1/700 IJN Destroyer Hatsuzakura - PitRoad with Fivestar aftermarket (completed)

[Landlubber Mike]

At the risk of getting tossed off this board for going small instead of going big, here is my first 1/700 ship.  It's the PitRoad Hatsuzakura ("year's first cherry blossom") with Fivestar full upgrade set.  I have a few nice 1/350 and larger kits on the shelf with full aftermarket upgrade packages, but thought I would start with something relatively small and inexpensive to learn how work with PE so that I could do the larger kits justice.  Let's just say the PE is so small that I now feel comfortable handling anything in the larger sizes.  

But, I really had a blast building this one, and will build others in the future.  There is such more variety of ships at the 1/700 scale it's incredible.  In particular, there are tons of auxiliary vessels you can build.  I'm a little more partial to subjects that are on the odder or more workhorse side, than something bristling with a million guns.

As you can see, fine tweezers and an Optivisor are a must!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Landlubber Mike]

Some final shots.  At some point I'll likely put it in a waterline diorama, but I'll do that when I have a batch of completed models I think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GusMac]

Good grief, I'd need an Optivisor on my Optivisor to see some of that PE. Stunning result given the size. 

[harv]

......I confess,  I do have 1 1/700 kit in the stash. Your work is amazing.......harv 

[Fran]

Total Respect!!! Great work in such a small scale.. I made the Flyhawk 1/700 Campbelttown and was quite a challenge and I have a few to make one day! 

 

 

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks guys!  Harv and Fran, break out the Optivisor and get going!  If I can do it, you most definitely can!

[harv]

Here is mine Mike.....harv

[Landlubber Mike]

Nice!  What kit is that?  

[harv]

I really can't recall.  Was an American guy in the Philippines.  I got it about a year ago. I contacted the guy 2 yrs ago.. I believe it was "Loose Cannons".....harv

[Fran]

This is mine.

 

The water and base was made by my good friend José Brito.

 

 

 

[Landlubber Mike]

That's really great Fran, nice job!

[HubertB]

You get my unreserved admiration for working in such a small scale, and what a result on top  !

I was working one day on the capstan of a 1/600 Mauretania, and decided these scales were just too much pain for my strained eyes. Now, I focus on even smaller details ... in 1/32 scale 

Hubert

[DocRob]

Impressive result. I was tempted sometimes by kits in 1/700 but resisted. I have two in 1/350 that's a small as it gets to me. And there is always the risk of being banned here .

Cheers Rob

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks guys!

Rob, the 1/700 isn't all that bad as long as you have an Optivisor and good tweezers.  Even better, they take up minimal bench space.  Probably because the pieces were so ridiculously small, I didn't beat myself too much when it came to trying to put it together as perfectly as possible.  The pictures make the model look rough, but they are taken at pretty significant magnification.  From a normal viewing distance, it actually doesn't look half bad.  So come in and join us, the water is fine

I've got a bunch more in the stash, but ultimately working to get my skills up to where I can tackle this one - IJN Ise carrier battleship.  This one will be a doozy with the pagoda style bridge, lattice work, etc.

 

[Peterpools]

Brilliant work - simply fantaqstic

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks Peter, appreciate the kind words.  At some point I'll have to work on something at a larger scale instead of these puny ones  

[Landlubber Mike]

Ouch, looking at these closeups I realized that the back railings must have gotten pushed in.  Couldn't see it with the naked eye, but the pics certainly showed the issue.  A little toothpick action and she's back to normal 

[Bomber_County]

Absolutely stunning, the smallest I go is 1/350, your PE work is exemplary. You’re right about working with PE, I did a Tiger I for the group build with a ton of AM. Practice does help.....

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks Phil, really appreciate it.  The bridge and fore mast could have been a little better, but that was what I started with.  I got the hang of working with the PE later in the build.  The stuff was just so fine that you could breathe on it and it would bend.  Once you find a system that works for you, it really wasn't all that bad.

[Landlubber Mike]

On 3/4/2021 at 5:08 AM, Fran said:

This is mine.

 

The water and base was made by my good friend José Brito.

 

 

 

 

Fran, I came across this YouTube clip from Vallejo - is this your model?  I thought it looked very familiar!

 

 

 

[Fran]

Yes it is... 

The model was made by made then José Brito made his magique with the water. 

[Landlubber Mike]

I'm near the finish line on my current 1/350 destroyer build, and wanted to put it in a waterline diorama.  Since I've never done one before, I pulled out the Hatsuzakura as a test run.  I used the crinkled foil technique with Liquitex heavy gel medium and cotton for the waves and wakes.  Pretty happy with the way it turned out.  I think the waterline diorama setting really brings these models to life.

Thanks for looking in!  I'll get to a large scale model soon, I promise!

[Peterpools]

Mike

Absolutely stellar - simply beautiful work and the diorama is perfect.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks Peter!  Hopefully my 1/350 destroyer diorama comes out looking like this one.  I should be done with it in a few days, maybe I'll post it on here when completed.  I've hesitated posting a log on here given that this is mostly a plane and armor site.

[GusMac]

Wow, that looks brilliant. Would never guess it was a first attempt. Those sorts of displays really do set off the models to best advantage as you say.