Charles L. Lipkin
Naperville, Illinois
I built this Ju-87B-2 Stuka model from the 1/72 scale Italeri kit No. 079. It was built straight out of the box except for the addition of a radio antenna wire made from 0.004" diameter smoke colored "invisible" nylon quilting thread.
After priming it with Testors Model Master Enamel Light Ghost Gray (FS36375) overall (the undersides color), I started the North African Campaign camouflage scheme by airbrushing the upper surfaces Testors Model Master Acrylic Dark Tan (FS30219). I lightened the tan with 15% Flat White and airbrushed the horizontal upper surfaces with that to show fading.
The instructions call out for European Green (FS34092) for the mottles, but I thought that the slightly less blue Testors Model Master Acrylic Dark Green (FS34079) looked more realistic. I thinned the dark green as for airbrushing and applied them by randomly dabbing the surface with a 1/8" stencilling brush.
I finished the painting by misting a coat of the lightened dark tan thinned 1:10 with Aztek Universal Acrylic Thinner on all the mottled surfaces.
The kit decals were applied over a couple of coats of Pledge Floor Gloss (PFG). This European made kit didn't include or even mention swastikas, so I found some for the tail on Tally Ho! Decals sheet (No. S-72-017). After sealing the decals with another light coat of PFG I emphasized the panel lines and weathered the finish with an application of thinned Burnt Umber oil paint. An airbrushed coat of Testors Dullcote Lacquer #1160 overall completed the finish.