PeterB Posted November 5, 2022 Share Posted November 5, 2022 Back in 1975 Matchbox released a fairly basic kit of the Ju 188 and I bought it shortly afterwards. At about the same time and unknown to me (no internet back then) Italeri also released one, and when I was first made redundant back in 1990 and had a bit of spare cash I bought one for my "retirement cache", where it has sat until now. This GB hasgiven me a reason to build it so here it is _ This is the 1980 reboxing I gather and exactly why they decided to call it a "Fighter Bomber" is a puzzle - certainly the various versions of the original Ju 88 fulfilled both functions but I don't remember seeing a fighter version of the 188! Having said that I think that both the proposed J and S versions could perhaps be classed as fighters but were probably never built. My normal source would be Green but as his Warplanes of the Third Reich is getting a bit long in the tooth, more modern research may shed a different light on the subject. Certainly he says that few A-1 models were produced but I suspect that may not be totally correct. Pete 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted November 5, 2022 Share Posted November 5, 2022 The Italaeri Ju.188 was a little later than the Matchbox one and (as you've found out) far superior. It has a problem with the wing incidence being too flat, and it (unsurprisingly) missed the washout on the wingtips, but these are basically too difficult to improve on. I seem to recall that the radiator fronts are for a Jumo 211F (Ju.88A-4 - which came in useful for the Italaeri Ju.88A-4 which had the radiators fronts of an A-1) and I obtained replacement aftermarket, which I don't think is available now. If, like me, you do the BMW variant this is irrelevant! I think I remember the Jumo cowlings as being too tapered but may be confusing this. AIMS has just announced a new sheet for the '188 and late '88s which I will buy as soon as it appears. There was a mock-up for a night-fighter '188 with cannons poking through the nose framework, but as you say never built. The I88J became the 388J turbocharged night-fighter, which flew in prototype form. There were production '88S and T variants, bomber and recce respectively. The Hasegawa one is better still. Good luck with finding one nowadays. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 5, 2022 Share Posted November 5, 2022 The BMW engined version of this kit does not have the cooling fans that all BMW 801's had. There are PE and probably resin aftermarket fans available. Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 5, 2022 Author Share Posted November 5, 2022 So basically, whichever version I do will be wrong - nothing new there then!😄 Pete. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted November 5, 2022 Share Posted November 5, 2022 There's no such thing as a perfect kit. Some are better than others, and the Italeri '188 is better than the Matchbox. So enjoy. Fix what you can fix (or not) and accept the rest. I presume that most of these fans will be sold as appropriate to the Fw.190, but I must admit to not seeing any for sale for a long time. I wouldn't mind picking some up for this kit and perhaps some Italeri Dorniers too, but what I want (what I really really want) are fans for the Valom Buckingham. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted November 6, 2022 Share Posted November 6, 2022 1 hour ago, Graham Boak said: but what I want (what I really really want) are fans for the Valom Buckingham. Here's some Sorry 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 6, 2022 Author Share Posted November 6, 2022 18 hours ago, Graham Boak said: There's no such thing as a perfect kit. Some are better than others, and the Italeri '188 is better than the Matchbox. So enjoy. Fix what you can fix (or not) and accept the rest. I presume that most of these fans will be sold as appropriate to the Fw.190, but I must admit to not seeing any for sale for a long time. I wouldn't mind picking some up for this kit and perhaps some Italeri Dorniers too, but what I want (what I really really want) are fans for the Valom Buckingham. That reminds me - I do have one fan in an old Aeroclub Fw 190 prop set. Now, if I just had another one.................. Won't bother I think. Pete😆 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 (edited) On 11/6/2022 at 4:50 PM, PeterB said: Now, if I just had another one.................. I might suggest some home resin casting. Take a mold from the original using silicon sealant and washing up liquid then two part resin cast it. The only down side is that the resin will cost you a tenner but two bottles of resin will do a lot https://www.ebay.ie/itm/323978962495?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=5282-175127-2357-0&ssspo=wsz8gv2bRKe&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=VGICMH_DRRi&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Edited November 7, 2022 by Marklo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 I have in mind to do one of these too. Somewhere, I've some etch fans tucked away, not sure if I'd intended them for this or the Italeri Do 217 I have too, maybe I got 2 sets, must check, they were in a Fw 190 etch detail set which had 2 of them on it. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klr Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 I built this back in the '80s, along with lots of other Italeri 2- and 3-engined WW II subjects, Those were the days (sigh). As stated already, it was obviously way better than the Matchbox kit. I was able to get another kit of this exact same boxing a few years ago. If memory serves, Bilek re-boxed this in several "value-added" versions, including a torpedo bomber, and a night fighter with an etched aerial set. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 On 06/11/2022 at 09:50, PeterB said: That reminds me - I do have one fan in an old Aeroclub Fw 190 prop set. I've got this set. I think the second fan is in the Italeri Ju188 box. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 5 hours ago, dogsbody said: I've got this set. I think the second fan is in the Italeri Ju188 box. Chris Looks like the one I have too Chris. Steve. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 Does the Airwaves set have two 12-blade cooling fans or is the other one a 14-blader? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 9 hours ago, vppelt68 said: Does the Airwaves set have two 12-blade cooling fans or is the other one a 14-blader? Both are 12-bladers. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 20 hours ago, dogsbody said: I've got this set. I think the second fan is in the Italeri Ju188 box. 20 hours ago, dogsbody said: That set is certainly a possibility - am am currently waiting for Hannants to get something else in stock, and if that happens before I finish the kit I might get one. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 14, 2022 Author Share Posted November 14, 2022 Time to make a start. Here are the sprues (less the clear ones). I have decided to go with the E1 version, but unlike the Ju 88 I do not have much in the way of literature - the 188 has always seemed something of a "forgotten" plane. The cockpit was similar to most German bombers of the era with all 4 crew sitting close together in the nose and I have managed to find a few interior photos, so I will try and improve the kit slightly, but more on that next time. Once again I have been struck by just how small the 88/188 was, although in this case the extended wings do make it look a bit bigger. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 14, 2022 Author Share Posted November 14, 2022 And here is the interior in place for what it is worth. I have added a rear bulkhead with some "radio boxes". As with other aircraft with fully glazed noses like the late He 111 and Do 217 there is no room for a normal IP so a small one hangs down from the canopy it seems and the rest of the instruments were on side consoles which I am probably not going to bother with as there will be very limited room inside when the fuselage is buttoned up. Pete 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 14, 2022 Share Posted November 14, 2022 Disregard the radar to the right of the instrument panel and you see the small panel of the pilot. I'm not sure if the Ju 188 had the IP inside the top canopy. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 15, 2022 Author Share Posted November 15, 2022 (edited) Thanks Chris - yes I have seen a similar pic and the IP is like the one in the kit which they show glued to the upper canopy so it hangs down. I will have to see how that works out! Pete Edited November 15, 2022 by PeterB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr91 Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 Sorry I'm late to this. Hope you don't mind if I follow progress. I have the same kit in my stash that I'm just getting back into after umpty years out! I also have the Matchbox version as well. But my skills are so rusty I'm just hacking a mule or several before I try anything as ambitious as this. Good luck with it. Cheers, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 1 hour ago, Zephyr91 said: Sorry I'm late to this. Hope you don't mind if I follow progress. I have the same kit in my stash that I'm just getting back into after umpty years out! I also have the Matchbox version as well. But my skills are so rusty I'm just hacking a mule or several before I try anything as ambitious as this. Good luck with it. Cheers, Rob My Matchbox kit has been used as my paint mule. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr91 Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 Now that's an idea ..........🤔. But for now I'll watch quietly from the back. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 16, 2022 Author Share Posted November 16, 2022 (edited) The fit of the fuselage halves was a bit vague, perhaps not helped by the fact that there were I believe only 3 small locating pins provided, so with hindsight I might have done better to fit some small card tabs behind the cockpit. Anyway, after a bit of scraping and filling it may not be too bad. The fit of the wings and horizontal tail was much better and hardly needed any filler at all. I had to cut notches in the wing locating tabs to clear the bulkhead that I had added but that was easy enough. Although it goes against my normal building rules it looks like I will have to add the undercarriage next as it has to be fitted before the nacelles are added - don't remember coming across this technique before but I see in one of the other builds that Hasegawa have done the same on their C-6 - more on that next time. Pete Edited November 16, 2022 by PeterB 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted November 16, 2022 Share Posted November 16, 2022 Nice progress Pete, you really are motoring along with this one. 🇺🇦 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 16, 2022 Author Share Posted November 16, 2022 (edited) 2 hours ago, modelling minion said: Nice progress Pete, you really are motoring along with this one. 🇺🇦 Hi Chris, So far it has proved to be a fairly simple build but I expect the engines/nacelles may prove a bit trickier. The area I am expecting trouble with is the glazing/guns. I do have a Falcon replacement canopy set so I am considering using part or all of that if I do not like the kit parts. The way Italeri mount the guns could be problematic as you have to clip them into a "cradle" and then glue that onto the glazing. Still that is probably no worse than the old Airfix trick of just sticking the guns directly on to the glazing which used to cause nasty smears of glue when I was a kid. I am never quite sure if the legs/wells/doors should be RLM 66 like the cockpit interior or were still RLM 02 at that stage. Pete Edited November 16, 2022 by PeterB 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now