Reich Defenders IV Group Build: Strike From Above

Hi guys, I've been moving the Stuka along. She's unmasked, I touched up the underside where some overspray had settled along the edge of the leading edge masking, then satin-coated, laid on the panel wash and sealed it with another coat. At this time she's ready for the decals and I might even get to them tonight. I'm going with the kit sheet, which looks okay at this point.

Then I'll seal the decals and it's onto final assembly (landing gear, canon gondolas, radio mast, probes) and paint the small details (exhausts, the flexible area on the spats, running lights, tailwheel etc.). Dust work, exhaust stains, unmask the canopy and prop, install an antenna wire, and she's probably done...

M/TB379

Looking good Mike. That splinter scheme can be a pain to mask but the results can be well worth it.

I'm using Tamiya acrylic thinner X-20A at a ratio of 25% -- and I've found that a few drops of plain water added to the mix acts as a smoothing agent too...

Cheers, M/TB379

Nice Job Mike. Looking forward to the masking coming off. What do you thin the MM Acrylic with?

Okay, I have FINALLY got the RLM 70 onto the Stuka! The MM Acryl went on beautifully, a couple of misty-thin coats that laid down very nicely indeed, and I'll let them cure overnight before I start stripping the masking and doing touch-ups. Then it's on to the finishing stages...

M/B379

Shes looking good Mike. I know what you mean about the masking. The Stuka I did this year was my first time masking for this scheme. I have now gone from that to an He 111Z I am masking tomorrow.

Hi guys, it's been quiet on the reich Defenders front lately. there's a few months left before the close, hopefully we'll see some more work on this GB! To contribute to that -- I finally managed to get some work done on Rudel's Stuka. This is my first time masking all-over splinter camo, and it's taken quite a while:

I need to mask the canon gondolas for their RLM 70 panels, then I can let fly with the new Acryl jar that arrived for me and see what kind of finish we get. If it looks good, I'll be on the run into the finish...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Thunderbolt379

There's plenty of time in this GB, I might even add a Fw 190 F-8 before the end, rocket-armed in North Africa or Italy... or a D-9 armed with bombs, again in Rudel's markings...

...or this D-9 yellow 2:

Hi guys, yes it has been quiet on the Schlachtflieger front...! re my Stuka, I just got word the paints had been delivered, I'll be picking them up in a few days. To recap, the RLM 71 is the MM Acryl version and I have never seen paint go on better, so I opted to order the 70 and 76 in the same range rather than use Tamiya as I knew the application and finish would be different -- it's an experiment, but I have high hopes the other shades will go on as well as the 71.

There's plenty of time in this GB, I might even add a Fw 190 F-8 before the end, rocket-armed in North Africa or Italy... or a D-9 armed with bombs, again in Rudel's markings...

Hope you can get back to your builds in due course, gents!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Oops, sorry gents. I forgot I'm in this GB... I wondered why i had that Thunderbolt lying around on my bench already. Well, I think it's time to continue working on it. Give me a few weeks and she's ready for some paint (I don't have much modelling time ATM)

Has gone a bit quiet in here. Ye Mike, hows that Stuka coming long.

Man I really lost touch here, specially with my summer being so busy. Sanderson If its not too late I have some 1/48 -88 plans I could scan for you.

Mike- Did you ever finish the Stuka.

Right now unfortunately I can't honestly say when I'd start my D-5. Might be around X Mas.

Hey Guys,

I'm making some progress on my 88 this week.  I've been steadily working away on the wings, landing gear, and gun pod.  I also decided to give it a shot and rivet the model as well.  I'm sticking to riveting aroung panel lines as I don't have any plans showing any great rivet detail.  I don't know how much of this will be visible after a few coats of paint, but figured that I'd give it a go.  I haven't taken any new photos, but will take some once I'm ready to put the wings on and before the primer coat.  

Steve

Your Stuka looks really good, Mike! Makes me want to work on my Jug a bit more...

GRIN -- thanks, Bish. Honestly, considering the paintwork, I pulled Hasegawa's 1:48 Ju 87 B-2 off the shelf for a look -- it's the RG release with markings for Greece, '41, and it would be in 65/70/71. I find myself thinking what a larger Stuka might be like to work on! I'll reserve judgement till the other paints arrive and I can do some more experimental spraying, but that was the friendliest application I've just about ever known -- so thin, it laid down without hesitation and dried in warm, moving air in not much more than a minute...

M/TB379

MMMMM, nice. I'm getting that warm fuzzy Stuka feeling. And that paint does look like it has gone on really nice.

Hi guys, I've been getting paint on the Stuka this past week, working back to back with an F-16 I started for the Vipers GB waaay back. I like this production line approach, it really moves them along.

I've spent a fair bit of time on masking, and at this point I have the prop painted and masked, the RLM 76 on, and I just did the RLM 71 topside green, with 70 to go. I have to say I have never seen paint go on better -- this was MM Acryl thinned with Tamiya chemistry, and it went on like silk, thin enough to see the preshading comfortably (you can in RL, it doesn't seem to show in the photo). I was so impressed I ordered 70 right away, because the way the Tamiya version behaves is pretty bad -- it goes on in discrete wet blobs as if the surface is repelling the paint, then evens out as it dries, but the thought of applying that over this smooth job is unappealing enough to convince me to lash out for the Acryl. I'm not sure how soon it'll arrive, but there's no mad rush at this point.

Here she is:

There'll be a 76 touchup on the underside in one spot, but overall I think I've been pretty accurate with the masking. If the 70 goes on as smoothly as this, it'll be a dream!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Looking forward to seeing the great man's bird with some colour on it.

Making some progress on Rudel's bird now, I've been painting over the last two afternoons. RLM 66 onto the canopy struts and used the same grey to preshade the underside, then NATO black to preshade the top, followed by Acryl RLM 04 for the theatre band and underwing tips. Tamiya RLM 70 for the prop and wheel spats, followed by Micro Satin for protection, then the prop was masked and assembled, and the spinner cone given two coats of Tamiya flat white. She looks like a real shaggy dog at the moment, and the next challenge will be the spiralschnauze -- I'll try a masking job, but if it just won't have it then I'll ignore it and finally get to the camo... Pics before too much longer.

M/TB379

Great work on the 88. That's one version I would like in 72nd.

Mike, thanks for adding that, good choice.

Thanks for the nice comments guys!  

ShattenSpartan - I think this kit is pretty nice so far.  I've gotten the cockpit together and both engine pods.  So far fit has been good.  The seats all have visible sink marks so I made some cushions from milliput to hide them.  

The fuselage is split into a nose section and the main fuselage body - from the wing leading edge backwards.  I think the fit here will be OK but will take some care to get everything lined up.  I've read that the engine pods to the wing fit is not the best, but I haven't gotten there yet.  I'm building this mostly OOB, with the exception of Eduard seat belts and True Details wheels.  I would recommend this kit!

Steve

Bish -- your 262 is now on p1. I picked up that kit from Squadron over ten years ago, it could have been the late '90s. The clear parts in mine have yellowed badly, so I'll need to do something clever in that department. A main canopy is no problem, but sourcing the nose section might be tough -- memory may be playing tricks but I think Squadron did a set for this kit way back. Sorry I'm out of touch with the GB -- did you use the kit parts or replacements?

Sanderson -- the 88 is looking great, this will be a very spectacular model!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Looking very nice, sanderson!

How is that kit? I'm thinking of getting one, because my LHS has everything on sale right now (they are moving to another location) All Aircraft are -10%, Dragon & AFV -20%, Tamiya & Trumpeter -10%. Some assorted kits are even 40% off...

Ohh, sweet cockpit Sanderson. I built the Dragon G-6 kit and it definately had its tough fitting points, but it really represents the -88 when all built up. Good luck.

Your doing a bang up job! I love the Ju88/188... one of my favorite kits!

Doug

Still getting the hang of adding images.  I had a few more that didn't make the last post - not sure why.  Let's try again

I finally have an update on my Ju-88.  Build tme has been limited but I've been slowly making progress.  I did have to order the seatbelts which slowed things down a bit as well.  Here are photos of the cockpit before I add the instrument panel and close it up.  I'm not thrilled with the join between the nose section and the body of the fuselage.  We'll see how the fit is once I'm ready to connect them. 

My Jug is almost ready for painting. I just have to figure out how to build the cowling with that resin engine in place...

Thanks Mike. have you had the kit long. As I mentioned before, I was unaware of its existence until I stumbled across it on e-bay in Jan. I also picked up the A-1/U3 recon version as well.

Overall a nice kit, just watch for that centre wing section.

Bish -- that's a gorgeous 262, funnily enough I was looking at the same kit in my stash a few hours ago. Ahem -- something must have slipped in my setting because I stopped getting updates on this thread, the first time that's ever happened. I thought the GB had withered on the vine because nobody was posting, and then with so much RL piling up it went to the back burner and... GRRRRRR, that's all I can say!

I'm glad to see it's still thriving and I'll be around from now on. I'll get that 262 onto the gallery asap -- probably tomorrow as it's Saturday night in Aus...

Cheers, Mike/TB379