Clear parts for Tamiya's 1/350 IJN I-400 sub

[fred tannenbaum]

Hi everyone. Thanks so very much for your tips on painting photoetch.

I recently received a Tamiya 1/350 IJN I-400 submarine kit and am wondering if anyone got one with the clear hangar/conning tower part(s)? It would be nice to have them. I've e-mailed the company about whether the parts are available. If anyone has any other suggestions for getting the parts, thanks in advance!

Fred

[raalst]

I get the inpression you

I get the inpression you assume that just like airplanes, those holes in the
conning tower are windows, and therefore there must be clear parts
to fill 'm up ?

mostly the "windows" in a conning tower of that era are plain holes,
I believe.
Did the manual suggest there should be a clear sprue with the kit ?

[fred tannenbaum]

Oh no, Ronald. Hardly. Some

Oh no, Ronald. Hardly. Some versions of the kit have been marketed through some online retailers a having a clear part on one side of the submarine's hangar to display the Seiran seaplanes in their stowage positions. Some retailers, including Squadron, I believe, specifically have said the kits they sell do not have these clear parts.

I am among those who think it would be nice to display the aircraft in this fashion and am just wondering if the part is available. If not, it's not the end of the world and I can work around it.

[fred tannenbaum]

"Never mind"

I just got this from Tamiya. The clear parts never were produced.

"When kit #78019 was originally announcement it was to included clear parts.
Unfortunately, it was decided not to include or produce the clear parts when
the kit went into production."

Hope this is enlightening to others.

Guess one way around it and to show off the stowed seaplanes is to not cement one side of the conning tower.

Thanks for your consideration, all!

Fred

[tom dougherty]

Guess one way around it

Guess one way around it and to show off the stowed seaplanes is to not cement one side of the conning tower

Another way might be to get the thin, clear plastic sheets from Squadron that can be heated and then stretched over existing parts. These sheets were made to allow modelers to make thinner, clear cockpit canopies by stretching heated pieces of this material over the kit canopy. You could do the same thing by heating a piece and stretching it around the kit conning tower side piece. Trim it and use it in place of the kit piece to display the Seiran aircraft.