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Desert Stuka


SoftScience

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I've taken such a shine to single-type style group builds that I can't help but participate in this one. I know I missed the latter half of 2019, but I had real life reasons for doing so. 

 

I'm going to build my favorite variety of the Ju-87, that being the R-2 with the great big snake on its side. I'll be using the 1:48 scale Hasegawa kit for this. 

 

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I'm a little but disappointed already. My understanding is that the colors of the snake, as portrayed by Hasegawa are probably accurate, but in my mind's eye, the snake is red and white. When I was a kid, I saw this plane in the Revell catalog, and it had a wicked looking red snake on it, and I LOVED it!

 

I never did get that kit, and the brown and white snake MAY be more historically  accurate, but I'm temoted to find some red snakes and do it wrong, in honor of my childhood memories.

 

Hey, those count for something. Right?

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Looking forward to seeing this one come together . I built this kit 5 or so years ago . I remember needing lashings of extra strong decal softener where the snakes head goes over the air inlet on right hand side ,

Agree about snake colour .Just remembers I used aftermarket snake decals from JErry Crandel as the Hasegawa snake colours are open to debate (apparently)  :0

Cheers

Alistair

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4 hours ago, SoftScience said:

I've taken such a shine to single-type style group builds that I can't help but participate in this one. I know I missed the latter half of 2019, but I had real life reasons for doing so.

Good on you for joining in the fun :thumbsup: And lets hope life issues won't stop things.

 

I believe there is lot's of uncertainty about the snake's colour and if it was on both sides or not. So if you like it red you may find some old decals (Almarks maybe) which have the snake in red.

 

Whatever you you come up with, I hope you enjoy your build.

Cheers, Peter

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I have plans to build a Stuka with the snake on it at a later date, I have so many Battle of Britain builds on the go at the moment I must control my self.  I have some red snakes on the Tally Ho! Achtung Stuka sheet #48 003 but I'm not sure if it's still available (www.tallyho.cz).  The German Luftwaffe magazine "Start" did an article on these Stukas back in 2005, they had photos of two aircraft with snakes on, codes T6+AN and T6+DP.  The aircraft were still camouflaged in European greens 70/71, with Italian sand colour paint in swathes over the greens.  The snakes were white and sand colour, undersides were RLM 65.  From the magazine article Peddinghaus decals produced a decal sheet in 1/48 that covers both of these aircraft (www.Peddinghaus-decals.de)  Hope this is helpful. :nod:

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Just looked at the box art of your kit and compared it to the magazine article, it looks like they have copied the artwork from the magazine down to the patch of blue on the rudder to "reduce" the tail shape that is on the photos.  The Tally Ho! Stuka sheet was made in 2004 and does not appear to be available, if you really want to build your childhood memory, PM me with your address and I will send you my decal sheet.

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I was going through my stash yesterday and found I have exactly the same aircraft in 1/72 by Airfix. 

I think I'll work on both concurrently. 

....which will require actually sitting down and starting either one.  Soon, soon. I'm in the process of moving back into my home after some major repairs, and I haven't set up my permanent work-space yet. I've been dabbling in models where I can, but I really want to settle in for these projects. 

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Loving this GB too, can’t beat a desert Stuka. I built the Airfix 1/72 B2 last year and during research I’m sure there were 2 snake stukas one with white and sand, another with red and white with different codes, different units. I’m also sure I read that the sand snake was only on the port side, when captured anyway. There was also something significant about the World at war documentary where one of these stukas is captured flying on film for about 5 seconds which proved something important...but for the life of me, I can’t remember what that was. I shall see if I can find my notes and refs as I put hours into that very topic, then again, there is usually a counter argument with everything luftwaffe

Will enjoy watching your build

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Aaaaand we're off!

 

 

Our craft space is not 100% completed, but it's usable. The built models are still in storage.

 

IMG-20200126-201801942-HDR.jpg

My first project at the new (old) bench is the Hasegawa kit. I began with my least favorite part - the canopy. 

 

The first order of business was to apply the decals representing the internal framing. These aren't the right color, but it beats masking the interior of the canopy.

 

And speaking of masking, I started getting that too.

 

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It's not much, but I wanted to stake a claim in the GB. I have a lot more work to do around the house, so modeling will be a bit spotty over the next few days, but I'm here! And im building again!!!

 

 

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Nothing to see here except a bit of canopy masking work. I have the front half of the Hasegawa kit, and bits and pieces of the Airfix. I can only do so much of this in one sitting.

 

I'm working with metal foil, a masking fluid and tamiya tape just to experiment. The foil is great for the Hasegawa kit, where the frames have hardly any relief. They really show through the foil, and are easier to cut than the tape. The masking fluid was good for the little quarter panels in the Airfix windscreen. Tiny pieces of foil don't stick well, and with the tall relief frames, it was easy to control where the viscous fluid flowed.

 

Elsewhere, tape works okay on airfix's monster frames. Airfix kits rarely have good clear parts, but these are a real bear. The transverse frame running along each side has no bottom relief (it just slopes down into the window panels), the interior bracing frames are molded on the exterior, and the pre-stacked open canopy is so badly designed as the be unusable. I'm really peeved at how bad this is! Worse than the crap clear parts in the 72nd Blenheim and defiant. 

 

IMG-20200127-223732403-HDR.jpg

 

 

 

A

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 2/8/2020 at 6:05 AM, Basilisk said:

Nice craft space - now you only need to fill your display cabinet!

 

You do first what I do normally last. I guess you like to get it over and done with :winkgrin:

Cheers, Peter

Exactly!

 

And the shelves are already full. I just had to get my models down from the attic :)

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I'm really sorry guys, but the really crappy frames on the Airfix canopy have killed my enthusiasm for this project. This isn't the first time that an Airfix kit was ruined for me, by their junky clear parts. 

 

Have any of you attempted fitting the Squadron/Fulcrum vacuform canopy to the Airfix kit? I really want to do this bird with an open cockpit.

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I have to agree with you regarding the canopy.  I think Airfix still have a toy mentally judging by these terrible canopies and heavy panel lines.

 I'm thinking of cutting the sliding canopy off the closed version and using the falcon canopy for that part.

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On 2/14/2020 at 2:46 AM, SoftScience said:

I'm really sorry guys, but the really crappy frames on the Airfix canopy have killed my enthusiasm for this project. This isn't the first time that an Airfix kit was ruined for me, by their junky clear parts. 

 

Have any of you attempted fitting the Squadron/Fulcrum vacuform canopy to the Airfix kit? I really want to do this bird with an open cockpit.

Sorry to hear your canopy trouble. I am concerned as well and did purchase the Falcon canopy as a back-up option, but don't know how it fits.

 

Cheers, Peter

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