JMSDF Hyuga DDH-181 in 1/350 scale

Equation said:

Nice work Jeff! No lights on these DDH?

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Au contraire mon Ami. I did place a lighting system in that hanger bay. Used up some of the last of my parts from Modeler's Brand where I get the LEDs from.


That pic shows them lit up, but just did not show pictures of it turned on with the deck on yet and will save that for when she is completed. But I have tested it along each step top make sure it is still operational.

siegecrossbow said:

Jeff, would you be interested in a subforum for modelling under the Member's Club Room section. You posted many modelling threads on sinodefence and making a pinned subsection for it will make it easier for outside visitors to track them all.

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I sent a email to the webmaster about this subject. I hope he responds.

bd popeye said:

I sent a email to the webmaster about this subject. I hope he responds.

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Thanks popeye, to you and siege both.

I think it would be a good thing and would draw a lot of naval and other military enthusiasts to SD. There are a lot of retired military personnel, retired defense industry personnel (designers and engineers) and plenty of other folks who have a lot of interest, including younger folks currently involved who really get into scale modeling.

Having such a place for people like this from all over the world to post their modeling activities, experiences, advise, questions, plans, and exploitsetc. would be a great addition to the entire site.

As regards the Hyuga model, I am very poroud of it and really excited about finishing it soon. Mine was one of the first models of the Hyuga sent to the United States (as was my Chinese carreir, the Liaoning), and I really like putting together these carrier groups.


But now, the Hyuga, DDH-181, has been upstaged by the brand new Isumo, DDH-183, which, as you know is bigger and more capable. I will be looking forward to the time when someone comes out with a 1/350 scale model of the 22DDH now, and will order that puppy as soon as she is available.

LOL, never a dull moment!

Jeff Head said:

But now, the Hyuga, DDH-181, has been upstaged by the brand new Isumo, DDH-183, which, as you know is bigger and more capable. I will be looking forward to the time when someone comes out with a 1/350 scale model of the 22DDH now, and will order that puppy as soon as she is available.

LOL, never a dull moment!

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Read quite a bit about it in the news today. Just out of curiosity, how long does it ordinarily take for 1/350 scale models of naval warships come out? Is there one for Zumwalt right now, despite the fact that they just started construction? I would imagine that there would be a huge market for a ship like that.

siegecrossbow said:

Read quite a bit about it in the news today. Just out of curiosity, how long does it ordinarily take for 1/350 scale models of naval warships come out? Is there one for Zumwalt right now, despite the fact that they just started construction? I would imagine that there would be a huge market for a ship like that.

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I stay on top of this stuff.

There is no USS Gerald R. Ford yet, there is no USS America yet, there is no USS Zumwalt yet (and actually the ), there is no HMS Queen Elizabeth yet, there is no 22DDH (Izumo) yet, there are no Canberras, Dokdo, Juan Carlos, or Cavour yet either.

As soon as any of those come out, I will immediately order them...even pre-order. Usually Trumpeter, Dragon, Airfix, Pit Road, Gallery, Academy and Fujimi are the principle plastic model companies that would put them out.

Now, in 1/700 scale there is a Dokdo out there, and sometimes that scale comes out sooner.

Now, there are also custom shops who build them out of wood and do an extraordinary job where you can get virtually any vessel...but they then cost many hundreds of dollars and they come to you completely built. For me, a big part of it is building it and customizing or adding to it myself.

Okay, the final steps took some time. First, I needed to wire the lighting system to a switch box I would place in conjunction with the stand. The stand that comes with the Fujimi Hyuga does not really lend itself very well to that so I decided to simply wire it into a small box and place the switch on that. Here's the pictures of doing that, along with a picture of the Modern 4 and 5 Rail Photo Etch set in 1/350 scale by Tom's model Works that I used for the railing after completing the switch box.


I later found that Fujimi has a specific photo etch detail set for this model for all of the rails, where they are all very accurate to the JMSDF railing standard and cut to fit each of the openings. Oh well, "C'est la Vie!" (or as my German friends would say..."So ist das Leben!") I went ahead and cut all of mine to the right size and used them accordingly from the Tom's Model Works set (which I must add is also considerably less expensive), as shown in these pictures, throughout the vessel:


Then, it was a matter of putting the rudders, props, and screws on, which I had already painted, and then the model was complete. Here's how she looks with her final two coats of clear dull coat applied:


And, we need to show some pics of the lighting sytem turned on and operating for the hanger deck:


So, that's the Japense Ship (JS) Hyuga, DDH-181 of the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force.

Which camera are you using to take these pictures? If it's possible, a low ISO value + tripod would make much better night pictures (for showing off the lighting).

Yet another winner, Jeff! Have you thought of building RC LHD models, and launching RC helicopters from them?

Blackstone said:

Yet another winner, Jeff!

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Thank you very much.

Blackstone said:

Have you thought of building RC LHD models, and launching RC helicopters from them?

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Actually, I have.

But you would have to go at least 1/192 scale to have RC aircraft worth operating...maybe even 1/72 scale (and there are some of those kits out there)...but the sum of it is that it is just far too expensive. I can build without RC and probbably pay less than it would cost me for a single 1/192 scale large LHD type vessel with a few aircraft in RC.

I have the better half on board with what I am doing now...no way she'd remain a happy camper if I went the other path. In addition to the cost for the models themselves and RC, then you have to almost buy a trailer to haul it around in, and have a special building or entire room for it.

So...happy wife, happy life...or, as we say in Texas, "If Momma ain't happy, Ain't nobody happy!"

T-U-P said:

Which camera are you using to take these pictures? If it's possible, a low ISO value + tripod would make much better night pictures (for showing off the lighting).

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I'm using an older Canon, buit with some pretty decent specs.

Yes, low ISO and a Tripod would make for much better pics in the low light. I just haven't taken the time to do it. Perhaps one day, I'll get all of them out with the tripod and do the settings and take several decent pics of each carrier in low light with the lighting systems.

To date, I have just not been able to take the time to do so. When taking pictures it is usually early in the morning before going to work and I rush around a bit to get it done before leaving and not being late. In anohter 5 years when I retire I will have a lot more time to do this part right.