Jump to content

Trumpeter Ju 87 Stuka (1/32)


Recommended Posts

This is a big box, with 330+ parts to work with and at 1/32 scale this is going to be a fun build for sure. On the left is the reference book I use to fine-tune the details of the model and check my assemblies for accuracy. This book actually reviews the kit I have on the bench now.

 

spacer.png

 

🤯 A lotta plastic here! The exterior parts come with fully molded panel lines and rivets, along with a small fret of photo-etch and rubber tires. The details are all crisp and sharp, but not too deep, so props to Trumpeter on those!

spacer.png

 

Instruction booklet and painting guide, which is provided as a separate poster, for anyone who likes to frame these things. Overall the instructions are nicely arranged and explain the assembly process well.

spacer.png

 

But of course... there are some inaccuracies. Here's a side-by-side of the painting guide next to the drawing in the reference book. You can see here that the shape of the nose and the wheel fairings are incorrect. The nose slopes too sharply on the model making the front look too streamlined, and the wheel fairings don't slope up sharply enough behind the wheels. Also the bomb trapeze is wrong, the kit supplied the style used on the later D and G variants (I'm putting this one down to they didn't want to mold a whole new sprue for just this one part, so they used the catch-all sprue intended for the more popular variants).

spacer.png

 

The canopy parts have good clarity and very nice framing. For planes like these with complex frames, getting a masking set is a must for me, it is a huge time-saver and makes your canopies look super-clean.

spacer.png

 

I use color-coded highlights in the instructions to set out my build order for each bit of the model.

spacer.png

 

A given page, which is also where this build is going to start.

 

spacer.png

 

And with that, our pre-build inspection is complete. Going by the instructions, we are starting with the fully-modeled Jumo 211 engine. Given this engine is fully modelled I think I have a solution for the engine cowling shape being off: just get rid of them and show off that engine in all its glory!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice project. I always wanted to build this kit, but was put off by the local prices and inaccurate wing crosses. They should be twice the size than what's provided in the kit, and the upper ones should have a black center and a thin black outline after the white.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for pointing that out. I'll keep an eye out for some german cross decal sets so I can get one that is properly sized. Worst comes to worst I can make stencils and airbrush them on.

 

UPDATE: I have located some painting masks for the Luftwaffe crosses to get the size right and also some seatbelts for the interior. It's going to take some time to get these shipped but I don't imagine there will be any issues so long as I leave the seats out of the cockpit assembly until I have the belts in place, so the build will continue as planned while the parts are shipped.

Edited by NMS Models
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Normally I cut all the parts from the sprues and clean them up before starting the build, but this is not going to be feasible for this model; there's just too many parts. So I'll be going section by section with the cutting and cleaning instead.

spacer.png

 

Once the parts are clean, assembly can begin.

spacer.png

 

There are no guide pins on the engine block parts. To help the engine block align properly, I insert some plastic card tabs into the bottom.

spacer.png

 

This bit had a lot of parts involved, the numbers are all recorded on the piece of tape next to the assembly. Up above are the assemblies for the supercharger, main air intake, and fuel-injection manifold.

spacer.png

 

Sanding the oil cooler prior to prepare it for gluing photo-etch to ensure there are no seams.

spacer.png

 

PE parts are secured in place with CA glue, as poly cement doesn't work on metal.

spacer.png

 

Ready to paint

spacer.png

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Painting up the engine today.

 

The Ju 87 was equipped with a Junkers Jumo 211D engine. I'm only going to be loosely following the color guide in the instructions as it is not very accurate to the actual engine, and I'll be basing my color choices off of reference photos:

(I'm a bit paranoid about copyright so any images I lifted from the internet I'm just leaving a link for, I'm not posting them directly)

https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195796/junkers-jumo-211d/

 

First, the parts are readied for spraying using alligator clips or (if the former is not feasible) masking tape mounted onto popsickle sticks. Each piece gets a color flag as a reminder of which color the part will be sprayed.

spacer.png

 

These are the colors being used, a mix of Tamiya, AK Real Colors, and Alclad II (for the metal bits)

 

spacer.png

 

The front piece needed two different colors, so a quick masking job was applied:

spacer.png

 

After spraying:

spacer.png

 

Next step is to detail-paint with enamel colors, and I eventually end up here:

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

The oil cooler is then attached, and a thick lead wire is used to represent the feed tube

spacer.png

 

This CA accelerator is great for this kind of work, if you can get some it is highly recommended:

spacer.png

 

I then give the engine a brown wash before applying some grease and oil to the metal bits to make them look used:

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

And we end the day attaching the engine to its supports and securing it in place on the firewall:

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most of my day today has been getting the bomb trapeze corrected, as the Trumpeter kit supplied the wrong ones, intended for later model D and G Stukas. On earlier model Stukas the trapeze looked like this:

 

spacer.png

 

I still have some surfacing work to do on them as they're a bit rough still, but a couple passes with wet putty and Mr. Surfacer should sort that out. I need to be careful not to overdo the putty, though, as these are a bit too fragile to sand.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

At long last, I managed to psyche myself up, take out my razor-saw and bring my A-game in precision cutting, and get things done.

 

spacer.png

 

My two-piece cowlings are now four-piece cowlings, and with careful assembly, it will now be possible to display the model with engine cowlings on or off. So now all that work I did on the engine won't be wasted by having the whole thing hidden away in an impermeable plastic case. :yahoo:

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The nose section is now largely complete, awaiting only final cleanup of the assembly to remove any unwanted seams and imperfections. Plus any additional details should they come up.

 

The top cowling is removable to allow for a view of the engine inside. There were no support beams holding that cowling's shape, just for the lower cowlings.

spacer.png

 

The front grill for the coolant radiator (the propeller is not yet permanently fixed to the plane, it would be really stupid for me to paint it and then put myself into a position to have to paint it again).

spacer.png

 

You get a pretty good view of the details in the engine with the cowlings removed. I will need to polish up that seam line in the front. The feed hoses for the oil cooler lead to the main oil tank behind the firewall, and back into the engine to lubricate the cylinders.

spacer.png

 

Looking in from behind the radiator, we can see the backside, the suction line, and the piston rods that raise and lower the cowl-flaps.

spacer.png

 

The top can be displayed on or off.

spacer.png

 

Next step will be to assemble the cockpit and rear-gunner's compartment.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Next in line for assembly was the cockpit. After getting all the components cut, cleaned, pre-assbled, and painted, we reach this point:

 

spacer.png

 

The floor was painted with RLM66 before all the other components were added on top (chairs, rudder, pedals, control yolk, etc.) and weathered with a nice layer of dirt from dry-pigments. These early model Ju 87 planes would often fly upwards of four to five missions a day to give the impression that the German Luftwaffe was much larger than it actually was. That leaves precious little time to clean out the interior when everyone is busy fueling and re-arming the aircraft. The sidewalls were painted in RLM02, with the various bits of equipment painted RLM66.

 

spacer.png

 

The pilot's seat is armored, and the metal plating had a bluish tinge to it from my references. I replicated this using Vallejo Gunmetal Blue mixed with some Black (the original blue shade was too light), and the seat liners were made of leather. I do still need to do some weathering work on the seat leather.

 

spacer.png

 

The center divider with the radios is here. The cords were replicated using .5mm copper wire. Beneath the radios is a shelf and a case for holding maps and charts and any other paperwork the crew would need. The leather strap was made using strips of masking tape painted leather brown. The black box next to the map case is the battery for the radios, which was black. To get the worn effect on the edges, I used Aluminum enamel paint that was dry-brushed with a very stiff brush.

 

spacer.png

 

The gunner's seat, which was pretty simple and none too comfortable. You can see the adjustment spring underneath, as well as the central support beam. More stowage is available on the right-hand side of the seat, and fire suppression is on the left.

 

spacer.png

 

Ammunition for the rear-mounted MG-15 was stored on two racks just aft of the gunner's seat. The setup in the plane made it very easy to reload; place the empty drum into the discard case on the right, get a new drum from the rack on the left, load and cycle the gun, and you were ready to fire again. The drums were painted Vallejo Gunmetal Gray with Tamiya Buff for the carrying strap on top.

 

spacer.png

 

The Starboard sidewall was largely devoted to electrical panels and the various circuit breakers. Some additional wires and tubes were added using various widths of lead wire. The circuit breaker panels are in the front, and the power supply for the radios is in the back.

 

spacer.png

 

The port sidewall is where all the flight controls are located, including the throttle controls in the front, and the flap and trim controls just behind it. Not much dirt to speak of on the sidewalls, but I did use a black wash to help highlight shadowing in the edges where the plane's skeleton can be seen. Some additional levers were also added to both sidewalls using plastic rod/card bits and PVA glue to add the rounded edge.

 

spacer.png

 

Once I am happy with the details and weathering of each section of the cockpit, I can start bringing everything together. As I do, I add any further details that need both the walls and floor to be in place, including the wires supplying power to the radios (these were braided and replicated with sewing thread)

 

spacer.png

 

Another angle of the radios to help illustrate what is going on. The details on the panels are a bit crude but without access to any PE upgrades for these bits they will have to do.

 

spacer.png

 

Overall profile of the cockpit with the starboard sidewall attached. I have also added the straps that the gunner would use to give himself back support if he needed it using lead wire bent into appropriate shapes and tape strips, which were painted with Tamiya Buff.

 

spacer.png

 

The second sidewall goes on once the wiring for the radios is done, and with it the addition of the other side of the back support strap.

 

spacer.png

 

And that completes the cockpit tub. The main instrument panel will be added a bit later, but at this point I am ready to slip it inside the fuselage halves.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...