Shinkai 6500 DSV

[Will Vale]

Hi all,

I bought this kit when I first spotted it at HLJ - it just seemed like a really cool subject, plus the box art is basically irresistable. If you have a weak will, look away now:

The box top is even more dramatic (this is just the end) but doesn't show the overall shape as well. Plus it has LEDs for the interior light and spotlight.

I dug it out at the end of last week as an antidote to all the fiddly etch-folding I've been doing on the Stuka, and was intending to put it together as a quick build, but as usual I've been getting bogged down in painting details. I was intending to show a finished model but all I've got so far is a pile of parts and some paint

The parts are moulded in colour and snap together, which means you need to be really careful about dry fitting since they don't usually want to come apart again. The construction is heavily layered - there's a lot of plastic in a relatively small space, so the model is satisfyingly dense with an interior frame and then plating attached over that.

So far I've build the crew space (spherical pressure vessel) which has a complete interior! I rushed the painting a bit so it's not the best (actually it's pretty bad!) Perhaps I should have used the instrument panel decals but they didn't have a transparent backing.

The interior is a full 360 degree thing, in three parts, with a cushioned floor for the crew. You can't see much when it's together, although the light does help, but you can remove the front of the sphere after construction if you want. There are also some nice crew figures which I haven't assembled or painted yet.

One thing which was really worthwhile was painting the inside of the pressure vessel with two coats of metallic paint (Citadel Boltgun metal) to stop the light leaking through the plastic. This is appropriate too since the inside appears to be bare metal on the real thing.

I'm more pleased with the equipment bays - these are hidden behind panels on the model, you can choose a clear one or removable opaque panels. The bottom bay contains detachable diving weights (they look like piles of plate iron) which will add a bit of interest over the silver.

I've made up some of the detail colours, but tried to follow what I saw in this useful video from JAMSTEC, who operate the Shinkai:

I'm currently waiting for fine weather so I can give the bodywork panels another coat of gloss white. There are some subtle sink marks from the very '3D' moulding, which it's tempting to ignore but they do show under the gloss. What to do...?

Comments and tips welcome! So far I'd recommend the kit, it's not cheap but it's very well made, although the snap-together aspect does get in the way of trying to make a proper job of it at times.

Will

[Will Vale]

I realised I forgot to photograph the viewports I did at the weekend, plus last night I cleaned up the manipulator parts and sample trays so I could dry-fit them. I think they'll need to be primed and painted in detail, plus the camera turrets and lights would benefit from wiring.

This gives an idea of the overall shape too - there's a nice big fin and prop assembly to go on the back which are awaiting paint.

By the way, I hope this is OK for maritime? It is a sea-going vehicle, but it's a submersible not a submarine, and in an odd scale to boot. Let me know if I should be posting elsewhere.

Cheers,

Will

[edit: fixed broken image]

Edited March 26, 2012 by Will Vale

[christof]

Awesome work so far. Never seen a model for a DSv/Research vessel before. I like it.

I'd say the maritime forum is the ideal place for this.

Christof.

[Will Vale]

Thanks Christof! It's strange - the sub was built in '89 (and launched in '90?) but this year it's the subject of two plastic kits and a nice Lego set as well.

[Shar2]

Wow, like it. I've just reviewed the 1:72 scale version which is really nice, but you don't get an interior. This one looks even better.

[Madam I'm Adam]

Its a brilliant subject.

Good to see it being built

One observation. I think on all the kitted versions I have seen there is real room for improvement to the sample baskets. I've been trying to think of a fine mesh to line them with but looking at some pictures I'm not sure that there even is a mesh.

Any hoo. Brilliant and thanks for showing your work Will.

Cheers

Adam

[Will Vale]

I've just reviewed the 1:72 scale version

Spooky, I had just left a comment on your review before I saw this. There are some interesting differences between the two - the Hasegawa kit has raised fasteners whereas the Bandai ones are sunken, and the shapes of the orange sonar dome / access tunnel are different.

I'm in two minds about the fasteners - some of them are raised and some are sunken on the real sub. I think Hasegawa's take on the sonar dome is more accurate but it's very hard to tell since I haven't found a top view on the internet and perspective gets in the way.

One observation. I think on all the kitted versions I have seen there is real room for improvement to the sample baskets. I've been trying to think of a fine mesh to line them with but looking at some pictures I'm not sure that there even is a mesh.

I think that's a good idea. I looked at the baskets too and while the shape is pretty good on the Bandai kit (they seem to be made of flat strips) I think they're lined with some kind of fine mesh on the real thing. It's a pity they're single piece mouldings, it makes it harder to drill/cut out the panels, but it could be done. I guess if I try it and fail it would be possible to scratchbuild some replacements.

This pic definitely shows something translucent: http://www.mpi-bremen.de/Binaries/Binary44...nkai%206500.jpg

That ROV (I assume) would make a cool load

Will

[jimbuna]

Looks really cool.

[Will Vale]

It's a neat-looking thing isn't it? Reminds me a bit of The Matrix...

In other news, I finally found a top view of the real thing: http://nantroseize.com/kabe_images/Shinkai4xga.JPG

Unless the shape of the orange bit has changed over time (not unthinkable) the Hasegawa kit is much more accurate there. I don't think I'm going to worry about that too much, but I am going to use the pic to help weather the (I assume) brown non-skid coating on top.

Will

[Will Vale]

Not a very exciting update (no pictures) but while waiting for favourable spraying weather I've cut out the triangular panels at the base of one of the sample baskets. Took a new Swann-Morton blade and quite a long time, but it does add something. I really ought to open the sides as well but I think it would then fall to pieces. Next step is to look for some suitable mesh and psych myself up to do the smaller basket.

Annoyingly, the open sides are more noticeable than the open base in pictures. Grr.

Will

[Madam I'm Adam]

Will

Try this image for size Visit My Website Scroll down a little!

The baskets to like they have cheap horticultural wind break netting.

And folks, keep those prototype images coming, Will needs them and I will too shortly.

Adam

[Shar2]

It's a neat-looking thing isn't it? Reminds me a bit of The Matrix...

In other news, I finally found a top view of the real thing: http://nantroseize.com/kabe_images/Shinkai4xga.JPG

Unless the shape of the orange bit has changed over time (not unthinkable) the Hasegawa kit is much more accurate there. I don't think I'm going to worry about that too much, but I am going to use the pic to help weather the (I assume) brown non-skid coating on top.

Will

If you have a look at the decals in my review of the Hase kit you will see the non-skid coating shape.

[Will Vale]

Try this image for size Visit My Website Scroll down a little!

Great stuff, I hadn't found that one! It makes sense of some other pictures I've seen where the baskets appeared to be unlined since it looks like they add it when they need it. I think the base is a ridged metal mesh so lots of variety. Unfortunately it looks even more like I should bite the bullet and open out the sides...

On the subject of prototype images, this Google search might help. It's the Japanese name, with images bigger than 800x600. One thing to watch for is that there are a lot of pictures of the full size museum model which is not particularly accurate in detail. If the picture looks moodily lit and/or very clean then be suspicious.

I take it you ordered one?

If you have a look at the decals in my review of the Hase kit you will see the non-skid coating shape.

Thanks Shar2, the Bandai kit mostly breaks down by panel lines around the non-skid shape and the rest was a simple masking job. Tamiya light sand (TS-46) is a reasonable colour match if a little dark, and gives a nice contrast in shine. It looks from the pic like I need to dirty it up quite a bit though.

Will

[Will Vale]

This diorama is awesome: http://hyperscale.com/2007/features/typeviicuboatak_1.htm

[Troffa]

Amazing subject, great looking model, thanks for posting this one

[Will Vale]

Had a good run at it today - fine weather at last so I've sprayed the plating and fins. Then sanded out the dust, then sprayed it again. Then repeated and finally polished with 2000 grit paper and Tamiya compound (fine and finish).

It's not a perfect finish but I'm delighted with it, best I've done yet. I think I could do better if I was braver with my wet coats - i.e. if I let more paint onto the surface at once. The Tamiya compound is new to me but it seems to work very well - I never really understood what car modellers saw in their shiny vehicles, now I get it: polishing is extremely gratifying.

It might not be obvious from the pic but I did fill and sand the four large sink marks in each of the two rear side sections (the big ones). I used Tamiya liquid putty (liquid surface filler?) and it was a great experience - easy to apply, dried quickly, and sanded well.

"What have you done today dear?"

"I polished my submarine!"

"Realllyyy?"

:D

Will

[Will Vale]

Having painted and polished the front plate was the ideal time to decide the moulded-on handrails and little bit of rope (?) between the front lift rings needed to be removed. Bye-bye shiny paint.

Luckily the Bandai plastic sands really well. I've repainted and re-polished the part and installed the handrails, which are a bit over-scale at 0.45mm but at least they won't bend easily. I have some 0.3mm wire which would be better but it's brass not nickel-silver and I thought the shine was important.

If you go this route as well, don't do like I did and drill the handrail end points using the Bandai moulded rails as guides - they're in the wrong place. The rails should start in the middle of the moulded area and run up to the corner rivet. I decided to live with it since I only noticed after painting and polishing again, and this was supposed to be a quick fun build. Ha, that turned out well. I guess one out of two (fun) isn't bad.

[edit: Found another photo showing the handrails in the position I've modelled. So you can choose! Score :D]

I also drilled out the various lifting eye/tie downs and realised that one of the nicely-moulded ones on the front had broken off or perhaps been mis-moulded. Probably the former. I made a somewhat rustic replacement from styrene strip, it should look OK when painted.

Will

Edited March 26, 2012 by Will Vale

[Will Vale]

And another bit done - the decals are on and currently waiting for the third coat of Micro Sol to dry. I think they'll have to be gloss-coated and hopefully that will help with the edges of the film. They look better on the white, slightly less good on the orange fin.

Sorry for the posy picture, I was trying to see what things looked like really close-up, and deal with the white object, white background problem that's made it hard to take a tidy shot.

I'm hoping I can get this wrapped up in another couple of days - the main things left to do are the manipulators, the panel lines, and final assembly. I put a fourth coat of paint on the ballast tanks (lots of tries to find the colour) but it was getting too thick and I took the whole lot off with lacquer thinners. At least the final colour (Tamiya Racing (Off)-White with Dullcote over) looked good, and it didn't take long to re-apply those two layers.

Cheers,

Will

[Will Vale]

More progress, mostly forwards, might find some time later to photograph it... I've washed all the panel lines with MIG neutral, which went really well. Then I pin-washed the rivets with MIG dark wash which was a bit trickier and tended to escape the sunken rivets. I'm not sure why - the surface is really shiny, but I wonder if the polishing has left fine scratches and the wash is wicking into them? It cleaned up OK once it had dried a little.

Unfortunately buffing away the wash has lost some of the lustre of the surface. I'm in two minds about this - it looks reasonably natural, but I really liked the gloss as a contrast with the mechanical bits. I think I may try and carefully re-polish out the panel centres with Finish compound and a cotton bud tomorrow once the enamels have dried up properly.

I also brushed Klear onto the vertical fin as a decal sealant, and it pooled when I wasn't looking I thought I was sparing but clearly I wasn't. I used some more Klear to take most of it off again but had to sand down a couple of spots with 1000 grit (bye-bye gloss finish) and then 2000 grit and polish. This was very nerve-wracking over the decals, as well as the risk of cutting through the thin coat of orange paint. I lost part of one of the zeroes but touched it in OK, then added another coat of Klear which has gone better. There's one more spot which needs sanding still...

I haven't yet worked out what I'll do on the front quarter panels in the above picture. I really don't want to spoil those, but the contrast between low-gloss decals and high-gloss paint bugs me so I can't use them as-is.

Will

[Madam I'm Adam]

Great stuff, I hadn't found that one! It makes sense of some other pictures I've seen where the baskets appeared to be unlined since it looks like they add it when they need it. I think the base is a ridged metal mesh so lots of variety. Unfortunately it looks even more like I should bite the bullet and open out the sides...

On the subject of prototype images, this Google search might help. It's the Japanese name, with images bigger than 800x600. One thing to watch for is that there are a lot of pictures of the full size museum model which is not particularly accurate in detail. If the picture looks moodily lit and/or very clean then be suspicious.

I take it you ordered one?

Thanks Shar2, the Bandai kit mostly breaks down by panel lines around the non-skid shape and the rest was a simple masking job. Tamiya light sand (TS-46) is a reasonable colour match if a little dark, and gives a nice contrast in shine. It looks from the pic like I need to dirty it up quite a bit though.

Will

Those are good images, the baskets, as you say, open sided and just mesh on the bottom and all that detail stuff. I liked the wear on the arms of the Shinkai 2000 as well but of course the 6500 has to be a completely different colour

Cheers

Adam

[Will Vale]

Google must have just re-indexed or something - there was an image in that search which led to a walkaround - i.e. worth posting here - and I can't find it now

[edit: found it, I must be tired or stupid...] http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/kawachanheli/32371324.html

I re-polished the panels and they're looking OK now - fitted loose since I haven't done the engine assembly yet. The tail fin is still a bit of a dog's breakfast, but I'm hoping I can improve it with more Klear and then polishing it out (it's under a box lid at the moment).

I also weathered the non-skid. It might need some pigment or something to unify it, but it's still not as dirty as that top view I linked to earlier.

Will

Edited March 27, 2012 by Will Vale

[Will Vale]

It's gone a bit quiet, I hope it's OK to keep posting updates?

I really wanted to finish the Shinkai for a club meeting tonight but didn't quite manage it. It's close, but I still need to paint and detail the manipulators and camera turrets, plus the crew hatch.

Judging from these close-ups I also need to go back and tweak the washes and sonar dome details a bit more - they're somewhat messy in the macro shots.

I'm pleased with how the prop section came out - there's a part missing (rear light, I think) which I need to track down - it might be on a sprue that I put to one side thinking it was empty. The translucent hoses were tricky until I remembered I had some optical fibre among my spare parts. Once sanded, it looks enough like translucent plastic pipe to me.

Talking of translucency, the prop guard looks a mite plasticky. I did paint it, but maybe not enough for this kind of strong lighting?

On the home stretch now I think. When I take final photos I'll need to make sure I a. dust it, b. subtract the background in Photoshop to avoid the black clipping making the orange turn red, c. fit the panes properly, and d. clean up the washes some more.

Cheers,

Will

[Will Vale]

Just a little update: Some bits I'd ordered arrived today, including some amazingly nice 0.6mm slot head fasteners from Tuner Model Factory. These look like a match for some of the real panel fasteners on the Shinkai, so I installed a couple (and lost another 2 or 3 to the carpet monster in the process).

They look, well, amazing but to get close enough to see them you can see all the micro cracks in the paint, and any dust is enormous. Even the panel line wash looks grotty at this scale (check the full-size image on Flickr to see all the gunge). Macro lenses are instructional but also a mite depressing at times.

I think I'll carry on and add a few more where the double fasteners are, but stop there. You only get twenty in a packet, so I suspect I'll be lucky to end up with 8 actually on the model after losses.

Will

Edited March 31, 2012 by Will Vale

[Madam I'm Adam]

Don't let the close ups get you down, it looks excellent and i love the walk round and the wee screws

Cheers

Adam

[Martian]

I think this is quite amazing and it has to be just about the most different build posted on this forum in a very long time.

Martin