Academy Ju 87 Stuka G-2 Kanonenvogel

Academy's 1/72 scale Junkers Ju 87G-2 features the longer-span wing and two 37mm anti-tank guns slung under the wings. The kit looks impressive in the box with its very crisp, finely engraved panel lines, thin clear parts (two canopies included, one multi-part) and decent detail, especially in the cockpit which includes a nicely rendered radio set. The underwing 37mm cannon pods are especially well done. As might be expected in this scale, some of the more subtle elements are oversimplified. These include the "Zwilling" twin machine -guns in the rear of the cockpit and the hinge arrangement for the flaps/ailerons. Cockpit straight out of the box with the addition of some etch rudder pedals.
The finished model is here

Schlangenschwarm Fw 190 - snake Staffel rocket launchers

...the last few stencils being added to this Revell Fw 190 (1/72) finished in the markings of 3./JGr.10, an operational bomber destroyer trials unit, Germany, September 1944. I used the decals from the Kagero Fw 190 monograph (Vol 1)  - which went on just fine, although the Staffel codes should be black, outlined in red. Basically Kagero appeared to have copied the incorrect EagleCals sheet! The Revell A-8 is very slightly modified back to the A-7 variant (which is basically just relocating the pitot tube to the mid-wing position) and I used a new canopy sourced from another Fw 190 kit in order to depict it open. The underwing rocket launchers came from the Airfix Bf 109 G.. 

3./JGr.10 flew in concert with II.(Sturm)/ JG 300 during September 1944 from Erfurt-Bindersleben and suffered very high losses - as did the Sturmgruppe. Although not depicted here many of their Fw 190s were fitted with the rearwards firing belly-mounted Krebs or 'crab' rocket launchers - designed to be fired after a firing pass through the bomber box. Veteran Sturmgruppe pilots I have corresponded with have referred to the Krebs rocket launchers as a " ..stupid idea. A fighter pilot could neither see nor aim to the rear.." 

 Pic above shows the model posed on an image of 'Black 11' from the same unit. This is the subject of the recently released (August 2013) new tool Airfix Fw 190 A-8 which I have finished in a similar scheme at the following link also on this blog
http://falkeeinsmodel.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/new-tool-airfix-fw-190-8-172.html

One final pic (below) of the Revell Fw 190 A-8 finished in Jagdgruppe 10 "Schlange" or "snake" markings.

more Luftwaffe fighters - Intech G-2 & new tool Airfix Bf 109 1/72nd scale

 Putting the finishing touches to some more small scale fighters before tackling bigger projects. Here the 'new-tool' Bf 109 G-6 is finished as a Bf 109 G-2 Trop in the markings of a 2./JG77 machine as seen in Tunisia in late 1942. Note the 2. Staffel emblem aft of the fuselage cross - Kagero decals. The Airfix G-6 is  back-dated to a G-2 by removing the cowl and wing bulges and replacing the solid hub main wheels with the spoked variety. Meander/squiggle camo finished using a 0.3 mm nozzle - too big I think. By way of comparison, an Intech Bf 109 G-2 also of  JG77 as flown by Werner Killer (photo above), again decals from the Kagero 'Air Battles' 'Luftwaffe over Tunisia' book.

Super Etendard - les cent ans de l'aéronavale

continuing with the carrier aviation theme, my latest purchase ! decal sheet from Syhart Decal, reference 72-024/48-024, depicting the special markings worn by Dassault Super Etendard Modified - SEM (n° 23) of the flotille 11F of the French naval air arm based at the BAN Landivisiau for the commemorations of the  "100 years of French Naval Aviation (1910-2010)" show at Hyères during June 2010. The sheet is also available in 1/72 scale from Kitsworld.

Airfix Sea Vixen (2)

 Its not often you go to stage 40 to start a new model ..but I thought I'd ease myself in gently ..by cutting out and sticking together the tail booms. And then it occurred to me that it might be interesting to check the fit of the major parts and stick the whole together to get some idea of how this is going to look when finished. I wonder if anybody will have a resin radar ready soon to fit in that lovely space under the nose radome..Lovely fit and feel to all the parts, excellent engraved lines  -  it was hard work though getting the parts off the sprues and then trimming them up. Click on the pics if you feel like taking a closer look

Airfix Sea Vixen 1/48th - first look

 ...huge box arrived today courtesy of my local arts & craft shop, RRP £29  - what a bargain. A quick look inside the very large box before getting down to work. Decal sheet is huge, instructions comprise over 80 stages, with notes covering realistic configurations for the airbrake, wheel doors and flaps. The kit includes the parts for the intake trunking, panel lines are very finely engraved and there is a choice of weighted and un-weighted wheels and a full set of underwing stores. The consensus -even among the Airfix detractors- is that  this is a really fine looking kit. Click on the images etc ...

new Airfix builds, LTV Buffalo, Bf109 G-6, IWM Duxford Sea Vixen

 A little work this week on the LTV 4 Buffalo and a couple of web shots of the real thing. Preshading done. The vinyl tracks were a pain, tried heating them to stick them together without much luck and eventually resorted to stapling the ends together. While I can hide the staple I can't hide the damage that I did to the tracks by heating them!

Also this week I went and placed my order for the new Airfix 48th scale Sea Vixen - looking forward to starting this as soon as it arrives. Some shots of the aircraft which I snapped at the IWM Duxford this summer

...and finally I've been working on the latest Airfix Bf 109 G-6. Scratched the cockpit which is totally bare and sanded off the misshapen cowl 'Beulen' in an attempt to recreate an earlier G-2. The differences between the G-2 and G-6 are slight and basically comprised the addition of 13mm cowl MGs instead of 7,92mm MGs. That translates to bulges, 40 kg extra weight, and 9 km/h loss of speed.
- different radio set (VHF intead of HF, but that's actually already there on the G-4)
- larger main wheels and tailwheel. The upper wing panels on the G-2 thus have no wheel bulges, while the G-6 tailwheel is non-retractable. However this is not strictly a difference between G-6 and G-2, but a later addition to 109Gs in spring 1943. Late production G-2s had non-retractable tailwheel as well, or were retrofitted with one.
Historically, about half of the 109Gs in mid-1943 were G-2s and performance-wise identical G-4s (plus some identical, but pressurized G-1s and G-3s, they could be also fitted with GM-1 for high alt work), and the other half was made up by G-6s which appeared in February 1943. Slowly the G-6s become prominent, practically replaced by the G-14 (= G6 + MW-50 + latest gimnicks) on the production lines in July 1944.


It had the same engine, no methanol boost initially, that only came in early 1944. The engine was cleared for higher rating (1.42ata) for 1475 PS output vs. earlier 1310 PS, in either June 1943 or October 1943. The only kit part in the model is the seat which has been completely reworked to incorporate some head/shoulder armour. Not a particularly accurate G-6 from Airfix although a nice new tool. The forward nose slopes far too much for my liking

Eday show Prague - 18/19 September 2010

Show pics courtesy of Jason at LSA models. As usual click on the image to enlarge!