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Build your own Japanese aircraft carrier

Building a model Zero is pretty cool, but some might prefer creating a model of an aircraft carrier instead:

Like the Zero, this is a DeAgostini model set released in weekly sets, each costing about 1,390 yen. Once one obtains and completes the instructions for all 100 sets, you will have a 1/250 scale model of the Akagi, an aircraft carrier that participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor and was later sunk at the battle of Midway..

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36 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - February 28, 2010 at 9:02 am

Categories: General Japan Tags:

SPeter

Wow, 50 weeks and 13900 yen for a ship that ends up sinking after you finish it. Sounds like it’s hardly worth the trouble.
http://www.hormel.com Vonskippy

@SPeter – 139,000 yen not 13,900

So yeah, for that much money you could get a real boat.

Mark

…or there’s the Hasegawa 1/350 plastic kit for 24,800 yen:

http://www.hlj.com/product/HSGZ25

LB

Yeah, but add in all the photoetch and that beast gets real expensive real quick – over 55,000 yen.

People buy it and all the sets, though…

Tbrot

I guess it would be worth it if it includes replicas of all the sailors that drowned.
http://www.japanprobe.com James

I guess it would be worth it if it includes replicas of all the sailors that drowned.

I don’t think many sailors actually drowned. The Akagi was damaged beyond repair and the Japanese sank it themselves after evacuating the crew to different ships.

Clever one-liner, though.

JackCrow

Can you read???
http://deagostini.jp/akg/series_guide.php

Price: The first issue special price: 590 yen (tax included) / Market price: 1,390 yen (tax included)

Kevin not kevin

Oooh, can I? Can I?

“Can you read???”

Like the Zero, this is a DeAgostini model set released in weekly sets, each costing about 1,390 yen. Once one obtains and completes the instructions for all 100 sets

sigh…

JackCrow

Stand corrected, did not read that.

But anyway, why is it a big deal that it costs so much.
I mean rc models cost tons more, sure you can buy whatever, but for a modeler, he invests his free time and passion in his hobby.

Why is this different than collecting expansive records, or old computer hardware, or stamps.

For instance I’ve known people to buy stamps for 10 times the money, per stamp, and it is very normal for them to invest in it.

Sure, 100 sets might look like a 100x ripoff, but for people that enjoy the hobby, it really doesn’t matter, they do it because they like it, and CAN afford it.

Some collect real Ferrari’s, some collect model Ferrari’s, difference – both can afford what they collect, usefulness – for a hobbyist the invested time and passion pays off at displaying it for all to see and him to enjoy.

k9

remember pearl harbor VS revival imperial navy? omg!
Level3

The final shipment is a squad of miniature US planes and torpedoes that you use to blow up the completed ship.
http://www.immortaltechnique.co.uk me

Are they going to release a USS George Washington weekly special? like that one stationed in Yokosuka? will i also get the free propaganda manga magazine ”CVN 73” as weekly issue? i would try and sink the USS George Washington by doing a divine fart in the bath tub

LB

You’d never get a 1/250 USS George Washington in your bathtub – unless you’ve got a 1.5 meter long tub…

Might fit in the sento, though…

momomomomo

世の中には、単にモデルマニアがいるって事が理解できないのかね？

いつもの事だけど馬鹿ばっか。

k9

さっきまで韓国のナショナリズムって感じでフィギュア取り上げて盛り上げたから今度は日本にも帝国主義的なものを好む輩がいるって感じで管理人がバランスとってるだけじゃないの？まともに怒ったりすると疲れるし、右翼だとか言われて損するよ。（ほんとに右翼ならしらんが。）大体この宣伝見て「日本の帝国主義復活の兆しだ！」なんて言う奴いたら、そっちの方が頭おかしいわけだし・・・
InJM

この記事に何の批判もないけど？

Level3

ドイツ人はV2ロケットのモデルを作るか。ドイツテレビでパンザー戦車モデルのCM放送するかい。

日本以外の世界人の立場から、日本帝国の武器に興味持つ方がちょっと頭おかしいだろう。

weirdo

日本人と世界人の意見が違うとからと言って自動的に「はい日本人が間違ってますね」って言い方はいただけないな。それじゃ君は多数決でモラルや真実を決めるのか？ガリレオは頭がおかしかったのかな？
chichi

B29のモデルを愛する人も､それを大いに賞賛する人もあなたの国には大勢いる｡
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtIL_VjBUGo

彼らも太平洋戦争における｢戦果｣を思いながら飛ばしているわけではないだろう｡
歴史観とは関係なく趣味の世界を追求する人もいるってこと｡

かくいう私自身も､いい大人が兵器モデル作りに熱中している姿を好ましく眺めているわけではないが､本物の武器作りに熱中するよりはよほど平和的だと思う｡

ブッシュ大統領を再選させた国の人なら､この｢頭のおかしさ｣を理解できるんじゃないかなあ｡
それとも理解ができなくて日本に来たのかな？
chichi

｢あなた｣とはもちろんLevel3 氏に対して｡
k9

ネットゲームで戦争ごっこなんてざらにあるし、ハリウッドじゃドンパチ映画まだ作ってるだろ？プラモデルはだめで、そっちはＯＫなんて片手落ちじゃね？いつも疑問に思うんだけど、些細なこと取り上げて日本が軍国主義的だとかよく言う奴いるけど、そういう奴らってほんとに世界平和とか考えて物言ってんのかな？日本やドイツだけが反省すれば世界は平和になるのか？現実見ると違うように見えるけどね。もちろん、自衛隊が本物の空母作り出したら俺だってやばいと思うけどね。
Kevin not kevin

Not sure why you posted in Japanese, Level3, but there are a lot of people who are interested in Japanese war technology.

The Zero was and is still one of the most impressive fighter planes ever created. They were so fast that Allied forces could barely shoot them down in dogfights (according to Wiki they had a 12 to 1 shootdown-ratio).

Not to mention that the Yamato and Musashi were the largest battleships *ever* created. You might not agree with why they were created, but the technology itself is incredible. And just as a point of reference, in the US the Yamato battleship is widely known from its recreation in the Starblazers anime. It was so popular that they used the term ‘Yamato Canon’ in Star Craft many years later.

LB

I’ll have to disagree – the Zero was very maneuverable, but it was not especially fast. And if it tried to go fast, it lost maneuverability rapidly – especially in left-hand turns. It was lethal in a close-in, turning dogfight at low speeds, which was the dominant fighter philosophy pre-war and early-war. As soon as the US got a flyable Zero, they figured out the weaknesses and adjusted tactics – do a fast diving attack, and break off to the left. The Zero couldn’t keep up, couldn’t maneuver, and were so lightly constructed (little to no armor for the pilot, little armor for the fuel and oil tanks) that a few .50 cal rounds would drop them pretty easily.

Kevin not kevin

No, you’re right. I accidentally used fast instead of maneuverable (in my mind I was thinking – ‘moves around fast’). Thanks for correcting me.

LB

Yes, German modelers build V2s, and Messerschmitts, and Pathers. One of the bigger displays at IPMS Telford every year is the Japan Special Interest Group – a huge table of models of nothing but WW2 IJN/IJA aircraft. Other clubs and groups will have WW2 Japanese and German stuff as well – plus RAF/USAAF/VVS/Regia Aeronautica/what-have-you. It is probably safe to say in fact that the best-selling single-engine WW2 fighter aircraft model kits of all time have been the Bf109s.

And those who build these models are all perfectly normal individuals.

Mark

I agree with the Bf 109 being most popular, LB – I’ve built models of Axis and Allied WW2 fighters in about equal number and would say that the Bf 109, Spitfire, P-51 and Zero seem to be ever popular subjects in all scales.

As for being perfectly normal individuals – my wife would disagree

level3

そうですか。勉強になりました。すみません。
戦争武器オタクは日本だけではない。
世界中の現象です。

僕の立場から、その考え方ちょっと分からない。
中国人、韓国人など日本帝国の代表的なイメージを見たら、
腹が立つかなと思う。

じゃ、僕の間違いだ。

僕の文句は悪魔の代弁人、反論を唱える人の立場です、あまり真面目にそんなこと考えない。

I didn’t think of that, I’ve learned a lesson.
Interest in weapons of war is not unique to Japanese otaku,
it is a worldwide phenomenon.

From my standpoint, I can’t really understand the interest.
I also suspect that Chinese or Koreans or others seeing
this image that represents Imperial Japan would
feel pissed off.

But I guess I was wrong.

[Aside, I thought I'd start using my crap Japanese to play devil's advocate 悪魔の代弁人、反論を唱える人 with the seeming influx of 2chers.]

chichi

＞僕の文句は悪魔の代弁人、反論を唱える人の立場です、あまり真面目にそんなこと考えない。

普段のあなたのコメントに接している平均的な英語読解能力を有する人ならば､間違えてもあなたをまじめな平和主義者などとは思わないだろうから安心していいよ｡

ただ､あなたの意見に異を唱える日本人であれば誰でも(盲目的な国家主義の)2chersと決めつけるのは良くないね｡
そういう人に限ってむしろ2chersのcounterpartであることが多いね｡
ホスト国に悪態をつくのがもっとも手軽な精神安定剤っていう異国暮らしの悲しい事情も分かるけど､あまり飲み過ぎると中毒になっちゃうよ｡
LB

Nah, if it makes them a buck even the Koreans and Chinese don’t mind. Chinese companies like Trumpeter and Lion Roar have no problem making models of Japanese ships, planes and tanks, and Academy (the major Korean maker of model kits) has done an occasional Japanese subject.

There is even a Korean company that makes parts to upgrade or convert Japanese-made kits of Japanese subjects.

Rest assured, though, there are modelers out there who adamantly refuse to build Axis subjects for political reasons, and I have even met modelers who won’t build Japanese aircraft for artistic reasons – one put it “Japan had over a dozen major fighters, and they were all the same green over gray with no individual markings (a simplification, but not far off…). On the other hand, Germany had basically two fighter types, and almost every airplane was painted uniquely.”

Rob A

すごく高い。。。
gtg

Hey James are you getting paid for these posts? Lately there are quite a few “advertisements” for these DeAgostini magazines on here…

Kevin not kevin

I actually like seeing these for some reason. However, I will state flat out that DeAgonstini products are a total waste of money; I’m just always curious to see what the new model is.

I used to collect the DeAgonstini Star Wars pamphlets for about 6 months before I just didn’t want to pay any more. The first one is always the cheapest, and then you pay about double each month after that. I think for Star Wars it was 250 yen for the first issue and 500 for every book after that (it came out weekly). I remember seeing a couple of the issues 3 years after I started and realizing that if I had continued the whole time, I would have spent a whopping 78,000 yen (roughly $800).

momomomomo

議論が終息したみたいでよかった。

ついでに言うと、STUDIO GHIBLIで有名な宮崎駿監督も、
大のモデルマニアであり、飛行機から戦車、軍艦まで愛好している。
軍事全般も好きらしく、わざわざ東欧の戦場跡を見に行ったりしてる。

でも、彼の主張は一貫して反戦・平和主義。

ただの趣味と、主義主張は割り切るべき。
Pops

On the Zero fighter front, American fighter tactics were already adjusting to combat the Zero successfully by the time of Midway and the Guadalcanal campaign, before any revealing study of the characteristics of the Akutan/Koga Zero was available for combat squadrons to refer to. Read John B. Lundstrom’s “The First Team” and “The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign” for some great details about this. For a look at initial exploitation assessments that became available, take a gander at the document at this link: http://www.warbirdforum.com/diego.htm
RMilner

It should also be remembered that Japanese pilots were better trained at the start of the Pacific War.

I play WW2 naval wargames using 1/3000 scale models. The Akagi is about 2 inches long in that scale.
JackCrow

From “high price for a model” whining, discussion turned to war disputes and psychology discussion about the mental state of modelers ( without any MD’s present).

Amazing, The Internets is just amazing.

Collecting and investing time in anything other than drinking, hooking, and going “out”, is considered “not normal”, and the people participating in any hobby also; really, how dumb of an idiot you have to be to think like that.

Some collect comics, manga, anime dvds, figures, models, you name it someone collects it, there are healthy and there are “unhealthy” ( panties) types of collecting, but in essence, if it does not include collecting live people or body parts.
Who cares what anyone collects, you do not have to marry them or insult them for it, it is their time and choice to spend it.

Live and let live.

Build your own Japanese aircraft carrier

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