Hi Guys, Newest project for 2005, is to enlarge JSC's 1/400 scale Shimakaze to 1/250. The basic kit is a gem with a lot of small detail that I thought would stand up to enlarging. The ship herself was an unusual one of a kind. Started in 1941 and commisioned in 1943 with experimental engines she reached a top recorded speed of 40.9 knots about 45 statute miles per hour, which is moving for a big hunk of metal weighing 2500 tons :!: 16 of these were ordered but were cancelled, there isn't any verifiable reason why. Onwards, I scanned the ship into my machine and enlarged the parts to 1/250 in the old MGI program. I painted on some shading and contrasted the portholes using an adobe photoeditor. I also am experimenting with semi-converting JSCs way of doing the hulls by changing some bulkhead parts and building a baseplate to glue to a flat board. I'll find out later if it worked.
JSC's Shimakaze-The Hard way
- Thread starter cmdrted
- Start date
I will be watching this thread very closely...
Except for the base, are you planning to modify the model or build as-is?
Except for the base, are you planning to modify the model or build as-is?
Ted, this will be interesting to watch, since I've had similar ideas regarding modifiying the JSC kits. I'm guessing that eggcrating the waterline model won't be too difficult. Have you considered going the next step and trying a full-hull version? There are some fairly good line drawings (including cross-sections) of Japanese DDs on the Wunderwaffe site.
Well, here it is so far; I converted the bulkheads to traditional formers-no problem, however using the kits deckplate and seeing how it would assemble normally the bulkheads no not line up. After adjusting them and adding a few more up front I made a base plate as follows; Take the kit bastplate,print it out and assemble the flat portions only,discard the hull sides. make 2 copies of this one for the baseplate, use card, and the other @20lb paper as this will be laminated under the deck now reinforced with 1mm card. Leave a large amount of extra around what will be the baseplate, this is to adjust the upper deck to waterline fit later. See the pics so far... Also not seen , not crucial but I made a longitudinal former using the side view from the diagram on the back cover
In this series is the first trial using the usual JSC method of making the hull, The bulkheads did not line up at the bow section making an interesting series of bends.
The basic hull frame has been converted to a more familiar form. The formers have been fit to the new baseplate and the new reinforced upper deck has been placed. All in readyness for the new enlarged and repainted hull sides. In answer to a few questions, I never had much luck with the big red bit underneath, I know it's just alot like skinning the fuselage of airplanes but for some reason I have a big Phobia about them for now. The kit will be built using as much of the original parts as possible. There are a few that will have to be borrowed from other Japanese kits; the davits and small bits, the lines and winches and ground tackle also. I'll put in some rails and haven't gotten far enough ahead for some of the other bits. The base kit is pretty detailed for 1/400, but not quite enough to satisfy me for 1/250 but no one makes a Shimakaze but JSC, we'll have to see what shakes out...
Hi Ted
That has worked out very well, a simple way of doing it 8)
Very effective, look forward to seeing the rest.
More as soon as you can
Rob
That has worked out very well, a simple way of doing it 8)
Very effective, look forward to seeing the rest.
More as soon as you can
Rob
Hey Rob and guys, last for tonight, one pic shows the Ugly undersides; like making sausage, good when finished but you don't want to see it made :!: I had to start some deck stuff, I took the flat 1D anchor area blanked out the printed on chain opened up the anchor chain holes and pasted this on. Later I'll build up the simple capstans that came with the kit. I also decided to build up the linoleum areas of the deck by running off another copy and cutting out only the linoleum. The one pic shows the relationship between the upper deck and how it is projected down to show the baseplate relationship. You can see the baseplate needed alot of adjusting to make way for a fairer hull. More tomorrow....
A short update. I posted a lengthy version of this for Gary's JSC enlargement project. One of the pitfalls with enlarging is you get panel lines that are too thick, and printed details look flat. Some of the ways to bring out some detail was to contrast the printed details by painting 2 sides of an object with a much lighter shade. This gives a neat almost 3D effect with very little effort. I was going to just print extra parts and stick them to the sides of a structure but doing it this way may cut down a lot of little scratch building projects and allow effort to be put into adding rails and neat little do-dads. Pics show the effects on prototype torpedo launcher.
Hi guys I know it's been awhile but things are shakin' at "The Fran", (inner city hospital where I work). Alot of the smaller parts to make this kit presentable had to be re-painted or downright scratch built. I'm satisfied that the basic kit structures and hull parts are suitable for enlarging but the detail parts do not translate well. As a consequence alot of the smaller bits had to be scratch built. A few of the goodies are shown here. I took the kit anchor and made it more 3d by isolating the existing parts, separating them and adding a cross piece at the bottom. The kit's anchor gear did not enlarge well so I scrapped everything and scratch built the entire assembly. Not shown are short runs of chain covers that sort of run up to the 2 spindle looking things. My pride and joy so far is the depth charge throwers, shown ready to launch. It needs touched up but it's done. Also shown is the first run 25mm and 5" turret. They both need some more work, anyways that's the update, hopefully more tomorrow....
Things are moving right along. Finally plated the hull and installed the rub rails and pipes on the hull. I also couldn't resist building up the service rails. A few of the deck houses are done well as the anchor gear. Here are a few pics...
Wow, what have I been missing? :?
Jeez, a guy turns his head for a second and WHAM! Lots of great stuff has been posted. :lol:
She's looking great, Ted!
I love the way you worked in the forced contrast on the vents and hatches, the detail work on the ground tackle is outstanding and those depth charge launchers, well, let's just say I challenge anyone to seriously tell them from the real thing!
Just an amazing build! Hope you are able to post more soon...and hope I don't miss any posts again.
Cheers!
Jim
Jeez, a guy turns his head for a second and WHAM! Lots of great stuff has been posted. :lol:
She's looking great, Ted!
I love the way you worked in the forced contrast on the vents and hatches, the detail work on the ground tackle is outstanding and those depth charge launchers, well, let's just say I challenge anyone to seriously tell them from the real thing!Just an amazing build! Hope you are able to post more soon...and hope I don't miss any posts again.
Cheers!
Jim
Ted,
I'm very impressed. However, Im a bit stuck with my Dreadnought build both due to time (I'm building the thing at work) and one small feature that Im not having the time to sit down with.
In you're photo, "1st try at 25mm twins and the kit turret," what are you using for the gun barrels?
Cheers,
Brad
I'm very impressed. However, Im a bit stuck with my Dreadnought build both due to time (I'm building the thing at work) and one small feature that Im not having the time to sit down with.
In you're photo, "1st try at 25mm twins and the kit turret," what are you using for the gun barrels?
Cheers,
Brad
Brad, the 25mm guns are -----ooop ack plastic!! Sorry at this scale they are either plastistruc .04mm or evergreens with paper wrapped around the breech ends. For 20mm-30mm I use .04 for 40mm up to 88mm or about 5" I use .05 for the 5" to 6" @.05-.07 From there if I don't get lazy I'll roll my own. Gil for the 3D effect it is plain brute force on a bitmap program called MGI. It came with my 1st dell computer and I like it. I use a single pixel wide straight line brush and edge 2 sides of an object with a moderately lighter color and the opposite sides in black. I have a bunch of better graphics programs but my personal learning curve for them is way off. Ironically the freeware PIXIA is starting to give me some ease in learning layers and stuff. Someday...
Tonight's work seemingly small progress but alot of tiny stuff :!: The depth charge racks were very labor intensive. I first built a cut out rack which is shown, but it did not look that impressive. What I settled on was a 3D effect painted version, essentially just a rectangle, but it looks better to me. I finished the bits, chocks, bow crest with 'mum, the aft gun deck house aft depth charge racks and installed some rungs for ladders on aft hull side. I also had some fun scratch building some hose reels. On the kit they are just printed on the deck. Anyway more tomorrow....
The rest of tonight's work. The breakwaters supports were so tiny I had to use a needle to install the outer braces.
Looking good, looking very good
If you settled on the 1:200 scale, you would be able to use parts form other Japanese ships.....
If you settled on the 1:200 scale, you would be able to use parts form other Japanese ships.....