1/32 Ju87 D-5 "Stuka"

[Will Vale]

Hi all,

Another non-SF&F model which I've been building on and off for the last three months. Finally finished it today (the deadline) for a group build on another forum - I find I don't do so well at finishing without external motivation.

This is the Hasegawa 1/32 Stuka D-5 plus Eduard etch and Mastercasters prop blades and exhausts (which are beautiful) and a modicum of simple scratchbuilding. Painted with Tamiya rattle cans, weathered with MIG products and various acrylics applied by brush and sponge. The build was frustrating and fiddly in places, but definitely fun overall and it's nice to look at now it's done. But where will I put it??

1/32 Ju87 D-5 "Stuka"

1/32 Ju87 D-5 "Stuka"

1/32 Ju87 D-5 "Stuka"

1/32 Ju87 D-5 "Stuka"

1/32 Ju87 D-5 "Stuka"

And a few details:

1/32 Ju87 D-5 "Stuka"

1/32 Ju87 D-5 "Stuka"

1/32 Ju87 D-5 "Stuka"

There are a few more pictures on Flickr

I'm sure there's something I've forgotten, and I haven't attached the sliding canopy yet since I'd like to display it open but it doesn't quite want to fit in that position... I'm thinking I could get a sheet of double-sided adhesive film (like tape, but stronger and bigger) from the art shop and use a couple of strips of that inside the lower canopy framing to lock it in place. I'll see next week.

This is actually the first plane I've finished since I was a boy, because I tend to chicken out at (or before) the painting stage - much more complex colour scheme and masking than I'm used to, and it's harder to hide cock-ups with weathering. Deadlines and peer pressure ftw :)

Cheers,

Will

[Sharkdog]

I'm not the biggest fan of these types of kits, but the paintjob looks pretty good. The details in the cockpit look pretty sweet :)

What did you scratchbuild on this one?

[Hunter Rose]

Fantastic Will! The stuka is my favourite WWII plane (closely followed by the heinkel he111 bomber) and you've done a great job

This is modelling memories for me as the first big expensive (at the time) model I saved up for was an airfix stuka, although it was 1/24, but this is when I was 12 and was nowhere near this level of skill on display, takes me back though, thanks for sharing.

[Will Vale]

Thanks for the kind words!

I only did a bit of scratchbuilding - the cannons are made from 1.2 brass rod drilled out (it was tricky to spot the drill) with Milliput for the canvas boots, and the wheels were re-shaped to bulge them. The wheels are a bit of a mess still and I might look for some resin replacements. I also made the pilot's seat cushion and added some wiring runs for the inside.

I was trying to work out what the hardest bit was - I'm not really sure. Assembling the seatbelts was really fiddly, and masking the cockpit was tricky since some of the framing is on the inside, some on the outside.

[baphomet44]

Fantastic! the interior is beautifully done and the weathering is sublime!  I for one would be pretty happy with this result were it mine. A fantastic piece of work.

[MGmodeler]

I've always love splinter camo paint jobs Will and you've do a great one there.  Weathering looks just right and very realistic.  Not to overdone at all!

[Will Vale]

Thanks for the kind comments! I was a bit nervous about both the painting and the weathering - the painting because I hadn't done masked camo before (or any camo really) and I was worried about paint lifting etc. (I probably shouldn't have worried because the Tamiya lacquers are pretty idiot proof.) The weathering because I wasn't sure if my usual approach would work on planes. I think, particularly in the large scale, that they need to be quite clean and most modellers seem to use airbrushes to get very smoothly graduated fading, exhaust stains, etc.

I do have an airbrush but I'm a massive n00b with it (I was so scared I left it in the box for 2 years, I finally had a play with a pre-shade on the Stuka...) so I tried to do the finishing touches with my usual sponged and/or drybrushed acrylics. It looked a bit rough to start with, but rubbing some pigments in helped blend everything together without making it totally smooth. I found getting decent-looking chipping with a brush was really hard, perhaps because the contrast was so strong between the bare metal and dark paintwork, so I spent a lot of time painting things out and toning them down.

Very happy with how it turned out, and even happier because my local model shop asked if they can have it for their cabinet for a while! Of course I said yes, it's not like I have anywhere to put it at home

Currently building a T-55 Enigma (awaiting paint) and I've started my first Gundam-related kit (mini Dendrobium) - nothing like diversity to keep the interest up!

Will

[Jiloo]

Just to be sure – by Tamiya lacquers you mean those spaycans?
Don't be affraid of an airbrush. If you can paint like this with a can you'll go smooth with airbrush.

[Will Vale]

Yeah I mean spraycans. I really enjoyed my little play with the airbrush, but I need to find somewhere to work now. I usually do my brush painting at the kitchen table and spraycan painting outside on the front path, but that only works because cans are nice and portable.

I'm thinking about getting a spray booth, I found a space in my office I could put it and it would mean everything would be much more flexible (and warmer! most of the Stuka was painted in sub-15'C temps...) The only problem there is weight and shipping cost - I'd like to get one which can handle the lacquers and other dodgy stuff.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Will

[Jiloo]

Me too also don't have right place to airbrush. So for now I'm working on low pressure.
Maybe you can think about a compact spray booth NE-HS-E420. Planning to buy myself one too.

[mvm3897]

That little spray booth would be perfect foe a small area.  I love the fact that you can close it up and store it when you aren't painting.  $200.00 seems a little steep though.

[decoy]

I like it - very stylish and formal at the same time

[Jiloo]

That little spray booth would be perfect foe a small area.  I love the fact that you can close it up and store it when you aren't painting.  $200.00 seems a little steep though.

Found it a litte cheaper (around $130) in my local shop. But as I live in Europe in Poland I just paste first general link I found via google.

PS. Sorry for a OTT Will

[mvm3897]

$90.00 Shipped http://www.ebay.com/itm/310395324333?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_4291wt_1303

I ordered 1 to try it out.

[Will Vale]

Off-topic threads are the best threads, thanks for the suggestions and links. I looked at that one (because the price is great) but it specifically says it's not safe with flammable paints, i.e. lacquers, alcohol-thinned acrylics etc. It's probably not really a problem, but could be a problem for the insurance if you're painting in the house?

The one I really want is:

http://www.graphicair.co.uk/products/GraphicAir-A300S%252dD-Air-Extraction-Cabinets-%28wxhxd-565x390x430%29.html

which can handle all kinds of stuff including spray adhesives. I think the price seems high, but I hear very good things about them. The main prob is it costs nearly half as much again to ship it to NZ.

[MGmodeler]

$90.00 Shipped http://www.ebay.com/itm/310395324333?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_4291wt_1303

I ordered 1 to try it out.

I just built my 2nd spray booth but I may also buy this one just so I can sand resin kits on the kitchen table    It looks nice and portable.

[JohnLogan]

Nice Job. I always liked the style of this aircraft.