Pre dreadnought battleship Mikasa of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) 1:200

Ahoy, friends of the adhesive guild.
Back to my roots, building model ships.
It was a nice excursion into the Star Wars universe and I had a lot of fun.
But now I’m looking forward to a real ship that I’ve had in the pipeline for a long time.
The pre dreadnought battleship Mikasa of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN).

I know, nothing new for most. There are so many construction reports about this boat and yet it remains a must for me. And that for two reasons.
First there is the shape of the hull. Really archaic. Reminds me of a Greek trireme because of the suggested ram. I like it incredibly much. And on deck everything on this ship is so different than on my Bismarck, for example.
Secondly, I don’t just have a Pontos Detail Up Set for this model. No, as a bonus there is also the MK1 Deluxe package from KA Models. There are a few details that are missing from Pontos. Probably not researched thoroughly enough, or what?!. But more on that later.
Well, it’s going to be an etching orgy in the very first cabin. What fun.

Then I would like to introduce you to the available material for this project.
First of all, the model.
This is available from a number of manufacturers such as I Love Kit, Wave Corporation or HobbyBoss. But everything is definitely Trumpeter, which you can see immediately when you open the box.

After all, my Mikasa comes from Merit International. It’s amazing how many names this model is sold under.
The picture shows the box from the company I Love Kit, as I no longer have mine.

Of course there is also my favorite etched part set from Pontos.

And now I’m exaggerating, I know, but this model also comes with the MK1 Deluxe package from Ka Models. I’ll explain what motivated me to do this later in my construction report.

Unfortunately there isn’t much from Veteran Models for this model, but at least this:

vtw20032-1200-veteran-models-ijn-binocular-set-with-voice-pipes-squadron-model-models__70953

This time the figures come from the company ION, which I appropriately won as a prize for my Bismarck.

It is still incomprehensible to me that the manufacturers, regardless of whether it is the model or the expensive aftermarket products, that anchor chains have double bar links. So they became worried.

Let’s move on to another exquisite accessory. Discovered in one of the many construction reports about the Mikasa. These fantastic dinghies from Micro Master from New Zealand.

A little dream.

So, this is the first list of ingredients for my new project. Although I can’t or don’t want to rule out the possibility that one or two particles could come along.
On to the next two years of fun.

20 Likes

Jörg, this project looks so cool, and with all the accessories already on hand it looks like you are going to do her up right. I cant wait for you to get started!

1 Like

Wow. Love seeing this type of build.

1 Like

Pulling up a chair for this one and looking forward to more … lots of impressive extras :+1:

2 Likes

I wonder what happened to the builders model of Mikasa? Vickers kept an archive, when Mikasa was reconstructed in the late 1950s they were able to supply a full set of construction drawings. I used to have a photocopy of one of her internal elevation drawings. Barrow Dock Museum do have the model of the Kongo as built, it’s 1:48th scale and HUGE…
Kongopage5.jpg (1700×2340) (combinedfleet.com)

Regards,

M

2 Likes

Good morning everyone, nice to have you on board. :smiley:

That’s a really good question, M.
I have very little information on this ship, unlike the Bismarck. All the books I was able to find about the Mikasa are repeated in the few photos that exist of the ship.
And I’ve been researching for a while now.
So I have to build with what I have.

1 Like

Jörg it seems you give yourselve no pause, just ended your Falcon saga and immediately start this huge build here :crazy_face: I will have a seat in your wheelhouse to watch the works with interest as I also have this one in stash :+1:
4oSZ

4 Likes

It’s great that another experienced sailor appears on the bridge.
I’m curious to see what you conjure up with your Mikasa.

And you know, I still have so many models to build, I have to hurry. :sweat_smile:

1 Like

Tuned in and watching.

Have you considered checking the Hasegawa 1/350 instructions for cross reference? They released their kit in collaboration with the Mikasa Museum and Preservation society so one can guess they used the best reference available.

2 Likes

Jörg, I noticed the figures you showed were 1/350 ?

1 Like

I know there must be more information somewhere. Those drawings supplied to Japan are unlikely to have been disposed of. There should be the detail plans from which the full-size plans were lofted, but even they they may not be that useful given later modifications which started as soon as Mikasa arrived in Japan.
The ship herself isn’t either as everything from the main deck up is either replica or salvaged from the dreadnoughts Almirante Latorre (ex-HMS Canada) or ARA Moreno which were being scrapped in Japan in the late 1950’s.
The drawing I had wouldn’t be much use to a modeller, but I was given it by the Port Captain of one of the commercial facilities at Barrow, I don’t know where the hell he had it from and as he was older than me I doubt he’s still around - I remember he mentioned the crew comforts in the junior officer accommodation on Liberty Ships were pure luxury compared with what he was used to - so I can’t explore any further leads from that direction. I do know he was on good terms with the senior pilot from one of the Japanese ports who visited on a couple of occasions. I’ve seen a picture of that guy standing under the road sign on the wall of a house in Vickerstown on Walney Island, that for Mikasa Street, which he was particularly eager to get as he’d served on her in his youth… I understand the Japanese gentleman was also on good terms with the crew of a U.S. submarine with which he had fought an inconclusive duel when he commanded a convoy escort vessel. (Totally off topic, Vickerstown equates Vicarstown on Sodor in the “Thomas the Tank Engine” stories; Wilbert Awdry being a “man of the cloth”…)
Also many years the curator of a museum back in the old home town showed me some photos of a ship launch which had come from some local source and I was able to inform him it was at least two different launches, one being HMS Natal and the other being either Mikasa or Katori, I couldn’t determine which as there was little to see of the ships, the pictures being mostly of groups of the dignitaries attending the ceremonies. Natal was of more interest at the time as some of her salvaged armour had returned to the county and was being used as shielding for a sensitive monitoring device at Sellafield, while just down the coast from there at Eskmeals what was originally Vickers private gun range where Mikasa’s armament would have been proofed is now a MOD facility, still emitting banging noises on occasion.

Cheers,

M

1 Like

Yep, I saw Johnny.
Thanks for the tip.
But it’s just the wrong cover page. Of course my figures are in 1:200.

1 Like

Following with interest Jorg :slightly_smiling_face:

1 Like

That’s a good idea and I’ve already downloaded the instructions. :+1:

Wow Tom.
Great background information.
As I said, I also got some books, but they are more about the history of the ship. And the few photos that exist are repeated again and again.
Of course I have a lot of photos of the Mikasa as a museum ship in Japan, but not all of them are in their original condition. Nevertheless, I think I can build a pretty decent model with what I have.

1 Like

There is always the:

“If there is no reference then no one can prove you have made mistakes” modelling law… :sunglasses: :wink:

2 Likes

:joy: :joy: :joy:
How true.

Are these figures also appropriate for the time before WWII?

1 Like

I would try my luck through the Vickers Photographic Archive, especially if you know the types of machinery, guns etc you are looking for.

https://collections.dockmuseum.org.uk/mwebcgi/mweb?request=tfile;name=vpa

You might find some photos that show details you are looking for.

4 Likes

Great, thanks for this great tip. :+1: