes installed on the deck and the vents.The vents all had little square grates add to give more definition to them about 18(?) in all different sizes.I have to paint the boxes,fire hoses and vents about another 30/60 minutes before I glue this part of the deck in. Kevin

 

Two pics different lighting.

[Javlin]

it's been an active day that's a good thing mowed the back yard ,two donuts from a local own shop,cruised around along the beach,worked on my cabinet and now some efforts for Chikuma.I got the painting done was about 30minutes and the turret bases put down along with the front and lower center deck are now fixed in place.

 

I bring up crusisn'   https://cruisinthecoast.com/event-info/   about 7/8K number of cars register last year that does not count the ones not register probably another 3k today was a big registration day.Pic ....

[Javlin]

Some of last nights efforts starting on some of the sub assemblies as a break from the deck.I have never done this much on a ship as far as PE goes sometimes I wonder does it really change the look?Will I am about to find out now the ladders are not glued to the side flat I bend the legs top/bottom and affix with a whits glue and I use that same glue for long railing pieces.I rather suck at photography. Kevin

 

The last pic is the glue I use for railings and ladders firm but flexible which ic nice for railings.

 

 

Edited October 11, 2019 by Javlin
new pics

[Landlubber Mike]

Hey Kevin, hope all is well.  Any more progress on this one?

[Javlin]

On 11/10/2020 at 1:41 PM, Landlubber Mike said:

Hey Kevin, hope all is well.  Any more progress on this one?

Not right now Mike it's been crossing the mind though typical health and work issues just had eight needles in the back for the spine the other day feels good now was in constant pain makes it hard to focus.

[Landlubber Mike]

Sorry to hear Kevin, hope you get through all that soon!

 

[CDW]

What a great looking model, Kevin. All those details look super! 

Hope you are doing better soon with your health.

[lmagna]

Not going to give eight needles in the back a thumbs up Kevin but as one with back issues as well I am hoping they were worth it for you and start working. They tried the needle stuff on me a couple of years ago and they didn't do much more than get me out of the doctor's office. Did remind me just what pain free feels like though. A distant dream these days.

 

Get well so I can continue to look in on your great work.

[Javlin]

Mark, get set..............it's back on the bench lets see where it goes.

[Javlin]

I have just about finished the bridge I screwed up two ladders trying to get the steps to fold out  more inbound.The funnels are just about complete I have lost misplaced the colors I used I have Tamy's IJN grey on hand it is very very close to what I used from Humbrol.This is feeling at home I have to say some work left but really I am 50% methinks ATTM.

[Roger Pellett]

I just stumbled on to this.  Nice work!

 

I am in the process of reading Shattered Sword by Piersall and Tully; a great book about the battle of Midway.  The authors go into considerable detail about the role that these cruisers played.  The Tone Class carried an unusually large outfit of observation aircraft- 4 or 5 per ship.  By using their aircraft, these ships were intended as the primary scouts for the carrier task forces.  This was to avoid having to use attack planes on board the carriers for scouting.  Unfortunately for the Japanese both Chikuma and Tone were late launching their planes at Midway affecting the outcome of the battle.

 

Roger

[CDW]

An unusual but graceful-looking pair of funnels. The Japanese warships had aesthetically pleasing lines IMO. Your model captures those lines well.

[Javlin]

34 minutes ago, CDW said:

The Japanese warships had aesthetically pleasing lines IMO

That they do Craig I also like the Kreigsmarine when they introduce the Atlantic bow it became slashing in my opinion.

43 minutes ago, Roger Pellett said:

I am in the process of reading Shattered Sword by Piersall and Tully; a great book about the battle of Midway

Roger I have read only a few book on the PTO "The Rising Sun","Midway" (not sure of author)  and one on Pearl Harbor "Day of Infamy" as time goes on my interest in the N.Africa and the PTO is peaking quite a bit.

 

The four main batteries have been assembled only the PE needs to be attached and a repaint.The Yamyia IJN Grey was a perfect match to the Humbrol.

[Javlin]

Turrets have the requested PE applied  just need to repaint and do the blast bags.

[Landlubber Mike]

Looking great Kevin!  Are you using any aftermarket?  I have this kit in the stash with the Very Fire upgrade set.  It's a very comprehensive all-in-one set.  It's certainly not inexpensive, but you can find deals on eBay.

 

https://www.bnamodelworld.com/model-ships-boats-detail-up-parts-very-fire-vf350008

 

[Javlin]

I am using some not all of the Eduard Set I had to order another ladder set from Trumpter see if they fold easier than the Eduard does.

[Landlubber Mike]

Ladders are not very fun.  The ones in the Hasegawa PE sets for the Shimakaze were really nice, but fragile.  Had to bend them the right way the first time, as if you had to bend them back the other way, they broke   I ended up getting a bunch of spare IJN ladders from Infini.  Lots of different sizes which came in handy.

[Javlin]

I keep pressing forward if not just for an hour or so daily.

[Landlubber Mike]

Looks great!  Those funnel stripes are not easy to do!  I had to do them on my Shimakaze and it was tricky with the PE railings, etc.

[Javlin]

It was not to bad Mike but did require some patience ,recheck and recheck and still a couple of touchups.I was not aware that Tamiya has a metal primer out there acrylic does not stick worth a hoot to metal.This build finds me using the most acrylic ever,I will have to clean and redo the railings always like to pre-paint . 

[Landlubber Mike]

Funny you should mention this - I was watching a 1/700 build on YouTube yesterday and the modeler talked about using a metal primer on PE.  I've been using Mr. Surfacer 1200 or 1500 (not from the rattle can, but thinned in an airbrush) to prime PE and have had no issues.  It holds very well and doesn't peel off as when using stuff like Vallejo primer.  I still use Vallejo primer on smaller things that don't need to be taped, but otherwise, I'm a big fan of Mr. Surfacer.  Stuff stinks really bad, but it makes things very easy once applied.  It also comes in different colors (white, grey, black) so you can get a good base for your color coats.

[Javlin]

1 hour ago, Landlubber Mike said:

Mr. Surfacer 1200 or 1500

Mike that's Tamy's stuff right I think I have a can 1200 rattle type also was thinking of getting some etching primer from work and maybe decant.

[CDW]

Try Mr metal primer. Brush it on straight from the bottle. Dries clear, dries fast. You can airbrush it as well. A bottle of it will last a very long time.

 

Scalehobbyist.com: Model airplanes, ships, military vehicles and modeling supplies

Edited August 15, 2022 by CDW

[Landlubber Mike]

1 hour ago, Javlin said:

Mike that's Tamy's stuff right I think I have a can 1200 rattle type also was thinking of getting some etching primer from work and maybe decant.

 

I think it's Mr. Color line (all the "Mr." brands, except maybe Mr. Hobby?). 

 

I have, but haven't tried the product CDW just posted.  I think I brushed it on something small but otherwise haven't used it.  If you go to this guy's build log, at the 18 min mark he uses sandpaper to etch all the PE (not sure I feel comfortable doing that, especially at 1/700 scale where the PE is incredibly fragile, but he is a master modeler), and then at the 19 minute mark, he uses the rattle can version of what Craig posted):

 

 

[Egilman]

All the Mr. products are Gunze-Sangyo products...

[king derelict]

I have the Mr Metal Primer in spray can. Its good but wasteful on small parts. I'll buy the brush on version next time. The paint really sticks well to metal after treatment with the primer.

Alan

[Javlin]

Well all the hull handrails are in place 48 each side meaning 98 holes nothing is glued on the decks yet.I have to pick up some screws tomorrow to mount the ship to it's stand after that already staring secondary guns dealing with a bit of PE.The next trip to Mobile I will pick up some of that Tamiya primer if it 's available there.

 

The 1/200 scale Sharnhorst is inbound with the metal barrels and decking coming in later