# Yamato Facelift



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Anyone who's ever built this kit knows how cartoonish and lacking in detail it is, being from the late '70's or very early '80's, so I decided to give mine a bit of a facelift to bring it a bit more up to date looking.
List of modifications includes:
Heavily re-shaped wave motion gun and bow profile.
"Teeth" added to wave motion gun muzzle
Entire hull raised 3mm
Heavily re-shaped super-structure
Extra gun deck removed completely
Entire main deck cut out and leveled (It was at an up angle that bugged the daylights outta me)
New rear deck fabricated
Main guns detail added, all fifteen barrels drilled out
3rd bridge modified, support pylon shortened
All new panel lines hand scribed
Auxiliary engines scratch built
Main engine cut apart and nozzle opening enlarged













Right now I just got the first coat of primer on the main hull to chase out the cracks and pits that need attention, so more fun coming.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

A couple more shots showing the modifications a bit better:


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Wow! Quite an improvement! :thumbsup:


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

There is no question that the old 1/500 scale Yamato is a total pig of a kit. Your mods look interesting.

The third bridge should be totally scrapped, as well as the connecting pylon. Well, the pylon can be salvaged with a ton of putty or plastic sheet but the third bridge...urg. scratch building would be better. 

By " remove extra gun deck" do you mean the upper tier of the AAA mounts? Because those need to be there. 

Don't forget to fill in the 'divots' on the Captain's dome. 

The most important thing to remember about the classic Yamato is that no kit, no build can exactly match how it looks on screen. Aside from the issues of the different 'styles' generated by the quirks of the many animation studios who were doing the cel work there's the simple fact that the ship was drawn as a 'character' and not an inanimate object. The classic 'beauty shots' of the bow and stern and 'side pass' just do not match up in proportions or shape or...anything. And those images don't match up with the published 5-view drawn at the exact time. Every single 'close-up' beauty shot (bow, stern, lower hanger, main guns, bridge tower structure forward view AND aft) contradicts each other. It's a decades long frustration. 

There was an attempt to 'get it right' in 2008 when Bandai Visual contracted Bandai (I know, it's a really funny story) to design and build the 'ultimate accurate' 1/700 scale Yamato as a bonus item for their high-def remastered DVD release of the first series. Obsessive fan and famous director Hideaki Anno was involved and...well, read about it here: https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/225/

While there is a great deal of obsession over getting the bow shape right, I feel the most critical aspect is the shape and point of transition between the 'hourglass curve' formed between the bow sonar bulge and the Wave Motion Gun and the overall curve of the hull. If that transition point is too far aft and swoops up it stops looking like a battleship and turns into a submarine. It's REALLY hard to explain, it's a total visual thing. From what I can see of your work you've got it right. At least to my eyes and preferences.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

PerfesserCoffee said:


> Wow! Quite an improvement! :thumbsup:



Thanks *Perfesser*!




Steve H said:


> There is no question that the old 1/500 scale Yamato is a total pig of a kit. Your mods look interesting.
> 
> The third bridge should be totally scrapped, as well as the connecting pylon. Well, the pylon can be salvaged with a ton of putty or plastic sheet but the third bridge...urg. scratch building would be better.
> 
> ...



*Steve H*. I believe you are right on all counts. I tried to get the bow profile as close to what I thought was the best looking to my eyes as well, turns out I got it pretty close enough, without having to do too much re-work on that section, but I understand what you mean about the midsection of the curve from the radar bulb to the wave gun, if it's over done it looks just plain wrong...


I didn't modify the 3rd bridge support pylon as you mentioned except to shorten it, but I suppose it wouldn't have been that much more work to rebuild it completely. I chalk it up to laziness, ha!


And yes, over the decades of watching Yamato, there have been a plethora of different ways the ship has been drawn, so for me that's actually a little bit of a blessing, because I fudged some of the detail on this kit ( I wasn't going for super-accurate, just representative, to a certain degree) so I can claim that this is *my* version of Yamato. Is that cheating?


Merry Christmas Everyone!


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

In this image, the deck that the super structure is sitting on had a second, smaller deck just underneath it, this is what I called the "third gun deck' for lack of a better name. There was nothing really attached to it, and I wanted to remove it completely because in my eye it set the super structure too high up. So, I carefully razor-sawed it off along the join line with the deck above it, and luckily for me it came off in one, straight, clean piece. I didn't save the remnants, but if you look at an unmodified kit, you can see the part I removed. Apparently I enjoy creating difficult work for myself...





















Image from the instruction manual below. Part number 10, the main deck, has two levels. The lower, thinner level which has the three AA guns attached to it port and starboard, was the part I cut away. Hope that's a little more clear!


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Hmmm, I see. I think what you did makes sense but you're still going to need to deal with the upper tier AAA turrets. I think that's going to be a little tricky.

But! I have more headaches if you wish! The entire bridge tower is underscale! The main gun turrets are a bit too large! I said this kit was a sheer pig... 

I think we agree that part of the 'correct look' of the Yamato involves proportion and...placement? If something is shifted it throws off everything. And there's a big one to consider. That scooped out section where the #2 main gun is? That needs to be all filled in and contoured. But then the #1 gun can't rotate properly. If you shift the #1 turret forward it throws off the balance. If you cut back (push back?) the curve of the deck on the #2 turret (to allow the movement of #1 turret without moving the mounting) that throws off the balance. Scratchbuilding the turrets to the correct size and shape (roughly an 8% change) still won't clear the curve. 

It's enough to make one bang one's head against a nice soft brick wall, huh? 

The problem is that the bridge tower (and the third bridge) are re-used tooling from the earlier 'deformed' Image Mode Yamato. https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10011426

It's a brilliant if wacky idea. A model representing that 3/4 bow view 'beauty shot'. In one plastic kit you have the entire problem of modeling the Yamato showcased. 

Interestingly, it looks like that 'lip' you removed is present on almost every plastic kit except the 1/1000 'Final Yamato' kit from 1983. Even the 1978 Nomura Toy plastic kits had it. Hm. 

Anyway, you're doing a brilliant job with that beast of a kit! Keep at it! One thing that frustrates the heck out of me is when people get all worried that they're not building something "right". It's your kit, your time, your money and your skill. Build what you want. If you want to paint a P-51 Mustang in modern low visibility grays camo, DO IT. 

(A P-51 with Sidewinders and conformal auxiliary fuel tanks...hmmm...)


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Steve H said:


> Hmmm, I see. I think what you did makes sense but you're still going to need to deal with the upper tier AAA turrets. I think that's going to be a little tricky. But! I have more headaches if you wish! The entire bridge tower is underscale! The main gun turrets are a bit too large! I said this kit was a sheer pig...  I think we agree that part of the 'correct look' of the Yamato involves proportion and...placement? If something is shifted it throws off everything. And there's a big one to consider. That scooped out section where the #2 main gun is? That needs to be all filled in and contoured. But then the #1 gun can't rotate properly. If you shift the #1 turret forward it throws off the balance. If you cut back (push back?) the curve of the deck on the #2 turret (to allow the movement of #1 turret without moving the mounting) that throws off the balance. Scratchbuilding the turrets to the correct size and shape (roughly an 8% change) still won't clear the curve. It's enough to make one bang one's head against a nice soft brick wall, huh?  The problem is that the bridge tower (and the third bridge) are re-used tooling from the earlier 'deformed' Image Mode Yamato. Image Model Yamato (Plastic model) - HobbySearch Gundam Kit/etc. Store It's a brilliant if wacky idea. A model representing that 3/4 bow view 'beauty shot'. In one plastic kit you have the entire problem of modeling the Yamato showcased.  Interestingly, it looks like that 'lip' you removed is present on almost every plastic kit except the 1/1000 'Final Yamato' kit from 1983. Even the 1978 Nomura Toy plastic kits had it. Hm. Anyway, you're doing a brilliant job with that beast of a kit! Keep at it! One thing that frustrates the heck out of me is when people get all worried that they're not building something "right". It's your kit, your time, your money and your skill. Build what you want. If you want to paint a P-51 Mustang in modern low visibility grays camo, DO IT.  (A P-51 with Sidewinders and conformal auxiliary fuel tanks...hmmm...)



*Steve H* no thanks, I don't need anymore headaches! You're right again, trying to get everything on this kit back into correct proportion and placement would be nigh on impossible due to the conflicts that would arise at every turn. As much as I'd like to throw more white plastic at this thing to correct all the inaccuracies, I promised myself I would save it for another kit down the road. Best thing to do would be chuck it in the bin and get one of the new tool Yamato kits from the last few years (I have two, hee!).

One point on the bridge tower being under scale, I had always thought the tower was too big on all of the Yamato kits through the years, and I really liked the way the entire ship was re-proportioned back in 2010 for the live action movie, the entire super structure is drastically smaller than what we're all used to looking at on the TV version, and I really liked the change. On this particular build I did try to detail up the tower in a slight nod to the movie Yamato, but my only chance at making it smaller was to cut off that thin deck section and reduce the overall height. I'm happy with the ship's profile now, I'll try to get a pic of the entire port side profile from bow to stern and see what you think...

Funny, I actually had the "image" model back sometime around 1985 or '86, don't remember what happened to it, but I do remember how funny looking it was when I pulled it out of the box, huuuuge bow and tiny stern, made me laugh, but then I immediately regretted buying it because its damned ugly... 

Many thanks for the encouragement! Just a few more mods and details to go, then paint.

The AA gun pedestals and the aft sub-turret pedestal that were attached to that deck that I cut away, simply glued back into position on the main hull like nothing ever happened (although I did move the two aft guns further aft to clear the sides of the tower):










First coat of primer to check for cracks and pits, and to see how my putty job turned out along the waterline, and around the wave gun and along the parting lines. Panel lines I scribed held up and still look relatively sharp. Good news!










The third bridge with my minimal mods, just shortened the pylon, the wings, and angled the face, and the engine nozzle that I opened up by cutting each segment apart and filling in between each with styrene strips. I still have to carve the new segment lines along the length of that thing, ugh...


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

This kit came with a bonus mini-kit of the Analyzer robot (IQ9) which I modified a little as well. The tracks were horribly misaligned, so I had to scrub all of them off and replaced the teeth with half-rounds. No easy task! There are also side skirts over the tracks that were not molded on the kit, so I trimmed down some .040" sheet to replicate them.










I think he's supposed to be a coin bank, because there is a coin-sized slot on his back (which I filled in with some strip styrene) and the instruction booklet shows coins being dropped into the model, but... how the heck are you supposed to get the money back out?! There's no hatch! You would have had to break the thing open to get it, and there goes your model... Interestingly, there are many older images of IQ9 showing two large cables projecting out from where his shoulder blades would roughly be, connecting to his elbows. But on this kit those parts weren't included. In the Yamato:2199 version the cables are also missing. Too lazy to try and reproduce them anyway


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

The shoulder cables might be replicated using some 'flexible metal hose' aftermarket parts for custom 1/24 scale cars. 

Gee all that work on the foot treads but I can't convince you to plastic over and contour the hollow on the third bridge pylon... 

Yes, Analyzer was a coin bank and yes, you are meant to shatter it to get the money. It's like a Japanese 'lucky cat' bank. 

Analyzer should have clear covers of the sides of his head dome. And there's a 'whip staff' antenna on either side, like 'ears' from his shoulders. the 'cooling fins' on his head should be taller.

Ain't I a stinker?


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Steve H said:


> The shoulder cables might be replicated using some 'flexible metal hose' aftermarket parts for custom 1/24 scale cars.
> 
> Gee all that work on the foot treads but I can't convince you to plastic over and contour the hollow on the third bridge pylon...
> 
> ...



*Steve H, *Yeah, I was thinking about something along those lines but I didn't plan on even _building_ Analyzer let alone re-working his feet like this, I originally thought: "Ebay." So, I'm happy with where he is. I'm waiting for some tubing and 1/700 parts for Yamato so I thought I would take a stab at Analyzer just for the halibut. I have the clear side domes and the whip antennas, I just haven't attached those yet, I want to do that after painting to minimize damaging them during handling. And yes, you are definitely a stinker 


Funny you should mention that 3rd bridge pylon...


----------



## eagledocf15 (Nov 4, 2008)

Incredible work !!! Well done


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Ahh, you ARE modding the third bridge pylon! Good on you! Of all the issues of the 1/500 scale Yamato, that is one of the most GLARING things that if left as molded, really brings down the look of the finished kit, at least IMHO.


----------



## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

Ive seen that yellow-ish putty so often on builds that I appreciate.

What brand is it and what characteristics does it have?


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

eagledocf15 said:


> Incredible work !!! Well done


Thanks *eagledocf15*!



Steve H said:


> Ahh, you ARE modding the third bridge pylon! Good on you! Of all the issues of the 1/500 scale Yamato, that is one of the most GLARING things that if left as molded, really brings down the look of the finished kit, at least IMHO.


*Steve H*, I knew you were right to point it out from the beginning, and it just kept bugging me until I threw up my paws in disgust and took my Dremel to it :grin2:...



ClubTepes said:


> Ive seen that yellow-ish putty so often on builds that I appreciate.
> 
> What brand is it and what characteristics does it have?


*ClubTepes* it's a Japanese product called "Wave Light Type Epoxy Putty". I usually buy it from here. It is a two-part water based putty that hardens to about styrene consistency in 3 hours, pretty easy to sand and carve, and will hang on to your model like iron as long as there is sufficient "tooth" on the plastic for it to grab. Despite being water based, once cured it will not dissolve back into putty like PPP does if you wet sand it; it's stable. I also like it because it has no foul chemical odor and I believe is essentially non-toxic. I get pretty good results from the fact that I can extend its working life by about 50% if I keep it moistened with a few drops of distilled water as I am trying to shape it. On Yamato as you see I used it to fill the depression between the top of the wave motion gun muzzle and the bulwark along each side of the hull, making a flat transition on that part of the ship. I carved the new panel line just as I would into regular styrene. I also used it to scratchbuild the auxiliary engines from styrene tube, fattening them up with the Wave putty and them sanding them down to the proper elongated tear-drop shape. I find it somewhat less dense than Aves, and thus less difficult to sand and carve when cured, but it's just as versatile and perhaps even a bit easier to handle and work with, I dare say. But that's just my experience, yours may differ.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Spent the morning picking away at a few more details on the super structure. I robbed some smaller guns from an old 1/700 IJN Yamato kit that was a motorized model from Japan, I think it was a Nichimo brand. In another nod to the live-action movie, I glued some small machine guns to the tops of all three main turrets, giving them a bit more interesting detail and breaking up those broad flat top surfaces a little. I also scratched up some shelves for soon to be added spot-lamps on both sides of the smokestack/missile-silo. I got some after market 1/700 spot-lamps and there were six more on the sprue from that old Nichimo kit, so I'll be tacking those on in a bit.





































Full port side profile of the ship. I think this shot illustrates why I raised the hull 3mm across its entirety, it really bulks up the ship to a much more appealing profile, at least to my eye, anyway. For years I had always thought this kit and its smaller 1/700 companion suffered from the same deformity, namely a much-too-shallow hull. This build was my chance to see if I could, once and for all, correct this horrendous mistake.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Spot-lamps glued in place on both sides of the smokestack/missile silo, and even MORE guns added to the tower... there's a fifth spot-lamp on each side of the tower, can you "spot" it?


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

More progress on this old hulk tonight, I cannibalized another part from the 1/700 version of this kit to replace one of the keel fins, giving a much better more streamlined look to the hull's underside.

Here's the old part. Kinda stick-figure-looking and not so pretty:










The slot for the original part was filled in with strip styrene, NOT puttied. Much more stable, strong, and the new fin will glue right on top of it with no issue because it's plastic, not some filler with differing materials that may or may not hold on in the long run.










The new fin, which is one of the three tail fins from the 1/700 kit. Just happened to be the right size to be a perfect upgrade for that part. A little trimming of the horizontal end piece and voila:










So now I'm getting to what will probably be the most tedious and time-consuming part of this build. I wanted to see about replacing most of the AA gun barrels with .7 and .9mm aluminum tube for added detail, but that is a daunting task. So I figured I would do a side-by-side comparison of the new barrels I intend to make, versus the original kit part drilled out to simulate open barrels. Both seem to have their merits as far as looks go, but right now, well, the original kit part drilled out is far quicker and easier to do, and doesn't look half bad, tell me what you guys think:


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Here's the 1/500 version behind the 1/700 version that I've been robbing a couple of parts from. I tried to position them to where the 1/700 model was roughly the same size as the bigger model in the image, to show the difference in the hull depth between the two.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Some more details glued up tonight. I liked the idea of guy-wires (or lanyards or whatever you wanna call 'em) supporting/stabilizing the large horizontal fin just aft of and above the missile-silo so I used some of the super thin aluminum tube to simulate those. I used some more borrowed parts from that old Nichimo kit to dress up the main stabilizer, with spot-lamps and small antenna-like greeblies. I know this doesn't appear on the cartoon Yamato but who cares I like the way it looks:



















And here's my side by side of my three options for the rest of the AA guns. I can leave the parts as-is, try to drill them out and risk grinding the plastic into shreds, or cut off the plastic barrels and replace with aluminum tube. I think the aluminum tube wins.


----------



## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

Thanks.
I ordered some of that putty.

Looking forward to giving it a whirl.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

ClubTepes said:


> Thanks.
> I ordered some of that putty.
> 
> Looking forward to giving it a whirl.


*ClubTepes* please give an update after you've tried it, really curious to see what other folks have to say about it... I love the stuff, personally.

Still plugging away at random details, just to keep the build interesting and steer clear of burnout...

Even the rocket-anchors couldn't escape a minor upgrade. More parts form the Nichimo kit and strip styrene to beef up the anchors and really give them some pop:










In this image you can see where I've filled in a panel line that I got wrong the first time around, just underneath the anchor.










Scribing of the bow and stern torpedo doors/RCS rockets begins:


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Finally got some of the AA gun barrels upgrades started, and I do believe I should never have started this particular mod, because it's a LOT of really fiddly tedious repetitive work... and I'm kicking myself, because I have 46 more to make...


----------



## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Gee, what a nice Yamato you're building...... I really like this maga style spaceships..... I'm also a big fan of Captain Harlock stuff...... keep up the good work....


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

f1steph said:


> Gee, what a nice Yamato you're building...... I really like this maga style spaceships..... I'm also a big fan of Captain Harlock stuff...... keep up the good work....


Many Thanks *f1steph*! I am also a big fan of Captain Harlock, and I have two of the Hasegawa 1/1000 Arcadia kits in my stack to build, can't wait to lift the lid on those!


Some more progress finally, added strip styrene detail to the hull, and carved in a bunch of new panel lines. Again, not really following any particular version of the great ship, but simply trying to emulate the nice detail in the paneling I saw on the live action Yamato movie version. I used three different thicknesses of strip. as I thought that would help break up the broad surfaces with some subtle variance to the detail height. Only got one side and some of the keel done; still need to add more of this type of detail to the horizontal surfaces and AA gun decks. Boy, I sure do love this ship...


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Man! :surprise: You're making that ship look really cool. Now I want to buy one of those kits. Which one is the most accurate in your judgement?


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Regretfully there IS no kit of the original Space Battleship Yamato that can be called 'the most accurate'. At least if by that you mean 'fidelity to the ship as seen' as, say, the PL 1/350 kit of the Enterprise. 

Even the original 1974 model and establishment design sheets conflict. There were othro views drawn that hugely disagree with the key art.

But those plan views were used to make the original model kits and most of the old kits from the '70s and '80s agree to those. 

The best, most accurate kit to those original plans is the 1/1000 scale kit produced in 1983 for Final Yamato.

https://hlj.com/1-1000-scale-space-cruiser-yamato-ban11666

It's a small 'glue' kit, under a foot long. It looks very nice built straight from the box. It doesn't require the severe re-working that Whiskyrat is undertaking to make look decent. 

If you need something larger for the shelf, the 1/700 scale kits are for you. This is the 'mechanical' Yamato, with interior parts as drawn by Studio Nue for a 'cutaway' illustration for a children's book circa 1974. FWIW the Japanese seem to LOVE them some cutaway illos. 

https://hlj.com/1-700-scale-space-battleship-yamato-mechanical-version-ban31255

This needs some work but not much. Again, you can build it straight from the box and it's decent, but there are some bits that really call for re-working. The secondary engines should be separated , the main engine exhaust nozzle probably should be reworked (not so tapered) the bow and stern missile tubes should be puttied over and proper doors etched in, that sort of thing. 

Some people don't like the '2199' version of the Yamato. I think it's excellent but a tad...overdone in terms of surface detailing and while realistic, I find it a little tubby. But if you build it and put it on a shelf people 'in the know' will recognize it.

https://hlj.com/1-1000-scale-space-battleship-yamato-2199-cosmo-reverse-ver-ban994363

I suggest this version as it has a complete decal sheet and a full complement of small craft. The first issue of the kit played games-partial decals (had to buy a different kit to complete the markings) and missing craft. 

Changes I will make to my build is to putty over all the ballast tank vents on the bottom (you don't see them at all in the show except the one time they were used) and reduce the 'panel lines' on the hull to be more subtle. 

So that's the affordable options in my opinion. Otherwise there's that massive 1/350 beast Hachette is releasing in Japan, a week at a time. 

??????????? | ??????????????????????

Over 3 feet long. sound and light and movement gimmicks. It's stunning. It'll take a couple of years to release all the parts, and by the end of that one will have spent around $2000 USD. But oh brother what a kit. 

I admire greatly what Whiskyrat is doing with that pig of a kit, the 1/500 Yamato. I don't agree with some of his design choices but he's building the Yamato he wants and it's startling to see. (OK, gotta say it. that searchlight on the big antenna/fin has to go. It's just 'off' for the design aesthetic and not a practical thing at all. Sorry. )


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Wow! :surprise: Thanks for the reviews of, and links to, the various kits. I'm thinking those are some decent choices considering the fact that it's an anime ship. I'll check them out.

EDIT: And I agree with your recommendation. Thanks again!



Steve H said:


> Regretfully there IS no kit of the original Space Battleship Yamato that can be called 'the most accurate'. At least if by that you mean 'fidelity to the ship as seen' as, say, the PL 1/350 kit of the Enterprise.
> 
> Even the original 1974 model and establishment design sheets conflict. There were othro views drawn that hugely disagree with the key art.
> 
> ...


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

PerfesserCoffee said:


> Man! :surprise: You're making that ship look really cool. Now I want to buy one of those kits. Which one is the most accurate in your judgement?


Thanks again *Perfesser*! Obviously *Steve H.* has the goods on which is the most 'accurate' kit of this ship. As far as I am concerned, the many different ways this ship was rendered over the years gives me free license to make up my own detail as I go along, with nods to various versions of the ship embedded here and there. There really wasn't a 'studio model' of Yamato to copy, so no real standard as to what an 'accurate' model is.



Steve H said:


> Regretfully there IS no kit of the original Space Battleship Yamato that can be called 'the most accurate'. At least if by that you mean 'fidelity to the ship as seen' as, say, the PL 1/350 kit of the Enterprise.
> 
> Even the original 1974 model and establishment design sheets conflict. There were othro views drawn that hugely disagree with the key art.
> 
> ...


*Steve H* once again your knowledge of things Yamato impresses the heck outta me. The 1/1000 kit is the very same that I have been robbing parts from for my build. Had that thing for over twenty years, it's fallen off a couple shelves and suffered through three relocations over it's life so that's why it's donating its parts now, for a greater cause. And the searchlight platform on the main stabilizer stays put!  I know I know, it looks a little janky to the casual Yamato observer but for me it's a nice bit of detail and it's since really grown on me... so poo to you with knobs on! :grin2:


More detail on the keel, including the hangar hatch, and some more not-so-visible panel lines which will show up better when painted and washed.


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

That's very kind of you Whiskyrat. I've been with Yamato since 1979, and I think I've got a reasonable grasp of the subject.  Others have far eclipsed my knowledge. Tim does amazing work (https://ourstarblazers.com/ ) and his site is worth the time to deep dive into.

But the difference between he and I is, he doesn't know models. I do, at least somewhat.  I know what people are looking for in a kit and I can usually sort out the pluses and minuses. 

Whiskyrat, I would NEVER have suggested you do a build of the 1/500 scale kit. It's just a mess. Your work is truly mindblowing. It's on a par with the old school Hobby Japan builders who would take a then current Gundam kit, toss out 80% of it and make something 'screen accurate'. 

Don't quit now!


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Steve H said:


> That's very kind of you Whiskyrat. I've been with Yamato since 1979, and I think I've got a reasonable grasp of the subject.  Others have far eclipsed my knowledge. Tim does amazing work (https://ourstarblazers.com/ ) and his site is worth the time to deep dive into.
> 
> But the difference between he and I is, he doesn't know models. I do, at least somewhat.  I know what people are looking for in a kit and I can usually sort out the pluses and minuses.
> 
> ...



Thank you sir, I try to challenge myself with every build! Also, the effort I'm putting forth on this kit is simply a measure of how much I LOVE this ship, if I didn't care, I would be finished already and on to something else. Plus, there's not really a screen accurate Yamato anyway as you know, so I get away with murder there, too.



I've seen the StarBlazers site before but it's been a few years, I should spend some time there tonight.


I also agree with you on the new Yamato kits, the detail does seem a little overdone, so on this build I'm trying to add detail but at the same time keep it subtle enough not to overcome the overall lines of the ship, it's kind of a delicate balance, actually...


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

It's an odd thing with the Y2199 kits. The redesign is by a guy who is an intense fanboy and did this huge string of 'real Yamato' designs, with all kinds of ST:TNG inspired graphics and all (see also Kobayashi and his fetish for 'self illuminating' signs on Yamato: Resurrection) and that overdetail became part of the mandate for 2199. It's nice to have ALL those damn ballast tank vents and all but it also would have been nice had they been optional inserts. It's like the belly IRBM launchers. Used once, maybe twice. I wonder if they figure in the climax of Yamato 2202.

But yes. The overall 'look' of the Yamato is a very delicate balance of lines and curves and angles. It's amazing how one mistake throws EVERYTHING off. And how a small correction (reworking the main engine nozzle on the 1/700 kit) makes everything better.

One thing I haven't mentioned is what I call 'bow droop'. Again it's a transition point, from the round curve of the bow radar to the general curve of the underside hull. You look like you're in the sweet spot with it. If you push that sonar bulge too far aft suddenly there's an optical illusion that the bow is 'bent' down. That throws off the look of the bow 'wave breakers' .

I don't know if I'm making sense but if you look at a side-on of the 2199 Yamato it hits you right in the face. That and the 'submarine limber hole curve' on the side. It bothers me.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Steve H said:


> It's an odd thing with the Y2199 kits. The redesign is by a guy who is an intense fanboy and did this huge string of 'real Yamato' designs, with all kinds of ST:TNG inspired graphics and all (see also Kobayashi and his fetish for 'self illuminating' signs on Yamato: Resurrection) and that overdetail became part of the mandate for 2199. It's nice to have ALL those damn ballast tank vents and all but it also would have been nice had they been optional inserts. It's like the belly IRBM launchers. Used once, maybe twice. I wonder if they figure in the climax of Yamato 2202.
> 
> But yes. The overall 'look' of the Yamato is a very delicate balance of lines and curves and angles. It's amazing how one mistake throws EVERYTHING off. And how a small correction (reworking the main engine nozzle on the 1/700 kit) makes everything better.
> 
> ...


*Steve H* you are making perfect sense, I get everything you're saying. The 'submarine limber hole curve?' Ugly, misplaced, just plain wrong looking, totally. On this kit, the bow is pretty much shaped just as the kit was molded, except of course for my modification where I raised the hull 3mm along the water line, and the filling I did along the length of the top of the wave gun on both sides. The 'sonar bulge' on the kit is well shaped, as is the wave breaker, so it wasn't too hard to keep the lines when I raised the hull. Re-shaping the bulwarks really helped with the bow profile too. The engine nozzle is another BIG profile maker or breaker. On both the 1/700 and this kit they are far too narrow and the curvature far too steep. Opening them up really gives the ship more 'muscle', which is exactly what I did with this one.

Better part of the main hull detailing is over, with most of these greeblies probably going to disappear into the paintwork without any highlighting or dry-brushing after the fact, which is actually my goal anyway. The paper-thin paneling that I glued on will throw very minimal shadows and highlights, giving the broad hull surfaces much more eye-catching, but subtle, detail. Once again, all for the sake of scale.


This image shows the torture I submit myself to in pursuit of detail...










...for this itty bitty greeblie on one side of the hull...


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

And here I've re-visited the overhang on either side of the rear sub-turret, they should have been more prominent, and the sides will have some cutouts that are prevalent on most versions of the ship. Also got the paneling scribed onto some more .020' sheet for the depressions just underneath and forward of the catapults.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

So, in keeping with my penchant for going back and correcting bits that I should have attacked long before, here I've continued my retro-fitting of Yamato's stern decks with the port/starboard alcoves that the Cosmo Zeros emerge from on their way up to the catapults. The bare plastic will get filled in with wave putty for final shaping and void filling. The hull really looked sort of naked without them, and I can't believe I was actually considering not adding them...

.040" and .020" sheet cut to shape and glued in place on both sides of Yamato's stern:


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

FWIW, the concept of the hangers was that the top level hanger housed the high speed interceptors (Cosmo Zero, or 'Superstar' in Star Blazers terms) while the main interior hanger was for the fighters (Black Tigers). The middle exit point, fed from the upper or top level hanger was the providence of the 'lifeboats' or gigs. In theory there is a repair bay forward of the main hanger that connects to both, as seen in the 'seamless plane' episode. 

Naturally it can't all fit, in the original Yamato space. 

In Yamato 2199 they enlarged the ship (but wasted a ton of internal space with that rotary launch system) and there is no top, deck level hanger exit. The two Cosmo Zeros are fitted to the catapults from what was the mid level exit. 

I think those panels at the mid level exit might look better inset a bit more, so there's more of a ramp out of the exit. Picture how that opening leads to a hanger and how a vehicle would travel out. I think the deck, the main exterior deck needs to 'overhang' those panels to make more a 'tube' effect. 

Just a thought.  Still magnificent work going on here.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Steve H said:


> FWIW, the concept of the hangers was that the top level hanger housed the high speed interceptors (Cosmo Zero, or 'Superstar' in Star Blazers terms) while the main interior hanger was for the fighters (Black Tigers). The middle exit point, fed from the upper or top level hanger was the providence of the 'lifeboats' or gigs. In theory there is a repair bay forward of the main hanger that connects to both, as seen in the 'seamless plane' episode.
> 
> Naturally it can't all fit, in the original Yamato space.
> 
> ...


Thanks again my friend! It never occurred to me about the three levels of hangar bays, but it makes obvious sense. Once again your demonstrated knowledge base of Yamato is superior to mine by far. I'm ashamed to say that I love the ship but know so little about her, comparatively! Maybe because it's mostly in Japanese? :grin2: Agreed, a megaton of wasted space with the hangar rotisserie, don't know what the reasoning was behind that design "inspiration," maybe too much sake... Of course, the entire aft section of the hull would be needed to house all those fighters and support equipment, leaving little space for even the engine room!

I hear ya on the panel walls being slightly more inset to allow for the fighter movement, but I seem to remember in Y:2199 the panels folded out to create the necessary platform space, no? Yes? I could have been imagining it, I ain't called _*whiskey*_rat for nuthin'... At any rate, I still may modify the deck section below the panel walls yet, let's see how intrepid a drunk rat might get if he can sober up long enough...


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

More progress, including some more back-tracking... which is still somehow progress... Got the port/starboard alcoves puttied up and shaped to the hull contours. Then, started chopping up the third bridge again, this time to re-create the scoop-thingy hanging off the underside. I cut off the existing scoop-like features on the sides of the third bridge, and spaced them apart with .020" sheet. Some more white plastic will finish off the part where it attaches along the sides of the bridge, and then I need to recreate the tiny fins inside the scoop.


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Oh that third bridge is looking SO much better! It's just a hunk of crap held over from the 'image' model kit and needed a major rework. Well done!


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Steve H said:


> Oh that third bridge is looking SO much better! It's just a hunk of crap held over from the 'image' model kit and needed a major rework. Well done!


Thanks Steve! I'm glad you egged me on, it does make quite a difference, and I'm pretty happy with the results. Took me half a day working on and off, letting putty cure, glue dry, etc., but well worth it:










Wings glued on:


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Back from a bit of a break on this thing, started a new job and got a bunch of home chores done between the last post and today. But, progress continues, sort of...
I added a bunch of tiny styrene detail to the main deck bow section, and also started in on the correction for the main deck just underneath the two foremost main turrets. It just wasn't right, and is seen literally nowhere else that I know of in the Yamato-verse, except on this old beast of a model. So, out with the sheet styrene, super-glue and cement, to reshape the deck.










Bow detail added here:


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

THERE we go! Looking a lot more like it now! After the Wave is cured and sanding is done this mod should be one of best things I have done to upgrade the look of this Yamato kit. I almost forgot, I built new bases for all three of the main turrets that re-located the swivel point about three mm forward, resulting in all the turrets being slightly pushed back toward the center of the ship. Another subtle change, but it makes a big difference in the overall appearance.


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

it's all about the bass...I mean proportion. 

One suggestion. the deck under the #1 turret should be flat, only curving at the very back edge of the turret to blend and meet the deck at the #2 turret. The base of both forward turrets should be visible. In many drawings the back of turret #1 lines up with the middle of the observation bulge. about 50% of the time the back of #1 is a little 'shaved' to help clear the curve of the deck transition. 

Will you be rounding the edges of the turrets slightly?


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Steve H said:


> it's all about the bass...I mean proportion.
> 
> One suggestion. the deck under the #1 turret should be flat, only curving at the very back edge of the turret to blend and meet the deck at the #2 turret. The base of both forward turrets should be visible. In many drawings the back of turret #1 lines up with the middle of the observation bulge. about 50% of the time the back of #1 is a little 'shaved' to help clear the curve of the deck transition.
> 
> Will you be rounding the edges of the turrets slightly?


*Steve H* yes I'm gonna hit the underside rear edges with the old sanding stick; I did build the new decking with enough clearance for the turrets to spin freely but it's a pretty close shave, so I'll get to those next. Again, right about the upward curve of the deck under turret one, but I kinda liked this version that I saw somewhere, it reminds me of the original (sea-going) ship's deck line ... plus, it's on there now, so the next step will be to fill that sharp step with some Wave putty to blend the curve; I think it will look okay. Again, this build is just a laboratory for me, so to speak, to see how much my meager talents will allow me to get away with before I tackle the larger, newer kits. There'll be some mods to those, too!


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

"meager" talents he sez. 

So you're gonna go in on that 'weekly magazine' Yamato kit in 1/350? It seems a beauty to me. Looking at the various parts that have appeared I really get the feeling this is...how to say this...it's a kit designed around the existing 1/350 'gimmick' Yamato from some years back. Like they took the master, the core elements and frame and grafted the new, larger Yamato 2202 styling over it. The gimmicks are the same and in some cases improved. The existing 1/350 Yamato, the bow missiles are manual to reveal, and the rocket anchor chains are cranked by hand. Both of these functions are electric and remote operated on the new kit. 

I would really love to tackle the new giant kit. I'd still putty over all the ballast vents and other overdone detailing but I would have to be careful of all the hull lights...


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Steve H said:


> "meager" talents he sez.
> 
> So you're gonna go in on that 'weekly magazine' Yamato kit in 1/350? It seems a beauty to me. Looking at the various parts that have appeared I really get the feeling this is...how to say this...it's a kit designed around the existing 1/350 'gimmick' Yamato from some years back. Like they took the master, the core elements and frame and grafted the new, larger Yamato 2202 styling over it. The gimmicks are the same and in some cases improved. The existing 1/350 Yamato, the bow missiles are manual to reveal, and the rocket anchor chains are cranked by hand. Both of these functions are electric and remote operated on the new kit.
> 
> I would really love to tackle the new giant kit. I'd still putty over all the ballast vents and other overdone detailing but I would have to be careful of all the hull lights...


No, not going in on a 1/350... they're much too expensive, complicated, and I've already got two of the newer 1/500 kits to contend with, so I think that's enough Yamato for me... I do like the hull lights though, something I always thought Yamato was kinda lacking in. Maybe on one of my 1/500 kits I'll do a custom lighting job to sort of emulate that.

Well, finally another coat of primer to check my progress on all the plastic-cutting and putty-troweling on this thing. Surprisingly, not too many areas that need re-work, so more of a success than I had anticipated. I raised the base on main turret 2 so as to bring it up to the proper height, it was too low to the deck. The small detail that I glued all over the ship really turned out nice to my eye, it's subtle, an doesn't overpower the ship's main curves and lines, like the over-done detail on the new kits.


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

That's looking quite Yamato-ish indeed sir!

Please don't be too angry but I still don't like that searchlight on the mast/antenna. It's just...jarring. It sticks out. I'm just fussy I guess.

I do suggest another pass on the main turrets. they look too...slabby. crude. I think building up the top to be a sight ramp and bevel the edges would do wonders. You did a great job adding those round thingies on the back of the turrets. 

Boy you sure did a sweet job on the bow. Proportions all nice, lines and angles and curves just right. It doesn't look like a bent nose submarine!


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Steve H said:


> That's looking quite Yamato-ish indeed sir!
> 
> Please don't be too angry but I still don't like that searchlight on the mast/antenna. It's just...jarring. It sticks out. I'm just fussy I guess.
> 
> ...



Thanks buddy! And, you're a mind-reader, I'm not quite finished attacking those main turrets yet, they are indeed way too slabby and crude, so sit tight and bear with me on those...


As far as getting angry at you for having an opinion... well, there's only one builder around here I see that gets that way at his readers, and it certainly isn't me. I know you don't like the antenna searchlight platform, but neither one of us is belittling the other for it. It's okay! Life marches on...


----------



## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)




----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Happy Independence Day everyone!

Vacation time means MODEL BUILDING TIME!! So today I was up bright and early and got through a major roadblock on this build, which was how to re-shape the main turrets. I eventually went with Steve H.'s suggestion of beveling all the edges, and then I went a couple steps further by adding the Tic-Tac looking white pieces on top (got rid of the tiny machine guns they kept breaking off during handling anyway) and re-made the range finders on either side of the turrets (no easy task!). I'll probably add a few tiny panels and what not before priming but they are essentially done. I also brought the fore-deck up to level with the rest of the ship so there are no more odd-looking steps where there shouldn't be. And managed to scribe the new partition lines along the length of the main engine nozzle (ALSO no easy task!). Progress!















































Aforementioned fore-decking added in front of main turret 1:


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

The three main stabilizers mounted around the engine nozzle are getting a pretty major re-shape, too. The original parts were far too...curvy, for the way I want this Yamato to look, so, I initially tried to sand and file them into a more angular version, which can be seen on the piece without putty on it below. Still too stick-figure looking. Out came the sheet styrene and Wave putty...

Here are the other two pieces with the Wave applied. I made sure to rough up both sides of each stabilizer with a sanding stick first to provide a good purchase for the putty:


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Finally managed to knock out the engine nozzle/stabilizer assembly, phew. I think I still want to add a bit more detail to the inner nozzle, so not done yet, but some strip styrene detail, scribing of panel lines on the re-shaped stabilizers, and a lot more patience than I thought I had... produces a halfway decent looking part:


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Hmmmmm. The fins seem unbalanced now. Maybe re-sculpting the pods on the ends will help. bring out the point past the back edge, resculpt the bulge to align with the center of the fin. There should be SOME taper in the fin out to the end. Right now they seem too...slabby. Remember the design is about proportions and curves, lines and angles. 

Love the work on the turrets and bow deck. I think you nailed the aesthetic.


----------



## rworne (Jun 30, 2017)

whiskeyrat said:


> Agreed, a megaton of wasted space with the hangar rotisserie, don't know what the reasoning was behind that design "inspiration," maybe too much sake... Of course, the entire aft section of the hull would be needed to house all those fighters and support equipment, leaving little space for even the engine room!


Several reasons for it:

1. The original 1970's design with the planes flying out of the hatch was asinine. The hangar was a big open void with the planes on "shelves" on the side of the hangar bay. Recovering them after battle would be even worse. If you ever played the classic game Homeworld and needed to recover a ton of fighters for refueling in the heat of battle would know what I mean. It would take a long time for them to recover aircraft.

2. A catapult system is a much better idea, but I don't ever recall seeing them recover fighter aircraft in 2199, aside from the "special" aircraft. The Gamilons on the other hand, had their act together.

3. Because it looks cool.

The show was caught with no good solution, so they came up with the best they could, I guess.

Very impressive custom work on the model. I need to get cracking on my 1/350, but I am leery of painting it at the moment, as I usually botch that pretty badly.


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

rworne said:


> Several reasons for it:
> 
> 1. The original 1970's design with the planes flying out of the hatch was asinine. The hangar was a big open void with the planes on "shelves" on the side of the hangar bay. Recovering them after battle would be even worse. If you ever played the classic game Homeworld and needed to recover a ton of fighters for refueling in the heat of battle would know what I mean. It would take a long time for them to recover aircraft.
> 
> ...


FWIW the original concept for the Yamato's fighter bay was even more slow. A trapeze arrangement for launch and recovery ala the proposed B-36's 'Goblin' parasite fighter, a system seen a couple of times in the original series used for the Type 100 scouts, and as you state, in full careful exacting detail in Yamato 2199 for the Type 100 and Cosmo Seagull. 

I have looked as carefully as any person could, investigated the limited printed material produced and I see zero material generated on how the fighters were recovered in 2199. Nor how they were to be rearmed. No 'purples' or 'reds' (fueling or weapon loading specialists), no missile carts. 

Given the obsessive level of detail in the production it's surprising to see this lack, even if it was only a rough sketch. It should be there but it isn't. Mind that's one big flaw in the production of 2199/2202. No documentation of the evolution of production. No rough drafts, no false starts, no deleted options. Original Yamato is rich in such things.


----------



## rworne (Jun 30, 2017)

Well, the best visualization of how it all works is here. Someone with too much time on their hands did a 3DCG representation of the whole fighter launch system. I do not now how many liberties the creator made, but it all seems reasonable:

https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm27614851

Someone did a lot of thinking on how this all works. From the Japanese-language sources I checked, the system is an overly complex round belt that runs along the ship's hull, surrounding the main engine. The designers of this system apparently did not take into account how easily such a thing could break under normal use, let alone under battle, but it looks cool on the screen. The Bandai kit add-on for the 1/500 scale does not recreate this very well.


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

rworne said:


> Well, the best visualization of how it all works is here. Someone with too much time on their hands did a 3DCG representation of the whole fighter launch system. I do not now how many liberties the creator made, but it all seems reasonable:
> 
> https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm27614851
> 
> Someone did a lot of thinking on how this all works. From the Japanese-language sources I checked, the system is an overly complex round belt that runs along the ship's hull, surrounding the main engine. The designers of this system apparently did not take into account how easily such a thing could break under normal use, let alone under battle, but it looks cool on the screen. The Bandai kit add-on for the 1/500 scale does not recreate this very well.


As far as I can tell from memory, that's a straight-up recreation of the launch mechanics from Yamato 2199. The only quibble I think there is, I don't think there was any pop-up supports for the fighters so they could retract their landing gear and settle on the launching shuttle. I think it was just the shuttle slides into place, pushes up, locks on and the gear retracts. 

Still, this is a mechanical nightmare. As you say it looks cool and on first blush it looks very reasonable but man...

And, still, nothing on how the fighters are recovered. I mean, just imagine how much time it would take to jockey a fighter into position over the launching shuttle, get a lock, then slide up to a platform. I *suppose* it would be possible to fly straight in (like the original series) and land on an empty platform (then locked and rotated clear) and THAT might account for the fighters resting on the platform with their landing gear down (instead of being launch ready on a cradle awaiting the launching shuttle) but there's no arresting gear, tractor beams aren't a thing in Yamato... OTOH the variable nozzles on the fighters do allow for reversing thrust, soooo...

I just don't know.


----------



## rworne (Jun 30, 2017)

I spent a couple hours last night scouring the Japanese sites seeing what (if any) comments were being made about the hangar bay in the old vs. new Yamato.

Some chatter about the storage and launching, but nothing on recovery. However, the video above gives us a clue:

There is a deck where the aircraft sit and are supposedly serviced - they show them being pushed onto the rotary mechanism. If so, then the fighters are recovered from the sides of the ship, near where the Cosmo Zero comes out. This gives direct access to this deck. Planes can be serviced/refueled/reloaded and placed back onto the launch mechanism.

As for the older hangar bay, there's a bunch of trolling going on about it being a "4 dimensional pocket" as the older Yamato design can house up to around 40 aircraft - quite a sizable number.

There were several explanations for this: The older WWII ship had a much larger crew - about 10x the Yamato's complement. No need for massive fuel oil storage tanks or an armory for the main guns. They discuss the lack of the need for these items free up a lot of internal space in the ship...

But the best one was the "4D pocket" remark. As the Yamato came from the 22nd century, so too did another popular Japanese character: Doraemon. Doraemon sported a kangaroo-type pouch from which he can produce literally anything he wants - think of Felix's magic bag. They propose that Sanada took the technology used for Doraemon's magic pocket and used it to generate a Tardis-type space field to allow for a large number of aircraft to be stored inside the ship.

So there you go, it all makes perfect sense now... Except for Doraemon's "Doko-demo Dooa" (Go anywhere door). If that was the case, they'd just open it and Iscandar would have been on the other side.

Perhaps I should spend less time there - as they are way too silly for a serious discussion about the ship design.


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

1000 bonus points for the Doraemon references. 

It gets worse for classic Yamato. The upper hanger looks to hold 40 fighters (two rows of twelve on the 'outside' with 2 rows of 8 'inside'. The lower hanger is 24 with the possibility of it being 48 if the stacks are doubled. The 'offside' fighters would be slid to the main launch way once the 'ready' fighters were off.

It looks good and workable until you actually take the given stats for the fighters and measure it out. To fit the 'base' numbers of fighters (24 up top 24 below) into the Yamato the fighter bay has to extend to the second main gun turret. Just a little off and not reasonable. 

This is one of the reasons why the 2199 Yamato was enlarged to 333 meters from the original 265.8 meters


----------



## rworne (Jun 30, 2017)

Well the IJN Akagi carried 66 planes + 25 reserves. It was also roughly the same size as the IJN Yamato (Yamato was a few meters wider) and it was especially designed to carry aircraft. Some of the online blueprints of the 70's Yamato show remarkably few aircraft (only 5 in a cutaway view) and the couple scenes I recall showing the inside of the quite spacious landing bay show a lot more than that.

One more item I did not mention about the hangar bay was how the planes got off the "shelves". Two methods were discussed: a crane in the center that grabbed each and lowered it to the deck, or the shelves were "pallets" that lowered the plane down the side when there were no more planes beneath it.

Anyhow, enough of this, I'm curious as to what you will do next with this build. I had no idea the original design of this model was so lacking in detail.


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

rworne said:


> Well the IJN Akagi carried 66 planes + 25 reserves. It was also roughly the same size as the IJN Yamato (Yamato was a few meters wider) and it was especially designed to carry aircraft. Some of the online blueprints of the 70's Yamato show remarkably few aircraft (only 5 in a cutaway view) and the couple scenes I recall showing the inside of the quite spacious landing bay show a lot more than that.
> 
> One more item I did not mention about the hangar bay was how the planes got off the "shelves". Two methods were discussed: a crane in the center that grabbed each and lowered it to the deck, or the shelves were "pallets" that lowered the plane down the side when there were no more planes beneath it.
> 
> Anyhow, enough of this, I'm curious as to what you will do next with this build. I had no idea the original design of this model was so lacking in detail.


He he he, yeah, a bit distracted. But I wonder if the discussions you reference, did those people even WATCH original Yamato? It's shown very clearly the 'pallet' shelves is what is used, except for a couple of instances where a crane/trapeze is used to launch a Type 100 recon plane.

But back to the build. I wonder what happens next?


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

I continue to be very impressed with this build. You've created something much more than the sum of its parts. The attention to detail is amazing. The fact that you reshaped it to match the cartoon hull at the bow is the most impressive. :thumbsup:


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

PerfesserCoffee said:


> I continue to be very impressed with this build. You've created something much more than the sum of its parts. The attention to detail is amazing. The fact that you reshaped it to match the cartoon hull at the bow is the most impressive. :thumbsup:


LOL! What I would say is he's creating something with SOME of the parts...

See, that's a little play on words and...

I'll be over there is anyone wants me...


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Steve H said:


> LOL! What I would say is he's creating something with SOME of the parts...
> 
> See, that's a little play on words and...
> 
> I'll be over there is anyone wants me...


One in every crowd :wink2:


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Looks like CultTVMan.com has the 1/500th scale kit in stock now: https://www.culttvmanshop.com/Yamato-2199-1500-from-Bandai_p_2824.html


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

My Goodness, a lot's been going on in here while I was away!

Thanks for the kind words *rworne *! I watched that CG hangar bay video and remarked on how slow and cumbersome the whole affair seems! Way too many moving parts that could break down and cause chaos during a launching...

Thank you *PerfesserCoffee*! Glad you're enjoying the build!

*Steve H*. I did thin down the fins on the main engine nozzle, you were right about them being too thick and slabby... looks much better now.

Some minor progress this weekend, had to go back and correct a couple of mistakes and managed to get the main engine nozzle interior detail squared away...whew! I really need to either buy or make a duplicating cutter.


























I had to completely tear up and rebuild the aft sub-turret pedestal, and move it 5mm back, as it turned out to be too close to the missile launchers between the three stabilizers, just aft of the smokestack:

















Re-work of the first bridge windows:

















Almost fully assembled!


----------



## StarCruiser (Sep 28, 1999)

Yep - starting to fully evoke this:


----------



## rworne (Jun 30, 2017)

StarCruiser said:


> Yep - starting to fully evoke this:
> 
> Star Blazers Theme (English Version) - YouTube


That invokes my PTSD...





 by the legendary Isao Sasaki - who did quite a few other animated films from that era as well.

This song is the second Japanese National Anthem since the late 70's.

My first exposure to this show was "Space Cruiser Yamato" back in 1978 or so, on the "Family Film Festival" with Tom Hatten (who kept calling the ship "Space Cruiser Yamamoto". When it came out as Star Blazers, I totally missed it because that's not the title I recognized.

A bit of trivia: This series is what prompted me to learn Japanese back in 1983. Most Japanese, especially the natives I meet are gobsmacked when they find this out. A geeky white kid integrating with the local expat Japanese community back then was quite an oddity, but I got a lot of support from them. Later on I found out quite a number of the parents were in internment camps during WWII, which made it feel a bit awkward for a while, but one of their teenage kids told me his folks found it therapeutic, as if I were a sign of hope that would not happen again. I'll never forget that.


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

If you think about it, the idea of converting a heavy, old sunken battleship into a spaceship is one of the most bizarre concepts ever in sci-fi or fantasy. Still, they pull it off with a ridiculously high cool factor.


----------



## rworne (Jun 30, 2017)

PerfesserCoffee said:


> If you think about it, the idea of converting a heavy, old sunken battleship into a spaceship is one of the most bizarre concepts ever in sci-fi or fantasy. Still, they pull it off with a ridiculously high cool factor.


It came really close to being another forgettable series long the vein of Message from Space, and it's ilk. Not to say that those shows were not special in their own way - nothing is more enjoyable than the campiness of old Japanese live-action Sci-Fi. As an animated show, it would have had no staying power.

The pairing of Nishizaki and Matsumoto is what made the series special. I don't know of anything Nishizaki did on his own that was a success, the Yamato successor Odin was a hot steaming pile, and Matsumoto had several big hits (Harlock, 999) but nothing really much since then. The two of them working together was magic.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Having focused so much on Yamato for the last few weeks, I almost forgot about Analyzer! Well, not really. He's been sitting in pieces in the plastic container since I glued his larger bits together, and was dreading the masking I knew I would have to do when it came time to paint him. Well, now's the time! My painting skills are not the greatest in the world, so I was very careful and slow with Analyzer and it seems to be paying off. I have to tape up his head and mask off for the black inset areas that will be under the clear plastic on either side of his head still. The kit came with stickers to simulate the little gauges and what not around his head and the oval cavity on his chest, not decals, so I'm going to super glue them in place permanently, in case one day the glue on the stickers dries out.


----------



## rworne (Jun 30, 2017)

whiskeyrat said:


>


Ah, you have the O.G. Analyzer there, the one where the treads on the feet make absolutely no sense on now they are attached (or could possibly even work).


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

rworne said:


> Ah, you have the O.G. Analyzer there, the one where the treads on the feet make absolutely no sense on now they are attached (or could possibly even work).


The very same, *rworne*... it took me a few minutes of studying his feet to realize exactly what you are pointing out, when I first tackled him. The way the kit is molded, his ankles simply connected to the top of the tracks, as if he were simply floating on disconnected tracks. Not a lot of thought went into this kit in the design phase, it seems. Also, as a bonus kit, it was meant to be a coin-bank, and not really an accurate mold of Analyzer, so there's that too. If you look closely at his feet I've modified them and added the skirts to the front and rear and sides of both feet to more closely resemble the cartoon. Now the tracks look like they are properly attached.


----------



## Hobby Dude (Aug 7, 2019)

Cool kit Wiskeyrat! I remember that series when I was a youngin, they had no toys or model kits back then. I think I was call the Argo back then, but I could be mistaken, I remember the robot also, gotta' save the earth with the special machine. Love the Wave motion gun, it takes care of busness!:grin2:


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Hobby Dude said:


> Cool kit Wiskeyrat! I remember that series when I was a youngin, they had no toys or model kits back then. I think I was call the Argo back then, but I could be mistaken, I remember the robot also, gotta' save the earth with the special machine. Love the Wave motion gun, it takes care of busness!:grin2:


You're not mistaken, good ol' StarBlazers! Monday through Friday at 3:30 pm on channel 36, circa 1984, IIRC... my first exposure to Yamato, and the beginning of a lifelong obsession, ha!


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Almost done, only items left are the two antennae on either side of his head, and the clear semi-domes that cover the black inset areas on both sides. I ended up-hand brushing the flat black after my first attempt at masking off the red framing around the black inset tore up the top coat and primer with it... !_@%$#_!?!!


----------



## Hobby Dude (Aug 7, 2019)

I saw it in the late 70's or early 80's? when I lived in Chicago. I saw another cool series called G-force, it had a cool space craft that could separate into different vehicles to defeat the enemy. If memory serves me correctly the bad guy turned out to be a gal, pretty funky stuff. Ill stay tuned in on your progress!:grin2:


----------



## rworne (Jun 30, 2017)

whiskeyrat said:


> The very same, *rworne*... it took me a few minutes of studying his feet to realize exactly what you are pointing out, when I first tackled him. The way the kit is molded, his ankles simply connected to the top of the tracks, as if he were simply floating on disconnected tracks. Not a lot of thought went into this kit in the design phase, it seems.


It's not the model, it's the actual character design that has the flaw. You fixed it one way, the later revised designs of Analyzer in 2199 and 2202 have a split track design, where the ankle connects to the feet between the split treads.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

rworne said:


> It's not the model, it's the actual character design that has the flaw. You fixed it one way, the later revised designs of Analyzer in 2199 and 2202 have a split track design, where the ankle connects to the feet between the split treads.


Yes, I seem to remember Analyzer's treads in the original cartoon being a physical impossibility, so the model designers simply followed the blueprint they were given then. Well, I don't blame 'em!

My Analyzer is finally done. Just gonna apply a wash a bit later on but he's all assembled, painted and stickered. Thankfully, most of the pulled-up paint and primer are underneath the seam where the clear plastic meets the red body, so it's essentially invisible. He'll make a nice companion piece for Yamato when they're both finished.


----------



## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Don't forget the yellow (gold, in your case) flexible metal hose (tm)* connecting the elbows to the back! 

*flexible metal hose courtesy of Corn Pone Flicks epic production 'Flexible Metal Hose Co. Vs. the Universe' 1993)


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Steve H said:


> Don't forget the yellow (gold, in your case) flexible metal hose (tm)* connecting the elbows to the back!
> 
> *flexible metal hose courtesy of Corn Pone Flicks epic production 'Flexible Metal Hose Co. Vs. the Universe' 1993)


Well Steve to be honest I'm through mucking about with Analyzer, plus, in 2199 the cables are missing from his shoulders/elbows, so I get to leave those off and claim that version!

Finally getting some paint and weathering on this beast, what a pain... the process has given me several small heart attacks in the form of peeling primer, over-thinned base color, and several missed spots.. don't know how I could have been so careless, but, I knew that paint is something I need to work on, so this is all good practice...


Superstructure completed, with wash, drybrush and rust powder weathering:


----------



## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Pretty soon you will not be able to read your post, because you cant find your glasses. That are inside the base of your Analyzer. Where you could find them - when you come back into the hobby room to work on painting something you forgot, but what kit was it?


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)




----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)




----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)




----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)




----------



## rworne (Jun 30, 2017)

Interesting weathering... it's got that maiden voyage post-launch dirty look going there.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

rworne said:


> Interesting weathering... it's got that maiden voyage post-launch dirty look going there.


It was supposed to be rust and 'space dirt' but with the color correction it turned out more just like dirt! Didn't turn out quite the way I wanted, I think I rushed it... but no matter, this build was just an experiment. I did learn quite a bit though! I now have ammunition with which to attack my two larger 1/500 kits, and the mods I am most likely going to make to those...


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)




----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Well since all the photos in this thread got moved too I'm not even going to try to re-post all the ones I used, I can't remember which ones I posted anyway, so here's a link to the album if anyone wants a gander.


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Thanks for reposting the pics of that incredible work


----------



## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

whiskeyrat said:


> Well since all the photos in this thread got moved too I'm not even going to try to re-post all the ones I used, I can't remember which ones I posted anyway, so here's a link to the album if anyone wants a gander.


I flagged your thread for review under the still on going missing images issues for the site with VS Admin and the Xenforo development team. I tried to also edit the current url to see if it would sync up with a current location or status beforehand to no avail. Even though you have added a full album of the images, perhaps we can establish the existing image links as well. Stay patient.


----------



## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Milton Fox Racing said:


> I flagged your thread for review under the still on going missing images issues for the site with VS Admin and the Xenforo development team. I tried to also edit the current url to see if it would sync up with a current location or status beforehand to no avail. Even though you have added a full album of the images, perhaps we can establish the existing image links as well. Stay patient.


MFR I was able to rebuild the thread images and figured out which ones go where. The old links were still there even though dead, and I simply got the file names and created a new url for each at its new location. Wasn't that hard... _cough *@VS Admin* cough cough_


----------



## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Sorry for your having to do that yourself, but thanks for taking the time to do so! 🤙


----------



## f1steph (Jan 9, 2003)

Fantastic sci-fi ship....great stuff....


----------

