Junkers Ju 87 B-1 Stuka Airfix 1/72

Introduction
After such a long time, I came back Luftwaffe. Airfix's new tool Stuka is a pretty good kit. I brushed up some dull points to get a sharp and crisp model. One of its dull points is the canopy. I sanded convex canopy frames and scratch-built the wind shield. The second point is panel lines. I sanded the model surface to peel off its skin.
Construction

I glued main parts without thinking.

Then I checked the outline shape. The cross section of the rear fuselage was somewhat squarish.

Edges of the rear fuselage were sanded. Note pencil lines.

The lower portions of the fin and cockpit side were sanded as well.

Shape-up
I brushed-up the outline. The kit spinner was a little roundish (yellow arrow). The port side cowl forward of the oil-cooler was cut down (aqua). The position of the starboard cowl edge was narrowed by 0.5mm (.02") (green). The upper side of the cowl was sanded to narrow cowl width (purple). The fuselage side under the canopy was widen (red). The upper front portion of the inner wing was sanded to sharpen slightly the leading edge.

These portions were corrected. This picture is "before correction".

The brown portions were sanded. This picture is "before correction".

The front deck was cut out and glued again to reduce the position by 1mm (.04"). Then the opening of the oil-cooler was widened downward.

After correction.

All surfaces of the kit were sanded and all panel lines were re-engraved with Tamiya 0.15mm (.006") thick photo-etching saw or a needle.
The canopy
The kit wind screen was approx 1mm (.04") short in side view. The front window was narrow and its angle was a little upright. Above all, when its frame was sanded out, it didn't fit the slide hood. So the wind screen was made of heat formed clear styrene sheet.

The wood mold was made of chemical wood.

Other canopy parts were from the kit. Frames were sanded. 0.2mm (.008") clear plastic sheet was glued on the lower inside edge of the pilot slide food.

Canopy frames were engraved with handmade double needles. Inside and outside surfaces were sanded with #800 to #1500 sandpaper. The rear corner of kit canopy was a little squarish. But I didn't correct it.

Then the canopy was polished with rubbing compound.

Additional works

I found the position of the spat and tire of B-1 model were different from B-2 model. B-1 was rearward by approx 1mm (.04") in 1/72 scales. I cut out the spat and glued again.

The left is corrected spat. The upper portion was cut and moved forward by 1mm. The right is kit original spat.

This set back gear spat brought a goony atmosphere of B-1.

The flap and aileron was connected to the wing with 0.4mm (.015") brass rod.

The border of flap and aileron was half cut. Then the flap was downed.

The actuation rod and mass balance were brass rod. The tip of the mass was CA glue and plastic powder.

The seat harness was from FineMolds' Nano Aviation Series. The mesh of the gunner seat was cut out with knife.

They were painted and glued. Oops, I mistook the position of pilot waist harness! Mmm... Forget it.

The instrument panel was kit decals. It was dry-brushed with dark gray and toned down.

Kit propeller blade was rather poor. I used Airfix's 1/48(!) P-40B which was unsuitable for P-40B of its own. The left is kit original. The right is 1/48 P-40B original blade. The center is revised P-40B blade.

The root of the VDM blade installed on B-1 model is wide. So the kit spinner hole was enlarged.

Actuate rod were made of extended sprue and plastic sheet.

The fringe of the rear canopy top frame was made of 0.2mm (.008") clear plastic sheet. It was glued with thin liquid cement.

Then I could go to next painting stage.

Historical research

I chose the shark mouth of St.G.77 - one of the most attractive markings of B-1 model. These markings are researched on the NG Decals. The shark mouth was painted and photographed on spring of 1939 when St.G.77 was established. The manufacture code was still painted on the fuselage and lower wing. The third letter of "E" was visible in the port lower wing. After that, St.G.77 joined the Invasion of Poland. There is no photo of this period. The next year, St.G.77 joined Battle of Britain. The emblem was painted rearward of the cowl in this period.

Some references described that the shark mouth was painted in BoB, but I think it has a low possibility. As for the period of Invasion of Poland, I cannot deny the possibility, but it is not sure. Thus I selected the period photos were taken. The manufacture code was VK+ER which was researched by NG Decals.

NG Decals also described that the upper camouflage was repainted in a single RLM 70 Black Green. But I estimated it was still 70/71 standard scheme. This aircraft was oversprayed on the upper and lower demarcation line with 70 or 70/71.
Painting
I always use Mr.Color lacquer paint. RLM 70 was a mixture of Mr.Color #18 RLM 70 and #13 Neutral Gray with 3:1. RLM 71 was 100% of #17 RLM71. These two colors looked like a single color in documentary photos. So two lightness values were carefully adjusted as the same. RLM 65 was a mixture of #115 RLM65 and 20% of White.

Mr.Surfacer was sprayed and the model surface was polished Mr.Laplos #6000. Then RLM 65 was sprayed.

The next was RLM 71.

It was masked for RLM 70.

After 70 and 71 were painted, the demarcation line was masked and sprayed with RLM 65.

Some references described incorrect paint scheme demarcation lines. These red arrows are correct lines.

Markings
There are some variations of the size and position of insignia marks for Stuka B model. I carefully calculate them. The Balkenkreuz is 70cm size for fuselage, 100cm for upper wing and 150cm for lower wing. The fin insignia was 55cm. The manufacture code was 45cm height for fuselage and 60cm for lower wing. The aircraft no 10 was 35cm height. All Balkenkreuzes , code letter and shark mouth were masked and painted. White portion of aircraft number and the fin insignia were custom made dry decals.

Oramask 810 Cutting Sheet was cut with a home use cutting machine.

The size and position looked like as this pic for me.

The lower wing was like this. At first, unnecessary parts were pasted for positioning.

The position of this insignia was a supposition. This position was a majority of early B model.

The shark mouth was masked with another cutting film which was more elasticized.

First, White for teeth and lower Balkenkreuz was sprayed.

Teeth were masked.

Mr. #114 RLM23 was painted. Black for markings was a mixture of 80% black and 20% white. This is the scale effects which cannot be gotten by decals.

Painting works were finished. White of the upper wing and fuselage Balkenkreuz was also painted over Black.

The lower side was finished as well.

cutting data

The SVG data file of original cutting sheet is here.
Weathering and dry decals

Weathering wash was applied with Tamiya Weathering Master (soot + rust) diluted with soapy water. Colored soapy water was brushed hole surface. Then it was wiped after dried. Pigments of Weathering Master remained in polished satin gloss surface in good order. When it remained too much, the surface was polished with Mr.Laplos. Then the stained flat clear layer was peel off.

The shark eye (the white of the eye), nostril (? behind the propeller) and "10" were dry decals. The black of the eye had been painted in advance.

The white portion was dry decals on painted Black.

The starboard "10" dry decals was mistaken. So it was masked and painted. Data of cutting machine was the same as dry decals order.

Flat clear was oversprayed for fixing and coating of dry decals. Then the surface was polished with Mr.Laplos.

Details

The machine gun barrel was made by hand router lathing of 0.8mm (.03") brass rod. Well, it's not so sharp. But, it just matches for Airfix's molds, doesn't it?

Inner frames of the canopy were gray cutting sheet. It was stuck on the inside. Some reinforce rods were made of extended sprue.

The canopy was glued. Chippings of Neutral Gray were painted with a fine brush.

Chippings were painted along rivet lines.

Kit decals were applied on the dive brake. Some caution markings were kit decals as well.

As for the lower side of stab stay bars, the majority might be RLM 65. But some aircraft were painted dark color.

Completion
Finally, my shark mouth Stuka was finished. In the wake of Stuka, RAAF Spitfire VIII and AVG Hawk H81 will be finished with Shark Mouth!

References

1	Famous Airplanes Of The World No.11 Junkers Ju87 Stuka	4-89319-008-3	Bunrin Do
2	Famous Airplanes Of The World No.152 Junkers Ju87 Stuka	4-89319-212-4	Bunrin Do
3	Famous Airplanes Of The World (old edition) Ju 87 Stuka	-	Bunrin Do
4	Aero Detail No.11 Junkers Ju87 D/G	4-499-22634-1	Dai Nippon Kaiga
5	Ju 87 Stuka In Action aircraft no.73	0-89747-175-X	Squadron/Signal Publications
6	Combat Aircraft 1 Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader 1937-41	1-85532-818-6	Osprey Publishing
7	Combat Aircraft 6 Junkers Ju 87 In North Africa And The Mediterranean	1-85532-722-8	Osprey Publishing
8	Combat Aircraft 74 Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader of the Russian Front	978-1-84603-308-7	Osprey Publishing
9	Air Vanguard 15 Junkers Ju 87 Stuka	978-1-4728-0120-3	Osprey Publishing
10	Warpaint 3 Junkers Ju-87 Stuka	-	Hall Park Books
11	Ju 87 Stuka Volume One: Luftwaffe Ju 87 Dive-Bomber Units 1939-1941	978-1-903223-69-7	Classic Publications
12	Stuka Volume Two: Luftwaffe Ju 87 Dive-Bomber Units 1942-1945	978-1-903223-70-3	Classic Publications
13	Junkers Ju 87 Stuka	1-86126-177-2	Crowood
14	Luftwaffe at War 7 Stuka Spearhead The Lightning War from Poland to Dunkirk, 1939-1940	1-85367-329-3	Greenhill Books
15	Luftwaffe at War 9 Stukas Over The Steppe The Blitzkreig in the East, 1941-1945	1-85367-355-2	Greenhill Books
16	Luftwaffe at war 11 Stukas over the Mediterranean 1940-45	1-85367-376-5	Greenhill Books
17	The Luftwaffe Profile Series No.5 Junkers Ju 87A	0-88740-920-2	Schiffer Publishing
18	Military History vol.77 Ju 87 Stuka	0-88740-477-4	Schiffer Publishing
19	Monografie Lotnicze 19 Ju 87 Stuka	83-86208-22-8	AJ-Press
20	Monografie 25 Junkers Ju 87 vol.1	83-60445-08-7	Kagero Studio
21	Flugzeug Profile 8 Junkers Ju 87A Stuka	-	Flugzeug Publikations
22	ADC 005 Junkers Ju 87 Part 1 The Early Variants A,B,C and R of the Luftwaffe Dive Bomber	3-935687-44-3	AirDOC
23	ADC 009 Junkers Ju 87 Part 2 The D-Variant of the Luftwaffe Dive Bomber	3-935687-48-5	AirDOC
24	Ali Straniere in Italia 2 Gli Stuka Della Regia	-	La Bancarella Aeronautica
25	On Target Special 9 The Battle of Britain Camouflage & Markings 1940	97-81904-643364	The Aviation Workshop Publications

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