Thank-you for viewing my build of Hasegawa's 1/350 IJN Akagi! I will start in the traditional way with a couple shots of the materials used... but after that, I may jump around a bit as this kit must be build in modules. The good thing of that is the modules (planes, pe underdeck supports, guns, utility boats, etc.) may be built in any order, so in case I grow weary of working on one thing, like planes say, I can move on to the AA guns for while, and come back to do some planes later.

I have been working on this model for over a year now and I say prolly another 5 months to complete.

So, here we go:

Kit + some of the pe and one box of four of planes
Hasegawa Super Detail-up Package (Underdeck supports, columns and tramways)



I am also using the Eduard 1/350 Akagi set to supplement


I have 4 boxes of the Hasegawa airplane sets


Wood deck and dry transfer set from Hasegawa


Utility boat detail set


Plus other and various pe/aftermarket stuff including Master's brass barrel and armament set


You will probably see many followup posts from me rather quickly over the next week or so as I have many of the modules done, including the underdeck supports... one of which I have included here as a preview:


Cheers and thanks for joining me for my upcoming Akagi build on ModelShipwrights! -Tim

There is so much photoetch work to be done on this model, I thought I should get a start on some of it right away (and doing pe is one of my favorite things in this hobby)

So...starting with one of the simpler underdeck support pieces:






Closeup:

Moving on to a more complicated peice...here I'm putting together the bow underdeck support:



A couple of the frame girders



Turned upside down to facilitate inserting cross members


Coming together


And done:



Closeup of one corner


Pls note: comments, suggestions and questions are most gratefully accepted in this thread! Hope to hear from you... and greetings to old friends here on modelshipwrights.com!

Cheers, Tim

Unreal, amazing work and patience, can't wait to see this one progress.

Thanks very much Kevin! So... here's a couple more pics of building the tramways that are suspended under the stern deck support (from above)


I start by forming one of the two curved railings that will be attached to a central girder box to make the tramways. ....each tab on the curve is bent upwards individually to form bend. The view is through my magnifier



closeup with tabs bent and curve formed


Pulling up supports that help form the tramway girder. (the curved rails from above will be added). I adjusted these on the fret, much easier


Put in the "V" bend and readjusted tabs to vertical



One of straight trams

Enough of the pe for awhile...this thing does have hull and plastic parts too

Hull halves (painted separately for reasons you see later)


Drilled out 500+ portholes, and wiring for LED lighting


Hull together, 2 coats of Future, ready for light weathering

Bow and stern deck parts, brass strips individually cut to fit



A couple of the modules that had to be done before hull joined together




One insert, before brass strips added for linoleum floor


brass strips added

Here, I'm starting on the funnel...first, to remove the molded on details to a shadow and then measuring/bending the pe replacements from a generic foot railing set:




lol.. These darn things took A LONG TIME!! Because the funnel is tapered in two directions, and I had only straight pieces of a generic handrailing set to work with (neither pe set bothered to include these..an omission in my opinion, but anyway...) Each railing is a different shape and length from the others...you can see why it took me awhile And yeah, I know...I think I'm nuts sometimes too



So please come back and see my updates to follow soon.... and:

from an upcoming post:


Cheers, Tim

Tim this is one of the most daunting subjects I can imagine. Keep up the great work, I'll be following and taking notes.

Let the CRAZY OUT!
Bryan

Tim,

All I can really say is that I am in awe. Incredible work. I am looking forward to seeing more of your work.

Dave

I always stand a bit in awe at your work Tim!! A real treat to see you fling the brass around!! Keep up the great work!!

Tim great work, it's nice to see how you have mastered the PE very impressive. I'm along for the voyage.

Is the brass strip on the decks from North Star?

Thanks very much for your encourgement Bryan, Dave and Todd! Its certainly appreciated.

And hi Luciano!....the brass strips I used are from a generic set from Flyhawk called "1/350 WWII IJN Brass Strip" -FH 350009

Here's some detail about doing the stern underdeck support. Made up of approx 100 separate parts, if this isn't the most complicated piece of photoetch on the market, I'd like to know what is!!!

Anyway: here's the instructions for this part:


So I start by building a box frame


adding cross members


Almost done


And done (but still have to add 8 support columns, but that won't be until final assembly of flight deck)
I think you can see the elevation change in these last two pics


Still have to add 8 pe columns and 5 pe tramways, but until then:

Some more pics
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2415_zps6ce63f0d.jpg]
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2428_zps698b15a5.jpg]
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2419_zps795ceed0.jpg]
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2422_zpseca923e0.jpg]
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2426_zps01491000.jpg]

Utility boats almost finished:

[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2943_zps4de1c65d.jpg]
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2929_zps13b9e02b.jpg]
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2918_zpsd3a413fa.jpg]
Starting on the airplanes...I plan on making 22 torpedo bombers, 11 Val dive bombers and 11 Zero's for an air wing of 44 planes on deck. Here, I'm starting on the 22 torpedo bombers (+ 2 spares)

The main bits...fuselage halves, wings
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2526_zps6d1dd61a.jpg]

Plastic canopies removed and wings added
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2529_zps284b7284.jpg]

Adding the last of the tail parts
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2530_zps54220782.jpg]

Undercarriage parts being installed
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2533_zpsf3adf19b.jpg]

Painting bottom of torpedo bombers light grey
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2534_zpsac384ee3.jpg]

Green paint applied to the tops and Mr. Surfacer added to smooth out where the canopies used to be
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2542_zps469921c7.jpg]

Final coat of paint + Future Floor Polish applied for decaling
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2566_zps98769a02.jpg]

porthole PE being used for hubs of landing gears...first test subject in background, looked ok so the same for the rest
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2568_zps49cea06d.jpg]

Aluminum paint added to landing gear hubs
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2570_zpsa736edbe.jpg]

Adding hubs to landing gear
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2573_zpsd804cdfa.jpg]

Applying decals (44 planes X 10 decals each = 440 decals)
[img=http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/annietim/IMG_2575_zps329df51f.jpg]

For what it's worth....for anyone doing lots of pe for their models, try using a black acrylic sheet to cut/fold on. The acrylic is certainly hard enough, but not hard enough to dull your blades quickly as happens with glass. Also, and maybe most importantly, the black contrasts greatly with the brass allowing good viewing conditions of smaller or more complicated/delicate parts. It makes a real difference when working on them I found.
Also, as several these photo etch parts for the girder supports are long and thin (or just delicate) sanding off "stubs" is almost impossible without distorting the part so a clean initial cut is great. I find using a new #11 when starting a new piece has become a habit with me ...one thing I've noticed is dull blades lead to "stubs" more often than when using new/sharp ones.

Some more pics

Utility boats almost finished:

Starting on the airplanes...I plan on making 22 torpedo bombers, 11 Val dive bombers and 11 Zero's for an air wing of 44 planes on deck. Here, I'm starting on the 22 torpedo bombers (+ 2 spares)

The main bits...fuselage halves, wings


Plastic canopies removed and wings added


Adding the last of the tail parts


Undercarriage parts being installed


Painting bottom of torpedo bombers light grey


Green paint applied to the tops and Mr. Surfacer added to smooth out where the canopies used to be


Final coat of paint + Future Floor Polish applied for decaling


porthole PE being used for hubs of landing gears...first test subject in background, looked ok so the same for the rest


Aluminum paint added to landing gear hubs


Adding hubs to landing gear


Applying decals (44 planes X 10 decals each = 440 decals)


Thanks for looking and in the next post, we'll be starting the torpedo bomber's photo etched canopies and maybe get going on some Val's and Zero's. CHEERS -Tim

Tim what adhesive did you using for the photo etched underdeck support structure?

Some niece work on the mini air wing Tim!!

Fantastic work.That PE work is mind boggling

Tim,

outstanding PE work. The airwing is looking good to. I am definately learning a lot watching your progress.

I never thought of the black acrylic for cutting PE. I use a white ceremic tile but will now get some black acrylic.

thanks for the tip.

Dave

Hi Tim,

Great stuff, always been a bit of an etch nut myself.

Will be watching with interest.

Si

Hi Joe...I used ZAP brand Thin CA. I apply with a needle (with the eye tip mostly broken off) and I try to use minute amounts. it takes very little to get a good bond I've found

And thx to Todd, Anothy, Dave and Simon..I appreciate your interest!


So...moving one with the torpedo bombers...my first experiments in making 1/350 pe canopies were rather dismal... but here they are anyway:





But later on, this is what I ended up using, much better and I am more pleased with these:








Plane in background has canopy painted


(tiny adjustment needed on front windscreen, but I'm happy with the outcome)



As always.... comments, suggestions or questions are welcome in this thread.-Tim

Some more amazing detail work there Tim!! Really enjoying watching you move along on this one!!

Thanks Todd! btw: I had a very good friend who's nick was 5150. He said "5150" was cop code for "deranged person". Your's obviously means something else...