IJN HIEI building process
I started "upside down" this time! Because the pagoda tower is in need for some improvement . -first It was my intention to modify the kit´s pagoda tower but I realized it was better to scratch build the entire tower with styrene plastic and paper.
Here is some pic. of the build so far.
Part 1.
Here after I glue the drawing on a piece of Styrene sheet. When the glue is dry I cut them out for assembly. With this method you don't have to draw direct on the Styrene sheets (Sometimes it can be difficult to draw on the slick plastic). At last I remove the paper from the Styrene sheet -I use UHU universal transparent glue it leave no trace on the sheet.
Part 2.
Hull and deck paint
Picture # 1 The 3 VALLEJO Acrylic colors of paint I used for the deck. Note the "funny looking" brush (I have cut the hairs to make some space between the individual planks) -It help me to paint parallels lines of teak planks.
Picture # 2 The first layer of paint ( thin layer of sand color) applied with a normal brush
Picture # 3 A layer with a mix of sand and white color 50/50
Picture # 4 A layer with a mix of sand and brown color 50/50
Picture # 5 the last stage with a layer of sand color to reduce the vivid color effect
Picture # 6 the finish result of the deck
The nearly finish Pagoda tower dry fitted on the painted deck. Note the sanding block the model sits on (At this stage its a great help when you hold the model in the hand without risking damage the small details that just grow in numbers as the project develop) The block will first be removed when the model is finish.
A look at the rear side of the tower
Cleaning the paint job
Part 3.
Superstructure
The rear command tower and funnel
14 inch guns
Center part of superstructure
Parts dry fitted on model first the individual parts will be painted and later glued in place
Note the white outlines around the deck hatches for better visibility in dark conditions
Part 4.
Boats, Mainmast and 25mm AA guns
Yarn is used to make the fenders on the boats. The yarn is soaked in white glue and after it is dry they are cut and bend to fit the side of the boats.
The mainmast tripod is made of parts from the kit, but the "balcony" for the 25mm AA guns is made of styrene plastic. The upper part of the mast is made of steel and brass wire.
The crane for the boats is made of steel wire. The wires on the the crane is made of copper wire form the inside of a telephone cable.
- The 25mm AA guns is painted on the sprue ( The spure on the left is from the HIEI kit) and the sprue at the right is the IJN Heavy ordinance extra sprue that is surplus from my Tamiya Yamato kit.. I chouse the guns from the IJN Heavy ordinance because they are far better than the Hasegawa "Kongo-class set"
- I cut the solid magazine up to two magazines with a hacksaw . Please see the red "cut line"
- I sand the grove with a folded piece of sanding paper.
- Now the gun is ready to take some paint (first black and very thin layer of gray to let the details more visible.
The masts on the main gun turrets as well as the top antennae on the main rangefinder is made of copper wire from a electrical wire
Part 5.
127mm AA guns, lattice tower for floodlights and windlasses on deck.
Each 127mm gun is altered with 32 new parts only the gun turrets is from the kit and they are cut to right shape. The new parts is made of steel/copper wires, styrene plastic and surplus PE-parts.
The two lattice tower for floodlights on each side of the pagoda tower is scratch build also here copper and steel wires is the elements of the build process.
The finished floodlight tower on the model - Note the catwalk through the tower from the pagoda out to the 25mm AA gun tub - A feature that indicate the 1942 configuration sometimes overlooked in different drawings and books. The Y-shape davits is a special feature on the HIEI the parts is made of wires and PE ladder.
Windlasses for the deck is made of styrene plastic
To see the finished model click below