All Open - 1/350 IJN "AKAGI"

[ComfortablyNumb]

Hi guys...I am entering my Hasegawa 1/350 Akagi, but as I have been working on it for almost two years I cannot enter it into ships, but the All Open category is good too!

Here's a couple of pics...but the full buildlog is at:

http://www.scalemodeladdict.com/SMF/index.php/topic,11897.0.html

if you'd like to have a look at all the details. But here's a couple of pics if you don't want to look at the buildlog:
Hull together, 2 coats of Future, ready for light weathering





And here's all the underdeck supports, trams and columns done:





















Thanks for looking and, once again, if you'd like to see the full 11 page buildlog, please click on:
http://www.scalemodeladdict.com/SMF/index.php/topic,11897.0.html
pr go to the watercraft section and look for 1/350 Akagi.

The model is not quite done yet, but I expect in a week or so it will be...
Good luck to everyone in the contest and I hope the membership drive is successful!
Warm regards, Tim

 

[Tailor]

Rock'n'Roll!
Amazing contender for the ship category.
Great work!!!

Cheers,
Guido

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Thx Guido! But its not entered in "ships" as I have been working on for almost two years, so I have entered it in the "All Open" category.

Nuther couple pics:

 

[Scrach]

Sweet Jeebus! That's some serious PE for the deck support structure. I'm assuming Eduard....

 

[unttld]

Oh man, this is such an awesome build. The details are insane.

Here's a ship building question, on random forums I've gathered that weathering a ship is only done to water line builds our boats in a diorama. And that ships that are sat up on a display plinth are too look brand new.

Why is that? Is that just something judges prefer at professional comps? Like, figures being painted with non metallic metals?

Anyway, your build is fantastic. That PE gave me anxiety.

 

[nicholassagan]

WOW

 

[The Chaos]

Very cool.

 

[Dark Kyp]

Amazing job done there!

 

[JohnSimmons]

That's epic on all proportions 8)

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Here's a ship building question, on random forums I've gathered that weathering a ship is only done to water line builds our boats in a diorama. And that ships that are sat up on a display plinth are too look brand new.

Why is that?

Good question! Actually, I think you will see "hybrids" on occasion like mine ...that feature both a formal mount (not waterlined) combined with some light weathering. I spent many hours getting the weathering on the superstructure and hull the way I wanted....but I really wanted to keep it light. Akagi was the fleet flagship and thus would have been very well maintained with practically no rust (except for around the anchor wells... which I did with a light rust treatment). I wanted my model to look as if it had been to sea for a couple of months with a little soot and grime, but not too much ..as befits her flagship status.

Also, adding little figures around the ship to depict crew members looks awesome when water-lining a model, but looks somewhat inappropriate on a formal mount such as I am doing.

Anyway...my health hasn't been quite up to snuff lately, but I did manage to get a couple more small things done. Its funny isn't it... its the small things that take the time. Anyway:

Started a couple utility boats for adding to the bottom of the accommodation ladders, note the pe cabin next to the kit cabin in the middle of the pic, but I only had one of the photoetch cabins avail:


Mounted at bottom of accommodation ladder:


Couple of details added on the bow:


And another shot of the finished and attached utility boat: (ooops, I see a ladder to the left that must have gotten bumped and needs to put vertical again...but no worries )


The show I am entering this in (hopefully, depending on my health situation) is in 2 weeks, so its time to test the LED lighting and get this thing mounted on a nice board! Look for a final update on Akagi soon! Thanks for viewing and your comments and suggestions are, as always, most appreciated. Cheers and good health to all -Tim

 

[Alan Kelley]

Truly stunning- were you building this on Britmodeller?

 

[TRM]

Hey Tim!! Fantastic work on the Akagi...but you knew I would say that Great seeing this one get popped into he BSC!! Looking forward to seeing the final shots on this one!!

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Hey thanks guys for the nice words! And Al, you are correct. And TRM, no I didn't know you'd say that. But you are very kind, so I am not that surprised either so thank-you very much!

To answer my friend Brian about adding crew figures...most times for a formal ship mount (not waterlined), I would not add crew. If, however, the ship was set into a water diorama, or waterlined in an action pose...crew figures would be quite appropriate and I would have added a couple dozen I think. And the Northstar ones would be the ones I'd use for sure. But I wanted a more formal mount.... with a nice mounting board (in this case, a nice piece of Brazilian walnut...pics of it and the pedestals to follow tomorrow)

Thanks again for your kind words everyone...and thank-you for viewing my post.
Warm regards, Tim

 

[Jaitea]

I don't know,....I think it just lacks detail ;D

I've never seen ANYTHING like this,......mindblowing stuff

J

 

[amateurmodeler]

Wow the detail on this is AMAZING!

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Thanks guys! Here's a couple pics of the actual mount... Brazilian walnut with hi-gloss spar varnish and 4 brass lamp finials coated with Future:




Come back tomorrow and I will have it mounted with its brass plate attached too!
Cheers to all and thanks for your support! - Tim