Ju 87 B-2 "Picchiatello" - Regia Aeronautica, 1940 - Italeri 1/48

[Rod The Fixer]

Hi mates,

I would like to participate ( as usual ... Better late than never ... 😀 ) assembling this 1/48 Italeri kit

 

 

to realize this Junkers Ju 87 B-2 - Regia Aeronautica:

 

 

A quick look inside the box:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll use an Aires Aftermarket to detail Cockpit interior

 

Edited March 18, 2020 by Rod The Fixer

[Troy Smith]

15 minutes ago, Rod The Fixer said:

I'll use an Aires Aftermarket to detail Cockpit interior

A warning.   The cockpit set is for the Hase kit.

The Italeri kit has some serious issues,  so this may not fit very well.

have a read of @Ray_W  build of the Italeri D for some possible problems

If you want to replace something,. get a new spinner , the kit one is horrible.

HTH

[Rod The Fixer]

9 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

A warning.   The cockpit set is for the Hase kit.

The Italeri kit has some serious issues,  so this may not fit very well.

have a read of @Ray_W  build of the Italeri D for some possible problems

If you want to replace something,. get a new spinner , the kit one is horrible.

HTH

Thanks for the warning mate, I knew the issues on Italeri Kit (A forgotten gift in the closet 😀) and the fitting problems with the Aires set but, unfortunately, my country is on lock down and at the moment I can't buy anythings ...

 

I'll try to do my best ... 😉

[Ray_W]

1 hour ago, Rod The Fixer said:

Thanks for the warning mate, I knew the issues on Italeri Kit (A forgotten gift in the closet 😀) and the fitting problems with the Aires set but, unfortunately, my country is on lock down and at the moment I can't buy anythings ...

 

I'll try to do my best ... 😉

Hi Rod,

 

I had the Italeri D-5 boxing but I expect the issues are similar in their B-2. Most of the problems are caused by the kit's ability to pose the motor with the covers off resulting in a strange shaped nose if closed up. The usual problem with most kit manufacturers without the ability to provide scale thickness (gossamer thin panels in 1/48). This results in an oversize spinner base to compensate with a weird bulbous nose and significant step to fuselage.

 

If I was to list the 3 issues plus a comment on the cockpit it would be:

 

1. Spinner. That spinner needs some reshaping. I expect they use the same spinner as the D-5 so it is a compromise for the problems stated above. In the following photo you can see the Airfix B-2 on the right, Italeri in the middle and my D-5 prop on the left that was built up from a spare Airfix prop. I think you could do some reshaping of the Italeri spinner and get something close. The problem is there is still that noticeable step from the front of the oversize cowling assembly.

 

 

A better shot of the Airfix B-2 for comparison to what is supplied in your kit. Not as long and slightly more "pointy"

 

 

2. Fuselage length. I believe the Italeri fuselage length is too long, compensated by a thin rudder and too short a distance from wing leading edge to firewall. This is visible in the length from windscreen to firewall. To correct this for my D-5 build, I cut 4 mm out of the fuselage and compensated with a piece in the rudder and by moving the firewall forward slightly. The full description and logic is in my build. It's a mod that most would find hard to pick without direct comparison. Easy to leave as is. 

 

3. The bulbous cowling. Now this one is not an easy one to fix. The logic behind my mods for a D-5 are maybe totally wrong for the B-2. I had to shorten it and then took a lot of material off improving the shape. So much that I had CA/talc filler in areas where I broke through. However, I was able to get the nose more Dora like - that spinner too! Given the time, and if I had no option on the Italeri B2, I would probably also start hacking it to pieces but that's just me.  My Dora nose though came up nice - much simpler mod than the Berta. Again it is a matter of what you like.

 

 

4. Cockpit. I actually found this OK. Italeri has nice sidewall detail and with minimal PE it comes up as is. Yes the seat needs work and a few other areas but it's Ok. I did open up the floor, add a front bulkhead (only Airfix has this anyway) and scratch-built a scissor lift gunner's seat and some wiring.  If the B-2 is like the D-5, also with some PE, I'd save the resin (maybe steal some bits out of it). It's nice as is. 

 

 

 

 

I've seen some very nice builds of Italeri's B-2 and will look impressive on the shelf OOB. Pose the motor open and you have a very nice Stuka rendition. I'd say get into and we'll watch with interest.

 

Ray.

 

 

[Troy Smith]

19 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

 

1. Spinner. That spinner needs some reshaping. I expect they use the same spinner as the D-5 so it is a compromise for the problems stated above.

the D-5 spinner does not look too bad,  the B-2 looks horrible

compare

 

@Rod The Fixer,   if you have an electric drill and some wooden dowel or rod, you could try using that as a lathe and making a new spinner, and then smash mould in plastic sheet. (I did this using a bit of a wooden spoon handle, put into a drill chuck and then shaped with a sanding block) 

 

Worth trying if you can't get out, and as making from scratch, I'd say there was nothing to lose,  either you get a new spinner,  or not,  and I bet you will learn some new skills in the process.    

 

Or, have a hunt in the spares box?  Or, just leave it so perhaps can be replaced at a later date. 

 

HTH

[Ray_W]

9 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

the D-5 spinner does not look too bad,  the B-2 looks horrible

It's a shame the B-2 does not have the D-5 spinner. There might be enough material in the B-2 spinner to do some correction. I also think just rounding off the front of the nose to better match the spinner back plate while still trying to keep it prototypical will improve the look considerably.

[Rod The Fixer]

thank you very much for the tips @Ray_W & @Troy Smith

 

I compared "Monografie Lotnicze" B-2 blue print with the image to verify the "cone" shape:

 

 

 

 

and it seems to be right...

 

For the propeller ,,, as you wrote, seems to be another history ...

 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by Rod The Fixer

[Ray_W]

Just another pointer, looking at you sprue shots for the Italeri B-2, I see the fuselage halves are included in the B-2 items sprue, so it may not have the length issues of the D-5. The Italeri Dora follows the "It was Longer than the Berta" proposal as applied in many drawings and by some kit manufacturers adding length in the nose and fuselage. I am a proponent of the "Same Length as the Berta" proposal and made mine that way accordingly. For you, my comments on fuselage length may not apply.

Ray

[Rod The Fixer]

28 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

Just another pointer, looking at you sprue shots for the Italeri B-2, I see the fuselage halves are included in the B-2 items sprue, so it may not have the length issues of the D-5. The Italeri Dora follows the "It was Longer than the Berta" proposal as applied in many drawings and by some kit manufacturers adding length in the nose and fuselage. I am a proponent of the "Same Length as the Berta" proposal and made mine that way accordingly. For you, my comments on fuselage length may not apply.

Ray

Thanks Ray.

[Rod The Fixer]

Hi mates,

 

Cockpit items view :

 

[Rod The Fixer]

Install the Aires cockpit wasn't a simple job 😅.

Here you can see the difference in length between the Italeri and the Aires cockpit:


I cut the italeri panels and  put the instrument panel between these:







Here the cockpit assembled:

[Basilisk]

I totally missed your build which comes along nicely and the pit looks great

 

On 3/20/2020 at 12:35 AM, Rod The Fixer said:

thank you very much for the tips @Ray_W & @Troy Smith

 

I compared "Monografie Lotnicze" B-2 blue print with the image to verify the "cone" shape:

 

I think you better of comparing the shape to pictures than to a blue print as they can lack in accuracy like kits.

Cheers, Peter

[Rod The Fixer]

Engine assembled ...

 

[Rod The Fixer]

First layer of primer and ... engine mounted

 

[Rod The Fixer]

Engine cover assembled ...

 

 

And first layer of RLM 65 [Gunze H67] sprayed ...


 

 

[Rod The Fixer]

Camo ... first step ...

[Greg Law]

This is coming along beautifully. 

[Basilisk]

A very tidy paint job What paint did you use for RLM 70 and 71? I like how it looks on your model.

 

Cheers, Peter

[Rod The Fixer]

Just before the weathering ...

[Rod The Fixer]

On 4/10/2020 at 4:03 PM, Basilisk said:

A very tidy paint job What paint did you use for RLM 70 and 71? I like how it looks on your model.

 

Cheers, Peter

Hi Peter,

 

I used the Ak Real Color RLM 70 e RLM 71

 

Regards, Rod

[Greg Law]

Excellent finish.  Looks very good in the Italian scheme. 

[Basilisk]

Looks great with the decals on.

On 4/12/2020 at 5:34 AM, Rod The Fixer said:

Hi Peter,

 

I used the Ak Real Color RLM 70 e RLM 71

 

Regards, Rod

Interesting as the accuracy of the Real Colors aren't regarded as too accurate, but the greens on your build looks very good to me.

Cheers, Peter