Junkers Ju 87 G with Bk 37 cannon 'Kanonenvogel' from the Academy 1/72 kit

My recently completed Ju 87 G-2 with Bk 37 cannon 'Kanonenvogel' from the Academy 1/72 kit in the markings of Hans Ulrich Rudel. I've posted some useful reference video stills of a 'cannon bird' and some further views of my model photographed on the Holger Nauroth's German-language Stukageschwader 2 Immelmann history, which is a very nicely done photo history of this unit on my Luftwaffe blog here.  The kit does not feature the white outline Hakenkreuz and I was unable to source a similar marking from my decal sheets - no great loss; I'm not a 'fan' of Rudel or the HK..

The kit was relatively straight forward and reasonably detailed. Perhaps the finish looks a little too pristine for an Eastern Front Stuka, although I have tried to weather it by rubbing some yellow oil paint into the greens, a tip I read about in a recent Osprey 'Painting and Finishing Techniques' book. As it was the CO's aircraft it might have been kept reasonably clean. Some exhaust staining with acrylic varnish suitably 'coloured'. Cannon barrels were finished in pencil graphite for a neat sheen. The Academy decals were a nightmare as usual - my patent mix of white glue and Klear (Future) seems to have kept them on for the moment. The spinner spiral creased horribly but doesn't really notice in these shots.  8/10 for the kit, 2/10 for the decals..

By way of comparison some views of an earlier Italeri Ju 87 D-5 probably of StG 3 and fitted with the MG 151 cannon in the wings and still featuring airbrakes. Weathering with oils.

Also added to the shelves this weekend was my Italeri Bf 110 (1/72) in the markings of Wolfgang Falck, founder of the Nachtjagd - this model was displayed briefly back in February last year but has now been varnished and had an aerial wire added from sprue. Owl decals - as usual with Owl not free of error - the Stab letter 'G' should probably be in green but is supplied in red.