Hard to believe, but i have built a German aircraft since my Do 24 back in June. So i guess its time to catch up a bit.
I have been waiting to do this build for around 20 years, and it is a tribute to both the man, Oberst Hans Ulrich Rudel, Germanys highest decorated serviceman in WW2,
and the machine, the Ju 87.
And there will be an Fw 190 thrown in for good measure.
My original plan all those years ago was to build 4 of Rudels aircraft in 1/72nd scale. But back in the mid/late 90's i wasn't online and finding info on some of Rudels aircraft, especially the early ones was not easy. Even now its tricky. But the time i was ready to begin, life took a change in direction and i stopped building for 5 years. Soon after i came back in 2008 i started adding 32nd German aircraft to the collection, and this son included 2 for this project. And since then, it has grown some more. So the original 4 kits has now grown into 8 kits, a bust and a 32nd figure.
Now i finaly have the space to display this, its finaly time to get it started.
So, because of that, i will be breaking the build into stages. Each stage will be broken up into 4 weeks building then onto somthing else then back for 4 weeks. And i'll take a break of a few months between each stage. So, i am expecting this to take between 18 to 24 months to complete. So i better get started.
Stage 1 will be the opriginal build of 4 kits in 72nd scale. There's 2 Fujimi kits, Rudel's Ju 87R-2 that he was flying in Sept 1941 in which he jointly bombed and sank the Soviet battleship Marat.
And his Ju 87D-5 from the summer of 43. This was pictured with Rudel at the controls, engine running and the rest of the unit lined up next to him ready for take off.
And 2 from Academy. Probably Rudels best known aircraf is the Ju 87G-2 he was flying in the winter of 44/45. I believe this is the aircraft he was flying in Feb 45 when he was injured in the right leg which was then amputated below the knee.
There is a pic of this aircraft with white winter camo and i will be partially applying that, i hope.
And finally, his Fw 190D-9.
These will all be built together.
Then, after a break, stage 2. This will be 2 1/32nd Hasegawa kits. The same 87G-2, this time without the winter camo.
And again, the 190D-9.
These wil be done one at a time, Kanonvogel first.
3rd and final stage is a bt of a mix. 2 More 87G-2's, Hasegawa's 48th kit, and yes, i did buy this myself.
And Eduard's 144 kit.
Mitches 1/9th bust. Fortunatly i got this notlong after it came out and they were still doing them with their awards.
And last but of course not least, a 1/32nd metal figure. This came with the first boxing's of the Hasegawa 32nd G-2. Unforunatly mine didn't, but a member here, dre, sent me this a few years back.
And there it is. Theres a few projects i have wanted to do since the 90's. This is definatly the biggest, and along with the DFS 230 i have already done, the most important.
I hope you will stick it out and pop in now and again. I will be starting tomorrow so hopfully will have an update next weekend. And if you have any ideas suggestions or any info on Rudels aircraft, please don't keep it to yourself.
Completed builds.
1/72nd (More pics page 4)
Ju 87R-2
Ju 87D-5
Ju 87G-2
Fw 190D-9
1/32nd
Ju 87G-2
Fw 190D-9
1/48th Ju 87G-2
1/9th Bust
1/32nd figure & dog with 144 Ju 87G-2
And the complete collection.
