Trumpeter 1/32 Ju87B2 first look

[stevegallacci]

Looks pretty. Restrained rivet and panel detail on the outside and lots of iddy-bitty parts on the inside. The pants still look a bit funny, but they also give you nekked main gear struts. The canopies have prominent external framing everywhere instead of subtle edges and internal framing, the one notable and hard to fix bug in the first quick look though. I'd give it an A- or strong B+ overall, and a not terrible MSRP .

[Dave Williams]

Thanks for the quick look. What do the extra parts in th box hint at? I see on Hobby Search there is a list of unused parts, plus what looks like an extra IP in the sprue diagram. Plus, can the dive brakes be built retracted? The instructions on Hobby Search only seem to show them deployed.

 

Finally, what is really wrong with the LG spats? Thanks.

[LSP_Kevin]

Any photos Steve?

 

Kev

[CharlesMetz]

Looks pretty.

--snip--

 

Steve,

 

I'd be grateful for any comments concerning:

 

-- the shape and size of the kit's radiator fairing and cowl flaps -- particularly their lengths (chords);

 

-- whether the hard-to-describe asymmetric depression in the forward upper part of the nose is represented correctly; and

 

-- whether the upper sides and upper edge of the radiator opening accurately represent the B-1 or B-2:

 

 

 

Charles Metz

[stevegallacci]

Unfortunately, I only looked in the box at the shop, as I haven't bought one yet. Extra parts include wing rack options and tanks for the 'R version and the multiple Mg gun pods and a whole bunch of various small calibre bombs. A full engine is also included.

The upper oil cooler intake indentation is a separate insert piece. Is it correct, dunno.

The radiator and cowl? Didn't notice but it is suppose to be a 'B-2. The radiator face is a photo-etch piece and didn't strike me as "right", but I wasn't looking too hard/have refs with me.

The main wheel pants seem "off" in profile, especially the lower edge, and the wheel location needs confirmation. Early photos of the build-ups looked particularly "off".

I didn't notice if the dive brakes were positionable.

Edited May 24, 2012 by stevegallacci

[Dave Williams]

Well, if you haven't bought one by then, I should get mine on Saturday. Its interesting that the instructions on Hobby Search don't indicate to add the LE fairings for the wing guns, although they appear to be on the sprue.

[stevegallacci]

Went back and took a closer look with a ref in hand.

While the radiator is definately for the 'B2, the front lower cowl bit is more 'B1 shaped. The radiator face itself has rather heavy shutter details (the photo-etch is only for the back side, but photo-etch shutters would have been a much better idea)

The pants are definately off in profile and the wheel is too far forward.

The Mg port fairing in the wing is a separate two-piece item.

The dive brakes are shown only in the open position, though there doesn't appear to be anything to prevent them from being closed.

[DDavis]

I have started building the kit so here a few more observations

1. The instructions do not cover the installation of the wing guns although they are included

2 The kit shares parts with the "D" and the instructions would have you install D bomb racks under the wings

3. The kit has a 1800Kg main bomb that the B could not lift so go to MDC for a replacement

4. The propellor blades are for a D model and are too broad- will need resin replacement

5. I think the usual Trumpeter rubber tires are too narrow

6 The jericho sirens on the wheel spats are missing

 

All these are correctable and I give the kit an overall high rating

[stevegallacci]

The props are correct for some 'B machines, as the photos show that the broad bladed wooden type came in some range of plan forms.

I though that the later 'D style racks could be fitted, but that doesn't seem to be the case after all.

The Ju87B ought to have had 815x290 tires.

[Dave Williams]

Depending on the time period, one or both of the sirens were removed. I think they caused drag and after everyone got used to them, they were more annoying than terrifying.

[csavaglio]

Not much to add to the details everyone's speaking of, but I think it should be noted that the surface detail is easily the best of Trumpeter to date. The rivets are very fine...looking like Eduard's 1/32 109s and such.

 

I hope this is the trend for Trumpeter..... I can live with most of the minor inaccuracies that have been mentioned. Most aren't hard to fix if the builder is inclined. The canopy framing not so much, but as a modeler who does build, it's a lot easier to paint than internal framework, even if sacrificing a bit of accuracy.

 

Chris

[Dave Williams]

My kit arrived today. The wing MG gun fairings are unused parts B2, B3, B5, and B16. The gun barrels are parts A32. There are also covered MG fairings (B22, 23, 25, and 27), but I think these are only fitted to the Ju87G-1. The kit does include smaller wing bomb racks that look more appropriate for the B Stuka, but I think the shape is a bit off. They have curved leading edges, whereas the real Ju87B racks had a more or less straight LE. Unless someone comes out with proper B wing racks, I think I'd use the smaller racks instead of the faired wing racks in the kit, which I haven't seen on a B model. The center bomb definitely needs replacing. A SC250 or SC500 would be more appropriate. Nor sure if you would need a new bomb release yoke to go with a smaller bomb, though. The main section of the canopy and greenhouse is all one large fixed part. Only the rear gunners canopy is separate, so it you want to open the pilot's compartment, you'll need to do some work.

 

A couple of other comments:

 

- No seat belts or harnesses, which is strange for Trumpeter, even in this big scale.

- There is a strange gap between the end of the radiator flaps and the underside of the nose aft of the radiator. You can see it in the nose parts below (see the thin vertical gap under the rear of the opening for the exhausts)

 

http://www.1999.co.j...10176873n2/40/2

 

You can also see it in the decal drawing.

 

http://www.1999.co.j...10176873t2/60/2

 

I don't think that gap should be there. Probably need a strip of plastic to extend the underside of the nose forward.

 

More:

 

The centerline bomb release gear seems to be the one fitted to the -D model, with a curved strap halfway along the length of the two arms. My refs show that the B swing arm lacked the large curved strap and had crossbracing between the upper (forward) parts of the arms.

 

Also, the MG barrels on the WB 81 gun pod should be depressed and perforated, not straight and smooth like in the kit. I'm not sure the B carried the pod, however.

 

I know this gets into the old argument about "I'm just glad to have a new tool kit", but it seems that this is another Trumpeter botch job that requires a number of corrections. Not a total loss, and it does have some good features, but still a kit that requires a number of corrections to look right. After seeing this kit, I'm still holding out for Hasegawa to release their D/G kit as an early model, like they did with the 1/48 version.

Edited May 27, 2012 by Dave Williams

[pzcreations]

Can you tell me how many WB trees are suppose to be in the kit? I have a customer who states he's missing parts..I dont have another kit with me to verify, and Id be willing to help him, but want to make sure he's not mistaken first..heres what he states..can he be correct? Is there more WB trees?

 

"After close inspection of the parts trees and instructions I noticed that parts tree WB, the bomb parts for SC 50 and 5 bomb cluster parts only have enough pieces to assemble half of what is advertised in the description and shown in step 20 of the instruction booklet assembly instructions. To be able to build what is shown you would need 2 WB parts trees."

[Hagar]

Can you tell me how many WB trees are suppose to be in the kit? I have a customer who states he's missing parts..I dont have another kit with me to verify, and Id be willing to help him, but want to make sure he's not mistaken first..heres what he states..can he be correct? Is there more WB trees?

 

"After close inspection of the parts trees and instructions I noticed that parts tree WB, the bomb parts for SC 50 and 5 bomb cluster parts only have enough pieces to assemble half of what is advertised in the description and shown in step 20 of the instruction booklet assembly instructions. To be able to build what is shown you would need 2 WB parts trees."

 

Dont know if this will help.

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/tru/kit_tru_3214.shtml

James

[mattlow]

Hi

 

The Hobby Search website shows all the pages of the instructions and it appears clear that there is only a single WB tree.

 

http://www.1999.co.j...176873z15/70/15

 

But I think Trumpeter have made a mistake as there aren't enough halves to make up 16 of the smallest bomb size. So, I think that there are too few parts to make 16 little bombs, but this is a mistake on Trumpeter's behalf and that they only intended putting a single WB sprue in the box (if there were two WBs there'd be twice as many of the middle size bomb than necessary!!)..

 

Points to a rushed release again...

 

EDIT - crossed out incorrect statement above - there are too FEW parts to make the middle bomb!

 

Matt

Edited May 30, 2012 by mattlow