Uncle Pete Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 I wasn't going to show this one since it's dodgy even by my standards but then I thought, what the hey, they're all nice blokes here and maybe they could use a good laugh. Lacking the skills and the patience to get the detail right, I need a backstory. My pilot is usually Squadron Leader A.C. Plonk of the Shepherd's Bush Air Force but since this is a German plane, it was piloted by S/L Plonk's distant German cousin, Major F. Von Plonk, an older pilot who had studied under Manfred Von Richtofen. Unfortunately, Von Richtofen wasn't teaching flying but Texas Hold 'Em Poker, therefore Von Plonk made a lot of money in the officer's mess but never flew a successful mission. When he had his plane painted up he decided to name it after his girlfriend, Mathilde. Unfortunately, his wife, Helga, found out and, to escape her wrath, instead of bombing Warsaw, he turned his plane west and ditched in The Wash, just off Skegness and surrendered to the barmaid at the Jolly FIsherman pub (who also surrendered to him a couple of times later in the evening) and was sent to PoW camp in Canada where the winter chill was a lot warmer than what he'd have got from Helga. It's the Revell Tankbuster 1:72 which I'm led to understand is a bit of an ig-pay of a kit. More flash than a paperazzi's camera, the parts fit like a wet Woolworths suit and there's only so far I can go making improvements before I start making it worse. Some of the seams are glued under so much stress I wouldn't be surprised it it suddenly explodes with a loud pop and showers the cats with plastic shrapnel. It was the first time I've attempted to get a spiral on a spinner... And probably the last. After ten minutes of pulling, pushing, finagling and drowning it in decal solution I said to myself, it's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick and that's as close as it's gonna get. I thought it was a bit unsporting of them to mould the exhausts directly onto the fuze... Makes them tough to paint. The box art showed it with yellow wingtips but I decided, since Major Von Plonk is the boss, he can have any colour he wants and I didn't have any yellow handy anyway. Decided to paint the rudder red, too... Seemed a bit drab back there. That straight-line camo pattern made life a lot easier when it came to masking but the pointy bits just fore and aft of the greenhouse were a bit of a challenge. It came with the option of cannons instead of bombs (funny thing... In all the years I've been interested in aircraft, I'd never noticed a Stuka with those whacking great guns under the wings before) but I wanted the more "traditional" 87 in the dive-bomber configuration. Not sure if the four penny bangers under the wings are supposed to be there along with the big one in the middle but a few extra weapons never hurts when your intention is more in making it look proper 'ard than actually correct. If anybody can recommend a 1:72 Ju87 that goes together in a more user-friendly manner, I'm ready to have another crack... It's a dangerous looking machine from any angle and I'd like to build a better one... I'm not the lad to make an iffy kit less iffy. Any tips and suggestions are welcome but probably won't be acted upon unless I can buy some talent at the LHS. In the meantime, thanks for looking, apologies to the purists for the shock and Major Von Plonk wants you all to know he'll buy the first round at the pub tonight. 11 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 I love the back story and the 'my model, my rules' attitude. Were the white arrows pointing to the wing-top insignia, to remind Von Plonk what side he was on? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Pete Posted November 27, 2018 Author Share Posted November 27, 2018 1 minute ago, Gorby said: the white arrows Good catch, Gorbs... I wish I'd thought of that! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc72 Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 At first I raised an eye brow looking at this paint scheme, but the story behind it completely convinced me. I wonder whether there are any illegitimate offsprings of the von Plonk lineage still to be found in the Skegness area. This Revell kit must be really old. Many years ago, I built a 1/72 Fujimi Stuka and I think it still counts as a fantastic kit. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 I like that! a quiet chuckle before work! Granto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Pete Posted November 27, 2018 Author Share Posted November 27, 2018 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Doc72 said: illegitimate offsprings of the von Plonk lineage still to be found in the Skegness area I was on the band at Butlins there in 1970 and the place was crawling with Von Plonks... Or was that plonkers? Can't remember now... Edited November 27, 2018 by Uncle Pete 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatFlyHalf Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 It's certainly different. Your modelling always seems like so much fun. Maybe I try too hard and that is why I always end up disappointed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Schilhart Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 It's not the best model build I have seen on these pages, but your storyline makes up for everything the kit hasn't. Greetings to the Plonk family! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 Hi, O Son of von Plonk, dodgy does not even come close!!!!! So have no fear, the next one will be better, unless von Plonk returns... What can I say: bravo for posting it! I love self-deprecating humor, and I love the Stuka! It would appear that in my stash I have the B model of the same Revell kit. It must have been on the shelf of doom for over 30 years (it is that good!) but I shall finish it... one day... Using a paint roller on your Stuka was a great idea! I will have to try that myself. So all in all, I really like the feeling of your post. It leaves a nice taste in my sarcastic mouth! Keep having fun! JR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Pete Posted November 27, 2018 Author Share Posted November 27, 2018 8 minutes ago, jean said: I love self-deprecating humor Me, too. I'm good at some things, not so good at others. As you can see, I'm better at raising a laugh than building models so I go with my strengths! Any day I can spread laughter is a good one. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince1159 Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 That's not to bad Pete i've seen worse,mine for instance......Put ju 87 rare gun cam into youtube and there's film of Rudels Stuka firing the tank buster cannons..... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempestwulf Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 That looks like something thought up in a Commando Comic. Fits well really. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildeSau75 Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 What a refreshing read - with more Von Plonks the war would have been a much more funny thing. This dude indeed can afford to paint his plane in any color he wants having won all that money at playing poker. And some extra bombs seem to be in as well... what good times he must have had in his Stuka 🙂 Cheers, Michael 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairtrigger Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 Very entertaining thread... I did the G-2 version, and concur it's not a nice kit, more flash than nicely moulded plastic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 28, 2018 Share Posted November 28, 2018 This kit was the second Ju87G that I built not long after it was first released. It was way better than the first one, which was the FROG Stuka. I liked the kit and thought it went together fine. The only iffy bit being the fit of the upper engine cover. I have a Revell kit in my stash still. Oh yeah, loved the back story! Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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