Shipbucket

My take on a 1944 IJN Ibuki class rebuilt after spending the 1920-1936 as a gunnery training ship with only the main 12' guns.

Rebuilt in 39-41 as a gunboat to support amphibious landings (to save on BBs needed for the final decisive battle with the USA) after it showed potential in impromptu support for landings in China.....

What do you think ? (It has at least given me a definite appreciation of BB1987s work !)

Inspired by comment on his thread by Obsydian Shade. http://www.shipbucket.com/forums/viewto ... =12&t=5964

(I think she is a bit 'clean' don't think I quiet have the 'fussy' feel of the IJN in 44 )

I like the idea JSB. Drawing is good. As you say it may need building up around the foremast the way the Japanese had the 'Pagoda' style. Otherwise more of a Mogami style.

With the semi-dreads and WNT, is the 8" classified as secondaries? If they are then would you need to lose a 12" turret to satisfy the WNT demilitarised restrictions? Then you can put it back for your 44 drawing the same as they did with the Hiei.

I was assuming that an Ibuki class was so obsolete by 1920s that nobody would care and just removing the 8' and plating the 4.7' casements (apart from 2 for training) would be sufficient 4 x12' guns would make it weaker than any OTL training ship. (and its slow ish and very week protection)

Yes maybe about the pagoda didn't want to make it to big for cost reasons but might go a bit bigger ?

Looks good , the only thing that looks a bit off is the forward trunked funnel, whose S shape (at least for me) looks a bit too high.
Otherwise, refinements would be small. Personally, i'd delete the second auxiliary anchor at midship, since post 20's IJN ships usually sported just the one at the stern. For a 1944 fit you can also remove the second bow anchor as all Major warships had lost it by 1938/1941. Last quibble is for the gun director fitted above the bridge. that's an auxiliary unit (usually placed aft as a backup for the primary one fittd above the battle bridge), and there's no main rangefinder.
If you want to further improve the look of Ibuki, you can find canvas bags and training guns (other than major rangefinders) for the main turrets by looking at the 1929 fit of the KnK Aratama in my Koko AU. Finally, here is a wip of the IJN parts sheet update, on which I'm working since ages to properly update various systems and that's still far from beign finished. You might find it useful to refresh some parts if you want.
http://i.imgur.com/3Hcvz8V.png
I had planned to send it to you earlier, but I had problems with my PC during the last two weeks....

Hope you'll dont take my remarks too heavily, keep up with your work

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My Worklist
Sources and documentations are the most welcome.

-Koko Kyouwakoku (Republic of Koko)
-Koko's carrier-based aircrafts of WWII
-Koko Kaiun Yuso Kaisha - KoKaYu Line (Koko AU spinoff)
-Koko - Civil Aviation

No feel free to add anything !

TTD list

- funnel agreed, I was just using the same hole in deck but a rebuild might move it closer to the other funnel ? (o why don't I use something with layers rather than MS paint)
- anchors (easy)
- gun director (was thinking that it might reduce costs ? not sure I want a full BB set-up for bombardment so was trying to cut it down ? what do people think ? )
- canvas bags and training guns (will have a look thanks)

You might still use the same hole deck, just make the funnel trunk back lower, like the USS Stewart when converted to the IJN Patrol Boat 102:
Even assuming that the elevation for the 12-inch guns was increased from 20° to 33° (maximum for coastal artillery), maximum range would be 30.000 yards (up from 23.100). CAs 8-inch Type3n°2 guns had a maximum range of 31.600 yartd at 40°, so you might simply go with the composite Type 94 director and Type 14 6m rangefinder installations of the Mogami anmd Tone class. (can be found on the parts sheet), just be sure to place it enough spaced fromt he forward tripod in order to allow it to turn 360°.

_________________
My Worklist
Sources and documentations are the most welcome.

-Koko Kyouwakoku (Republic of Koko)
-Koko's carrier-based aircrafts of WWII
-Koko Kaiun Yuso Kaisha - KoKaYu Line (Koko AU spinoff)
-Koko - Civil Aviation

Thanks !

Next refinement

cutting the mast should save me weight (for radars,range finders etc) even if it makes it a bit ugly .

An interesting idea that look quite good.
Not 100% on the funnel, it should probably merge a little lower down.

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Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

A very nice effort, a somewhat brutish looking ship.
I would try to lower the bridge, and main director a bit, to reduce the top hamper. As it is, she looks top heavy, but than it was a common practice for the IJN

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"