Ju 87 Stuka GB

All kits have their quirks. Some have extensive work to pull a good build off, some have no detail, some are over engineered and some are perfect to build with good detail but have noticeable inaccuracies. Alot of folks can overlook any of these and some choose to punch through and fix the "quirks". Either way its all modeling my brutha!

James, great info. I have yet to build anything as large as that but personally I'll steer clear of that one. I understand that one can get AM stuff and/or fabricate as required but it truly bugs me when I spend what some models cost and have to fill gaps and realign things. I have neither the time nor inclination to scratch build that much when it's just the result of poor engineering. Sorry for going off on a rant but.........

Regarding all that AM stuff: That's exactly what I'm planning to do with my kit:

• Correction set for the nose and spats
• Eagle Cals decals for a B-2 in winter camo
• Eduard Brassin bombs
• Master gun barrels
• Some eduard PE bits that should be left over from the Big-Ed set I have for Hasegawa's G-2 (I have a resin cockpit for that one)

I got the kit at a local model show for 40€ instead of the 70-80€ retail price, so the correction set is affordable for the money I saved on the kit itself. That's actually the only reason I bought it. All the other stuff (except the bombs) is my usual treatment for 1/32 kits...

The entire of the exterior armaments sprue is incorrect apart from 2 SC50 bombs.

The rest of the exterior armament sprues are for the D onwards variant

Even the exterior mounts are for the D onwards variant.

The Machine guns in the wings are not complete with just muzzles in glue on ports (I will photograph those and post them tomorrow), with the breech in a compartment that fits in the wing.

I will admit that the canopy sections are crystal clear and you can see the entire cockpit with the canopy fully closed up.

Overall it is not a bad build at all, it just has more hiccups than I am used to from Trumpeter. Look at their stunning ME-262's!

I suppose that I have been spoiled with ZM's kits.

I will say though, for those who wish to get this kit and then spend money and throw all the AM parts from Eduard, get the nose and spat correction set, different decals. (looking at the National insignia they could be for a D variant) replace the wing MG's and do a little  mod on the wings where the barrel would go through etc, etc I would say that a stunning B2 Variant could be built, but with lots of stuff coming onto the market I want later this year I am unwilling to spend lots of money, so this will be just an OOB build.

James: You are doing a great job on your Stuka despite all the issues with the kit.

O, seems there more wrong with this than I had expected, getting pretty glad I haven't got this. O dear. But you are defiantly making nice progress, and I bet even with al the problems, its going to be a cracking build.

What the error in the armaments, is it the wing guns or rear gun.

I believe their 24th kit is a D, we shall wait with baited breath.

Here we go with an update.

I have progressed quickly. I want this build out of my way now. It seems to me that Trumpeter didn't do much research on this at all, and it probably reflects down the entire 1/32 stuka line that they will produce. I think they looked at other kits on the market and copied elements. I am not saying that this is a shoddy kit, far from it as some of the detail is very well done and crafted. I just think that this was a Friday afternoon project. Some of the fitting of the parts is not too well engineered compared to previous and recent offerings and I don't think that their top designers were on this project. I know that they have a 1/24 stuka due at some point, and I may get it but it depends on if they spend more time getting it correct. I will miss on the rest of the 1/32 stukas from Trumpeter.

The way they have designed the wings is really good and reflects on how the original aircrafts structure was in reguard to the sing shape but putting the elements together showed up gaps along the fitting joints that need thin styrene strips to fill in.

To give an overall impression of the size The paper sheets are A3.

The engine is only painted where it could be seen. as it is hidden behind the cowling I didn't see the point in spending time and paint on something that is not going to be seen. there are also fit issues with the cowling as well as the wings.

As I am on the verge of painting this I have decided not to get the airbrush out, but to just use my normal paint brushes. If I had to write a report for trumpeter on this I would point out the following

Incorrect armament for variant.

Incorrect cowling and fit issues

Incorrect wheel spats

Fit issues with wings

Incorrect fuselage bomb release

Incorrect upper wing national insignia decals

Incorrect lower wing national insignia decals and placement

Nicely detailed engine

Nicely detailed cockpit

nice undercarriage detailing (hidden inside spats)

Dive brakes too far out from wings (mounts should be not as deep)

Wing control attatchments too small (they don't fit into the holes for them)

Trumpeter - you can do much better than this - and you have done!!!

I am glad that I didn't buy any aftermarket parts for this, because to make it a good model you would have to spend at least 4 times what the kit costs!

James

Thanks Guys...So far not a bad kit, not sure who did this moulding for Monogram, but it looks and fits very well.

And Phil... Man, Those belts and harnesses... WOW!

Looking very nice indeed, Doug!

Doug, great start.

Phil, I understand very well what you mean re the harness. I did an etched harness for a big FW 190 and it was a job that nigh burned me out for a bit. Magnifying specs are an absolute necessity...

M/TB379

Dude that IP looks friggin' SWELL! Not that the rest doesn't but you sure know how to make an IP shine with detail!!!

Alright friends, I finally got some pictures uploaded... not alot done this weekend but atleast I got to start...

Heres the kit... mostly OOB with an Eduard cockpit PE kit.

I guess I just cant see well enough to do detail by myself and a brush anymore, LOL...

I still need to make a gun folcrum for the gunner, I hate it when the gun is left hanging in the window. A few left over parts and some plastistruct will do just fine.

Well thats about all for now... More I hope later this week.Take care all...

Doug 

I will defiantly not be put off Phil. I already have one set for a 190D. To be honest, I can't see the point of having them workable, its not as if they are going to be played with, not if anyone values there hands anyway.

Joe: That's some great looking stuff!

Phil: Those belts look fantastic!

Bish: I love HGW belts. They look very complex, but really aren't that hard to build. I have much less trouble assembling those tiny straps and buckles than trying to get PE belts to look acceptable. I can assemble one of their USAAF sets without using a magnifier in half the time it takes me to get one of Eduard's PE sets attached to a seat properly...

Its not hard to do and it you don't want it to work you should be able to finish one in an hour or so. Getting it to work takes longer but either way your need a good magnifier, good forceps and a steady hand

The other tip is trim more then they say otherwise the straps are hard to get through the buckles

Phil  

Bloody hell. I have one of those to order for my G, I hadn't realised it would be that much work.

Bish

Yep 28 I counted them after, if I'd done it before I wouldn't have started. I need to do the gunners seat next and that's weaved!!

Phil

Phil, hang on. Did you say 28. I know they look good, but Holy ....

Just to update everyone on my build I have been working on the cockpit in the last 10 days but this weekend had been taken up with the harness for the pilot by HGW Models

There are 28 pieces there and like HGW say its workable, but if anyone tries I will kill them!! I also think I may be going blind now

Phil

Nice saw job Mustang. What is that an oil tank or something?

Bish... PS. My kit is a late model "B" (R-2) and it also has a floor window and it will be retained in the build.

Doug

Hey Bish... The one book I have is the Combat aircraft Library book "German War Planes of WWII" which is limited to its info, but does have some good general knowledge of subject, I also have Ju87 Stuka in action, also limited in info,while still covering most all variants, Combat Legends Ju87 Stuka, more on the history of the aircraft and units using. I have another ordered but it hasnt arrived yet. There are some very nicely detailed pictures found by typing in Ju87 cockpit and Ju87 details in a "Google search" type site. The best pictures so far were found in these search engine areas. Started my building yesterday, will post pictures later today!

Good luck!

Doug

Thanks Doug! My resources are limited as far as details with the Stuka. I have what I consider some really good resources on it too but the interior detail in all of them is somewhat lacking. That may be in part to the fact that there are only two surviving Stukas left. I'm left with a big question mark as to alot of the details.

As for the cowl piece: Folks I'm about ready to break out some serious scratch building after this build. It seems that is all I do with the resin pieces that I purchase nowadays is modify the modified pieces due to serious fit issues. When I test fitted the resin cowl piece onto the fuselage it was about 1mm too short. 

Here's what I had kit wise when I started and was going to use this until I spotted the resin piece:

This piece fits like its supposed to. Being the kit part I would hope that it would. Here's whats taking place: As stated earlier I have additional kits. With that in mind I started over on the cowling and modified the L/H side that will be open here:

I also cut up the resin piece to leave me with this:

and here is the test fitted part tucked away in the L/H side cowl piece. I still have some thinking and trimming to do and will add further detail here because of all I'm having to do. If I'm going to do this my way I'm going all the way......

Doug, which book is that in. I have been trying to find out if the window was fitted right from the beginning or if it came later. My A kit has the window cut out, so I was assuming it was from the start. If the pics you saw were from the inside, could the cover have been drawn over the window. I am not sure about the pedal arrangements either.

Some great work there Joe, lucky you had that spare wing.

Nice work Joe... as to the pedals... Again I am confused, In one book I have, it shows the "A" and "early Bs" with the pedals mounted on the floor board, but all later models with them suspended from a swivel and pivot bracket mounted just behind the IP. Some have windows in the floor, some dont. To add to the confusion, I have a skeletonized drawing of a ":D" with the pedals showing to be mounted to the floor board. Oh well, My kit like yours are mounted to the IP bracket and there they will be mounted!

Looking real good though Joe and thats as always with what you do.

Doug

What I failed to remember that this Verlinden update set also had was (another opportunity to open yet another panel) the oil reservoir access panel at the cowl area. A definite plus!!

Thanks Clemens! Yeah thats a first for me on a swing pedal set up like that. I didn't care for the way Aires did it but it wouldn't be modeling if it didn't have the challenges.

Between yesterday and today I've been working on the L/H wing. In addition to the Aires update set , I also have a Verlinden set that I've had for 14 or so years. Since I will not be displaying the engine on this build, I will open up other panels. I started on opening up the wing access panel which initially did not turn out good at all. I ended up cracking the wing during the cutting process after I had carefully drilled the "dot to dot" cut out points with a pin vise. Too much pressure for the wing to handle I guess:

There is a visible crack at the upper L/H corner area of the panel opening. Upon further inspection you will find a hairline crack at the lower R/H corner as well. The hairline crack I could have lived with and would have been alot easier to repair. The other one was just two too many. A little closer look:

 Every time I plan a kit out that I will open up, I always manage to scour up an additional kit just in case. In this instance I have two additional kits, so out comes a replacment wing..........

And here we have a successful cut out:

and here are the guts of whats going in there;

Gotta clean the hole up some and already have done the sanding on the bottom side to give it that scale thickness. I've already test fitted the "guts" assy between the upper wing and lower wing to make sure that its going to close up nicely with no gap between the upper and lower wing. I had hell with this on my Tamiya Fw190 D-9 that had an Aires update with the wing root cannon. Thank God it this one didn't give me any fit issues.

Looking good, Joe! That pedas assy sure looks complicated...

I think its the same set up in 72nd scale too. But smaller. Ahhh my eyes