Airfix 1/72nd Ju 87B-2 Completed

Thanks mate. Its a first for me on a Stuka. Have not fited it yet, so will see how it goes in.

Hmmm;

 For 1/72 this kit is indeed unusual. I will be following this.

I built this one a couple years ago.  Loved it.  I'm certain you'll enjoy it too. 

Thanks guys. I am enjoying, well, its a Stuka, what not to enjoy. Chad, how did you find the cockpit fit. I got it in but was really tight and i could not remove it to get a beter fit so ha to clamp it.

Same. Very tight tolerances!

Thanks, at least i know it wasn't me. Usually i might wounder if the PE is getting in the way, but i knew it wasn't the case this time.

The wings and engine are now all on and its going together pretty well.

Time for another update. I got the cockpit fitted which go in from underneath. It was a very tight fit and i had hope to dry fit. But i couldn't remove it for risk of breaking somthing so i ended up clamping it in place as it could have done with some sanding down. One very nice touch on this kit is the addition of the pilots target viewing window. Its attache to a box structure which i had not seen before. I can find any pic of a B pit where you can see it. But i did find an image in a new book i recently got which show in from a training manuel. What is mssing is the external cover to the window which always seems to be closed when on the ground. Fortunatly the Eduard set has that part.

The recess around the centre bomb carrier was fille. Not perfect as there are a couple of small openings. But once the bomb is attached this should not be noticed.

And then all the final touches to get it ready for priming. The instructions only have you fit the siren mount but the kit does include the sirens. The only image of the aircraft i am doing is a profile in an Osprey book which only shows the mounts. But as i have no photo of it and there is no saying the sirens were not fitted and later removed. As i have no Stuka with the siren, i felt it was well over due. So i fitted it. I also added wing guns and pitot from Quickboost.

Now its all together, i can see that IMHO, this is the best 72nd Ju 87B. Clearly the detail is far better than the 30+ year old Fujimi kit. Other than sliding in the pit, the fit is very nice, just a touch of filler along the wing join with the fuselage. The addition on the window under the fuselage is a nice touch. There are just a few small things which stop this kit being perfect. A cover for the window and a larger Trop filter would be great additions. Its also missing the IFF antenna from under the fuselage. oddly Eduard does not include it even though they do on the set for the Fujimi kit and hopefully i have a spare Fujimi one in the spares box.

The one thing i really don't like is how Airfix mold the open canopy with the pilots section molded onto the fixed centre piece. Will have a pic of that next time.

Been a few weeks but here is an update on the Stuka. Got it all painte with Xtracolor getting pretty use to doing this scheme now.

Then decals. Stencils and crosses are from the kit. Codes and swastika's from the decal stash and the unit badge i printed myself. I like that Airfix included decals for the dive brakes.

I have started the weathering so should have this wrapped up soon.

I do love a nice yellow tipped Stuka.  Looks like you can see the finish line from here Bish.

That's looking like a bigger scale to me. That's a really impressive amount of detail in 1/72.

I've always thought that the splinter schemes were very attractive and you've not disappointed in that area, Bish.

I love that big, yellow nose. I think I need one too lol.

Thanks guys. I do like the yellow nose markings on German aircraft and this is my second stuka in a row with yellow nose and tail. But i will have a change omn the next one and do a desert scheme.

Looks great Martin!! If there's a Stuka build goin' on and it's in 1/72nd I can usually expect your name to be tied to it. lol. Lookin' forward to the finish.

Thanks Joe. One of these guys i am going to pull out the big boy Stuka.

Got the Stuka done a couple of weeks ago but just got round to getting the final pics today. Got it weathered with Flory washes and some staining and after that it was just a case of adding the final parts. So here she is ready to go on the base.

And then here is the end result. Simple dio with a couple of altered figures from Airfix. Also made a starting handle.

This aircraft was based in Greece in May 41 and i believe took part in Operation Mercury, the assault on Crete.

Overall, a nice kit. Detail kis deffinetly far better than the Fujimi kit and the fit is nice. A few let downs, a couple of which are minor and easy to fix, open area around the centre bomb crale and lack of cover for the pilts target viewing window. But the one piece open canopy just does work on this. It was fine for the Gladiator but not on a Stuka. And a Stuka canopy is not easy to cut open if the sliding pilots section is molded with the fixed centre section. And the lack of a Trop filter was a big let down.

But its a Stuka so i love it.

Great Stuka Bish.  I really don't know what they were thinking with their canopy designs but you've sure made a nice looking bird!

Thanks Chad.