I finally have made a start on the base for my next epic dio. This version of a Japanese naval base on Truk (1944) will have more of the island showing including an airstrip, shore defence Anti-aircraft emplacements and a cast of thousands. The ships included will be:
Kongo
Ise
Mogami (44' hybrid)
one or two of the soon to be released cruisers (Myoko & Nagara)
scratch built IJN tanker
3 destroyers and an escort
and a transport submarine
The hills might look a little funny at the moment as I ran out of foliage covering and the one at the far end is incomplete. I've used spare resin gun tubs for the AA pits and some Evergreen as the ammo bunker entrances. As I hate doing those pesky little 1:350 aircraft, I might just invest in some of those new Pitroad pre built sets for the airstrip areas. The first picture is photo of Truk Lagoon that I used as a sort of reference.

It looks as though you are building that ine a pretty large building.

Should be a rather interesting build.

Go Kym Go!

Looks like a heck of an idea not to mention fun to build up (except, of course, for all the aircraft). We'll all be watching for your progress shots as you work your way through this one.

Oh wow. Can we send some of our overbuild stock to help populate the fleet? Just joking maybe.

Stephen

Hi Kym!

You'll need plenty of 1:350 figures as well. Good thing Fujimi's got that second set with AA gunners coming out!

--Karl

On the ways:
1:350 Nevada & Arizona
1:125 New Orleans

Fitting out:
1:350 SMS Kaiser

Sea trials:
1:350 SMS Kronprinz

... Bring on the Gato´s - just kidding.

Nice beginning - looking ambitious - where are you going to kep something that size ?

Cheers/Jan

Looking great Kym!


Kenny

Hi Kym!

Here we go again!!!!
Good start - and looking further for the next installment!


Rui

PS: Your Hangar should be looking very busy with all your HUGE dioramas (three if my memory serves me well!!!)

Great start to the base. The ground work is filling out nicely. Will you partition the base in case you have to move it later?

Frank

Here's a bit of an update after today's work. I've added some of the ships to the base to give an idea of the area. Out of this lot, only the Kongo, Mogami and the Ukuru will be in this scene with the other unreleased kits. I spent most of my time today planking the warf ,constructing some of the buildings and adding some of the ground cover..
After studying the box cover paintings of the 1:700 Fujimi IJN oilers, I have purchased a resin hull of Iron Shipwright's T2 Tanker and will convert it into a Japanese equivalent. It's a pity Fujimi hasn't released one in 1:350, they probably sell well.

Hi Kym!

The Rengo Kantai rides again!


Now if only a 1:350 Shokaku gets released, you'd have the makings of a task force.

--Karl

On the ways:
1:350 Nevada & Arizona
1:125 New Orleans

Fitting out:
1:350 SMS Kaiser

Sea trials:
1:350 SMS Kronprinz

Here's some pics with a bit of the detail added, nothing fixed in final position, but filling some empty places. The big gaps left will have fuel tanks installed once they are cast.

This is something I've always wanted to build since the IJN bug bit me and as they are only available in 1:700, I thought I'd have a go at scratch-building one. This is my unfinished version of a WW2 Japanese Oiler. I started with the bare hull of a Iron Shipwright's T2 tanker (there is very little difference in overall dimensions) and started hacking. It had to be waterlined, as it comes as a solid piece hull, then the stern superstructure base had to be cut to shape. Everything on it is from my spares box and Evergreen stock, though I've had to order some more IJN 'drooping' railing and a box of PitRoad's IJN weapons for the bow and stern guns. I'm quite pleased with the results so-far.

All I can say is WOW !!! but you are pulling it off quite nicely,very impressive,ships are nicely weathered and really detailed .

You'll have to do a book or a phamlet on that when you finish. I don't think one could enjoy looking at it without at least 100 pictures of all the details, and then there are the ships to close up. You might want to check out the plane set Hasegawa is offerin to go with the Akagi. I read that its 12 aircraft so 4 of eah. Get 1 or 2 of those and maybe one of the prepainted ones of just Zeroes.