Modelling the Showa Era

[MangakaRailfan]

I’m modelling a small town in Gunma during the Showa era. Any advice?

[cteno4]

That’s kind of a very open ended question to attempt to answer. Are you asking about specific types of buildings to model? Kits available? HO scale? If so there are a more limited number of kits available for HO so you you may be looking at scratch building or kitbashing stuff.
 

Have you found any period shots of small towns in the area you are interested in to get ideas for buildings, roads, vegetation types?

 

jeff

[MangakaRailfan]

All of those. I will post shows town photos when I have them

[cteno4]

It would help get responses if you could post some specific questions.

 

jeff

[MangakaRailfan]

I am essentially asking:

What buildings to model?

What kits are available in HO scale? (In HOe, 009 or Hon30 scale;  Ho scenery and train shells are combined with N scale track and train motors.) 

I am interested to get ideas and reference for buildings, roads, vegetation, or anything that would make the town realistic.

Edited April 2, 2023 by MangakaRailfan

[bill937ca]

Sankei has paper kits available. Some make work, some may not.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/list/3066/6/1?Make=Sankei

 

Advance does a pricey wooden JNR era station building.

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10820171

 

 

[MangakaRailfan]

I have a few plastic kits I built long ago. They fit in great, and they’ll blend in after I give them a change of signage! The links helped!

Edited April 2, 2023 by MangakaRailfan

[MangakaRailfan]

I also have an unassembled plastic kit that would look something like this when finished:

 

https://www.walthers.com/iron-ridge-station-kit-8-1-4-x-4-3-4-x-2-3-4-quot-20-9-x-12-x-6-9cm

 

[Cat]

Glancing at google images, a number of the buildings in Kusatsu Onsen have a decidedly European flair.   For buildings that are still standing, cruising around town via google street view and satellite view is the next best reconnaissance to actually being there.

May be worth checking the offerings of Faller, Kibri, and Vollmer to see what might fit in with just a little kitbashing, or even just adding Japanese signage.
 
EuroRail Hobbies is a good site for searching through for Europeanimage models:

https://www.eurorailhobbies.com/

Edited April 2, 2023 by Cat

[MangakaRailfan]

Thanks for the link. I am modelling Tsumagoi, not Kusatsu, but still helpful.

[MangakaRailfan]

I got some good shots of Tsumagoi Villiage in 1958 after a quick search 

https://livedoor.blogimg.jp/whiskier/imgs/4/5/45e96855.JPG

https://jaa2100.org/entry/detail/036584.html

http://yukainatanken.web.fc2.com/manza-hoteru7-hp.jpg

[Beaver]

Sankei building kits are very good, and helpfully available in both 1/80 and 1/87 (but generally not the same kits in both scales!)

 

Don't overlook Baiodo building kits which are available in both 1/80 and 1/87 versions for every building with little huts etc now in intermediate 1/83. They also offer some distinctive detail parts such as carp streamers for Boy's Day and old wooden washing frames.

 

For small details take a look at Sakatsu Global. Details from different eras are all mixed up together since you cannot search by period but there is certainly plenty of useful stuff. Old postboxes, taru, first generation motorbikes, old bicycles, street stalls, wooden ladders and countless other period paraphernalia to be found.