1/48 - Junkers Ju-87B-1 Stuka by Airfix - Ju-87B-1 released - Ju-87B-2/R-2 release December 2017

[Ka-Efka]

Well, no, I must disagree unfortunately. Especially in the cockpit the ejector pin marks are not easily to correct (except building it with closed canopy). And if the strain marks in die cooler did result in bent plastic. Have fun with that. Very disappointing to see a very well thought out kit to be that badly produced.

For the ejector pins there is no fix, than a new mould. Too bad.

 

[neilh]

It certainly has not stopped me buying one, but I really cannot understand the placement of the ejector pin marks. I'm sure that as construction commences, several will be hidden, but not all, and even with modelling skills they are not going to be easy to eliminate.  Airfix have been so innovative with their recent kit designs, using for example integral spars , clever construction sequences to hide joint lines, so  I cannot understand why they do not follow similar practices to Hasegawa and add " ejector tabs" around the part allowing its clean ejection from the mould without the pin mark on a visible. I don't recall having to work on any pin marks in the 1/48th Hurricane, but when I bought the P 40 I noticed badly placed marks on the face of sidewall boxes and smack in the middle of the wheel well, which will I suspect be equally as difficult to hide. We're often hearing that Airfix is only a small team so its likely not an "A" and "B" team like Trumpeter?

[exdraken]

7 hours ago, neilh said:

 We're often hearing that Airfix is only a small team so its likely not an "A" and "B" team like Trumpeter?

I hope they still have (A) team!

[Tbolt]

It is a bit of a shame, Airfix have made some great improvements over the last 6 or 7 years and are producing some lovely kits, but they seems to have stalled and gone backwards on some things and just  need to improve their molding quality. I realize they are trying to produce kit with a fairly low price tag, but it wouldn't cost much more just to use a bit more intelligent design to improve the finished article.

 

I hope everyone who is buying their kits is sending them an email about the things you don't like about the molds and hopefully they will try and improve if they get enough people feeding back problem areas.

[exdraken]

40 minutes ago, Tbolt said:

It is a bit of a shame, Airfix have made some great improvements over the last 6 or 7 years and are producing some lovely kits, but they seems to have stalled and gone backwards on some things and just  need to improve their molding quality. I realize they are trying to produce kit with a fairly low price tag, but it wouldn't cost much more just to use a bit more intelligent design to improve the finished article.

 

I hope everyone who is buying their kits is sending them an email about the things you don't like about the molds and hopefully they will try and improve if they get enough people feeding back problem areas.

providing a low prize kit might be good for sales, providing a sloppy kit no so much I guess. people will even refrain from buying a different, maybe much better kit afterwards... 

 

can't be to hard noticing this things when designing the molds...

[Tbolt]

1 hour ago, exdraken said:

providing a low prize kit might be good for sales, providing a sloppy kit no so much I guess. people will even refrain from buying a different, maybe much better kit afterwards... 

 

can't be to hard noticing this things when designing the molds...

 

I agree and I always prefer to pay for for better quality.  Airfix need to do a good job on the P-51 with the competition from Meng and Eduard otherwise sales might struggle compared to some of their recent releases.

Edited February 24, 2017 by Tbolt

[BIG X]

Do any of the Stuka experts on here know whether T6+BC made it as far as the Battle of Britain?  Who where the crew? What was it's ultimate fate?

I always find these details very interesting.

[Wez]

56 minutes ago, BIG X said:

Do any of the Stuka experts on here know whether T6+BC made it as far as the Battle of Britain?  Who where the crew? What was it's ultimate fate?

I always find these details very interesting.

 

Don't forget that T6+BC is a unit assigned code, there could have been any number of T6+BC's assigned to the unit. What you need is the werk number - like an RAF serial number to track the aircraft's fortunes and fate.

 

Additionally, it's entirely possible it didn't have an assigned crew, it was just used by whichever crews were flying that day.

 

It's also possible it was the preferred aircraft of a given crew who always got to fly it if it was available.

Edited March 31, 2017 by Wez
fat figners typo

[BIG X]

48 minutes ago, Wez said:

 

Don't forget that T6+BC is a unit assigned code, there could have been any number of T6+BC's assigned to the unit. What you need is the werk number - like an RAF serial number to track the aircraft's fortunes and fate.

 

Additionally, it's entirely possible it didn't have an assigned crew, it was just used by whichever crews were flying that day.

 

It's also possible it was the preferred aircraft of a given crew who always got to fly it if it was available.

Ah yes - I understand now...

Airfix & Hannants - who do an Xtradecal set don't provide a W/No - Hannants go as far as to say that they have supplied a "bogus" W/No as it can be seen in a photo but isn't readable...

I guess that puts this one to bed then

[Wez]

Yeah, I can see how I explained it may be a bit confusing, what I mean is the original T6+BC could have been shot down or written off to be replaced by another aircraft which got coded T6+BC which in turn got shot down or written off... . ...etc.

 

W/N is the key.

[BIG X]

1 hour ago, Wez said:

Yeah, I can see how I explained it may be a bit confusing, what I mean is the original T6+BC could have been shot down or written off to be replaced by another aircraft which got coded T6+BC which in turn got shot down or written off... . ...etc.

 

W/N is the key.

No problem Wez - I understood you completely - just like any number of aircraft in 501sqn RAF...

 

All these Hurricanes were coded SD-W

N2485/W

P3141/W

P3417/W

P5200/W   So I do understand what you mean.

[Wez]

1 hour ago, Wez said:

Yeah, I can see how I explained it may be a bit confusing, what I mean is the original T6+BC could have been shot down or written off to be replaced by another aircraft which got coded T6+BC which in turn got shot down or written off... . ...etc.

 

W/N is the key.

 

11 minutes ago, BIG X said:

No problem Wez - I understood you completely - just like any number of aircraft in 501sqn RAF...

 

All these Hurricanes were coded SD-W

N2485/W

P3141/W

P3417/W

P5200/W   So I do understand what you mean.

 

It is said that nature abhors a vacuum, so do bureaucracies like the RAF and Luftwaffe

[Homebee]

Source: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/new-airfix-exclusives-for-telford-scale-model-world-show/

 

Quote

The Luftwaffe’s ‘Jericho Trumpets’ blitz the Mediterranean

This latest box artwork reveal features a Junkers Ju-87R-2, the long-range version of this famous Luftwaffe aircraft

 

When discussing famous aircraft of the Second World War, there can be few that are as instantly recognisable, or indeed as infamous as Germany’s Junkers Ju-87 Stuka, the very embodiment of Blitzkrieg. Introduced in 1936, the inverted gull-winged Ju-87 was constantly improved in the years prior to the outbreak of WWII, having been given a combat introduction during the Condor Legion’s participation in the Spanish Civil War of 1937. As a flying artillery piece, the Stuka was a highly effective aircraft and one which could be relied upon to destroy strategic ground targets and enemy strongpoints in support of advancing Wehrmacht units. Its success during the attacks against Poland, Norway, France and the Low Countries earned the aircraft almost mythical status and despite vulnerabilities being ruthlessly exposed by the pilots of the RAF during the Battle of Britain, the fearsome reputation of the Stuka seems to have endured undiminished by the passage of time. The latest release from our highly detailed 1/48th scale Ju-87 tooling (A07115) is about to hit model stores during December and we are pleased to bring you the latest update on this impressive model.

 

Junkers Ju-87R-2 Stuka, S1+HK, 2./Sturzkampfgeschwader 3, Greece, Spring 1941

 

The Ju-87B or ‘Bertha’ variant of the Stuka was the first mass produced version of the aircraft and featured a number of significant improvements over earlier machines. More powerful engines, stronger fuselage, better defensive armament and more streamlined wheel spats were all features of this variant, which also introduced the distinctive and terrifying wing or undercarriage spat mounted sirens - these would emit a high-pitched wail during the steep attack dive of the aircraft. This was intended specifically as a propaganda tool, designed to spread fear, panic and confusion amongst not only enemy troops coming under attack, but also the general population who would flee in panic, making the task of defending troops even more difficult. By the start of the Second World War, the Luftwaffe could call upon the terrifying services of around 330 Bertha Stukas, which would all see significant action during the opening months of the conflict.

Another interesting variant of the ‘Bertha’ series of Stukas was the long-range ‘R’ or Reichweite version, which attempted to overcome one of the Stuka's greatest failings, its lack of range. With modifications which added fuel lines to outer-wing hard points which could carry two 300 litre standard Luftwaffe drop tanks and a fuselage modification to give the aircraft an additional oil tank, these long-range Stukas had an increased range of up to 1125 miles, depending on the type of mission to be flown and were much better suited to operations against Allied shipping, particularly in the Mediterranean theatre. The aircraft covered in this particular scheme is wearing a standard European Luftwaffe camouflage scheme and was used on operations in the Mediterranean theatre from airfields in Greece. It is thought that the unit only spent a short time operating from Greece, before returning to fight in the Balkan campaign.

 

Junkers Ju-87B-2 Stuka, T6+AN, 2./Sturzkempfgeschwader 2 ‘Immelmann’, Libya, May 1942

 

Although the Stuka is more readily associated with Blitzkrieg in the West and actions against the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain, some of the most attractive schemes applied to this famous aircraft were by units operating in the deserts of North Africa. Needing to shed the dark camouflage used for operations over Western Europe, Luftwaffe units employed numerous different variations of light blue, sand yellow, dark green and black green in an attempt to give their aircraft a vital few seconds advantage during the savage fighting over the desert. The second scheme option included with this impending Stuka release (A07115) marks a very famous aircraft which operated against British forces in North Africa during 1941 and 1942 and displays an extremely appealing representation of Luftwaffe camouflage from this theatre. It is thought that this aircraft previously carried a sinister looking snake design down the entire length of the port side fuselage, with later wartime photographs showing it in a similar scheme to the one detailed above after it had been captured by British troops, following an apparent emergency landing in the desert.

Although the Stuka earned a fearsome reputation in operations leading up to the occupation of France, the Battle of Britain would prove to be something of a baptism of fire for Luftwaffe Stuka crews, who suffered terribly at the hands of the RAF. Losses proved to be so significant that Stuka units were withdrawn from operations for a time and only allowed into combat against shipping in the English Channel, or when protected by adequate fighter cover. Indeed, several Luftwaffe commanders felt that the aircraft was obsolete and should be replaced, however the Stuka would see continued production and service on many other fronts for the remainder of the war. By the end of 1943, it was clear that the Stuka was no longer able to effectively perform the task for which it was designed and specialised versions of the Focke Wulf fighter were produced for ground attack missions, taking over from the lumbering Stuka. From May 1944, Stuka production was finally wound down, with just 78 newly built aircraft completed in that month and a further 69 re-built from damaged airframes. Over the next six months, around 440 D and G variant Stukas were produced, as either new or repaired aircraft, with production finally ceasing in December 1944. Although Stuka production during the latter stages of WWII proved to be particularly difficult to corroborate, it is thought that around 6,500 examples were produced during a manufacturing run that lasted almost nine years. Without question, the Stuka is one of the most distinctive aircraft ever to take to the skies and one of the most famous to wear the Balkenkreuz of the Luftwaffe.

 

V.P.

Edited November 10, 2017 by Homebee