It's a Small World - the modelling thread.

Pyan said:
@Foxbat - did you say you'd aquired the IJN Akagi?

IJN Akagi - 1/700 Hasegawa
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I have both the Akagi and Shokaku but they are both Fujimi models. To be honest, I don't know which manufacturer makes the superior version.

A search showed the Akagi (Hasegawa) at around £31 and the Fujimi version at around £51. I bought them both direct from Japan at around £30 but the shipping cost would make it around the £50 area for each of them (bought them at different times). No PE with either model.

I bought them a couple of years ago, took one look inside the box (so many parts) and thought that I was nowhere near ready to tackle them yet.

I'm thinking of buying the Chitose after it was converted to a light aircraft carrier. i thought it would make a good companion to the seaplane tender version.

A review of Fujimi's Akagi
modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net

Akagi

Fujimi serves up another IJN Akagi for wanting WWII carrier fans. Alec Gerdow gives us his review of the Imperial Japanese Naval Aircraftcarrier Akagi kit.
modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net

Edit: the review mentions PE, which my version does not have. I'm assuming this is why the Fujimi Akagi I mentioned is more expensive than mine.
 
I used to get model railroad and Tamiya WW 2 model kits and Revell ships and planes. I would always steal the crew men from sailing ship models that my father would build. heh
It is was a precursor for me getting into figure sculpting and I am drawn to miniatures over 1:1 scale. An interest in puppetry is probably part of that.

I think ship model dioramas are really neat, especially with the fake water they can do. I haven't tried it myself since I am focused on movie characters lately. I would like to do sword and sorcery figure dioramas.

Trivia note: Anthony Quinn and Peter Cushing were toy soldier enthusiasts. You can find a video somewhere showing Cushing painting some figures and setting up a diorama.
 
My build of Chitose is going quite well. There have been a few niggles. The biggest is the parts themselves and how they are attached to the sprues. The connections are the thickest I've ever come across. Normally, opening a box, you might find one or two parts have come detached from their sprue but not with this kit. It's taking its toll in blades just to cut them off. The worst part is the very thin parts (like parts of masts). Very easy to break when doing this. The moulding of the parts is quite good with plenty of detail, although some of them are tiny. The seaplanes (which will be attached to a catapult) sit on a cradle made up of three almost microscopic parts. Very fiddly.

The PE is also quite fiddly but I think it's going to really enhance the model (taking into account my limited skills). I've managed to completely surround the portico deck in handrail and I think it looks really good. Really matches the lino :D

Long runs of handrails are particularly taxing but I'm getting there.

A question for @Pyan That glue seems to do the trick nicely but any advice on how to deal with the nozzle? It blocks every time I use it and it's a pain having to drill through hardened glue to get to the good stuff every time I need to use it.

All in all, I have to say I'm delighted with this model. It only cost around £10 but being purchased direct from Japan, shipping took that to closer to £30. I suspect £25 - £30 would be the going rate in the UK. Still a bargain at that as far as I'm concerned. A build I'm enjoying a lot despite those niggles and I'd definitely try another Aoshima kit. I love the design of Chitose and this ship is a great example of why I have such a fascination with the designs of the IJN.

I hope to have some photos soon:)
 
I use these for the glue: bought a box years ago, and still have 90% of them unused.

71WMeEBbXIL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg


And for the thick sprues, I've two pairs of cutters. These cost between £5 and £8, and take all the effort out of cutting sprues, not to mention being safer - there's nothing like having a broken scalpel blade ping past your face to make you reconsider your choice of hobby...
611LJibt2YL._AC_UL320_.jpg
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I have a good pair of snips but thought they might be a bit too harsh for cutting the parts free. I'll maybe give them a try.
 
There's another tool you may find useful, especially if you're going to do a lot of PE: really helpful in getting those 90° angles.
1697378127399.jpeg

Unfortunately, they're about £24 per pair... :confused:
 
Foxbat said:
I have a good pair of snips but thought they might be a bit too harsh for cutting the parts free. I'll maybe give them a try.
Click to expand...
Don't forget the golden rule: you can take more off, but it's extremely difficult to put it back on!
The advantage of the snips, I've found, is that it exerts equal pressure from either side, unlike a knife - this makes cutting off delicate parts, like davits and masts, a whole degree less fraught.
 
Finally finished Chitose. Given my limited model building experience, I'm quite pleased with my efforts. I'm sure a more skilled modeller could have done a better job but, for me, this is a success:)

A lot of parts in this build but totally worth the effort. I always have trouble getting masts straight (as can be seen from the photos) and one deviation from the build was not to apply decals to the aircraft. They are absolutely tiny so I decided on a cocktail stick to apply a blob of red paint instead. I accidentally used a gloss lacquer rather than a matt so the ship is a bit shiny under the flash but looks okay in real life.
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I treated myself to this from Ebay for my birthday:

thumbnail.jpg

Interestingly, this is the padding that kept it safe in the outer box:

thumbnail3.jpg
thumbnail2.jpg

Not a website to be seen - though Tumbling Dice and Donnington miniatures are still going, but probably no longer taking Access cards (remember them?). But fancy keeping 28-year old magazines for packing!
 
Games Workshop decided to release a new version of their old fantasy battles table top game (The Old World).
They've recycled old figures (from the late 90s?), including knights on foot, and peasants.*
I always thought it would be fun to paint them up as the Holy Grail knights.

*I don't think any of them are using coconuts.
 
Toby Frost said:
I have spent the weekend making a model of the Black Beast of Aargh from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

View attachment 111975

View attachment 111974
Click to expand...
Games Workshop decided to release a new version of their old fantasy battles table top game (The Old World).
They've recycled old figures (from the late 90s?), including knights on foot, and peasants.*
I always thought it would be fun to paint them up as the Holy Grail knights.

*I don't think any of them are using coconuts.
 
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