Best Ju 87G in 1/72?

[Stressy]

Are the old Fujimi Stukas the ones to go for in 1/72 or is there now something better? 

Edited June 16 by Stressy
Clarification

[Troy Smith]

1 minute ago, Stressy said:

Are the old Fujimi Stukas the ones to go for in 1/72 or is there now something better? 

which would depend on which model you want, the, A, B1/B-2/R-2  or the D/G family.  

 

If you use the 3 dots top right you can edit your post and heading to "1/72 Stuka [version] best options"  which shows at a glance what you are asking.

 

There have been threads on here discussing 1/72nd Stuaks before as well.

 

HTH

[PatG]

Haven't built a Stuka in a long while but currently you are spoiled for options so depends which version you are thinking of.

 

If it's a B version then you have Airfix and Zvezda to consider along with Italeri as well so have a quick look on the Hannants web site.

 

Once you specify the version then I'm sure those who have built the appropriate kits will add more specifics.

 

Kind Regards

Pat.

 

Ps. you could simply re-title to something like 'Best Ju87 Stuka In 72nd Scale?' and add the sub-type after the 87

[GrzeM]

The Fujimi Stuka is excellent in shapes and exterior, but has almost no interior. 

[dalea]

If we are talking about the B/R all previous posts apply. If we are talking about the D/G all the Fujimi ones are too long as discussed here in an earlier thread

[KRK4m]

I can't tell you much about A/B/C/R, because the last time I had contact with them was a good 40 years ago. But when it comes to D/G, there are two good tools on the market - Fujimi and Academy. Basically, they only differ in that one is consistent with the drawings from those (roughly 50%) sources, according to which the Ju-87D is 11.50m long, and the other with the half, where it is 11.05m.

And for 20 years, nobody has had the time to go to Hendon (where the only preserved specimen stands) and measure how much it really should be.

Cheers

Michael

[Rob de Bie]

On 6/14/2025 at 4:49 PM, Stressy said:

Are the old Fujimi Stukas the ones to go for in 1/72 or is there now something better? 

 

Here's the Fujimi D straight from the box, build report here: https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/stuka.htm As others mentioned in this thread, there are some doubts about the nose length - I still don't know whether it's correct.

 

 

Rob

[Stuart Wilson]

The Fujimi kit lacks the circular transparent direction finding thingy behind the cockpit. I don't know if this was installed on all D/G series aircraft. The Academy kit has this feature. I think the Academy nose might be the right length but it's a while since I looked and as has been pointed out, no-one has measured the one remaining aircraft. 

As far as the B/R versions go, you can't go too wrong with the more recent Airfix offering. If they did a D/G I'd be minded to trust them on the length as they tend to do their research on actual examples but Airfix have only ever done the B/R series (admittedly 6 times in 3 different scales).

 

Edited June 16 by Stuart Wilson

[AdrianH]

There's an antenna hanging down below the cockpit, angled slightly back.  It can be seen in this photo of 6G+AT:

 

 

 

This is also one of the aircraft depicted in Airfix kit A03087.  The kit lacks that antenna, and as far as I can tell by looking at the instructions for the newer but almost identical A03087A, so does that version.  (The StG 51 emblem also seems to be wrong; the decal has a yellow background, but other sources show it with a light blue background.)

 

Those issues aside, again looking at instruction sheets on Scalemates, the Airfix one does seem to have the best interior detail.  And, although the instructions don't mention them, the kit includes optinal parts for the sirens on the legs.

[Wm Blecky]

4 hours ago, Stuart Wilson said:

The Fujimi kit lacks the circular transparent direction finding thingy behind the cockpit. I don't know if this was installed on all D/G series aircraft. The Academy kit has this feature. I think the Academy nose might be the right length but it's a while since I looked and as has been pointed out, no-one has measured the one remaining aircraft. 

As far as the B/R versions go, you can't go too wrong with the more recent Airfix offering. If they did a D/G I'd be minded to trust them on the length as they tend to do their research on actual examples but Airfix have only ever done the B/R series (admittedly 6 times in 3 different scales).

 

Quickboost makes it in 1/72.  Interestingly, I thought it was for the later variants and not the B/R.  Go figure.

[AdrianH]

1 hour ago, AdrianH said:

There's an antenna hanging down below the cockpit, angled slightly back.  It can be seen in this photo of 6G+AT

... which is perhaps of general interest, but I missed the important letter in the thread title - oops!

 

Currently on offer are some Ju 87G's from Hobby 2000 which are apparently the Fujimi kit with new decals.  Scalemates don't show the full instruction sheet for these, just the new painting and decal guides, but they do show full instructions for a 1986 Fujimi kit:

https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/4/0/3/122403-95-instructions.pdf

 

Here's the Academy 2023 kit:

https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/6/6/3/1560663-38-instructions.pdf

 

And here's the Italeri one:

https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/8/3/8/1463838-11-instructions.pdf

 

The Fujimi kit seems to be the only one with any sort of detail on the cockpit inside wall.  The Italeri kit appears to have undercarriage legs with no spats on the wheels.

 

And here's a build thread on an Academy Ju 8G by @Cromm Cruac:

 

 

[Mattlow]

If you're wanting a D/G, I would go with the special Hobby kit. This is the Academy plastic + a whole new sprue for SH with all manner of upgraded parts - spatted, half spatted and no spatted u/c; interior, bomb racks, bombs,etc. I think a previous thread seemed to give Academy the edge in the 'nose length debate' as well.

 

Different boxings utilise the base Academy G-1 (short wing) or G-2 (long wing) to give D-3 and D-5. D-5 night attack version has resin exhaust tubes and all boxings come with PE and excellent decals...

 

To my mind it's a no-brainer at around £20. Also, with the different spats, you can upgrade a couple more Academy kits with those parts - for example a nice cheap G-1 or 2...

 

Matt

[Troy Smith]

On 14/06/2025 at 23:54, KRK4m said:

 

 

On 14/06/2025 at 23:54, KRK4m said:

But when it comes to D/G, there are two good tools on the market - Fujimi and Academy. Basically, they only differ in that one is consistent with the drawings from those (roughly 50%) sources, according to which the Ju-87D is 11.50m long, and the other with the half, where it is 11.05m.

Which kit is which length?

 

Regarding length, the Classic Publications Ju 87 book had this from the Ju-87D manual 

 

Length is 11000 mm, 

 

HTH 

 

[tempestfan]

30 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

 

Which kit is which length?

 

Regarding length, the Classic Publications Ju 87 book had this from the Ju-87D manual 

 

Length is 11000 mm, 

 

HTH 

 

...approximately, as indicated by the double wavy line. But that would make the 11050mm more likely than half a metre off.

[Graham Boak]

This has been fairly exhaustively argued several times in just the sites I visit.  I cannot see where in the D nose there can be an extra half meter.  It's the same basic airframe and the same basic engine.  There is a small increase due to the pointy nose of the D. 

 

The Academy kit is approx. 11m in scale, the Fujimi kit 11.5.m.  I believe you will also find that the Italeri, Revell and Frog (and Matchbox?) share the same overlong nose, but I don't have any of them to hand.

[Stuart Wilson]

On 6/16/2025 at 3:55 PM, Wm Blecky said:

Quickboost makes it in 1/72.  Interestingly, I thought it was for the later variants and not the B/R.  Go figure.

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I meant the Fujimi D/G lack the circular antenna. I don't believe it was fitted in the B/R. Never say never of course and it may have been introduced separately to the introduction of the D model and there could have been crossovers.  

[Wm Blecky]

On 6/16/2025 at 11:54 AM, Mattlow said:

If you're wanting a D/G, I would go with the special Hobby kit. This is the Academy plastic + a whole new sprue for SH with all manner of upgraded parts - spatted, half spatted and no spatted u/c; interior, bomb racks, bombs,etc. I think a previous thread seemed to give Academy the edge in the 'nose length debate' as well.

 

Different boxings utilise the base Academy G-1 (short wing) or G-2 (long wing) to give D-3 and D-5. D-5 night attack version has resin exhaust tubes and all boxings come with PE and excellent decals...

 

To my mind it's a no-brainer at around £20. Also, with the different spats, you can upgrade a couple more Academy kits with those parts - for example a nice cheap G-1 or 2...

 

Matt

I've never been quite sold on the Academy kit.  It's very nice looking, but something about the fuselage that bothers me.  Not a scientific basis, but, nonetheless.  Italeri's kit is nice, the nose is a little shorter than the Fujimi one and the fuselage is a bit more narrow.  With a little work, the Italeri nose can be altered to fit the Fujimi kit, which might address the length issue.

 

That having been said, I have picked up the Special Hobby release which utilizes the Academy kit as a basis for their offering.  Their extra sprue of parts is very nice and coincidentally works well with the Fujimi kit.  Problem is that it is a pricey proposition if one wants to use that sprue for multiple Fujimi kits in their collection! 

Edited June 18 by Wm Blecky
typo

[Rob de Bie]

On 6/16/2025 at 7:42 PM, Troy Smith said:

Which kit is which length?

Regarding length, the Classic Publications Ju 87 book had this from the Ju-87D manual 

Length is 11000 mm,

 

I just measured my Fujimi D, and it's 155.5 mm, translating to 11.2 meters. If 11.0 meters is correct, the model is around 3 mm too long.

Rob

[Graham Boak]

Where is this? If it is all in the nose it will look wrong.  If spread over the whole model it will look fine, just be a little over scale.  About 2%, which is about the limit I'd say was acceptable if undesirable.

 

This is generic to all long D kits.  Cutting off the nose and using the Academy one will only work well if the error is only in the nose.  It would presumably improve matters a little.

 

For the truly finicky, remember that the longer spinner of the D will mean that it was somewhat longer overall than the B.  Just not that much in 1/72.

[Giorgio N]

18 hours ago, Wm Blecky said:

I've never been quite sold on the Academy kit.  It's very nice looking, but something about the fuselage that bothers me.  Not a scientific basis, but, nonetheless.  Italeri's kit is nice, the nose is a little shorter than the Fujimi one and the fuselage is a bit more narrow.  With a little work, the Italeri nose can be altered to fit the Fujimi kit, which might address the length issue.

 

That having been said, I have picked up the Special Hobby release which utilizes the Academy kit as a basis for their offering.  Their extra sprue of parts is very nice and coincidentally works well with the Fujimi kit.  Problem is that it is a pricey proposition if one wants to use that sprue for multiple Fujimi kits in their collection! 

 

MN Modelar in the Czech Republic is currently selling the D5 night attack box for €10, IMHO a great price for such a package. Don't know if they would post to Canada though and even if they did it would probably be expensive

[tempestfan]

11 hours ago, Rob de Bie said:

 

I just measured my Fujimi D, and it's 155.5 mm, translating to 11.2 meters. If 11.0 meters is correct, the model is around 3 mm too long.

Rob

If the actual length is 11.05, it’s only 2.1 mm.

[Graham Boak]

Same comment as above, it depends upon the location of the fault and the treatment of the model.

[tempestfan]

On 6/15/2025 at 12:54 AM, KRK4m said:

And for 20 years, nobody has had the time to go to Hendon (where the only preserved specimen stands) and measure how much it really should be.

 

That would only help us out our misery if we can be sure it is original in the relevant parts - I seem to recall there was something wrong with one of the ProModeller kits based on a Hendon original (110 or 410), lower engine nacelles and/or spinner, because the relevant parts had to be re-manufactured (at St Athans, I think) without reliable documentation.

 

For what it's worth, I used the lunch break to go to the loft. Nowarra's Deutsche Luftrüstung has a measured drawing of the B quoting precisely 11000mm - it looks like from a Typenblatt, but may be just as well by Heumann from one of the earlier Kens/Nowarra books. The data appendix, however, quotes 11100 for the B and 11130 for the D. An example for why it has moved to the loft 🙂

 

I may have posted this in the earlier thread - the Aeromodeller drawing as reprinted in Aircraft Archive Bombers measures 15.1cm over the top view, which equates to 10.87m (assuming it is presented in the correct scale), while the accompanying data block states 11.50...I'd actually expect the drawings had been measured from the G either at Hendon or St Athans.

[Graham Boak]

It was the Bf.110 cowling.

[Wm Blecky]

3 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

 

MN Modelar in the Czech Republic is currently selling the D5 night attack box for €10, IMHO a great price for such a package. Don't know if they would post to Canada though and even if they did it would probably be expensive

Thank you Giorgio, unfortunately, it doesn't look like they ship to Canada