Topic: HIJMS Hatsuzuki (Read 11902 times)

rsm · « **on:** April 16, 2012, 06:47:46 pm »

I picked up a Nichimo 1/200 Hatsuzuki kit and decided to RC it. It is designed to be motorised so the conversion was quite straightforward. I used Prop Shop props and shafts, a 5g servo, Mtroniks 10amp esc, NiMh AA batteries and Zebra 40mhz radio setup.

rsm · « **Reply #1 on:** April 16, 2012, 06:51:57 pm »

A few close up pictures of the rc setup.

rsm · « **Reply #2 on:** April 16, 2012, 07:02:19 pm »

A few construction photos. A few bits of photoetch (radar, grills and funnel caps) and turned brass barrels from GPM in Poland.

rsm · « **Reply #3 on:** April 16, 2012, 07:09:47 pm »

Finished off with White Ensign paints and sprayed all over with satin varnish.

essex2visuvesi · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2012, 06:29:13 am »

Very nice.
How long is it? seems to be quite small

rsm · « **Reply #5 on:** April 17, 2012, 08:25:02 am »

It's about 67cm long with a beam of about 6cm. It will be an escort for my Nichimo Yamato when eventually finish it!

Harquebus · « **Reply #6 on:** April 18, 2012, 05:04:30 pm »

First post! (hurrah)

This submission of yours is what I was looking for as I have a Nichimo Akizuki (sister ship) on the way soon and RC conversion is the only way to properly build this kit in my estimation. Before I saw your photos, which speak for themselves, I had figured you had used the customary Nichimo gearbox which is usually included in these kits. I reckon the gearbox is a bit rudimentary, noisy and is probably not an efficient means of transferring motive power (although it is likely ideal for simple motorization of which the kit was designed). You instead have used dual direct drive motors. May I ask what type or size motors you used?

I would like to hear how the maiden voyage went as well as the typical duration of the run-time.

Fine work.

dave301bounty · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2012, 08:07:02 pm »

wow ,real good job here .fasinating ,well done ,very impressive.

rsm · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2012, 08:53:17 pm »

The motors are Orion servo motors from Hunter Systems (www.huntersystems.co.uk). A word of warning if you make this kit, you will need to move some of the deck fittings to enable the removable deck section to go on and off. And don't attach the torpedo tubes permanently to the deck as they will stop the removable deck coming out as well. So far she has only been in the bath for testing, but there were no problems. I think if I made one again I would probably use the kit props and make up shafts and tubes from brass rod and tube.

Harquebus · « **Reply #9 on:** April 19, 2012, 12:50:24 am »

"When" not "if" I make this kit; although I am a well known procrastinator.

I am aware of the lack of access through the deck sections and there is customarily no access to the rudder area in any Nichimo destroyer, WWII IJN or modern JMSDF (Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force). That's a kind of unnerving matter as you sandwich the upper and lower hulls together. Could be a good thing though as it forces you to fashion the rudder mechanism to a high level of quality (as it becomes almost inaccessible afterwards) and that area is then more sealed from water ingress.

I was saying to myself that your shafts and stuffing tubes were massive, especially in raw form but once painted they seem to blend in. The props are beautiful too as they have the proper tapered hub or "exit cone". It is my understanding that the kit props are plastic? The props (and shafts) of every Nichimo JMSDF kit I've encountered (I have two of them) have been made of brass which is quite a nice thing to behold.

Thanks for the info on the motors. Looking forward to your sea trials.

Harquebus · « **Reply #10 on:** May 16, 2012, 04:11:55 pm »

Just received the kit. Some say these kits are comparable to Tamiya et al, but they never did anything like these. The large scale takes one aback. Someone said it appears "quite small" but it is definitely large enough for RC, especially with today's miniature components. A nice level of precision is evident.

I am curious if the servo motors you used were adequate. Destroyers are meant for speed so it remains to be seen whether these motors "pack the stuff."

Cheers.

rsm · « **Reply #11 on:** May 17, 2012, 08:35:42 am »

The Orion servo motors work just fine. The ship looks plenty fast enough, but is definitely not like a speed boat. I picked up another kit cheaply which I may do at some point, but it was missing a sprue, which I can't seem to replace, so may need some scratch building. I think two of them sailing with my Yamato would look quite good.

Harquebus · « **Reply #12 on:** May 17, 2012, 11:13:23 am »

Any photos of your "Hats" underway? If I could see a bow wake, I could estimate the power those motors provide.

Also curious how well the kit's rudder performs. Some people redo the rudder in an application like this making it larger to make the craft turn better; something about water not scaling down very well.

rsm · « **Reply #13 on:** May 18, 2012, 11:33:01 am »

I don't have any images of her underway, so I'll have to grab my glamourous assistant and camera and take some pictures when I get the chance.

Harquebus · « **Reply #14 on:** September 16, 2012, 10:07:26 am »

RSM, Were you able to get her to sea?

I have obtained a few Orion servo motors but have not played with them or tested them. They seem very high quality but they are also purportedly rather rare. Curious also as to how stable your destroyer is in the water.

Thanks.

rsm · « **Reply #15 on:** September 17, 2012, 10:17:08 am »

Sorry not much sailing for me recently, too busy with other stuff including building an O gauge steam locomotive and my 1/96th scale HMS Solebay.

rsm · « **Reply #16 on:** October 01, 2012, 01:55:00 pm »

Went for a quick sail last week. Hatsuzuki was stable and quite responsive (about a 2m turning cycle when hard over at full speed). She is not super fast, but top speed is reasonable and probably quite scale. I was going to take some pictures but a loss of power when out in the middle necessitated a daring rescue. Suffice to say I left the backside of my trousers on a barb wire fence and ended up getting wet!!!

But she was rescued with no damage. Turned out quite a lot weed had been picked up and wrapped around the props!

Harquebus · « **Reply #17 on:** October 20, 2012, 05:05:56 am »

I did honor you with a reasonably timely response, but I see now in light of some site difficulties it had actually never existed; figment of my imagination.

So it seems you had to sacrifice your trousers and swim a little to save your Hatsuzuki? Now that's dedication.

Now why would there be barbed wire near your pond, were there also "KEEP OUT" signs posted? This cannot be a good situation.

In retrospect, would you have increased the size of your rudder from original/stock (a 2 meter turning circle is pretty ungainly)? ? Is the turning circle any tighter at low speed?
You must make another sortie with pictures. I would be gratified.

Also, how many AA cells did you end up using? The pic is not too clear.

Harquebus · « **Reply #18 on:** October 20, 2012, 06:39:01 am »

Incidentally, I also picked up another Nichimo kit, the 1/200 Shiranui which is a Kagerō class destroyer and a good companion piece to the Akizuki class. Strangely, this kit is not set up for motorization like the rest of the series and the hull is one piece molded in gray. It actually makes it a bit easier to convert in that regard.

Great kits and a heads up as they are still out there to be acquired.

RAAArtyGunner · « **Reply #19 on:** October 20, 2012, 09:33:13 am »

Harquebus,

Roughly what is the length of the Shiranui kit.

Harquebus · « **Reply #20 on:** October 20, 2012, 11:19:02 am »

The kit is smaller than the Akizuki class and measures out to 23.1875 inches (or 58.8 cm). It is 2.0625" (or about 5.2 cm) at its widest point. Not prohibitively small and would make a great "suitcase" R/C ship... at least that's the appeal.

http://www.rc-blueworld.com/dockyard/200/shiranui/shiranui_01.html
http://www.k2.dion.ne.jp/~with21/model/ship/j06.html
http://hwm7.wh.qit.ne.jp/yanenoue26k/101_radicon/103_siranui/siranui_main.html

-Harq

rsm · « **Reply #21 on:** October 22, 2012, 09:14:19 am »

Hatsuzuki runs off 4 'AA' batteries. I can always attach a piece of clear plastic to the rudder to improve performance and detach it when the model is on display. In answer to your question about oiling the prop tubes (from your reply that disappeared!), I just use a drop of 3 in 1 oil at the ends to lubricate before a run (I haven't had any water ingress). As for the fence and barbed wire they are on my property!

Harquebus · « **Reply #22 on:** October 26, 2012, 11:18:50 pm »

Thanks for all the info RSM. Seems you are among the very few who even attempt such RC conversions of these, perhaps lesser known, kits.

raaartygunner: Perhaps the Nichimo Shiranui/Kagero (two different versions of essentially the same kit) is not the optimal kit to convert. I have accumulated as many of the "1:200 Identical Scale Series" as possible. There may even be more out there than I am unaware of.

The largest of the 1/200 series aside from the gargantuan Yamato is either the (modern era JMSDF) DDG-163 Amatsukaze or the DDA-164 Takatsuki or sister ship the DDA-165 Kikuzuki. "Out of production" is the word on these kits but they can still be had. I am a little bit passionate about these kits for some reason...

Both types can be seen in this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgI-HJCn4_Y

rsm · « **Reply #23 on:** October 27, 2012, 12:27:28 am »

I am currently working on the Nichimo Yamato, I will try and post some progress pictures tomorrow.

RAAArtyGunner · « **Reply #24 on:** October 27, 2012, 01:27:58 am »

Quote from: rsm on October 27, 2012, 12:27:28 am

I am currently working on the Nichimo Yamato, I will try and post some progress pictures tomorrow.

I for one will be eager to see your endeavours

I take it that it is the 1:200 scale kit.

News:

Author Topic: HIJMS Hatsuzuki (Read 11902 times)