Hello Tim!
Found this forum accidental during my research about the Suzutsuki. Then I noticed your building of the Hatsuzuki.
I´m really speechless…in a positive way!
I will never get near your skill level. But to see your building stages is so helpful for my Suzutsuki (1:200 Nichimo) build.
Now I have noticed that you “perhaps” did “some” errors in case of the main turrets.
I know that you have the Gakken No. 23 as one of your references.
Most of the original photos are showing the second type of the Akizuki Type destroyer. And the handmade drawings of them, are a mixture of Type 1 and Type 2.
Your Hatsuzuki is a type 1. Same as my Suzutsuki.
On page 121 (Gakken No. 23) you can see Suzutsuki´s turrets No. 3 and 4. You will notice that these turrets are different to other photos in this book. Only two of the side scupper pipes have continuous handrails beneath them. The foremost scupperpipe one hasn´t the handrail (visible too on the drawings at page 124)
Another difference are the two horizontal “lines” who are between the two handrails on each turret side. On the photo at page 121 both lines are missing.
The big question is now, are these differences related to different IJN Arsenals, or were they parts of the changings bertween Type 1 and Type 2 of the Akizuki class.
The trouble begins when you compare original photos in the Gakken No. 23. The turrets are often different in some aspects, but they are from the same Type of the Akizuki class.
And another “important” thing is, don´t trust the Kagero publications! They are often inaccurate in some aspects. My motto is “believe your own eyes”, in case of original photos vs. drawings.
Your biggest problem is, that there aren´t many good photos of the Hatsuzuki available.Perhaps it is easier to communicate private via Email or perhaps with the Facebook Messenger.
for changing photos or plans.But only if you´re interested!
Best Wishes from Germany!
Christian van der Sanden
Hi Christian, welcome aboard!
Thank you for your consideration in voicing your observations about my work in a private email. I am not sensitive about constructive criticism, though, so I’m posting my response here for the benefit of other modelers on the forum who might also be interested.
On page 121 (Gakken No. 23) you can see Suzutsuki´s turrets No. 3 and 4. You will notice that these turrets are different to other photos in this book. Only two of the side scupper pipes have continuous handrails beneath them. The foremost scupperpipe one hasn´t the handrail (visible too on the drawings at page 124)
Here is a close up of the photo, and you are right! I missed that and made my turret rails like the ones on Harutzuki with the odd little curved portions below the scuttle:
Hatsuzuki was, as you said, of the same earlier group as the Suzutsuki and would presumably have been similarly constructed. Doh! 
Another difference are the two horizontal “lines” who are between the two handrails on each turret side. On the photo at page 121 both lines are missing.
I believe the horizontal lines between the two handrails you reference were stiffening strakes applied to the forward gunhouses to strengthen the flimsy sheet metal structures against seas coming over the bow. The strakes are absent from the page 121 photo of Suzutsuki’s after mounts because they were only needed forward. They are faintly visible on the only surviving photo of Hatsuzuki:
Since the strakes were applied to only the forward gunhouses, I left them off the after mounts.
The trouble begins when you compare original photos …The turrets are often different in some aspects, but they are from the same Type of the Akizuki class.
And another “important” thing is, don´t trust the Kagero publications! They are often inaccurate in some aspects. My motto is “believe your own eyes”, in case of original photos vs. drawings.
Your biggest problem is, that there aren´t many good photos of the Hatsuzuki available.
I completely agree! It is often a challenge interpreting (or even finding) photos, and I suppose the drafters of the various plans do what they can to be accurate but, like all of us, make their share of mistakes…
Thanks again for your thoughts, and by the way, I’d love to see some photos of your Suzutsuki build if you have any 