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WIP: 1/32 Revell Ju-88 w/ AIMS G-6 Conversion: 11/16/22 Progress!


Dennis7423

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I have this nasty tendency to have several irons in the fire, but since I finished off my 1/48 F7F firebomber conversion, it was time to start cracking on another project I have wanted to get started on in quite a long time.

 

As most know, revell's 1/32 Ju-88 series (A-1, A-4) are quite impressive kits for their value at the time. Great detail out of the box, and impressively large when completed. However, Revell only ever kitted two versions of the aircraft, of which there were several versions. AIMS came to the rescue, and have released conversion sets to do just about every single version of the Ju-88 in existence. Pastor John's research is thorough, and his parts are top-notch. If you haven't invested in any of his stuff, do it without hesitation.

 

A few years ago, my brother and I were contracted by a flight museum that will be opening up in Salt Lake City, UT, to build several large-scale display models covering the air war in Europe, most notably the bomber campaign. As part of the project, we are not only building large-scale allied bombers (B-17F, B-17G, B-24D, B-24J, Lancaster), their escorts, and the fighters that opposed them. While the Lancaster is slowly under construction, I was itching to get his Ju-88G-6 night fighter started, so it hit the bench.

 

Pastor John recently released some new resin bits to update the original G-6 conversion set, so I snatched those up as well. Included is a really nice one-piece cockpit pedestal and lower fuselage piece:

 

49829605506_0eba54fab1_k.jpg94884830_567427840560064_5377204440757436416_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

Here, I have added some of the associated kit parts to the resin, as well as a little scratch building to affix the radar screens:

 

49829916097_e6102247af_k.jpg94778088_264513731254777_4576017027998679040_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49829915617_0eed636659_k.jpg95478459_1296902154004435_8833843744630374400_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

After a coat of Vallego RLM66, everything blends in wonderfully:

 

49829077248_2ec62f79fc_k.jpg94592318_257827242027092_7494754284123193344_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

I also added the wing tip extensions, as well as the new resin tail. I am trying to get some of the more basic assemblies done to speed up the build process, so that I can focus more time on the detailed portions:

 

49829076843_4bfb516b3a_k.jpg95285436_280127296341756_6710711732270006272_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49829915702_e139314e48_k.jpg95376708_876066109532851_3663517184052690944_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

Everything fits really well, considering the size. Parts that don't fit quite so well (resin engine inserts onto the wings) are easy enough to work on to fair them in. By and large, this conversion and kit builds fairly quickly.

 

I am a bit of a novice when it comes to vac-formed parts, and this conversion has several. It has less now because of the new resin bits, but there are still a few spots to work out. One of those being the directional antennae on the spine, which wasn't part of the early A series. The conversion set comes with a complete vac-form spine to replace the kit part, but I wanted to use as much of the kit parts at possible. The location of the antennae is situated in a square panel etched into the kit spine. So, I ground out a circle to accept just the vac-form clear "window" over the antennae structure. The conversion kit would just have to attach a piece of photo-etch to the bottom of the clear piece to depict the unit, but I wanted something a little more accurate and representative.

 

I found that a wheel half from the Special Hobby 1/32 Yak-3 kit was just the right size! My boxing of the Yak has resin wheels, so these are spares at this point. I always try to look around the spares bin and the hobby room before I start scratch-building things. Why not, right?

 

49829076913_8c004f795b_k.jpg95161930_699716554170909_5220876719333834752_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

It even has a raised portion right in the middle of it, which I can affix the photoetch antennae to. Piece of cake!

 

49829915932_bee17c3666_k.jpg94892079_222704929175696_7230928603637088256_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49829605651_9afd35df70_k.jpg94624936_351614319313382_928020391169884160_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

That's where we're at for now. And here's where I am headed:

 

49829755306_36a50d7f23_c.jpg92025927_3101594626525600_2477645996020989952_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49830064597_450f2f5de0_b.jpg91898374_371431994027317_1935473646973747200_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49829755266_003b1d9390_c.jpg92250766_645589852954397_8132061799454343168_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49829225703_5867e354cb_z.jpg92219347_826409264506200_4909142766014955520_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

Thanks for checking in! Hopefully my next update will include the completed cockpit, and the fuselage closed up.

 

- Dennis S.

  Thornton, CO USA

 

 

 

 

Edited by Dennis7423
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  • 2 weeks later...

Small update today:

 

Work continues on the cockpit, which will hopefully lead to the fuselage being sealed up this weekend. The resin bits from AIMS are super nice, and the plastic parts mate up to them wonderfully where appropriate:

 

49866948848_9c342f11fa_k.jpg96234918_2891583047630023_8412792011656003584_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49867484941_93a0f9bac5_k.jpg96216223_547669632843105_2828663876302667776_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

The resin pilot's armored seat needed a little grinding to open it up a little bit, but nothing too crazy. It certainly looks the part nestled into the cockpit:

 

49867794882_f40235432b_k.jpg96127956_335885640726862_2829133629760733184_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

That's all for today folks! Hope to post another update early next week. Thanks for checking in!

 

- Dennis S.

  Thornton, CO USA

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Now that the cockpit is mostly complete, it was time to toss it into the fuselage:

 

49886508636_06f9424092_k.jpg97406311_846319215857617_3469131508311130112_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49886508671_f80cde40c0_k.jpg97075843_1173439076328510_7828689885467770880_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

Then, it was time to seal up the fuselage with the conversion bits. The resin fit pretty darn good, and needed only a little trimming and shimming to fit:

 

49885989463_79cb9d8ac8_k.jpg96380852_862252397592628_6188029880387502080_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49886821502_e9a3697ba3_k.jpg96127966_1284335878424213_2476945143257628672_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49885989433_27025c46b2_k.jpg96510914_331690721134464_7932332218028916736_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

49886821172_38ed409a5d_k.jpg97285969_967691020358095_466595600540893184_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

She's starting to look the part! Once the nose piece gets installed, it'll be time for elbow grease. Fitting the nose might take a little time... the new resin lower fuselage/cockpit part is warped, which is twisting the entire front of the aircraft. I'm optimistic that fitting each part individually, one join at a time, will help square it up and pull everything into place. Time will tell!

 

49886508696_55b68c6c95_k.jpg96857499_2619605041646427_7462565213636657152_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

Thanks for tuning in folks!

 

- Dennis S.

  Thornton, CO USA

 

 

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

Wow! Bout time to blow the dust off of this guy.

 

Looking back at where I left off, there are a few updates to apply.

 

First off, I had to cobble together the nose of the kit. The AIMS conversion set was too wide for the fuselage, and the windscreen would no longer fit. So, I used a CMK piece that I filled in, and I will add the missing detail to it. It was a perfect fit, but resulted in having to grind away quite a bit of the AIMS resin lower fuselage insert. All in all, not too complicated, because the shape of the fuselage lends itself well to sanding:

 

244329020_465651354742168_9111355238120457534_n

 

244396383_4455257834554666_6881921617360540633_n

 

244487208_1712155088991092_1891491977079006242_n

 

A couple shims, some more sanding, and then rescribing, and we'll be good to go!

 

I also started working on the windscreen. I am not a huge fan of vacform windscreens, probably because I don't have much experience with them. I didn't want the big glass house of the Ju-88 to be my first go around. So, I set out to convert the kit pieces. The main difference is the kit forward canopy has a cutout for the flexible machine gun, which wasn't present on the G variants. So, I cut out the section of the windscreen, and I will put in a flat sheet to replace it. Good news is, it's not a complex shape at all...

 

244360705_316356010255491_4125909882320368080_n

 

244457542_604667387221455_3768688193173978414_n

 

244575832_547077899698468_3257417063310385819_n

 

Measure twice, cut once, right?

 

The other issue I had was with the engine nacelles. The AIMS ones I received back in the day were terribly tilted, and if installed as provided, would have one engine very, very keyed outward. So, I elected to convert the kit engine nacelles to better represent the G-6 nacelles. This included filling in the viewing windows on the sides, removing a flanged piece from the cowl ring on both sides, and scribing a few hatches and whatnot. I will also be applying the kit intake scoops, which is easy enough. Should look the part, for the most part.

 

244598481_696721181298741_8433199615664701925_n

 

If all goes well, I should be ready for paint in the near future! My least favorite part of model building, seam work, is almost complete. It's also what's stalling my Lancaster build at the moment. But I'll get back to that soon, too!

 

Thanks for checking back in after so long. As usual, comments and critiques are most welcome!

 

- Dennis S.

   Thornton, CO USA

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  • Dennis7423 changed the title to WIP: 1/32 Revell Ju-88 w/ AIMS G-6 Conversion: 10/7/21 Progress!

 

Hi Dennis

What a great build. I have a G-6 from Pastor John still to build and have completed a C-6 also with his conversion.

Just a heads up on the windscreen. I used the same idea you had on the windshield. The fighter variants of the Ju-88 used an armored windscreen of a different config to the bomber variants. Here is a photo of the 1/48 Dragon G-6 windshield. Note the asymmetric two front windshields glasses. 

 

71F9D9F5-2A54-44DC-B59B-7BB55E83319A.jpg

 

Cheers

Nick

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13 minutes ago, Cheetah11 said:

 

Hi Dennis

What a great build. I have a G-6 from Pastor John still to build and have completed a C-6 also with his conversion.

Just a heads up on the windscreen. I used the same idea you had on the windshield. The fighter variants of the Ju-88 used an armored windscreen of a different config to the bomber variants. Here is a photo of the 1/48 Dragon G-6 windshield. Note the asymmetric two front windshields glasses. 

 

71F9D9F5-2A54-44DC-B59B-7BB55E83319A.jpg

 

Cheers

Nick

 

Well now you just gotta go bursting my bubble, don't you?

 

- Dennis S.

   Thornton, CO USA

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