Junkers Ju 87G-1 by Wayne Bowman (Revell Conversion 1/32)

Junkers Ju 87G-1 Stuka
in 1/32 Scale

by Wayne Bowman

Junkers Ju 87G-1 Stuka

HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron

Introduction

Here is my 1/32 Junkers Ju 87G-1. It utilizes the old Revell Ju 87B (in this case from Revell of Germany), together with a multimedia kit from Jerry Rutman to bring it up to the G standard.

The conversion set includes numerous resin components including a new nose section, under wing radiators, one piece H-Stab struts, interior, as well as cannon pods, pylons and mounts. Also included are a new vac-formed canopy, and some photo-etch components.

The set provides a good starting point for this conversion, but as I researched the subject A/C and got into the build, I found that some additional effort in the way of, corrections and scratch-building would be required to bring this conversion up to the level of fidelity that I was hoping for.

Introduction

General

The kit’s raised panel lines were all removed and re-scribed (those appropriate to the G model), and the exaggerated raised rivets were toned down over the entire model. Pinholes in a number of the resin parts required some filling effort as well. The fit of the basic kit though, was surprisingly good considering it’s age.

Interior and Canopy

The resin cockpit, required some clean up in the way of pinholes and a few areas that were a bit “rough”. This is where I faced my first decision, weighing whether to make the clean-up effort, or to try to bring the kit B interior up to a standard resembling the G model via scratch-building. Given my skill level with the file and filler, I decided that I could achieve a better result using option 2 and set out to fabricate the necessary modifications. To this end, I found the Eduard photoetch set intended for the Ju87 B to be quite helpful, and utilized a number of the components that were “common” to both B and G models. I found the surface detail on the resin instrument panel a bit too subtle for my skills to bring out, so again I elected to use the Eduard panel, modified as I was able.

No Revi gunsight is included with the resin set, so I modified a Verlinden resin sight from the spares box, with the defogging tube/line, which is so conspicuous on the Ju87 D/G series.

When cutting and mounting the vac-formed windscreen and canopy sections, some creative filing, filling, and fitting was required to make them align properly (well, somewhat anyway). On my sample, it appeared that the fore and aft vac-formed canopy frames on each of the sections, were not quite perpendicular to the A/C centreline. The canopy of the Ju87 D/G had a lot of internal framing and this was added to the vac form components using styrene strip, and lead wire as appropriate (square vs. tubular framing). A new antenna mast was also scratch-built to replace the kit one, which had little or no resemblance to the real mast.

Fuselage & Horizontal/Vertical Stabilizers

On the fuselage, I opened up the fuselage hand holds, and filled the attachment point for the starboard foot step, as the G series machines only appear to have the port one in place. A significant amount styrene and milliput was required to fair the fuselage into new resin nose by reshaping the area in question to make it a bit more “square”. I also replaced the upper aft engine mount fairing with scratch-built ones which I felt where a bit closer to the proper shape. Another area that required some attention was around the exhausts. Here, I dispensed with the resin forward fairing, and built up the fairing area to more closely match the proper profile. I replaced the resin exhaust stubs with a set of Moskit stubs that were intended for the old Hasagawa Fw190 D9 (Jumo 213). The actual Ju 87 exhausts (Jumo 211) look very similar to the 190’s, and while the Moskit stubs look a smidgeon oversize for this application (they look fine on the 190 though), I still felt they were an improvement over both the kit and the resin examples. The slots for the exhaust in the resin nose were suitably deepened to accommodate the Moskit exhausts.

A rather large hole was opened up in the upper fuselage just aft of the canopy and a well inserted for the scratch-built PRE4 RDF antenna. A piece of clear styrene was used to fabricate the transparent cover with some bare metal foil strips added on the inner surface to represent the dielectric strips.

Various bits of appliqué armour were made from styrene, brass or copper, and added in areas below the pilot’s canopy, forward of the windscreen, and at the wing root.

The spinner was opened up at the three blade locations to ensure that the prop cuff nested below the spinner surface.

A drain tube and the 13th exhaust stub were also added to the starboard side at the engine join line.

Actuators were added to the v/stab and h/stab trim tabs, and control horns and cables were added to the rudder.

Landing Gear

I realised early that due to difference in the foot print for the main landing gear between the B and D/G, that I’d have to reshape the attach point on the wing lower surface. Before I buttoned the upper and lower wing sections together, I filled the backside of the attach point so as to provide some backing for when I filed these areas back to accommodate the new resin landing gear leg.

The kit main wheels, when installed in the new resin spats, looked far too narrow, so I inserted some styrene between the two wheel halves to give them a bit of a “fatter” appearance. The Rutman white metal tail wheel yoke on my sample was broken on receipt so I elected to modify one from the spares box. (NOTE: I’m sure that Jerry Rutman would have happily replaced this part, and I would have gone that route if I didn’t have an alternative readily available).

Wing

The left & right one-piece aileron/flap components were separated to allow the inboard and outboard flaps to be mounted in the lowered position. I had decided to build my example as a G1 model, thus necessitating the addition of fairings over the machinegun ports in the wing leading edge, and the omission of the resin wing extensions.

All the kit actuator rods for the flaps and ailerons, were replaced by scratch-built versions, as were the aileron counterbalances. Tie-down rings were also added to the wing lower surface.

The resin under-wing radiators were made to be simply affixed to the lower wing surface, but references show that much of the radiator was actually buried into the wing. This was accomplished by deepening the radiator faces on the resin parts, then making cut outs in the lower wing surface to sink them.

The references I had showing the G1’s upper wing surface seamed to indicate that they utilized to wide anti-slip walkways so I utilized to photoetched ones from the Eduard set.

I performed some major surgery in respect to the 37mm cannons. I elected to try scratch-building more accurate forward and aft cannon mounts versus the resin components provided. I also decided that I’d like to open up one of the cannon pods to show the breach. Here is were I crossed scales a bit and used the breach from Tamiya’s 1/35 Flak 38 ( I hope the purists can forgive my “breach” of the laws of scale – and my bad puns). I did this by cutting our the middle section of the resin pod and substituting an equivalent length of brass tubing with a section cut out for the door. The resin ends were hollowed out, styrene strip used to replicate internal framing, the interior painted RLM02 (a guess on my part) and the breach mounted internally.

Painting, Markings and Weathering

I used Mr. Surfacer as a primer base, followed by Gunze RLM 65, 70 and 71. Decals were a mix of the Eagle Strike and various spares, to represent one of the early machines operated by SG77.

After decaling, came a coat or two of PollyScale clear gloss, followed by an oil wash and a couple of coats of PollyScale clear flat. Some more local weathering with the airbrush, pastels, and silver pencil crayon and there it was done.

Memoriam

The final picture in the series is of my buddy, and consummate modelling supervisor, Fred the cat.

From the time that I started back into modelling, Fred enjoyed nothing more than to sit on my lap during the build process and supervise, much to the amusement of my wife. Many a contortion was achieved by yours truly, while trying to glue three parts together simultaneously, at least one of which inevitably had no interest in sticking, all the while trying to make sure that Fred’s tail didn’t become part of the assembly.

Sadly, my companion passed away from cancer just before I completed this model. It was our last project together.

This model is dedicated to the memory of my buddy Fred.