Reich Defenders IV Group Build: Strike From Above

Hi Bish -- most generous! If Academy have fined down the sprue gates, perhaps by using higher pressure moulding, they might have avoided the problem. Will PM you!

I assembled the fuselage, wing and engine cowling yesterday, and am hoping to have main structure done today...

Cheers, MIke/TB379

Hi all,

Progress today, the Stuka is pretty much along to her punctuation point. The subassemblies have been brought together -- first, the cockpit mated into the fuselage (note the tape belts):

Then the subassemblies: engine cowling, fuselage and wing ready to come together:

The seams on each subassembly were dressed before they were brought together:

At this point all that remains are a couple of spots where the wing to fuselage joint could do with attention, these being at the fore and aft corners -- the fit of the rest of the parts I can only call superb, other than the tailplanes which could have done with a positive locator for the lower end of the struts to lock the angle. The three radiators were prepainted and masked, and the base of the spinner has been added, as required, but the rest left off as yet, to possibly facilitate a separate application of the spiralschnauz decal.

I'm now waiting on the Eduard mask set and RLM paints to arrive at my LHS, which could be any time in the next couple of weeks, at which time I can resume this bird. The cockpit is very sparse but this kit builds sweetly, and a closed canopy should be forgiving.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Looking nice Mike. Just a note on the cannon mounts. The Academy kit has three on the front mount and two on the back. With mine, i painted the aircraft and then added the guns at the end. If you doing this, it might be worth filling the holes for the cannon. I can't be sure the mounts on the Academy kit with line up with the mounting holes on the Fujimi.

On the piece behind the pilots seat, is there anything to go on there. If not, i'll send you the radio's that should go on there. Other than those, the Fujimi pit looks about the same as the Academy, but having the radio's will certainly help fill that out. It should fit in there with the fuselage closed up.

Hi Bish -- radio boxes! Great, yes please! The Fujimi has nothing in the rear section but the seat, it's a grey pit indeed... No worries re the guns, that's a good approach. I notice the real aircraft seems to have the gondolas standing clear of the wings on shackles of some sort, but at this scale that might be asking a lot, so superglue will probably be doing be honours...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

No worries. From the looks of it, the Fujimi guns just have two pins, one at each end, to fit the gun.s The Academy kit has the proper mounts and it very well detailed. In fact its just as good as the resin guns i replaced it with. The only differnace is that the resin ones come with the body inside the covers and these covers can be posed open which was ideal for my dio. If it hadn't been for this, i wouldn't have bothered replaceing them.

Seems I'm a little behind on getting started, but on the plus side I have my kit on the way in the mail, along with the photo etch.  I should imagine I will starting into it some time march or may (as every other month I have to pack up and go to work).

That's fine, Andrew, it's a long build and we've only just started, I imagine folks will be spotting it and coming aboard long after that point!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Hey Mike, I'm one of those who can't start for a few months, but I'm pretty sure you can put me down for Italeri's 1/48 D-5 Stuka...we'll see about resin and pe later on...just masks and resin exhausts for now.

Nathan -- terrific, p1 updated!

Mike/TB379

Nathan, looking forward to your Stuka. I'm sure you will do this great bird the justice it deserves. You any idea which markings you will use.

Either Hungarian markings or a Stuka with the RLM 79 sand brown squiggles over the splinter. I'd love to do an Italian bird but I cannot confirm the existance of a D-5 in Italian markings, or any in service at all with the ANR. But I can find some for the short wing D-3s, and of course, B-2s.

I found a review on that kit with pictures of the marking option. The one with the brown squiggles does look nice. I haven't seen any Italian D-5's either.

Hi, I would like to participate in this build. I have a 1/72 Me BF110 C-4. It is an Airfix kit. I have already started on it only to the extent of painting the cockpit. No other assembly has been done. I have not made a final determination as to what pilot or group it will depict.  I will using the Eduard mask for the canopy and the Eduard interior PE kit. I will use outside decals but as yet have not decided on which one. If this is acceptable. Please let me know. Also, do you want to see in photos the construction during the build and at what stage you want the photos depicting. This is my first group build so forgive my ignorance of  procedures.

Also, could someone direct me to the how to upload photos. I have tried the search function but either I am asking the wrong questions or something. Do you have to have a photobucket type account or can you upload directly from your computer?

Thanks Doug

Hi Rhino Fixer -- the Bf 110 was a Zerstorer, a bomber interceptor and heavy fighter, and the C-4 variant was a beefed up armour variant. The theme of the GB is ground attack, so were the C-4s used for light tactical bombing late in the war? If so, then your project is in!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

I can't imagine any bf110c's were in use after D-day. We'd like to have you in the group build, do you have any other kits that fit?

I sadly won't be participating, but will happily be lurking.

I checked further my books and your quite right. The cutoff time was around the end of 43 for most units that were in the eastern front for this version and I can't find a reference for anything after D-day at least for the model I have. So I shall  do a little more research and find something that meets the time frame of after D-day. I missed that little important detail. My bad. Let me look around the local hobby shop or squadron.com to find something and I'll do a little better research next time before announcing the kit. Have plenty of time but will get back to you in a day or so.

Thanks Doug

No worries, Doug, glad to have you join the squadron! Looking forward to whatever you come up with!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Oh yeah Mike, could you direct me to where it explains how to post photos, I have searched and can't find the procedure. whether it has to be photobucket type place or can upload from home.

Thanks

Doug

Doug, welcome to the GB. To upload photo's you have to use the 'Use rich formatting' link. Along the bottom row, in the middle, is an insdert image link. You have to use a hosting site such as photobucket.

Thanks, Bish -- Yes, Doug, basically what Bish said, the forum does no hosting, you need to link to an outside server and something like Photobucket is perfect. Upload there and paste the link from PB into the dialog that opens when you click the image control in the rich formatting window.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Thanks for the info. Will set up one now.

Mike, you got any ideas for a badge yet.

Hi Bish, no particular ideas, just reviewing some Stuka and FW images looking for some designs that typify the ground attack role. I remember the cover of one of Leo Kessler's "SS Stuka" novels, something along those lines...

Cheers, MIke/TB379

maybe one of a Night Stuka or a Mistel, i think that would portray the desperate messures the Reich was takeing.

Unfortunately none of the Luftwaffe subjects in my stash fit the criteria.  Should I come across a late Stuka, 190 F-8, or even a Henshel 129 for a good price on ebay, I may reconsider.  This should be a great GB and I will follow the work.

Joe

Been wracking my brains to come up with a badge, anyone have any ideas. Going to build my Airfix 0/400 an dthen will be doing the Me 262.

Glad to have you aboard!

M/TB379

Hey Doug, good to see you in here! Just remember ground attack, or Schlatgroup a/c. (or any Luftwaffe a/c that carried a bomb, haha).