IJA Akitsu Maru by Landlubber Mike - Five Star - 1/700 - RESIN

[Landlubber Mike]

This is another kit I started after conversing with someone building this kit on one of the FB groups.  This is the really nice multimedia kit (resin, PE, brass) from Five Star.  One issue though is that the Instructions aren't as detailed as they could be.

 

The Akitsu Maru was a Japanese landing craft depot ship and escort aircraft carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Army.  It was originally intended as a passenger liner until it was taken over by the IJN before completion.  It was completed on January 30, 1942 and sunk by the USS Queenfish on November 15, 1944.  With the short flight deck, it carried Kokusai Ki-76 Type 3 (Stella) artillery spotter planes and Kayaba Ka-1 autogyro observation aircraft. The ship could also carry 27 Daihatsu-class landing craft, but I will model her with Ki-76 and Ka-1 aircraft.  Interestingly, there is no hangar on this ship - aircraft were stored on the original deck under the flight deck.  This kit is of the final stage of the ship, after the 1944 refit when the rear mast was moved to behind the funnel.  As with other IJA ships, this will have a green camo scheme.

 

Here is a colorized picture of the ship, along with a picture taken at Simpson Harbor Rabaul in 1942 and a picture from a plane with the Akitsu Maru off in the distance.  There aren't many pictures of this ship out there.

 

Ki-76 spotter planes on deck:

Pictures of the Ka-1 autogyro:

 

 

 

[Landlubber Mike]

I haven't gotten too far on this one yet.  The resin hull is really nicely done.  It's very detailed, no pinholes, etc.  The upper edges of the bow were broken off when I opened the kit, so I had to redo them in plastic card.  I then taped off the hull plating lines, and sprayed then using Mr. Surfacer 500 to help delineate the plates.

 

I don't have pictures yet, but I primed the hull, sprayed the lower portion in hull red, and have the PE sheets primed with Mr. Metal Primer.  Instructions aren't too bad, but probably could be a little better.  

 

Thanks for looking in!

[Canute]

She's definitely a novel vessel, Mike. I'm in.

[Landlubber Mike]

3 hours ago, Canute said:

She's definitely a novel vessel, Mike. I'm in.

Thanks for following Ken.  The Japanese did have a number of converted vessels that are a bit quirky.  Personally, I find their auxiliary ships more interesting than their warships.

[mikegr]

great built

 

how do you dissolve the Mr Surfacer?

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks Mike!  Not too much progress yet but am liking the kit.

 

This is what I use on all Mr. Color and Tamiya paints/primers:

 

Edited February 7 by Landlubber Mike

[JeffT]

Good thinner. I use it for almost everything