IJN Mikasa by Herby63 - Merit International with Pontos set - 1/200 - PLASTIC

[Herby63]

After visiting Japan in 2019, and searching for a 1/200 plastic model of HMS Dreadnought, I discovered that the only remaining pre-dreadnought was still laying there, open to visitors.

I found the kit at a reasonable price and ordered the Pontosset from Australia.

The aim of building this kit is mainly to practice the extensive use of photo-etch in order to make a stunning model of the Bismarck.

 

I finaly started this build, painting the underdeck bulckheads Insigna White and the floor Dark Green.

 

Then joining the two hull halves, the bulckheads and underdeck together.

 

Kind regards,

[Herby63]

Then I reinforced the seam on the inside with epoxy putty and used the same to fill the minute differences on the bottom of the hull, which i wetsanded with a medium sandingstick and finished  with 600-grit sandpaper.

 

 

 

Kind regards,

Herby

[Herby63]

An other modeler noticed that the most forward porthole, above the anchorcluise, was too big, but somebody else noticed that it wasn't even in the right place and that here was no porthole under the anchorcluise.

 

So I filled them up and in acordance to the present-day ship, I drilled 3 aditional portholes on the port side and 1 on the starbord side.

 

Kind regards,

 

[yvesvidal]

I like your attention to details.

 

Yves

[Herby63]

Thank you, Yves, although I must admit this will probably be the only adaptation I shall make to this kit, as it is rather obvious when looking at pictures of the hull.

 

Next I used the Pontos-templates to drill the 0,4 mm holes for the footirons (handholds?)

 

 

Wishing everyone lots of shipmodellingfun,

[ccoyle]

1 hour ago, Herby63 said:

footirons (handholds?)

 

I believe "grab irons" is the term you're searching for.

[Herby63]

On 9/16/2023 at 4:01 PM, ccoyle said:

I believe "grab irons" is the term you're searching for.

Thanks Chris, I  have seen lots of names pass by.  As long as we know what we are talking about  ...   

 

 

For cutting the photo-etch, I use an old CD and a half round x-acto-knife.

 

So, next I covered the resting places for the anchors with brass.

 

and gave them a shine with a fiberglass pen.

 

Kind regards,

[yvesvidal]

44 minutes ago, Herby63 said:

Are you going for the "grey plastic/shiny brass" version or will you paint it later on?

 

Yves

[Herby63]

1 hour ago, yvesvidal said:

Are you going for the "grey plastic/shiny brass" version or will you paint it later on?

Hi Yves,

I will certainly paint the entire ship, as it is hard to keep the shine over the years.

I am tempted by the early colorsceme of black and white, in order not to fill my livingroom entirely with grey ships. 

[yvesvidal]

14 minutes ago, Herby63 said:

Hi Yves,

I will certainly paint the entire ship, as it is hard to keep the shine over the years.

I am tempted by the early color scheme of black and white, in order not to fill my living room entirely with grey ships. 

I agree with you. I also have the kit and if I ever get to it (one day), I would definitely paint it with the early colors.

 

Yves

[Herby63]

Next I put in the vertical ribl, 2 struts and 20 D-links.

 

Can you find them all? 

[Herby63]

I put on the porthole etch with the bars ar the stem, before and under the achorplates, and at the back, o,ly the last 3 portholes on the bottom row.

I aplied slightly dekuted PVA-glue around the hole in the hull with a toothpick, then positioned the photo etch over the hole and with a pointy tool I adjusted the position of it. Any excess glue was removed with a damp brush, but I hardly ever had to do so.

 

Wishing everyone lots of modellingfun,

[Herby63]

In order not to damage the portholes I first placed the bilgekeels, taping them down and gluing with extra thin cement. After removing the tape I glued the remaining places.

 

 

 

Happy modelling,

[Herby63]

I put the propellershaft and their struts together.

 

 

Next I adapted them to receive the Pontos propellers and mounted them on the hull.  I also worked a bit on a propellerblade to see if I could ameliorate it.

 

 

Both shafts adapted and mounted on the hull with Tamiya extra thin cemlent.

 

Happy modelling,

 

 

[Herby63]

I glued on more than a hundred "ordinary" pontos portholes using PVA-glue.

 

 

 

Then I indicated on the Merit-instructions where Pontos brass replaces partially or entirely the original kitparts, and on the Pontos-instructions in which step of the Merit-instructions they are needed.

 

Happy modelling,

[Herby63]

Before putting on lots of photo-etch around the casemates, I want to be sure the guns and the hatches around them will fit.  So I started the construction of the guns.

I started collecting, preparing an assembling the parts for step 2: the 6" guns.

The different stages of completion, seen from left to right.

 

The completed guns.

 

Happy modelling,

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Herby63

[Herby63]

The 6" guns in Merit step 3 are entirely replaced by Pontos brass.

They are soldered together, no glue used at all.

 

Happy modelling,

 

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by Herby63

[madtatt]

I'm following this build with excitement because I'll be making this model too.
And so far your work is fantastic.

[Herby63]

Next is collecting all the brass parts to make the 3" huns and the 47 mm guns, which replace the Merit parts entirely.

 

 

Lots of modellingfun 

[Herby63]

2 hours ago, madtatt said:

I'm following this build with excitement because I'll be making this model too.
And so far your work is fantastic.

Hi Jölle, I'll try to make the build log as interesting as the model 

[Herby63]

I made to fit a styrene plate and glued it under the kasemates openings at stern and stem in order to prevent these guns from falling in the hull.

A 2 mm-hole in the styrene should help lodgeing the base of the guns.

happy modelling,

[Herby63]

Time to have a go at a first 3" gun A

The composing elements on the left                                                     -                                    The pieces, bent where nece"ssary

 

And the result of 3 hours of modellingfun !

 

Next picture shows the "briliant" Pontosinstructions, and the endresult in the black oval.

 

Happy modelling,

 

             

[Herby63]

Mass production of the 3" guns, 1 down 15 to go.

Here are some pictures of the different steps.

 

Pedestalls soldered to the bottom plate and brass parts bent to form boxes

 

Brass parts soldered to the pedestall

 

Preparations for installing the recoilcylinders

 

Brass plates bent over the barrels and installed onto the bracket (all soldered), and finaly glued the little box to the side of the barrel with a little CA-glue.

 

 

Happy modelling,

 

[Herby63]

Next are the 47 mm guns:

 

First I soldered the pedestalls (Brass 07B and Brass 08B) to the botom plates (781), and bent the platforms (149) into shape

 

Then I soldered the pre-bent brackets (782) to the pedestalls and the barrels (Brass 07A and Brass 08A) to the pre-bent breeches (783).

 

Finaly I soldered the guns to the pedestall brackets and glued the guns with the small pedestalls to the platforms.

 

Lots of Modelling fun

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Herby63

[Herby63]

Some more hull details added, the first with diluted PVA-glue, the doors themselves witg a touch of SloZAP.

 

 

Wishing everyone lots of modellingfun.

Edited October 25, 2023 by Herby63

[Herby63]

I testfitted the 6" and 3" guns in the casemates of the hull.

I had to enlarge the pivoting holes in the 6" guns slightly to alowe the pins to go in smoothly, as I am a bit reluctant to hammer them in when the hull is laden with PE.

The Pontos 3" guns don't fit under the roofs of the casemates, as the bottom plates I installed dont alowe for sliding them in sideways, so I removed the roofs, planning to top the area later with a piece of styrene.

 

Wishing everyone lots of modellingfun.

 

[Herby63]

Next I bent and glued on the shutters for the front and stern casemates with SloZAP and the hand holds wit a dash of PVA-glue.

 

Wishing everyone lots of modellingfun.

[Javlin]

On 10/17/2023 at 11:38 AM, Herby63 said:

Brass plates bent over the barrels and installed onto the bracket (all soldered), and finaly glued the little box to the side of the barrel with a little CA-glue.

Nice job soldering those little bits.

[Herby63]

Next I bent and glued on the shutters for the 3 central casemates.

 

 

Wishing everyone lots of modellingfun.

[Herby63]

Next I bent and glued on the shutters for the 2 outer casemates. (both sides)

 

 

Wishing everyone lots of modellingfun.