Airfix Ju87B/R Stuka - 1/48th scale

[John]

This is a build I started for the BoB Group Build but, true to form, I got sidetracked by other things and the model had to go back into it's box! I've moved the thread to hear because I'm determined to complete the model, not least because I think it's one of Airfix's unsung gems and one of the best Stuka kits out there - I have at least a dozen of these kits!

I'm not that much of a Luftwaffe modeller but I've always been fascinated by the Ju87. I know I got my first Stuka kit not long after seeing the Battle of Britain film, a bagged Airfix series 1 version which could drop its bomb if you didn't glue it on.

(Does anyone remember the excellent article by the late Bryan Philpot on detailing and correcting this kit? There wasn't that much left of the original by the time he had finished with it! It was that article that started me buying modelling magazines way back in, what, 1976?)

I also remember getting the fantastic Revell 1/32 kit and it being my pride and joy, opening canopies, removable cowling and all.

Since then I've had a try of most of the Ju87B kits out there, and my choices in 1/72nd and 1/48th scales remain the Airfix kits. They are accurate, reasonably detailed and, for me at least, their surface detailing is more representative than the too smooth skins of the Fujimi and Hasegawa kits. This kit represents one of the last gasps of the original Airfix company, although it was never released by them. It first hit the streets in 1981 or thereabouts and has been released in 4 separate boxings.

The first featured a bizarre lettering style but unfortunately I don't have an example of this boxing at the moment, my last one went as a raffle prize on the ATF a while back but it will be replaced! Note that this version was billed as an "R-1".

Next came the dreaded "Blueprint" box:

The last Airfix issue thus far has been this one, with a change of markings from the first 2:

Lastly we have the excellent and rare Heller "Hi-Tech Concept" boxing with etch and white metal. Unlike others in this range, these enhancements really do work with this kit.

So what's in the box? The plastic is the same in each release:

while each version has different decals, although they were the same in the original and "Blueprint" boxes:

More than enough here to mix and match a number of machines.

Finally, the etched and white metal parts in the Heller boxing:

These metal parts address the one real shortcoming in the kit, which is the lack of a roll bar behind the pilot's head. The etched fret contains both the early unarmoured and later armoured variants. You also get a very useful set of unspatted u\c legs.

Not being constrained by the requirements to build a BoB aircraft any more, I might go for something a bit more colourful!

I'm using this version of the kit, but it's really unimportant as they all contain the same plastic:

First job was to clean all the interior parts with a Maplins screen cleaning wipe to de-grease the plastic and then lay down a base coat of RLM Grey. In this case I started with my home-brewed concoction I mixed for my Dornier 17 some time ago:

but I’ll probably overpaint it with a proprietary colour later.

There is some nice sidewall detail which will be picked out in dark grey, probably Humbrol 79 which I used for the instrument panel. The radiator interior has been painted Humbrol 65 and the radiator face 56 Aluminium. I'm thinking about installing the nicely moulded crew figures, but we'll see!

John

Edited November 19, 2008 by John

[timbo33]

Looking Good so far John - Our club's theme for next years SMW is 'The Mediterranean' and I'm thinking of doing a Stuka in Regia Aeronuatica colours as pitched against Malta. I'll be following your thread(s) with great interest to see how it comes along!!

Edited November 19, 2008 by timbo33