1/32 Modified Zoukei Mura Do-335 B-2

[curiouslysophie]

Now the Corsair is finished, it’s time to pull a kit out I’ve been excited to do and gathering parts for. This is the Zoukei Mura Do-335 A-0, but I will be modifying it to a B-2 heavy fighter-bomber version. This will be a Luft ‘46 build, with a heavy dose of inspiration from @Out2gtcha’s excellent Do-335 build.

I have a wealth of aftermarket for this one, including (but not limited to);

HGW seatbelts

Sprues from the HK Do-335 B-2

CMK Bombs

Zoukei Mura Photoetch upgrade sets

Eduard Photoetch upgrade sets

Master brass barrels

MDC resin guns and oxygen hoses

And much more!

 

This will be a long and intricate build with much modification of the kit. I am going to rivet the whole plane with the MDC rivet tool, one rivet at a time. I am contemplating trying a stressed skin effect on it too (not decided on that one yet!). We shall see how this goes!

Here are some shots of my build so far;

 

 

For those interested here’s some ‘history’ of the Do-335 from an alternate history concept I am working on;

 

‘Following many discussions in the Luftwaffe High Command, a push was made in 1942 to accelerate the Me-262 program as a counter to the increasing bombing raids the Allies were raining down on Germany. Hitler wanted the jet to become a fast fighter-bomber, but he was talked out of this by pointing out the Do-335 would make a superior schnell bomber with its increased bomb load and excellent flight characteristics. This led to funds and resources being diverted from other wonder weapon programs to boost the Do-335 production capabilities.

The decreasing effectiveness of Allied bombing as the jet interceptors came online and started to take down bombers in large numbers, combined with resources gained from various areas in the Middle East and the Caucasus region allowed the Luftwaffe numbers to swell to sizes only seen in 1939. During the lull in heavy bombing as the Allied air forces reassessed their strategies, German factories began relocation into underground facilities that had been under construction for several months at that point.

Dornier was able to significantly increase their output with heavy focus put into Do-335 production and modification. By late autumn 1945 the plant was turning out 9 planes a shift, 3 shifts a day, and numbers were only to increase.

The Do-335 underwent significant modifications over its lifetime, later to become a fantastic heavy night fighter, often competing with Heinkel’s 219 as the preferred aircraft for that role. It is largely remembered for its role as a fighter-bomber and the damage it inflicted in rapid bombing campaigns during several key moments in the late war. The almost continual bombing of the Normandy beach head delayed the Allies gaining their foothold on the continent by several days, enough to bring panzer forces up to slow the advance further. Bombing of Allied positions during the Ardennes Offensive allowed German forces to reach Antwerp, cutting British and American lines leading to chaos among Allied top brass and a strategic withdrawal, if temporarily, back past the French border.

The most famous operation the Do-335 was involved in was the ‘sealing’ of the Suez Canal during the rapid push into Egypt by Rommel’s Afrika Korps in early 1944. 15 Do-335 B-1’s go 3/JG.55 were tasked with destroying any facilities and shipping in the canal to prevent British reinforcement and resupply of their beleaguered forces in Egypt. After several runs hitting port facilities and merchant ships they came across a Royal Navy force trying to exit the canal headed by HMS King George V. The ships were steaming at an excessive speed for the canal hoping to exit the canal before being spotted and were bunched too close together in the tight confines. 

Hauptmann Martin Huber spotted the ships and led his flight down to bomb such tempting targets. The flak coming up from the ships and land based guns was intense, but the Dornier’s speed held them in good stead as they came down. Huber had given targets to each plane but the focus was the battleship. Performing a dive bomb the Do-335 hadn’t been designed for Huber’s flight dropped their bombs as low as they felt the could and pulled up and away fast. Fearing flak and enemy fighters, the Do-335’s sped away rapidly. Little did Huber know his run had dealt a fatal blow. A 500Kg bomb from his plane had penetrated the King George V’s main forward magazine and detonated. The resulting explosion blew the bow end of the battleship clean off killing 800 of the crew outright. The explosion was so powerful, and the proximity of the other ships in the flotilla so close, the two destroyers (HMS Nubian & Māori) were destroyed outright. The HMS Suffolk unable to stop in time plowed straight into the wreck of the King George V and led to a naval pileup which blocked the canal. Damage from the explosion obliterated ground forces in the area tasked with defending the canal entrance. No more British traffic was able to make it through, and would have to travel the long way around and into a South Atlantic heavily populated with U-Boats. The Afrika Korps were able to seize on the chance and several days later take the canal and push on into the Sinai.’

                              The Longest War: The Air War Over Europe & The North African Theatre 1939-1948

[Out2gtcha]

Love it!

 

You know this one is right up my alley.

 

So glad you decided to make a WIP on this so we could a follow along!

[curiouslysophie]

11 minutes ago, Out2gtcha said:

Love it!

 

You know this one is right up my alley.

 

So glad you decided to make a WIP on this so we could a follow along!

I’m glad you like it! I do want to do a build along. Going to try a lot of new techniques hopefully and do a lot of heavy modifications to the kit, which may give me anxiety!  

[curiouslysophie]

Thank you @reserve_22 I had seen that in my reference books. I want to build a plane as if it was in full production. As my aircraft is from autumn 1946. I wanted it to seem like a fully finished plane. I will be doing it in a late war fighter camo scheme too.

[Wolf Buddee]

Brilliant start Sophie!

 

I have both the ZM and HK kits as well. IIRC the ZM kit has clear fuselage parts. I’ve read that the clear parts are quite brittle so if you’re intending to rivet them with the MDC tool then be very careful. You may wind up with a lot more puzzle pieces.

 

Cheers,

Wolf.  

[lawman56]

I have to say, your subtle use of colors in the wheel bay is beautiful work! It took me a good 15 minutes to soak it all in! I love how you incorporated brass looking fittings into the line connections. 

 

I will DEFINITELY be following your work here!

 

Stunning job so far, keep it up!

 

Joe

[curiouslysophie]

4 minutes ago, Wolf Buddee said:

Brilliant start Sophie!

 

I have both the ZM and HK kits as well. IIRC the ZM kit has clear fuselage parts. I’ve read that the clear parts are quite brittle so if you’re intending to rivet them with the MDC tool then be very careful. You may wind up with a lot more puzzle pieces.

 

Cheers,

Wolf.  

 

Thank you so much! 

 

Yes, I’m baffled by why they chose such brittle plastic. I did some trial rivets on the inside surfaces of the wings and so far, so good. My other option is to go for HGW rivets and try it that way. I used them on my 190 and the subtle effect was quite nice.

[curiouslysophie]

2 minutes ago, lawman56 said:

I have to say, your subtle use of colors in the wheel bay is beautiful work! It took me a good 15 minutes to soak it all in! I love how you incorporated brass looking fittings into the line connections. 

 

I will DEFINITELY be following your work here!

 

Stunning job so far, keep it up!

 

Joe

Thank you! I’m glad it’s noticeable. I have been playing around with colour modulation techniques to get a worn, weathered paint look. I have become quite enamoured with war weary machines, and am really enjoying learning new weathering techniques.

 

I’m glad you like it though!  

[Wolf Buddee]

Hi Sophie,

 

Check out Chris Wauchop’s build of the ZM kit.
 

https://chriswauchop.com/2016/12/12/zoukei-mura-132-dornier-do-335-a-0-pfeil/

 

Cheers,

Wolf

[curiouslysophie]

55 minutes ago, reserve_22 said:

With rivet lines careful because was treated with putty.It was fast double engine plane.

I did know about the putty. I prefer to have riveting as I find the skin to be quite plain without it. Just a personal preference. It will be subtle though.

 

46 minutes ago, Wolf Buddee said:

Hi Sophie,

 

Check out Chris Wauchop’s build of the ZM kit.
 

https://chriswauchop.com/2016/12/12/zoukei-mura-132-dornier-do-335-a-0-pfeil/

 

Cheers,

Wolf

 

Thank you Wolf! Chris’ build is fantastic and has some good inspiration for mine!

[Dpgsbody55]

I have another variation of this ZM kit in my stash, so you can be sure I'm following this.  Great progress so far.

 

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[curiouslysophie]

I am slowly plugging away at this kit. I have pretty much finished the cockpit for now, and I have been working on the plumbing for the main fuel tank.

 

The cockpit was upgraded with the Eduard set provided through Zoukei Mura, some ANYZ toggles and switches, the obligatory HGW Seatbelts, some Airscale Luftwaffe placards, and the odd bit of scratchbuilding.

 

 

 

I did some reworking of the seat. I redid the cushions with some Tamiya epoxy putty. I’m not too happy with the leather painting and I feel I may do a few more mods to the seat to make it look a bit more like a later version.

 

 

 

The fuel tank has had some pipe work added, though it isn’t fully finished yet. I plan on making the panel over it removable so it will have some more details passing through this section.

 

 

That is all I have done so far. Today I am mostly working on the front engine, so hopefully I’ll have more to show soon. I have a few other projects in the pipeline, my what-if Fw-190 should be started soon. I am also working on non-LSP models too!

 

I hope you all like my work so far! Please let me know what you think, I’m hoping I can get much better as I still feel my skills are limited (you don’t want to see what I’ve done to 1/35 figures trying to paint them!).

 

Cheers,

Sophie

[Jeff T]

Cockpit looks outstanding Sophie!

 

Beautiful work so far.

 

Cheer's,

Jeff.

[bdthoresen]

Damn, Soph……..might just have to give up and take up knitting! 
 

Beautiful work. 
 

Thor    

[Dpgsbody55]

Nice work so far, Sophie.  I really like your detail work in the nose wheel well.    I've just started my A-12, but I think you'll finish yours long before me.  Have you planned to add any weight to this to keep it off it's tail?

 

 

Cheers,

Michael