Snaps 1/16 Full frame JU87 G Stuka Build

I'm back with issue 7

Here we go

The parts

This is the frame for the rudder bar and pedals. It is unclear at this stage if there are control cables or not. With this issue you have to put lots of small parts together.

The Build

Starting off with the parts for the basic frame. There is some bending to do.

Once all the bending and checking is done the parts look like this.

Cross members applied to the frame board

and then add the bar support

Idealy here I would slap on (er... paint) some RLM 66. But there are still some parts to go on here and they are in Issue 8. Next up are some small parts that once all together form a part that sits in the middle of the frame. The brass pole goes through it.

Part complete

part complete!

Issue 7 finished. Just needs issue 8 and then painting!

Issue 8 coming shortly
Comments, questions etc welcome

Wow great work on that PE...man I love/hate that stuff

That's some seriously-impressive work, my friend. I eagerly await your ongoing updates.

Greg

What an awesome thread, and thanks a ton to the OP for going through the trouble of photographing your build and letting us in on it.

If they would translate and sell this piecework kit in the US, I'd pay the likely $15 per issue equivalent price in a heartbeat.  I'm sure I'm not alone there.  Though they'd get even better sales if they did something a bit more popular, such as a 109/190, or any American or British fighter.

Thanks NervousEnergy.

I am posting my build like this because these partworks are more one-offs than regular kits and they are not available in the US. In fact I know of only one that has gone out as a full kit in a box and that is Amatis 1/200 Titanic.

It is a cracker of a kit. The original partwork had most of the detail work in printed colour card, but this has been replaced by proper etched brass detail parts and really make it stand out. It is a wood model kit with brass details etc. Well worth the money and build time if you are a modeler that tackles a range of subjects.

I thought I would show you guys how one of these partworks goes together. They are long term projects rather than a weekend or couple of weeks/months that a plastic kit normally takes but at the end you have a unique model to show.

It is a shame that the companies that publish these have not considered the American market. I am sure that they have their reasons and it could be the distribution factor that is part of it. I am sure that those following this would love to have a go at something like this.

Of course subject does have much to do with sales. Famous things sell better goes without saying as does content. I am sure that a 1/16 full frame P-51 would sell more than the Stuka, but then unusual subjects often have good sales too.

Consider this, this stuka JU87 G comes with a magazine that has the build instructions, articles on the development of the aircraft, famous aces, aircraft and other things. for me this is a leap of faith as most, if not all the aircraft is metal. Brass for the airframe, aluminium sheets for the skin There has been some wood turn up in this months delivery! I have no idea what the engine is made out of as that is some months away. It is all complete in 140 weeks. Work that into your calendar - Just under 3 years. It is not a build as much as a project.

Getting something like this is an undertaking. I personally like doing these because they challenge me, and I can learn a new skill - this build is brass and superglue!

If you really want to have a go search ebay.de in Germany for Hachette Stuka or Hachette JU87 or just Hachette. You will have to pay for shipping etc and you might not find all the numbers available.

This stuka is only available at the moment in Italy, German and Austria. I have a contact in Germany who is getting me the Stuka parts and shipping them to me on a monthly basis. In Germany they are about 75% through the build so I am getting 8 parts a month to catch up.

I am also arranging for another aircraft to come from Italy. This is the same kind of thing, full framework etc but is a 1/16 Japanese Zero. This is costing me more than the stuka and I will log the build on here the same as the Stuka.

Partworks are big sellers in Europe. Recent and current publications are

• Avro Lancaster - 1/32 scale with wooden framework, metal skin, engines and fully equipped interior.
• Bismarck - Wood, plastic and metal ship in 1/200 scale. (Hachette/Amati)
• HMS Hood - Same as Bismarck
• Tiger I - the famous Tank with full interior (sort of) 1/16 scale
• Flying Scotsman
• Aston Martin DB5 - the 007 motor with lots of features either 1/6 or 1/8 scale - I forget!
• McLaren Formula 1 MP23 in 1/8 scale
• HMS Victory
• Mitsubishi Zero 1/16 ful metal frame and skin
• JU87 Stuka 1/16 Full metal frame and Skin

The list goes on.

Now my stuka build has the added interest of learning a foreign language as will the Zero as the Stuka instructions are in German and the Zero will be in Italian. Therefore my build process goes like this

1. Look at the build pictures
2. Use Google translate to translate written instructions into pigeon English
3. Rewrite Pigeon English into useable instructions
4. Build part.

fancy having a go - you can sometimes find complete sets on Ebay Germany (ebay.de) or rustle enough up through different vendors to complete a set.

James

Issue 8

Hot on the heels of Issue 7 comes the Rudder pedals!

The Parts

The Build.

Lots of photos on this one because there's lots of parts! It maybe possible to mod this area later in the build to include wire to make the rudder move the pedals or the otherway round. or just maybe to put the wire in to add more detail. We shall see! If I have translated it correctly everything that goes on the rudder bar should move there is no glue involved.

So we start with the bar mounts Eight pieces that double up to make four mounts

To make sure that the mounts are in the holes properly I pushed through the bar and then set each mount vertically and let it dry. If I had looked ahead - I already had the part - I could have made the mounts more secure before adding the mout block to the base. My own fault!

Some more parts. I think that the rudder Control wires may attach to these... not sure though. Anyway, Four parts go together to make 2 parts.

Spacer Washers. Once again. 4 parts go into two parts!

Now we come to the rudder foot pedal control mounts. out of these parts comes the mounts.

Finished - ready for bending into shape

Here we are. Rudder footpedal mounts bent to shape along with the previous assemblies ready to go together.

Rudder pedal assembly nearly complete - there are still some parts to go on!

end mounts for the bar. Not sure what they are for yet, but they have to be bent.

Shown in place with correct bend.

now for the footpedals. There is a left and right.

Bent to shape.

Issue build finished. All parts in place. Just needs painting RLM 66

Snapxxx, this project is just mind-blowing.   You mentioned that soldering is out of your skillset- with this much brass involved it might behoove you to learn that skill as I'd hate to read 1 year down the line that the cockpit CA has started to come undone...

Hi there Dre. Nice to see you about the forum

All the framework and everything else so far has been locating pin through hole as well as Superglue. the pins go through and I grind them off flush. the grinding process also widens the pin as it flattens it and so fills the locating hole and locking the parts together as well.

I am spending alot of money (40 Euro for 8 issues) and the partwork is 140 issues long ( 700 Euro for the lot.) That is alot of money for me to start learning how to solder on this model and melt parts!

I'll stick with what works at the moment. LOL

I hope everyone is enjoying my build. I will answer any questions you have and comments are always welcome

James

Snapdragon: Pardon me for saying so; but sir, this may be the most impressive build I've ever seen.

What are your plans for the completed work? I think many of us have fancied our kits in proper displays at museums etc, but this is serious work.

I have not decided on how to display this as yet. There is a long way to go, also there are quite a few display options.

With this being a full frame and skin build I can go for broke and cover the entire aircraft, do a half frame half skin or just leave some of the skin panels off to show the frame and any parts underneath.

Eventually it will go into a case that will be custom built for it (a 1/16 JU87 Panzerjager is very large!).

I am also preparing to start a Mitsubishi Zero in the same style, but that will be November sometime before the parts start arriving. Once again the display options exist as above and a custom built case will be needed.

At the moment though I am just concentrating on building it.

James

No matter how you display it (skin on/off), make sure you keep the "photo diary" nearby showing the amount of work that was put into it. I've seen that at a lot of car shows recently, from people who have done big-time restorations.

That's a good idea. I had though about entering the model in a show in January near me, that is as far as I have got at that stage and include a printed copy of the build log.

I did enter the Revell 1/32 scale Arado 196 I did last Christmas/New Year but got nowhere, despite lots of people saying it looked fantastic. I found out that one of the judges wanted it thrown out of the competition as the exterior splinter pattern, lower surface and yellow ID panels had been brush painted instead of masked and airbrushed. How silly can you get!

If you all think that the build up to date has been good, Issues 9 to 16 are now with me and next up is the pilots seat and mount - YOu are going to be suprised and shocked at what it is going to take to put together.

It will take a few days before I am ready to start building as I have lots of translating to do first. all the pilots seat, seat belts and mount is etched brass and. Some parts of the base mount are MDF as is the headrest and the back cushion. I am just thinking how to paint the head rest and back cushion to give it a textured leather type look.

Any advice on this is welcome

James

snapdragonxxx

...Some parts of the base mount are MDF as is the headrest and the back cushion. I am just thinking how to paint the head rest and back cushion to give it a textured leather type look.

Any advice on this is welcome

James

At the size you are working at, would you be able to use real leather? A scrap from a leather repair shop, an old watch strap etc?? (Maybe a piece out of the wife's purse... )

You are using CA glue for all of this right? Is there going to be an issue with the weight of the final assembly snapping pieces out? Maybe some of the larger pieces should be spot-welded (nope, I don't know how either!!) to take the strain??

If details are so good in the rudder pedals i can't immagine how many pieces will come for the engine

They should market these kits in the US, if not the partworks aspect it.   I'd give it serious consideration to have this kind of kit to work on.

There is a notice on the German website page that says that you can put this together fine with just superglue, equally it is fine to solder the parts together.

It also says that you can hang it from the ceiling - but I don't think that is a good Idea. My heart is bad enough without a large Stuka crash landing on me in the middle of the night! The doctors say it can stop on its own - it doesn't need any help!

Most of the frame to date has been hole and locating pin. You glue it all together then grind down the locating pins further locking the parts together. So far it is very sturdy!

I had thought of painting the MDF back cushion and headrest with various shades of brown and red intermixes while still wet and dry brushed, but I think wrapping both headrest and back cushion in a textured paper and then painting it would be a good alternative. I think I have a couple of sheets somewhere round here.

I am sorry that you guys don't get these things over in the States. I am certain it is something to do with distribution and litigation (people over there tend to sue first if they don't get exactly what it says. Sometimes with these models, changes are made during the publication)

For those who would like to have a go

http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=Hachette+Stuka&_sacat=See-All-Categories

I am sure that if you contact the sellers they would happily ship to the states. At the moment it is still being sold in Germany and the full thing is 140 issues. I think thay are around issue 87 at the moment.

For those who are wondering get your tape measures out.

• Length 71cm
• Wingspan 93cm
• Height 24cm

The link below takes you to a german modelling website where the builder is soldering his stuka and is well ahead of me. They have had this out for over a year and I am just starting!

http://www.der-lustige-modellbauer.com/t5257-stuka-87-hachette

It will cost you to have a go at something like this as you will have to buy the parts through Ebay and have them shipped.

Be Warned

You cannot jump about in these builds because you do not know what is coming

You may not be able to get replacement issues. Certainly not from the publisher as you are not in the right country!

You might get replacement issues from Ebay - but you might have to make the parts yourself.

Before you start ANYTHING translate everything (this is in German) then dry fit everything at least five times so you do understand how it goes together. This is a good thing to do as it gives you a chance to see that it does fit properly.

NEVER RUSH - Walk away from it - Have a cuppa/beer/sherry/whiskey/moonshine. It will still be there gloating at you!

Consult on here or go to the forum below. Nice friendly bunch with lots of experience on these things - You'll also find me roaming around there too!

http://www.partworkmodels.co.uk/phpBB3/index.php

These partworks are an excersise in patience and skill development as well as learning. With this stuka you are not simply gluing two fuselage halves together with the cockpit between them you are building the actual airframe as it was built in the factory assembly line. In other words you are buillding a smaller version of the real thing. You are working at component level here, and in brass, aluminuim another materials.

At the end you have a fantastic looking scale model with detail on it that you would not normally consider doing - and you learn something too!

My advice for those thinking about it..... click on the ebay link and get buying this is an experience that you should NOT miss. It is not for the fainthearted though. experience with a dremel, cut off and grinding wheels is an advantage as is lots of needle files and those headpieces with magnifying lenses.

James

snapdragonxxx

...

Most of the frame to date has been hole and locating pin. You glue it all together then grind down the locating pins further locking the parts together. So far it is very sturdy!

...

ahhhhh - the locating pins. Everything else looks so well planned out I suppose the pins/holes are placed well for strength as well.

                      May I say fantastic build!! Being somewhat a skeptic on the longevity of cyan-acrylate bonders ,and the amount of time and money invested I would have leaned toward soldering,but that is just me.I check your progress on this wonderful project often as I'm sure many do.Good luck and hapy building.

                                                             Greg"Detailfreak"Rowley

Thanks for your support Greg - I shall always wear it!

I have now got issues 9 to 16 and am beginning the translation process of issue 9 - The start of the pilots seat.

Issues 9 to 16 build up the pilots seat, seat belts, rear gunners seat and add extra detail to the existing frames and spars amongst other things.

Thanks to all those silent watchers. Please post on the thread and tell me your thoughs on this build. It helps me to keep posting as it tells me that there are lots of interested members here. you never know, advertising your interest may provide a spark for these partworks to start appearing in the USA and other places.

Coming soon to this thread, part 9 - start of the pilots seat.

James

I am finding this to be an interesting project.  A Stuka wouldn't be my first choice of plane to do in such a style and scale though.  I think I would much prefer a Hurricane or Spitfire, but I like British aircraft, so I am biased.

Thanks for posting hobbes.

Being biased is one thing, but take things into account. Building the actual framework of an aircraft is a learning experience. You learn how the real thing was built because you are building a smaller version. Also you should not be biased enough to be able to open yourself up to new possibilities and opportunities.

There are lots of models of spits and hurris out there and they are always a popular build because they are famous and well known aircraft, so for a partwork a publisher has to either come up with a partwork of a spitfire that offers something that no other model has done and is a special one off, or put out a one off model of an unusual subject. Also they have to consider what will sell in a particular country or groups of countries so they can recoup the money from development AND make a tidy profit.

I am in England and this particular partwork is not available here and the publishing company, despite having offices here in the UK and in Germany where this partwork is currently available the German office said no to me subscribing. Fortunatly I was able to find someone who is very kindly getting the partwork for me and shipping it over on a monthly basis.

because of the subject (JU 87-G Stuka) it may not be published in the UK as the UK offices of the publishing company may think that it will not sell well here and therefore will not make a profit.

I personally don't think that is right as I believe that we, as modellers, should have the opportunity to build something like this. Also it is a very detailed and technical build which sparks my interest as a modeller. The opportunity to learn new skills and build in a different media (brass and aluminium to start with) and rise to a challenge should be in every modellers minds and skill set.

Yes, it's a hobby and I am no anorack but I like being challenged to improve myself and learn something new. This is also a one off and to me, despite the subject, is going to end up a stunning display item.

I have never worked with etched brass on this scale before. I have been limited to tiny etched brass detail sets for various model kits so the chance to learn how to work with this on a large scale will in turn help me to work with the small detail sets better.

I also may learn how to solder too, which is another skill to add. Using superglue (cyanowhateveritis) is also a skill unto itself. learning how to control the stuff so it doesn't spoil what you are doing is part of the skill set. I have already improved my skill set with superglue by learning how to mix gel superglue and thick superglue so that I can accurately put it on parts and it won't run all over the place but is still easily spread. I have taken out shares in cocktail sticks and toothpics as I will probably get through half a forest of the things by the time this build is finished.

Never restrict yourself by a bias in a hobby. You loose out on so much - besides there are only so many models out there of a subject!

I am glad that you are finding this an interesting project keep looking in and I hope that your appetite may be whetted for something.... unusual.

James

Issue 9 build

This issue we start the pilots seat. We start- but not finish! this issue we put together the actual seat and then start putting on the detail.

The Parts

Not all of these will be used this issue. What isn't used look like buckles for the harness straps!

First up we put the basic seat together. This is all in one but we have to create a smooth curve when bending into shape. You can see that where the bends are there are multiple lines. This is to help creat the smooth curve.

Once the bends are done using a small drill to bend around then I secured the seat back to the sides with superglue. Now we start adding the detail. First we add some edgings to the left and right seat sides

Next we add some bracings on the seat bottom. This is for adding the seat mounts. The instructions state that you have to make sure that the square holes match up.

Now we add the shoulder harness bracing point and bend the actual attachment away from the seat back.

Next we add some loops. No idea what they are for yet!

Next we close the tabs around the loops. I am not sure if the tabs on the seat side/back is ment to be rounded or square. It was easier to bend the tabs into a square.

Next we add the attachment points dor the lap belt harness

Attaching was not easy and I used a bit of glue to help. Once done the belt attachment loop does move as I ground down the pin to make a rivet that holds it in place and lets them move

Attaching the headrest back plate

Issue 9 complete. A couple of pics to show the finished issue. The seat is not finished by a long chalk!

Once again. Comments and questions appreciated and answered!

Issue 10 coming soon.

amazing kit! Your work is top notch, keep at it.

Here are a couple of pics of locating pins and their job.

As every one lnopws in plastic models locating pins are used to align fuselages, wing halves etc. This model is slightly different. The locating pins and holes do the same job but also have the job of prociding strength to the structure too.

Here you see that there are three pins through three holes. The pins are not only guiding the parts together but providing a locking mechanism as well as the glue.

Once ground down so they are flush to the surface the pin spreads out and fills the hole during the process and acts like a flush rivet. When painted over there is nothing to see, but the joint is sturdy and rigid. Just some paint repatching needed here that is all!

I'm going over to Belgium in a few weeks to see a girl, and I'm making a stop in Frankfurt for 2 days to visit family. If there's a hobby shop near the train station or somewhere within easy access, I'll be happy to get some and bring back to the states and ship it to whomever. If someone wants to do the research of where to get them in Frankfurt, I'll be happy to do it.

  Holy cow! way too complex for me. I'll stick with plastic. Good luck with this anyway, you've certainly got more patience and talent than me!

7474

I'm going over to Belgium in a few weeks to see a girl, and I'm making a stop in Frankfurt for 2 days to visit family. If there's a hobby shop near the train station or somewhere within easy access, I'll be happy to get some and bring back to the states and ship it to whomever. If someone wants to do the research of where to get them in Frankfurt, I'll be happy to do it.

This is not a complete kit in a box.

This is a partwork. you get a part every week from newsagents you WILL NOT find this in a model shop. This particular one is published currently in Germany, Austria and Italy. Hachette Partworks are the publishers and you get a magazine and parts in a bag on a weekly basis.

The complete set is 140 issues at 7.95 Euro an issue.

In other words, 140 weeks (2 years 6 months approx) and will cost a total of 1113 Euro.

Also I think that the minimum weight of the complete thing is over 10kg.

James

mikeymize

  Holy cow! way too complex for me. I'll stick with plastic. Good luck with this anyway, you've certainly got more patience and talent than me!

Hi there

If you can build a plastic model then you can build this. You have the necessary basic skills already - you just improve on them!

James, now that you're getting into some small detail work, I can see why you've chosen CA over soldering; I can't see a better option for the small stuff. 

Are you tracking the hours on this? 

Tracking hours?

It's a hobby! why would I waste my time doing that??? LOL

I never do anything like that. THe important thing is to get it right. Never mind the time!

James