IJN BB Yamashiro conversion to IJN BB Fuso (1944)

[battlewagon]

I have started my conversion project to turn an IJN Yamashiro kit into her sister ship Fuso as she appeared in 1944. The big differences between the two are:
1. The superstructure base on Fuso is smaller than Yamashiro and there is a lot of visible bracing on the back of the superstructure
2. Fuso's #3 turret is farther aft and the guns face forward.
Additionally, the catapult shown on the #3 turret in some photos was removed in 1941

The main tasks for this conversion are below:
1. Move #3 barbette about 1/4" farther aft and patch the wood decking where the old barbette used to be
2. Carve / cut / sand away some of the base of the main superstructure aft
3. Use some scrap cranes and masts to build bracing to attach to the aft part of the superstructure. The bracing assemblies will only be a couple of millimeters tall.

I have decided to go low tech to get this done because I suspect my dremel tool might do too good of a job removing material from the kit. I am using a small hobby file to take down the #3 barbette to deck level. I have purchased 5/32" (4.0mm) plastic tube stock from evergreen scale models as the material for the new barbette. I will use an Xacto saw blade to cut off a section approximately 0.5mm high for the new barbette. I will probably use the same saw to remove some of the superstructure. I will post pictures shorty.....I sure hope this works, or it will become my "post Surigao Strait" version...and nobody wants that!

Updates to follow, but right now I hear a ship model calling my name.

[battlewagon]

Progress report:
#3 barbette filed / sanded down to deck level. I used my hobby file, some 3M very fine sandpaper to remove the barbette. I put a little Squadron Green Putty in the hole where the turret pin would normally go. By filing and sanding fore and aft, the scratches in the metal that was the barbette are going in the same direction as the planking and should hide any trace of the original structure.

I am including a couple of pictures with my IJN Yamashiro kit alongside as a reference.

Broadside view - will finish sanding tomorrow after the putty dries


Overhead view - to show where the barbette was, the greenish dot is the putty in the pin hole.

[ww2navyguy]

Battlewagon,

Really great job on the first write-up for the BB Fuso conversion. After you filed away the #3 barbette to the deck level, it looks like the deck detail (of the wood planking) has been left intact. Did this happen simply by your filing technique of filing back in forth in the "stem to stern" direction? It really looks great.

I'm looking forward to the rest of your conversion process. The first steps you have laid out are excellent.

Thanks!

[Donald M. Scheef]

It's great to see that you have gotten started on your BB Fuso conversion. This almost guarantees that GHQ will put this ship on their 2011-2012 production schedule.

Don S.

[battlewagon]

Fuso project update - creating the new #3 barbette
I used the Xacto saw blade to cut the new barbette from the end of the 5/32" tube stock. Sanded the sawed end by placing it on the sandpaper and moving the piece across the sandpaper with my fingertip. I also sanded around the side to remove any flash sticking out sideways as a result of the sawing. I compared the height of the barbette to a reference line drawing and determined that my first attempt was a little too tall. On the third attempt, I had a barbette that was the correct scale height based on the drawing. I cleaned it up as described previously and test fit a turret on top and it fit perfectly. Before attaching the barbette to the deck, I will mark the center point on the deck for proper placement, place the barbette on deck and look for gaps between it and the deck. Once I am satisfied that it will fit flush with the deck I will crazy glue it in place prior to spraying my primer coat. All modifications to the kit will be done prior to priming and painting. I will need to cut down the aft end of the superstructure before I can finalize the turret placement. I have spent about one hour of work on the project so far, not counting stopping to take pictures. Speaking of pictures, here are the ones that I took while working on this step. Enjoy!

[battlewagon]

Fuso project update - cutting back the superstructure

I removed the after part of the superstructure base with the Xacto saw blade. There is a lip at the back of superstructure piece that goes up to the directors halfway up the pagoda mast. I put the blade up against the lip and sawed up to where that piece stopped just below the directors. I then used the hobby file to smooth out the back of the superstructure. The superstructure now has the basic shape of Fuso. The #3 barbette can now be positioned to match the reference drawings. I am using Jane's Battleships of the 20th Century as a reference because they have a 2 page broadside illustration of Fuso in it.

I now have to make the final determination on what materials to use for the bracing. In the meantime, the photo below shows the surgically altered superstructure with the Yamashiro kit behind as a reference. More to come.

[battlewagon]

Battlewagon,

After you filed away the #3 barbette to the deck level, it looks like the deck detail (of the wood planking) has been left intact. Did this happen simply by your filing technique of filing back in forth in the "stem to stern" direction? It really looks great.

I did my best to minimize filing / sanding the actual deck surface, especially on the sides.
It is hard to tell how well the "sanding with the grain" technique turned out until I put the primer coat on. One thing in my favor is that most of the work will be obscured by the new barbette and the guns of #3 turret suspended over the area. If the deck in that area looks substandard...ok...crummy..with a primer coat then I will have to strip the primer, sand down the area smoother and figure out how to carefully score a few lines in the deck to simulate the planking.

Keep the questions coming! I will be spending some time figuring out the best technique for applying the bracing to the rear of the superstructure...stay tuned.

[ww2navyguy]

Battlewagon,

I hope the "wear" on the deck isn't too bad and the primer will look fine. Stripping off the paint is a pain sometimes.

I read your explanation on the alterations you made for the superstructure, but was wondering if you could post a close-up shot of the changes next to the Yamashiro's pagoda? I couldn't really tell where on the Fuso pagoda you were filing.

Great work on the postings! I'm really looking forward to the finished product.

Donald is probably correct. Just as soon as you finish the customization work, GHQ will release a new model for Fuso.

[battlewagon]

Battlewagon,

I read your explanation on the alterations you made for the superstructure, but was wondering if you could post a close-up shot of the changes next to the Yamashiro's pagoda? I couldn't really tell where on the Fuso pagoda you were filing.

In the photo below, Yamashiro is on the left and you can see that the back of the pagoda mast is straight up and down and juts out behind the rest of the superstructure. On the right is Fuso with that back part sawed / sanded off so the directors halfway up the back of the pagoda are now well aft of the pagoda base. All that is missing is a little bracing.

[ww2navyguy]

Battlewagon,

Great photo comparison of the two versions of the superstructure! Thanks!

The last picture does a great job with helping to visualize the "sanded-down" rear portion of the superstructure of the Fuso.

The model is really coming along. Thanks!

[battlewagon]

A quick update...I have purchased a package of .010" x .020" (0.25mm x 0.5mm) strip styrene from Evergreen Scale Models (The smallest stuff they make, I think) to build the superstructure bracing. The largest piece is 4mm long and the going is slow and tricky. It is also too small to properly photograph until I have the whole thing together. I hope to make significant progress by the weekend. More updates to follow.

[battlewagon]

Victory!...I have won the battle with the tiny pieces of strip styrene that I am using for the superstructure bracing. To recap the process:
1. I made a 4mm wide by 3mm high frame with a vertical beam in the middle, basically creating two tall rectangles.
2. I glued two diagonal pieces at the top of the center beam to make half of each of the two cross braces
3. After the glue dried, I glued the other two diagonal pieces to the bottom of the center beam, completing the "x" braces.
4. I have glued the assembly to the back of the superstructure and will sand down anything that is sticking out.

I have the upper bracing piece to make and install and then IJN Fuso is ready for the final fitting of the # 3 barbette and the primer coat.

Here is a picture with the bracing installed, the camera wouldn't focus any closer. Enjoy!

[battlewagon]

But wait...there's more. I cut a small piece of plastic from the blister pack the kit came in to use as the top part of the superstructure bracing. I glued it above the bracing that was attached earlier. Since the piece was nearly microscopic in size and made of clear plastic there were some anxious moments when I dropped the piece...twice.

I test-fit the modified superstructure and finalized the location of the # 3 barbette and glued the barbette in place.

I will clean the sprue, flash and any mold lines off of the kit and get it primed on Sunday. More pictures to follow.

[battlewagon]

Construction update - The bracing is complete...a little out of scale, but when it is all assembled it will look much better than a smooth, featureless surface. The Deck has been painted with Model Masters Wood paint and the deck shows no visible sign of being roughed up by my hobby file. With a little paint and a turret sitting on top of it, the # 3 barbette looks like it has been there all along.

I do have one new task to complete. I have to replace the "ears" on the director on top of the superstructure because they were bent and too fragile to work with. I will go back to the parts box and find an unused secondary or cruiser turret and remove a couple of barrels and trim them down to size before gluing them in place.

When I have finished painting, I will photograph an "exploded" view (pardon the pun) before I assemble the kit and then some side by side shots with IJN Yamashiro.

[ww2navyguy]

Battlewagon,

Sounds great! Thanks for the detailed explanation on the conversion. Really looking forward to the continued customization work and seeing the next set of photos.

Thanks!