Ju 87 Stuka GB

Isn't it just. Its got a 4inch wingspan and is 3 inches long. I'll do a comparison when I take the next pics after the decals are done, but the whole wingspan is only just bigger than one wing of the A-2.

Now that's cute!  How about a comparison shot with the A2?  I'm not sure just how big this 144 scale bird is.

Gary

Heres a few pics of the painted 144 G-2 just before I started adding the decals.

 As you might notice, I have lost one of the support struts for the tail. These are PE parts and luckily they provide plenty of spares.

Ye, it does seem the further we have got from WW2, the more we know about it. You are doing a great job on it, for a kit from the 60's, its looking better than I do after all those years.

Nice idea on the IP, might have to try that.

Bish,

Yes, the wings make it a G-2, but there were some things on it (I detailed in an earlier post) that did not belong.  Not sure what research they did on this kit back in the 60s, but somehow they got their information mixed up.  Probably not hard to do back then, with no internet and few books on the subject.

Yes, I did resize an image for the IP.  PhotoShop is your friend. 

Gary

Well, looking at those wingtips gary, it seems to be a G-2 anyway. And if I remember right, the box art has the yellow V on the wing, so calling it a G-2 would seem more accurate. Did you just get the image for the IP off the net and adjust it to size.

Thanks guys, Yeah its unplesant and I thought I had it under control being it had been about 14 or 15 yrs since the last attack, But I kind of drifted away from the therapy that was recommended by the Doc. We here in the South (even tho I'm a transplant) suffer more from them due to the iced tea we drink (by the gallons) and the "greens" we consume, along with the dark cola type drinks according to the doctor. His recommended treatment was to drink a glass of lemonade now and then (a few times a week) which is I'm told a way to keep the crystals (saltz) in the body from being able to form stones while being filtered by the kidneys. It worked , but about a year or so ago I guess I kind of just quit drinking the lemonade. Big mistake, and I'll not make it again once this has passed. Thanks again my friends...Keep up the great work!

Doug

Doug> My sympathies!  Kidney stones are very serious, and very painful.  Hope you get over them soon.

Thanks to all for your comments on the Stuka.  It's a work in progress, and she'll be closer to a G2 model once I'm done.  Well, maybe I over-did the update a bit...

Mustang1989>  Hobby-Craft supplied a couple of seats and a control stick -- that's it.  It's the same interior as in the Monogram Stuka.  All the other stuff in there is scratch-built.  The IP is a printed image I glued on some plastic card.  There were not even any pilot figures.

Gary

Gary, that's some mighty fine work you have going on there. All the pics of what's going on are appreciated.

Doug, man I'm sorry to hear about that. I have a friend / ex-coworker going through that, unpleasant, yes. You take care!

Doug, thanks very much, its really appreciate.

That doesn't sound good. I understand its not a pleasant condition to have. You just take it easy and get yourself better. And you know where we are if the urge over takes you. I am going to get some pics of my 144 stuka in a bit, but I am still hoping I can squeeze in another 72nd later on.

Bish... My apologies... I think I missed your usual outstanding finish on the "A". Beutiful work and that includes the dio as well... I've only been able to pop in and out lately, my old nemesis (kidney stones) has reared its ugly head again after a good many years, and I've fallen behind on my posts.  Damed if I'm not getting the itch to do another Stuka though...(LOL) I'll have to check with you a bit later though on that. Again my brother, Great finish!

Doug

GAF... Very sharp looking! Nicely done.

Doug

Nice progress, Gary! I like how you reashped that spinner!

Gary, thank you. Its taken me a while, I have had some pretty poor dio's along the way, but I have been really pleased with how my dio's are progressing now, both aircraft and armour.

That pit is filled out really nice, good job on those radio's and nice work on the hub as well.

Wow! What an update! Looking good there GAF. I like the extra detail in the pit. Did Hobby Craft include all these goodies or did you scrounge them up?  Good work.

Time for another update.

First, thanks to everyone concerning your kind comments about the scratch-building on the cockpit.  It's not deserved, but thanks all the same! 

Joe (lawdog)> Once again your finish and techniques are second to none.  That's going to be one heck of a Stuka!

Bish> Great work on that A2 and the figures!  You just keep getting better and better at these dioramas.

mustang1989> I think I see you cut the grooves in the bomb attachments so the fins would fit.  Nice work!  And I wish I could find a cabinet like that!  Score!

Tom68>  Nice start on your first GB!  That Monogram Stuka really can be built into a nice kit.  Well done!

As for me, work continues on my Hobby-Gram Stuka.  Yes, just to correct a few of you, this is a Hobby-Craft Stuka, and not a Monogram.  They're the same kit, just a re-box apparently.

First, once the cockpit was complete, I decided to add the "peil direction finder" just behind it.  I used an x-acto knife and some round files to cut and file out a hole.  Then, cutting a round piece from some plastic card, I attached a piece of a round toothpick covered in metallic duct tape and painted it.  Not too bad.

I then glued in the cockpit tub, the IP and the front grill.  Finally got a shot of the rear gunner's station and the radios. 

There were some panels on the outside part of the wings that shouldn't be there so I filed them off, then glued the upper wings to the bottom half.  No problems there.

The propeller hub was a bit "blunt" on this model, so I applied some putty and filed and sanded her into a more correct and pointy shape.  Still working on that.

With everything in place, I tried some test fitting.  Really nice!  This is not glued together, only pressed together.  The fuselage is held together by the front grill, which fits like a glove.  There is a gap at the rear of the fuselage, but it presses together without a seam and once glued it will not need any filler.  The wings and rear horizontal stabilizer fit so well, I won't need putty for the joints, just on the bottom where there are gaps at front and back, but nothing serious.

And that's it for now.  I need to finish up the prop so I can install it and glue the fuselage halves together, then the wings and tail on.  Then I can put a clear plastic cover on the Peil unit and finish it for painting.

On a following note:  When I first started this kit, I had heard it was a poor kit, so bad one modeler threw it away.   I expected a nightmare, but so far I've been pleasantly surprised!  The fit on these parts is excellant, far better than some of the kits I've worked on recently.  I will say, that if I run across another of these Hobby-Craft Stuka G-1s at a flea market someone is selling for $5, I will not hesitate to snap it up.  It's just the old Monogram Stuka, and I don't consider it a bad kit (even though it's not quite to scale and is sparse on detail).  Just MHO.

Thanks for reading!

Gary

Bish, yes, you read my meaning perfectly regarding the Germans. I would have expected no choices in the field. Or anywhere.

Interesting about the field installation of sirens. Ta for the additional info.

Greg, the sirens were fitted in the field, it was just the mounts fitted at the factory.

This is how they arrived at the unit

It looks like this is one that has just been left, the cover looks as though its been painted yellow to match the nose. 

I know what you mean, when you think of the military, and especially Germany in WW2, you imagine everything follows strict guidelines. But the Germans seemed to be very relaxed about many things often leaving it upto the troops on the ground. A good example is German armour camo.

Bish

Greg, indeed that was the purpose of those sirens. But not all aircraft had them fitted. Some pilots didn't like them and it was left to personal preference as to whether they were carried.

Ahh, thanks Bish. I find it very interesting that the pilots had a choice regarding the sirens. I just wouldn't have expected that, and it surprises me. Cool!

Joe, great find, indeed re the cabinet. How deep is it? I ask because my 1/48th TBM barely fits in mine. These scale models take up more space than I'd ever imagined. My only surviving 1/32nd from decades ago is on display at my office. Never thought about having one at home. But one day......

Ooh, that one looks nice! Great find, buddy!

Picked this jewel up last night at an antique shop. It came with 4 or 5 glasss shelves and has a light in the top of it. Finally somewhere to put that 109 that'll be built in the semi near future along with all the other builds I have. That was close as I'll be out of room after this Stuka build! lol

and they did put up one helluva scream! I don't blame the pilots really. When a guy is tryin' to do concentrate and do his job, he can probably do it better without a naggin , whinin' screamer beside him. lol

Any color pics or references of it?

Greg, indeed that was the purpose of those sirens. But not all aircraft had them fitted. Some pilots didn't like them and it was left to personal preference as to whether they were carried.

mustang1989

Greg I can't wait to see your entry.

Judging by my track record so far in 2014, I wouldn't suggest holding your breath, good buddy.

Did I once read somewhere the reason some Luftwaffe a/c had sirens was to instill fear and panic, or am I dreaming? No idea re the color.

Thanks for the comments guys!! Greg I can't wait to see your entry.

I have one more question now. I'm getting to the point to where I'll be installing the siren on the port wheel spat. Anybody got any color references for that bad boy?

Thanks for the additional info, Bish. I was going to look later for accessories Won't now.

I'll figure out which way I'm going over the weekend. Maybe Clemens and I can start together. Hint, hint.....

Greg LOL... Yeah I made sure of that! LOL

Doug

Well I hope you don't leave it to long buddy. That big bird isn't going to be a quick build I should imagine. I am really looking forward to seeing that one.

Joe (Lawdog): You got some nice pre- and post shading going there! It's always a joy to watch you painting a model!

Joe (Mustang): Nice fix on the bomb racks! She's looking great!

Greg: I can't wait to see you building a Stuka, mate! I really want to start working on mine, but there's quite a ffew projects I have to finish first...

Your welcome Greg. It just so happened that that one came near the top of a goggle search.

And there's nothing in the way of aftermarket for this kit either. there is plenty for the Hasegawa kit and a few for the Italeri, but zilch for Airfix. If I was building the Airfix kit, I think I would probably add the Aires resin pit designed for the Hase kit. So that would be an option if you wanted to go that route. But if not, I am certain it will look just fine. I don't think Eagle is adding any extras, I am not sure what JW CDN has planned. Maybe you could bulk it out with a few scratchbuilt box's.