Dave's 1/48 Hasegawa Stuka

[Avgas]

Here's mine.

[Johnj]

Ah, very novel dave

[Avgas]

Well I figured no one else would do it so there will be no ace modellers that I have to try and keep up with!

[Novorus]

O nice one

[pourquoi61]

Stuka in snow boots, very nice.

[Avgas]

Here is a little background on the 87B courtesy of Wiki. Apparently only three B's were ski equipped.

'The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka (from Sturzkampfflugzeug, "dive bomber") was a German dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann, it first flew in 1935. The Ju 87 made its combat debut in 1937 with the Luftwaffe's Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. It served the Axis forces in World War II.

The aircraft was easily recognisable by its inverted gull wings and fixed spatted undercarriage. Upon the leading edges of its faired main gear legs were mounted the Jericho-Trompete ("Jericho trumpet") wailing sirens, becoming the propaganda symbol of German air power and the blitzkrieg victories of 1939–1942. The Stuka's design included several innovative features, including automatic pull-up dive brakes under both wings to ensure that the aircraft recovered from its attack dive even if the pilot blacked out from the high g-forces.

The Ju 87 operated with considerable success in the close air support and anti-shipping at the outbreak of World War II. It spearheaded the air assaults in the Invasion of Poland in September 1939 and the Norwegian Campaign in the following year. In May 1940, the Ju 87s were crucial in the rapid conquest of the Netherlands, Belgium and France against all targets. Although sturdy, accurate, and very effective against ground targets, the Ju 87, like many other dive bombers of the war, was vulnerable to modern fighter aircraft. During the Battle of Britain a lack of manoeuvrability, speed and defensive armament meant that the Stuka required a heavy fighter escort to operate effectively.

The Stuka operated with further success after the Battle of Britain, and its potency as a precision ground-attack aircraft became valuable to German forces in the Balkans Campaign, the African and Mediterranean theaters and the early stages of the Eastern Front where it was used for general ground support, but also in the anti-shipping role and as an effective specialised anti-tank aircraft.

Once the Luftwaffe lost air superiority, on all fronts, the Ju 87 again became an easy target for enemy fighter aircraft. Despite these developments, because there was no better replacement, the type continued to be produced until 1944. By the end of the conflict, the Stuka had been largely replaced by ground-attack versions of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, but was still in use until the last days of the war. An estimated 6,500 Ju 87s of all versions were built between 1936 and August 1944.

Some notable airmen flew the Ju 87. Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel was the most successful Stuka ace and the most highly decorated German serviceman of the Second World War. The vast majority of German ground attack aces flew this aircraft at some point in their careers.

The Ju 87 B series was to be the first mass-produced variant. A total of six pre-production Ju 87 B-0 were produced, built from Ju 87 An airframes.[41] The first production version was the Ju 87 B-1, with a considerably larger engine, its Junkers Jumo 211D generating 1,200 PS (883 kW or 1,184 hp), and completely redesigned fuselage and landing gear, replacing the twin radio masts of the "A" version with a single mast mounted further forward on the "greenhouse" canopy, and much simpler, lighter-weight wheel "spats" used from the -B version onwards, discarding the transverse strut bracing of the "A" version's maingear design. This new design was again tested in Spain, and after proving its abilities there, production was ramped up to 60 per month. As a result, by the outbreak of World War II, the Luftwaffe had 336 Ju 87 B-1s on hand.[25] The B-1 was also fitted with "Jericho trumpets", essentially propeller-driven sirens with a diameter of 0.7 m (2.3 ft)[42] mounted on the wing's leading edge directly forward of the landing gear, or on the front edge of the fixed main gear fairing. This was used to weaken enemy morale and enhance the intimidation of dive-bombing. After the enemy became used to it, however, they were withdrawn. The devices caused a loss of some 20–25 km/h (10-20 mph) through drag. Instead, some bombs were fitted with whistles on the fin to produce the noise after release.[43]

The trumpets were a suggestion from Generaloberst Ernst Udet (but some authors say the idea originated from Adolf Hitler).[44] The Ju 87 B-2s that followed had some improvements and were built in a number of variants that included ski-equipped versions (the B-1 also had this modification)[45] and at the other end, with a tropical operation kit called the Ju 87 B-2 trop. Italy's Regia Aeronautica received a number of the B-2s and named them the "Picchiatello", while others went to the other members of the Axis, including Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. The B-2 also had an oil hydraulic system for closing the cowling flaps. This continued in all the later designs.[46]

Production of the Ju 87 B started in 1937. 89 B-1s were to be built at Junkers' factory in Dessau and another 40 at the Weserflug plant in Lemwerder by July 1937. Production would be carried out by the Weserflug company after April 1938, but Junkers continued producing Ju 87 up until March 1940.[47]'

There are only a couple of images I can find





Onto the kit. We have nine sprues of gray plastic, all together in one bag. The transparencies were in a separate bag within as were the resin parts. On first look detail appears to be good.



A transparency sprue, two sprues of resin for the floats and undercarriage legs, decal sheet (no tissue protection) and some AM masks and etch.



Instruction sheet of fold out A4 size paper.





Let the butchery begin!

[LM951]

Here is another!

[Avgas]

Good find LM!

[peppie]

Great choice..
Lucky you that there are pics off these... and such clear pics as well..

[Avgas]

So, made a start. First job is to study the PE chart and see which parts need bits shaving/cutting off. Parts identified.



The bits that need removing are removed.



Side panels will be sprayed first as they are big pieces but the instrument panel can be made up as can the radio panel and rear gunner's machine gun.





Machine gun still needs painting. That's it for now, will get some spraying done of the internals tomorrow.

[demarcation]

Very interesting kit and build Dave!

[Avgas]

Believe it or not it's only the second Hasegawa kit I've ever built.

[Avgas]

Got the PE fitted and cockpit done. Drybrushed with x32 and some Tamiya oil stain powder on the floor. Wash is burnt umber oil.

[Novorus]

Nice progress Dave

[Avgas]

Thanks James. Bit more done.

IP fitted to rear of cowling.



Front cowling is in five separate parts, bottom piece is rear underneath part of cowling with pilot's bomb aiming window.



IP fitted to rest of cockpit.



Prop blades are separate.



Bottom wing and flaps/ailerons come as one piece.



Instructions indicate holes to drill out.



What the inside of the wing actually looks like



Managed by laying out pieces inside wing to figure out which were the right holes.



And the bits cobbled together.





Not been the best fitting kit so far, fair bit of filling, sanding and buffing required but heyho.

[peppie]

Nice Dave....

[Novorus]

loving the cockpit here, looks fab Dave.

[Avgas]

Thanks guys.

[Avgas]

Bit more. I've finally masked the cockpit which I've been putting off for over a week now. Did it in an hour this morning. Got it primed and some paint on the bottom. Will give it some welly this weekend to try and get it finished.

[Novorus]

Looking good dave, and nice stand. got me one of those to unpack......

[Avgas]

They are worth every penny, I use mine all of the time.

[Avgas]

Cam done.





Decals on and weathered with Dark Dirt. Nearly done! By the way if the decals look wonky that's the way they are supposed to be according to the constructions. There's a speedbrake missing off the starboard wing but it's safe...

[Novorus]

Wow Dave that looks sweet mate

[Avgas]

Thanks James, build is now done and on final reveal.

[digger303]

what do use as a stand when airbrushing ?

[Avgas]

I don't. I have a turntable but usually if it's a prop aircraft I use a piece of wire coathanger shoved in the hole where the prop goes.

[AdamLuscombe]

Awesome work Dave

[Avgas]

Thanks Adam.