I am just about to start my stuka and have taken an executive decision just to build OOB. The only thing I will be purchasing is Eduards canopy mask set and more than likely an AM decal set as I am not happy with Trumpeter's offering as they are more or less D3 variant markings, especially for the upper wing. There are also airbrake decals missing and possible colour problems with some.
The reason I am just doing and OOB build is that later this year Airfix is releasing their new 1/24 Typhoon 1b bubbletop. I saw this at Telford last year and immediately tried to pre-order with the airfix chaps, but only got a smile and a "Wait until June 2014!"
The Airfix website has the official price of this big and detailed kit for £99.99. Expect it to "fly" off the shelves. Do I hear the rumblings of a large scale Typohoon group build around the membership??
Also ZM in Japan will be releasing the Horton 229 and Dornier 335 (single and twin seats) later this year
www.zoukeimura.co.jp/.../oyajiblog_050.html
check out the ZM boss' blog for detailed pics.
Now you can see why I want to save up as much coin as I can.
For those who don't have Trumpeter's 1/32 Stukas I can say that it does have faults.
1. The nose section to me doesn't exactly look right. It sort of looks right, but something niggles at me. Also you spend lots of time building up the Jumo engine and then the complete left and right cowling encloses it completely so you can't see it at all. Experienced builders with the skill can correct this, but it is, IMHO, an oversight.
2. The ordnance for this variant (B2 is completely wrong apart from 2 SC50 bombs. The ordnance in the kit is for the D3 onwards variant. I suppose this means that in the future we will get more stukas from Trumpeter and I do hope they correct the nose.
3. The wheel spats are just slightly out of shape for a B2, but it is barely noticeable. The wheel spats are correct for the D3 onwards, which also points to later variants on the horizon.
I did get this just after Trumpeter released this and it has been sat in the stash. I did read somewhere that Trumpeter has corrected the ordnance part of the kit to fit the B2.
There are 3 boxing's of this kit in the Trumpeter range. The B2, B2/U4 which had the undercarriage replaced by skis by frontline units for winter requirements and the R variant which was a B2 with extended wingtips and long range tanks mainly used for anti-shipping in the med theatre
you can see the sprues etc on trumpeter's website here
www.trumpeter-china.com/.../2103.html
I will build this kit as a BoB aircraft. Exterior colours, RLM70/71 upper surface, RLM65 lower. Also this is the first kit on which I will start to use an airbrush!
Expect an update soon
James