Study of warship Mikasa: April 2013

30 April, 2013

Inboard view drawing of Mikasa (3) and situation of Mikasa's historical documents

Hello Mr. DariusP,

If the 1926 drawings were copied from builders drawings (with later changes added) we will probably never know.

I agree your opinion. We do not have accurate historical documents.

In 1945, almost all drawings of IJN vessels were discarded or scattered and lost, and most of Mikasa's structures (wheelhouse, chart house, funnels, casing, ventilators, skylights, hatches, etc.) were destroyed in 1948.

Therefore, when Mikasa was restored in 1961, persons in charge of the restoration were suffered for lack of Mikasa's documents, and limitation of budget.

Consequently, present Mikasa's appearance is different from her past.

Hasegawa's kits of Mikasa were designed partly based on present Mikasa, so parts of midship were different from her past, too.

As to appearance of the midship, I think the model below is best among her models exhibited.

Please refer also article "Large Model of HIJMS Mikasa "

28 April, 2013

Inboard view drawing of Mikasa (2)

I checked photographs of the drawing displayed at Museum Mikasa again.
Fune no kagaku kan (Museum of Maritime Science) and MES Tokki Co., Ltd. have furnished the drawing.
MES Tokki is a subsidiary company of MES(Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.).

[ Part of drawing displayed at Museum Mikasa. ]

* * * * *
As you know, JACAR has put several other drawings of Mikasa on view via web.

[ Plan of main deck of Mikasa (subjoined pages by me)]

( JACAR http://www.jacar.go.jp/index.html ; Ref# : C04015499200 )

Ref# C04015499100 contains plan of middle deck of Mikasa.

This drawing was made about 1926 for preservation of Mikasa, but perhaps it was copied from drawing at completion of Mikasa.

Original drawings (main deck & middle deck) can be viewed at NIDS "The National Institute for Defense Studies".

Inboard view drawing of Mikasa

Hello Mr. DariusP,

Now, could you please tell me if inboard view drawings of Mikasa from a period up to September 1905 do exist?

Does "inboard view drawing" mean drawing like below?

[ Drawing of Mikasa ( displayed in 船の科学館 (Fune no kagaku kan (Museum of Maritime Science )) ) ]

This drawing was reproduced from 「日本海軍艦艇図面集（昭和造船史別冊）」: "PLANS OF SHIPS OF THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY - HISTORY OF SHIPBUILDING IN SHOWA ERA"(published in 1975). Probably it is only one of commerce in fine size in Japan. Unfortunately, the original drawing is not clear.

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Fune no kagaku kan (Museum of Maritime Science) has other clear drawings of Mikasa ;

(1) "ELEVATION of UPPER WORKS and TORPEDO NET DEFENCE" (not inboard view)

(2) "PLATING PLAN - PLATFORM DECK AFT -"

(3) "PLATING PLAN - PLATFORM DECK FORWARD -"

[ PLATING PLAN - PLATFORM DECK FORWARD ]

(4) "GENERAL ARRANGEMENT - SECTIONAL ELEVATION -"

(5) "GENERAL ARRANGEMENT of STEAM STEERING GEAR "

(6) "POSITION of SEA CHEST &C ON SHIP'S BOTTOM"

(7) "INTERCOSTAL STRINGER above MIDDLE DK"

(8) "ENGINE ROOM CENTRE LINE W.T. BULKHEAD"

(1) and (4) are reprinted in "連合艦隊1905" (published in August, 2011), in small size. You can see contents of the book in Amazon.co.jp, but the drawings can not be seen there.
http://www.amazon.co.jp/連合艦隊1905-国難救う日本海海戦圧勝/dp/4863204728

The parts of drawings are also printed in "BATTLESHIP MIKASA" (booklet by Fune no kagaku kan (Museum of Maritime Science )).