Jump to content

Stuka - better late than never!


Recommended Posts

Hello there folks! I've been following this group build closely for a while now and watching everyone's outstanding work, and contemplating entering it with a 1/32 Hasegawa Stuka that I just recently started. But I didn't know if I'd be able to finish it on time, and had other issues as well, but to make a long story short I'm joining in on the fun. Thanks to everyone in advance for any and all comments and feedback.

 

The kit is the well-known 1/32 Hasegawa Kanonenvogel, and I'm also using a couple of additions: the Verlinden resin Jumo 211 engine and Eduard's interior and exterior photoetch as well the Eduard seat belts. The kit, and all of the additions, are simply amazing, and I can't shout out about the quality of the materials enough. Suffice it to say that I heartily recommend any and all of this stuff to anyone.

 

I started the assembly with the Verlinden engine and it's a beautiful piece of work. The only hitch was that a few of the exhausts were bent, but I didn't bother straightening them out. Overall, I love Verlinden's stuff and this is no exception:

 

PICT0009.jpg

PICT0013.jpg

 

The Eduard PE fit in place fairly well, and didn't require too much hacking and chopping of plastic. It adds a fair amount, I think, to the cockpit, and although I'm not the best at working with fiddly little PE, I really like the extra detail that Eduard's stuff provides. Their pre-painted stuff is great, as well.

 

PICT0005.jpg

PICT0006.jpg

PICT0007.jpg

PICT0016.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I followed up some of the basic assembly next with painting. First, I painted the Jumo flat black, with burnt iron on the exhausts and on some of the turbocharger apparatus. This was followed up with silver dry brushing and an acrylic sludge wash.

 

PICT0053.jpg

PICT0056.jpg

PICT0057.jpg

 

The firewall and mounting struts for the engine were painted in RLM02, while the oil coolers and radiators were painted in a variety of different Alclad shades (aluminum, airframe aluminum, etc.). All were then also followed up with a silver drybrushing and acrylic sludge wash as is my normal routine.

 

PICT0065.jpg

 

Finally, the cockpit sidewalls and floor were ready for installation. I had first added a bit of wiring, wrapped in strips of Tamiya tape. These had then been primed, the Eduard PE pieces masked off, and then sprayed with Model Master RLM 66. As before, an acrylic sludge was added to pool in the crevices, and highlights added with silver dry brushing. I have a few decent references (Squadron's Stuka in action, volume II of the Luftwaffe Colours Ju87 book, the MPM Ju-87A book, Aero Detail 11, and whatever else I could dig up on the web), but still wasn't so sure about all of my coloring choices on the pit.

 

PICT0034.jpg

PICT0047.jpg

PICT0049.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I next started to slap together the cockpit floor and sidewalls.

 

PICT0072.jpg

PICT0071.jpg

PICT0067.jpg

 

It was a little tricky to close up all together, as the Eduard PE and the added wiring bulked up the sidewalls just enough to make it hard to glue everything together and have it fit properly. I ended up getting everything together, and ended up glueing it to death with cyanoacrylate and tamiya's xtra thin cement to make sure that it wouldn't pop open under the pressure (I'm still keeping my fingers crossed on this one!).

 

PICT0041.jpg

PICT0038.jpg

PICT0039.jpg

PICT0033.jpg

PICT0034-1.jpg

 

I next started to shift gears a bit, and decided to start work on the cannons. In themselves these involve a fair amount of work, with additional Eduard PE. I think I'll also add some additional wiring as well, but haven't yet decided it I'm going to try and hollow out the barrels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Holy Smolies!!!!! ;) Wow, you've got the illusion of buckling yerself in and having every gauge 'n switch you'd ever want to look at or flip nailed, dude! Excellent! I don't know much about Stuka interior colors(super-detailed cockpits have never been my one of my strong points...and I ain't got the aptitude for it anyway :rolleyes: ), but all the detail/paint just 'flows' nicely together. Always amazes me when I see pics of cockpits like this pulled off so well. Sweet! You're putting a detailed power-plant in it too! Where's the popcorn?! This is definitely going to be a build to watch!

Nice,nice pics too, and lots of them....Veeery cool. I see you joined in January, so we're both fairly new here. I joined at the end of March, and got sucked into all the fun pretty quickly. Glad to see you've decided to post pics and share your endeavors! A real hoot joining these group-builds, and everybody is very helpful. Welcome to the party!

I'm trying to pull off a 'Cinderella story' here myself, and finish up at the ball before midnite.....after being 'fashionably late'. :rolleyes: Only have what?, 3 more weeks....so I had to leave a lot of those pesky little details outta my build to save some time. Very impressive what you've accomplished so far in such a short time. Can't wait to see the next installment of pics....these have me all pumped up to really get something done this week-end! Great job. ;) Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Russ & Kev - thanks so much for the kind words, it's really appreciated. I actually have been working on the build for a few weeks, but I was unable to post because I was a newbie to the forum and hadn't yet been setup to be able to post in all of the forums. So although it might seem like my pace is blistering, in reality this has taken me closer to a month.

 

The engine wasn't too much work to put together and paint, but installing it in the fuselage is going to be another story, I think. First off, I need to hack away substantial plastic, and then I also need to fashion (somehow) the panels that would have to be removed to show off the engine. The kit front end might be usable in this respect, if I can split it up along panel lines and then thin it so that it resembles scale metal, but I'm not yet sure, and I may need to fashion a whole new front end out of foil, or something. Any suggestions that anyone has are appreciated, as always.

 

I have a couple new pics of the 37mm cannons, which I've detailed a bit with the Eduard PE parts and also with some additional wire to try and make them closer to the real McCoy. You gotta love a couple of big guns!

 

PICT0072-1.jpg

PICT0075.jpg

 

The mounts on these were also pretty complex (the wingside of the mounts as well, which aren't pictured here), but they do add a decent amount of realism. I'll be working on this kit again over the weekend, so hopefuuly I'll have another update in a few days or so. Thanks again to everyone for their builds, and the conversation!

 

JON

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, That's it, I've gotta put a big gun on 110 as originally planned! What was I thinking when I was going to replace it with...a camera?! ;) phhhhttt. Course, mine will only have ONE under the fuse, so I've got major "big gun envy" right now. Hah!

That photo-etch sure does make those pop nice. I was going to order a metal 1/35th barrel for mine, but no time. Going to have to use a 1/35th Flak43 plastic barrel and scratch the fabric gondola to just get by. Do you have a paint scheme decided for this yet? Always wanted to do this version of the Stuka, but I can only visualize doing one in a winter camo(which are sooo cool, but I ain't worth a crap at doing) Sounds like you're planning some kind of base/diorama with an exposd engine and panels laying on the ground?

Those 'can openers' are looking good, Jon. Outstanding! Russ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Russ - thanks again for the feedback. I've been following your 110 build closely, which has been outstanding with the super impressive scratch building. I think that it certainly would look excellent with a large gun underneath the fuselage! One of my favorite aircraft is the Henschel Hs-129 B3, with the single, large cannon underneath the central fuselage, and it certainly looks a bunch like a 110 with that large central gun. We'll see what you end up doing. I, myself, was contemplating getting a set of metal replacement barrels (Voyager models offers a really pretty looking set, although a bit costly - http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Rev2...ueBros/00.shtm), but like you I wasn't able to get it together in time for this build. I also figured that I'd already detailed this thing enough at this point... But those metal barrels sure do look nice!

 

I do have some markings selected. I'm using the "Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel" Stab SG2 markings from EagleCals EC#97 sheet - http://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/modules.php?...ent&id=1460. But I think that I will, indeed, have to give it the winter whitewash because I think it is extremely cool too. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but at least it should look pretty cool. As far as the diorama is concerned, I guess that will have to be the plan. I don't have a base at present, but I guess that I could build one. Of course, the stuka in 1/32 is pretty darn big, so it's going to have to be a pretty darn big base, as well (of course, the 110 is even bigger, I'm sure!).

 

JON

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've got major "big gun envy" right now. Hah!

 

Jeez! First with the Bulges and now with the Big Gun? ;) Gonna have to keep an eye on you Russ....

 

Jon, your Stuka is looking really great! I'm finding this to be just the inspiration I need to pick up the pace on mine. It's gonna be a sprint at this point, especially with time away for the Nationals....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeez! First with the Bulges and now with the Big Gun? ;) Gonna have to keep an eye on you Russ....

 

;) Absolutely!!!

 

Dave - I'm watching your build closely too, as that Voyager set is beautiful and is already turning out fantastic! I may give it a shot on a future Stuka build, as the resin itself looks fantastic in your build and I know that the turned metal barrels also will turn out splendid. I may still end up getting at least the barrels as the kit parts are pretty lacking. I don't know, although originally I was thinking no for the Voyager barrels I think I may have been bitten by the bug!

 

I wish I could attend the Nats, but no trip to Virginia beach for me this year. Maybe next year... Thanks again for the comments! :)

 

JON

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the comments everyone. They're appreciated.

 

Well, I was able to get a bit done yesterday in a few different areas. The aircraft, overall, is going together pretty well (as is expected with most of Hasegawa's offerings), but I'm rapidly approaching an area of uncertainty that I certainly could use any and all suggestions about. Since I am using the Verlinden resin engine, I would like to expose as much of it is possible, and I imagine that I'll be having a pseudo-diorama of sorts with the aircraft parked on a section of airstrip somewhere, perhaps with some flight crew, etc. Mounting the engine, however, is going to be a tough process, and I'm including some pics to give a better idea of what is involved. First, the engine itself is mounted with all supporting structures, etc., and all is provided by Verlinden up to the firewall.

 

PICT0034-2.jpg

PICT0035-1.jpg

PICT0036-1.jpg

PICT0037.jpg

PICT0038-1.jpg

 

While it went together fairly well, the first problem is that it is not at all straight! So I know that I'm going to have to do some tweaking of the structure so that it will be straight, especially when I finally attach the prop. Second, I'm going to have to do a fair amount of hacking to the kit plastic to mount the firewall. This will be tough, but should work out alright if I'm careful and slow in the process. The main problem comes up, however, in that the kit cowling and front end is not meant to be open, at all, and so I'm either going to have to hack the kit parts to pieces and then try and modify them so they look like disassembled panels (thin them down, etc.), or fabricate some totally new panel pieces. Here are the kit parts involved and the related surfaces:

 

PICT0047-1.jpg

PICT0048.jpg

PICT0050.jpg

PICT0051-1.jpg

PICT0052.jpg

 

I'll follow this post up with some different images of the aircraft with the engine exposed to give an idea of where the panel lines are, etc. But does anyone have any suggestions about the best way do this? Should I just try and hack up the kit cowling, thin it down, and use it? Or should I try and fabricate something from scratch, and what would I use? I don't have any sheet metal (such as lead foil, etc.), but are there other options? Any suggestions are appreciated (as always)!

 

Thanks :lol:

 

JON

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are some follow-up images of stukas with different engine panels open or the engine totally exposed. Hopefully this will help to give an idea of what the real thing looks like...

 

firewall2.jpg

firewall4.jpg

firewall5.jpg

firewall6.jpg

firewallone.jpg

 

Thanks again anyone for any suggestions/comments!

 

JON

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a similar problem with my recent Hasegawa Emil Jon. I didn't use a resin engine, but lots of extra stuff in the cockpit and gun bay threw out the alignment of the entire front end. I couldn't fit the cowling panels on anymore, so I hacked them up, thinned them down and detailed their interiors (slightly) and just left them beside the model. I found that a far easier prospect than attempting to fabricate new panels from scratch.

 

Kev

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...