Revell/ICM JU 88 A4 East Front 1942 Winter camouflaged - FINISHED!!!! and in GALLERY

[nickhenfrey]

Fresh from battle with the Revell B-17f "Memphis Belle" I'm getting ready to build Revell's 1/48 JU 88 A4

 

Some time ago I bought Eagle Editions' decal sheet which includes F1+BR winter camouflaged marking set

 

One lesson I learned from the B-17 is an hour spent on the exterior is worth at least five on the interior, so I intend to work through the interior in a quality, but quick way, no scratch building and no AM

 

Then focus on the exterior

 

Obviously the winter camo is going to be interesting

 

I note the instructions say to paint RLM70/71 splinter pattern first, then go over roughly in white, then add decals

The picture they reference seems to support this:

 

 

In this build

 

 

@Kilroy1988 initially applies the white distemper over the green camo, then applies the decals, albeit he overspays some white over the decals afterward

 

@Spitfire31 comments that the white would have been applied around the markings, leaving exposed green camo around the markings

 

The Eagle Cals decal set has a drawing of how they see the plane, and the markings look clean, and there are no obvious gaps around them where the guys were avoiding overpainting them. There are gaps around the cockpit windows, they were obviously told to give the glass a wide berth

 

 

So, what's it to be?

 

Oh hang on, since writing that I've seen this:

 

https://akinteractive.forumotion.com/t1694-winter-white-wash-ju-88

 

Wow, what a stunner!

 

So looking carefully at Jamie's model we can see he believes they did paint round the lettering, but very carefully

 

I think I'm going to:

 

paint the green camo 
2 x Klear
Apply the decals
2 x Klear
Mask the lettering crosses
Spray very thin layer of thinned white, but try to avoid the markings
Attack it from the front to back with a toothbrush or 240 grit sandpaper or both
1 x Klear
Weathering, exhaust etc
Last Klear

Any thoughts? 

Edited November 15, 2022 by nickhenfrey
Got the plane code wrong

[vppelt68]

Welcome! Looks like another lovely and fascinating build on its way. The F1+BR looks very neat, and if modelled true to that picture, I can see no reasons why you couldn´t just paint it with greens and cover it with white, and then add the decals over it. Come to think of it, that lettering was probably black when over the RLM 70/71 green splinter, and as it now looks to be grey, it's probably repainted over the white, isn't it? Also, it looks in my eyes that the canopy framing is painted white unlike in the Eagle Cals drawing, and that the plane indeed has the early, unkinked rudder and doesn't appear to have the EZ-6 direction finder on top of the fuselage either. V-P

[nickhenfrey]

@vppelt68 - thanks, very interesting

 

This render

 

 

does indeed show white framing, but has black or very dark grey lettering

 

I think I'm going to with your suggestion, paint the white (over the green) first and decal afterward, it seems the Eagle Cals are meant to represent the lettering, and markings after the application of the white distemper. I do wonder what the green shape on the lower rudder is supposed to be, doesn't look like wear...

 

You're definitely right about the rudder (unlike the render above!), looks like both are supplied in the kit so all good there

 

EZ-6??? (Quick Google...) ah, the round DF thing on top, I assume I just fair the transparent piece in and paint it as normal?

 

Wait, that probably means I should remove a box from inside as well...

 

While I'm looking at the real plane pic can you see the rear fat yellow band at all? That the "F" is on (in the picture)? I can't. I can clearly see the thin band just behind the wing, perhaps they just distempered over the rear one? But not the thin one…

 

Oh, and what colour would we recommend for the white distemper? It's not pure white at all because the white letter "B" stands out quite clearly (anyone with a Tamiya mix gets a bonus - well a "Thanks"!)

 

Maybe if I thin down Tamiya white and spray real finely the green underneath will still provide the correct contrast to the white letter?

[Graham Boak]

I think this is a fine white overspray with the letters showing through.  The white letter stands out because this is a dense white.

 

Note that the straight rudder suggests that this is an A-5 not an A-4.  The two profile drawings differ in this respect, look underneath the engine cowling.  The two variants also differed in the arrangement of the radiators and hence the appearance viewed head-on. 

 

.

[vppelt68]

Graham, I won't disagree with you, as I have no knowledge of the white wash at all. On the other hand, both proflies do show the A-4 bulge beneath the cowling. Eagle Cals just shows it as an undefined blimp, but the defining line is drawn there anyway. It could still have been a late A-5 or an early A-4. V-P

[Graham Boak]

The Eagle Cals profile (the upper one) is just showing the gondola.  I can't say for sure about the rudder - I didn't think it was on any A-4 - and the rear guns could have been a modification.  It is the engines that really define the difference, shame they aren't visible on the photo.  I think it looks much more like a thin white paint overspray than a white distemper, but that is interpretation.

[nickhenfrey]

Thanks @Graham Boak, @vppelt68   initially I was disheartened that F1+BR might be an A-5 because I wanted to build the Revell A-4 model. I do have an ICM A-5 but I want that in BoB colours

 

So I decided to check what the sprues had, particularly if both straight and non-straight rudders and fins were included

 

For those that haven't seen the Revell A-4 boxing here are the sprues before opening - as many have commented - all crammed into the same bag including the transparencies:

 

 

 

 

The good news it looks like this Revell A-4 set of plastic is the same as the earlier ICM A-5  with the addition of a specific A-4 sprue. Indeed all the sprues are marked 48232 (the ICM A-5) except the additional sprue which is marked 48233 (the ICM A-4)

 

A-5 48232 sprue

 

 

 

A-4 48233 sprue

 

 

 

So with these two sprues it looks like it's possible to build any combination of A-4 and A-5 features, I see the A-5 even has a flat part for where the EZ-6 is on the A-4

 

You're right we can't see the engines, but we can see the props

 

I held up the props from the different sprues to the picture on screen, and I would say the picture has the much fatter A-4 props

 

 

 

So are we looking at a very early A-4 with only the new engines? Straight rudder and no EZ-6?

 

Can I assume that fatter props means the A-4 engines?

[vppelt68]

3 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

The Eagle Cals profile (the upper one) is just showing the gondola.

Graham, take yet one look at it. There is a double curve there, another nearly parallel line above the gondola bottom 🙂

[vppelt68]

Having all those optional parts for several variants, well...

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxWv_A9bTWtFsAEqBsBYjNZiggd2NIL0na

And those fat wooden VS-11 props indeed hint at an A-4

[Graham Boak]

I agree about the broad blade props, not about the line on the profile which is nothing like the oil cooler but more like part of the shadow effect.

[nickhenfrey]

Update 7/12

 

So I have been steadily building in the background, first the cockpit

 

Primer

 

 

Aluminium

 

 

(in this case) RLM 66

 

For the radios I painted the faces white before spraying the cabinets black, then scraped away to show the white for some of the dials

 

For wear I just lightly sanded the RLM 66 to reveal the aluminium underneath, same effect as dry brushing but I prefer the real wear look

 

 

 

 

It's a testament to ICM that this is all straight out of the box in the cockpit, I copied an Eduard harness set , printed it onto paper, and cut it out, I prefer the way paper folds irregularly, otherwise everything is painted:

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst waiting for bits to dry I started work on the gear and engines, mostly cleaning up, with some primer and some aluminium

 

 

 

Lots to do - but feel some progress has been made

[vppelt68]

Well done!

[nickhenfrey]

Update 31/12

 

Not had much time over the holiday period for building, so some slow progress:

 

Worked on the engines and gear, painted up the engines (little realizing the obvious - you don't actually see the engines themselves even with the cowlings open!)

 

Attached the pipework and bearers and all the other stuff to the firewall, then dirtied up a bit

 

 

 

 

 

They do look nice (though I say it myself) - I would be tempted to open one nacelle completely, but don't really have time

 

The one thing that will show is I hollowed the exhaust stubs with a scalpel, it's easier than it sounds, the plastic is moderately soft. They don't look too good in this pic, I think the flash has caught the detail inside - you don't see it in the real world

 

 

 

I painted the radiator faces in Alclad aluminium, then Tamiya black then roughed up the black to show the aly through - seems to look ok

 

 

 

Assembled the fuselage halves, filled a little, sanded and scribed, not too bad

 

Pre-shaded the fuselage and the unassembled wings, and all the other bits

 

 

 

 

 

Was going to paint the light blue underside next, but decided to do the major insignia first

 

Decided to have a try at painting the balkenkreuzen, not sure how this will work. I've done RAF roundels before using Montex masks, and the US star insignia with hand cut masks, this looks more difficult (although at least the colours are easy!)

 

After masking

 

 

 

After painting the white

 

 

 

Just waiting for that to cure before attempting the slivers of masking needed before spraying the black

 

Thanks for watching - more next week I hope!

[nickhenfrey]

Update 13/1

 

Well, finished the balkenkreuzen!

 

Fuselage looks good:

 

 

Alas, nowhere near where it should be…

 

 

…sigh….

 

So quick job to wipe off with IPA, re-pre-shade and go again

 

But after spraying white I check and still miles out

 

In fact it's not easy to know where they should be, this diagram says it is 2500mm from the front of the tailplane (where it joins fuselage?) to the centre of the cross. This is nowhere near any diagrams I've been through

 

 

I've decided to go with this picture as reference:

 

 

Measuring it up, and adjusting for scale it does seem that the centre of that cross is 2500mm from the front of the tailpane, I see no reason to suppose that F1 BR was any different so I'm going with that. It seems Eagle Cals are way out and the Revell diagram isn't right either

 

In new position, then painted and masked the yellow bands and a first pass of RLM 65 on the underside:

 

 

 

[PeterB]

According to documentation in Ullmann's book on camo and markings, official instructions in 1943/44 said that the cross should be centred half way between the trailing edge of the wing and the leading edge of the horizontal tail, and likewise on twin engined aircraft the cross under the wing should be halfway between the wingtip and the centreline of the engine. On the upper surface of the wing it should on theory be 2m from the wingtip but I am not sure how rigidly that was stuck to. Underwing positions on single engined aircraft were different, being half way between the wing tip and root measured on the centreline of the wing.

 

There were of course variations as seen on photos.

 

Pete

[nickhenfrey]

Thanks @PeterB that does seem to line up with the photos, and most diagrams (although still not Eagle Cals)....

 

...it looks like there is about 10cm from the rear of the wing to the front of the tail on the model, making 4.8m, and putting the centre 2.4m from the front of the tail. I have used 2.5m so am near the centre but about 10cm out on the real plane, about 2mm on the model. I think I'll live with that (also I've already put the rear yellow band about where I think the letters will go so I'd have to move that)

 

 

[nickhenfrey]

Update 19/1

 

Slow but steady progress

 

Masked the transparencies and sprayed RLM 66 (so the inside looks right) and then RLM 71

 

Painted the front by hand, and then cleaned up with cocktail stick

 

Sprayed the fuselage underside, under wings, nacelles  and under tail RLM 65 (using Tamiya XF-23:2 XF-2:1)

 

Masked this and roughly sprayed the fuselage, upper wings, nacelles, tail, fin, rudder RLM 71 (Tamiya XF-81)

 

Masked those and sprayed RLM 70 (Tamiya XF-27)

 

Worked on the cupola and its two transparencies

 

And then made up the big sub-assemblies

 

Fitted the engines, and radiator faces and glued up the nacelles

 

(spotted @Walter's note about nacelles shortly after!!!)

 

Glued in the under windows with Gold super glue (doesn't fog!)

 

Glued in the cockpit to the lower section, then glued that into the fuselage - I found this really difficult to get tight, I had no clamps the right shape and size, and tape never really seems to hold tight, but happy with the result

 

Glued the upper and lower ailerons, flaps, elevators, wings and tail planes

 

Test fitted a nacelle with the gear in place

 

@Walter is right - it's a hard fit, but I think by not gluing the gear in place, and a lot wiggling the nacelle will go onto the wing ok, I will probably glue the gear with something very slow just before fitting the nacelle so it does set in the right place

 

And here are the sub-assemblies:

 

Upper side

 

 

 

Under side

 

 

oops missed the flap and aileron underside, and the wing tip underside, but then another coat is always inevitable!

 

Engine in nacelle

 

(and I said you wouldn't see the engine!)

 

 

 

Cockpit in place

 

 

 

Next is to glue them all in place, remove all masking, spray Klear, apply the remaining decals, spray Klear and then ready for winter camo!!!!

[Walter]

Paintwork looks great a nice bit of interest in the variation. 

[nickhenfrey]

9 hours ago, Walter said:

Paintwork looks great a nice bit of interest in the variation. 

Walter - thanks! Any variation in the greens is probably accidental - although I did deliberately spray quite thinly

 

Of course the greens are mostly going to disappear under a very thin coat of white distemper, which I will attempt to mist on with heavily diluted Tamiya White acrylic, and I will use a brush around the markings to try and reproduce the brushes/brooms they would have used (I guess - or did they mask the insignia and use spray guns???)

 

Does anyone know if they masked or painted around all the stencil markings? I'm going to try and leave the stencils exposed

 

There's also the issue with the rear yellow band that appears to be distempered over in the picture of the real plane at the top, I'm going to mist some white over it, but not totally obliterate it (I hope!)

[stevesoutar]

4 hours ago, nickhenfrey said:

Walter - thanks! Any variation in the greens is probably accidental - although I did deliberately spray quite thinly

 

Of course the greens are mostly going to disappear under a very thin coat of white distemper, which I will attempt to mist on with heavily diluted Tamiya White acrylic, and I will use a brush around the markings to try and reproduce the brushes/brooms they would have used (I guess - or did they mask the insignia and use spray guns???)

 

Does anyone know if they masked or painted around all the stencil markings? I'm going to try and leave the stencils exposed

 

There's also the issue with the rear yellow band that appears to be distempered over in the picture of the real plane at the top, I'm going to mist some white over it, but not totally obliterate it (I hope!)

 

> Does anyone know if they masked or painted around all the stencil markings?

 

Hi Nick - I have quite a few photos of winter camo, and wellenmuster oversprays, where you can see the painter has just avoided the uint & national markings. And occasionally you see examples where they have wandered over part of a stencil by mistake

 

These examples show how they would work around the stencilled markings  - (but not always)

 

here - they just oversprayed the werke number, but tried to avoid the swastika

 

In general I am sure they painted around markings because they still need to be visible, but they weren't too fussy about going over the edges.

No one would respray the whole aircraft, then decide - oh yeah, lets repaint the national markings, and the aircraft serial, once our quick camo job had dried - humans  are lazy/

 

If you look at the photo above here the fine overspray has gone over the "9W", wiggled around avoiding the white cross and swastika, but the Yellow "B" has clearly been stencilled on top of the camo spray afterwards 

 

Below - big lines, avoiding the lettering & markings

 

 

And an He-111 with a hasty winter camo scheme - i hope this helps give you some pointers.

 

Imagine a tired, lazy guy, freezing cold, just wanting to finish the job with minimum fuss so he get back indoors quickly

 

[nickhenfrey]

@stevesoutar - many thanks for the pointers and photos!!

 

I'm aiming to more or less reproduce how they did it, using an airbrush for the big areas and a brush around the big insignia. Sounds like they would have just gone straight over the myriad small stencils though (I'll still put them on, but largely spray over them, just leaving the odd glimpse) 

 

Well that's the plan.. 

[nickhenfrey]

Update 31/1

 

Well, only 12 days to go - and I'm struggling to find time

 

So, gluing on the wings was a real pain, trying to clamp them in exactly the right place, with the correct pressures at all the points was impossible. I tried superglue, with no success, sheared off some of the locating guides, and ended with a real mess, or felt like it

 

Fortunately it wasn't really as bad as it seemed

 

I've attached the nacelles, but they are not glued in yet (I want to remove them before applying the white distemper)

 

I removed the masks over the balkenkreuzen and the rear yellow band, did a fair amount of touching up of the crosses and camo, and re-scribed the top hatches, which do seem to be a bit poorly defined, even before any sanding

 

I'm pretty happy the gondola will go on all right

 

So here we are, ready to Klear and decal before the white distemper:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for watching….

 

Oh, obviously I will need to attach the ailerons, flaps, fin/rudder and tail planes

 

I have the control column rotated over to the left (I saw it in a picture), that means the ailerons should be displaced too I guess, control to the left, right aileron down, left aileron up?

 

Oh, and flaps down or up - were they ever parked with them down?

 

Elevators slightly down, drooped?

[vppelt68]

Very nice progress! Regarding your questions, I'd refer to the picture in your opening post: Elevators slightly down, flaps up, looks good. V-P

[nickhenfrey]

Thanks v-p, all those control surfaces on now, wheels painted, pix and Klear tomorrow hopefully.... 

[nickhenfrey]

Update 1/2

 

11 days to go

 

Pix of the control surfaces attached and wheels (balanced) on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Klear later today…