IJN HOSHO building process

Fujimi model kit of IJN Hosho in scale 1/700 waterline series

Part 1.

The kit

The kit comes with a beautiful box art  (always important to me) that show HOSHO during flight operation in vivid sky colors in the last evening light.

The kit contains the 3 major hull parts and 2 spurs of smaller parts. It's my first Fujimi model and it differ from the other known brands in havening a more soft structure in the plastic. - Be careful when you cut out the small parts. Beside the shown parts here there is also a sheet of decals for the aircraft and a small sticker with two IJN-flags and bridge windows. The instruction plan is well written and shows the right paint schemes as well.

Part 2.

The hull

Furthermore the box contains a sheet with instructions of where to drill the portholes. I mark the lines with the help of the process above.

The part of the hull is rather poor when it comes to details, so I added a few along the hanger walls

The front of the hull is missing the basic parts but they are easy made with styrene plastic etc.

Part 3.

The flight deck

The deck planks it not molded of the flight deck so I made them with knife blades -Note only a small pressure is needed to show the lines

The process of painting the decks is the same as on all my model ships (I have not dared to use a air pressure paintbrush yet) 

Part 4.

Deck details

I made my cable drums myself, but be aware that they also comes in a PE-set as well

 I drilled the holes in the TT-shaped bracings on the quarterdeck (on the side facing stern) -but on the sides I waited until the flight deck was in place

Part 5.

Stacks and island

Floodlight and crane

Part 6.

Small AA guns and aircraft

Part 7.

The last parts and conclusion

For rigging and lines I use a coil of "invisible tread" purchased in a Taylor shop (I run the line through a black permanent marker pen). The signal flags is made by small pieces of aluminum foils hand panted after attached by super glue. The black windbreakers on the flight deck where made by small pieces of ribbon soaked in matt varnish before they was cut out (it prevent the small treads to vanish when cut by a pair of scissors).

Conclusion:

There is model kits that are very detailed and easy to assemble (they are sometimes also expensive) this one is not the most detailed I have seen, but I was positive surprised over how well the parts fitted. The kit comes with the choice of having the hangar elevators up (plastic part over the hole) or the lowered hangar elevator (with a view to the hangar) I choice to have the front elevator in the down position, but the hangar walls is way to tick, this problem was I first aware of AFTER  I had mounted the flight deck! so I tried to cut the walls thickness down with an sharp scalpel - a better choice has been rebuilding with thinner hangar walls. My planning was not well ahead here!

I most say that there is no "poor quality" model kits -Just some that needs more attention! - And when it all comes to the truth; it's the fun part  ;-)

After I have build 9 battleships, it was a refreshing experience to build an aircraft carrier and HOSHO is not the model that has been the most exposed, (as AKAGI and KAGA etc.) that's really a shame -She a fine little ship with many interesting features such as movable stacks and bi-plane fighters. So if you find the kit near you in the future, give it a try! I had 2.5 weeks of fun building the kit here in April 2007. Aeronautic

 

Pictures of HOSHO

Click below!