Ju 87 Stuka GB

Indeed, it is important to get the balance right. You want to enhance the model, not detract from it. Most of mine have between 3 and 5 figures and one, at a push 2 vehicles. But it also depends on the size of the aircraft. For my He 111Z I added 2 vehicles and 9 figures. But the size of the aircraft and the scene I was depicting justified that.

There are a few 'rules' to building dio's that someone came up with. The 3 main ones are not to have lots of empty space, this is when viewing from the front rather than above. Balance but not symmetry. And the last one is nothing should be parallel to the base. Now I don't 100% agree with the last one, I have done this in the past and it works. But since I started doing dio's at an angle, they do look better.

I always have an image in my head and that's the main thing I work off. They are not often exactly how I pictured it because sometimes its not practical, but it is nice seeing that idea coming to life in front of you.

Bish

The key is in the planning. The best built model in the world can be ruined by a poorly thought out scene. I always draw out my dio's as a rough sketch to give me an idea of base size, orientation of the primary subject and placement of everything else. But as I go from 2D to 3D it evolves along the way.

I plan on doing my 32nd aircraft on a simple base, but I couldn't imagine doing a 72nd aircraft or 35th armour build that isn't in a dio.

The key is in the planning. The best built model in the world can be ruined by a poorly thought out scene. I always draw out my dio's as a rough sketch to give me an idea of base size, orientation of the primary subject and placement of everything else. But as I go from 2D to 3D it evolves along the way.

I plan on doing my 32nd aircraft on a simple base, but I couldn't imagine doing a 72nd aircraft or 35th armour build that isn't in a dio.

Bish

I'm looking forward to seeing it. have you ever done a dio before.

I'm looking forward to seeing it. have you ever done a dio before.

Bish

Sounds good. One thing I like about 72nd is the wide range of ground equipment for doing dio's which seem limited in the larger scales. So will be nice to see a big scale aircraft dio.

Sounds good. One thing I like about 72nd is the wide range of ground equipment for doing dio's which seem limited in the larger scales. So will be nice to see a big scale aircraft dio.

Bish

O, nice. What sort of scene are you planning.

O, nice. What sort of scene are you planning.

Nice handiwork there, Thunderbolt!

I have decided to do my build as part of a diorama. Something I've never done before. There, I said it. Now I've really done it!

That's some Stuka production line you got going there, nice work.

Mike you are quick!

Very nice built. I think you might live with the gap, since the cowling is all yellow. I also like your landing light.

I just messed up mine and will have to fix it somehow.

Thunderbolt379

I'm not a fan of the engineering here, it's wobbly and imprecise

Man do you ever have that right Mike! I spent a LOOOONG time on the engine cowling area lining all the parts up and sanding away some ridiculous seam lines caused by all the imperfections.

 Great progress on this thing! She's looking good

Nice to see her on her legs Mike.

Thanks Bish, Clemens and Greg! Okay, progress since last night -- I filed the mating surfaces and mounted the tailplanes. Here she is with them in place and the wing tape removed, but the brace struts are not glued in, they just helped set the angle:

Then I mounted the prop back plate to the engine -- I'm not a fan of the engineering here, it's wobbly and imprecise and obliges you to fit the prop before overall painting, never a good arrangement. As it happens, the lock part that fixes the prop stub inside the cowling fused solid to the interior so the prop won't turn anyway. In the next shot the landing gear has been filed and press-fitted. The tailgear has been masked and painted, but is not yet installed:

My next challenge is the fitting of the engine; the upper and lower parts on the fuselage are a close, tight fit, but the sidewalls in between have about a .010" gap. I could fill it with strip styrene, the question is, should I bother, or live with the gap?

Also done today, the exhaust bays were masked, and the exhausts themselves undercoated in tire black, which will be a good base for the rusty steel effect later.

Target for tomorrow -- finish improving the propeller blades, install the flap actuators under the wing, assemble the bombs -- possibly get to the canopy and/or spray the spinner cone RLM 24.

Cheers, M/TB379

Scott, I think I see that panel you are referring to. Don't let it keep you up fussing, mate!

Mike, I really like that landing light and thanks for the IP pics how you did it.

Teddz: Your Stuka looks really good! I nice, clean build!

Mike: You're making really fast progress! And it's looking most excellent too! I love the cockpit work and that scratchbuilt landing light!

Zvezda: Looking good there! Nice idea with the 2-tone pre-shading!

Scott: Now that's one big a** Stuka you got there! Looking very nice!

Tom: It's great to see someone else using that Aires cockpit! My set has been lying in my AM stash for quite a while now, but didn't have proper saws to cut all those casting blocks off the parts.

Well, I got all the tools i need today so I'm good to go! Should be able to start cutting resin this Saturday!

That coming along really nicely Mike, great work.

Thanks, Nathan! Well, final assembly is underway. I painted the vision "chute" under the cockpit 65 as it'll be nigh impossible to mask the clear window later. The wing is installed and drying overnight, using the tape tensioning method to pinch the root joints tight. Tail surfaces are underway, there's a lick of filler needed around the end caps, then they can mount, using the braces to fix the angle, then the braces will come off and be reinstalled after painting to ease masking.

At this pace, I'm hoping to be painting in a few days.

M/TB379

Nice fabricating Mike. I like your attention to details.

Hi guys, progress today has seen the landing light fabricated. Here's the assembly with the light lens added (it's made from a dome-ended piece of sprue, cut off flush to create a hemisphere, and everything filed down to fit):

The bay was painted RLM 02, the light chrome silver and finished with a drop of Future, not that it shows here:

Thanks to my sister for the macro close-ups!

Now, attach the transparency, and press on with construction.

M/TB379

mikeymize

Scott, I was wondering the color used on the prop. It looks like something other than flat black. Almost a greenish hue. Either way it looks great as do all the other bits. Great job!

Mikey.. for the prop blade color I used Model Master Acrylic #4780   Schwarzgrun (Black Green) RLM 70   I have read that is the color of choice by Luftwaffe modelers to do the props in.

Greg...if you take a look at the latest pic I posted, you will see the window panel just aft of the gunner area 2/3rd up the fuselage. I know the panel is access to the First Aid kit but I though it was metal, Airfix is depicting it as glass.

Zvezda1980

Bish, yet, despite all  those difficulties, the Germans managed to construct, set up and fully equip/supply the southern airfield at Molaoi before the start of the attack. Me-109's and Ju-87's operated from there hammering Crete. Testimonies reveal that the airfield was a hive of activity during the battle.

The photos below are from that airfield during the battle (mostly Me-109's shown). In the first picture one can spot a Stuka taking off.

I remember that, according to his own book,  H.U Rudel was also assigned to Molaoi for the battle, at the beginning of his combat career.

These are some nice ideas for dioramas by the way, with Stukas and Me-109's and maybe a captured British vehicle carrying bombs and fuel...

Molaoi would have defiantly been an option. In my last post, I was mainly referring to the island airfield just off Crete, I can't recall its name now. No doubt the Germans were moving lots of supplies forward throughout the invasion of Greece and the Germans had a god 3 weeks to build up supplies prior to Mercury. I like your idea for a dio, I imagine there would have been plenty of captured equipment to use.

Scott, I was wondering the color used on the prop. It looks like something other than flat black. Almost a greenish hue. Either way it looks great as do all the other bits. Great job!

That's a cool idea for a landing light. I added one as well. I just couldn't stand a lens over an empty hole.

Not a lot of action on the Stuka today, I filed back the landing light bay and plated it with .010" plasticard, that was it... Landing light to fabricate tomorrow, then add the clear part. (Apologies, not a great photo.)

M/TB379

Bish, yet, despite all  those difficulties, the Germans managed to construct, set up and fully equip/supply the southern airfield at Molaoi before the start of the attack. Me-109's and Ju-87's operated from there hammering Crete. Testimonies reveal that the airfield was a hive of activity during the battle.

The photos below are from that airfield during the battle (mostly Me-109's shown). In the first picture one can spot a Stuka taking off.

I remember that, according to his own book,  H.U Rudel was also assigned to Molaoi for the battle, at the beginning of his combat career.

These are some nice ideas for dioramas by the way, with Stukas and Me-109's and maybe a captured British vehicle carrying bombs and fuel...

Scott, those reference pics are AWESOME! Thanks, Man! Wow, those Luftwaffe pilots didn't have much foot room. Lots of junk to maneuver past just to get the toesies in the stirrups.

The rudders are further aft (or nearer to directly under the IP face) than I would have thought possible. But the pics don't lie. I also notice the rudders are spaced quite a bit more apart than my kit pedals. I had suspected that.

That's the best pic of the floor window I've seen. My Eduard PE assy sits too high, and I had suspected that too. Hmmm, do I have it in me to carve a hole in the floor of my otherwise complete cockpit? Thinking not at the moment. :)

Wish could help you with the LH fuselage window. Not quite sure what you are referring to.

Thanks again!

Bish, thanks for your input. It isn't depicted at all on my stock Italeri. I had to do some digging to figure out what the PE part was depicting. At least I learned something. :)

Now that is one sweet looking Stuka Shooter, she is coming along wonderfully.

Greg, on most kits I have seen, the window is replicated by engrave lines usually just being the engine cowling.