Need your assistance, please...

[BigDog]

Yo Guys,

Being green to serious military modeling, I'm meeting with some hardships that I imagine you guys'n gals deal with in a "matter of fact" kinda way. This is the case of the Ju-88A that I entered in the Bomber Command GB.

Strangely enough, the Revell-Germany 1/32 kit does not include the external bomb racks featured on his 1/1 bigger brother

, so I set out to buy some aftermarket ones. After a bit of a struggle and with the help of some of you people, I finally found a resin kit and bought it yesterday from this nice chap Mark, in England.

Suddenly I remembered that on the reference material I gathered on the Ju-88, again thanks to MA members, I had noticed that I had seen pics of the Ju-88A with four racks and the resin kit I had just bought only carried two. So I went back to the references

and, surely enough, I found a two racked Ju-88A. But this was a Ju-88A-4, not a Ju-88A-1 as the model I'm about to start building. :hmmm

So, what were the external differences that my untrained eyes detected between those two Ju-88s: basically the flame hiders on the exhausts. Other differences would be in the armaments, but those would only be seen from within the aircraft.

My question is: did I miss something? Are there other visually detectable differences?

If so, is there any way I can make them right on the model? I'm at the office right now, so I can't send you the pics I separated, but at lunchtime I'll post what I've got.

Cheers and thanks for your attention and help,

Fernao

 

[Sharkmouth]

It is a LOT of work. Wingtips must be extended (easy), New engines nacelles, cowls, intakes, flaps, main landing gear doors, new vertical tail (easy), different ventral gondola, new rear section of canopy with new armament (MG-81), and markings.

There is a company in the USA that sells the conversion, but they also sell the bomb racks in sets of four:

L'Arsenal
AC32-01 JU-88 Bomb Racks x4 $11.00

KC32-02: Ju88-a4 Conversion set. $57.00 ea.
Description: Conversion set designed for the Revell Junkers Ju 88 A-1 kit. Contains new engines and propellers, new wings extension and flaps, new fin and rudder, revised cockpit interior, new armament of MG 81s, new back sections, wheel bay doors, clear plastic injected new canopy and ventral gondola parts, decals, etc...

Regards,

 

[jknaus]

I know I shouldn't have but after looking for JU-88 stuff for Fernao and Laura this conversion latched on and wouldn't let go. So now it should be winging its way here from France. This means if I want to build the conversions and markngs I've picked up for my 2 kits, they'll need a stablemate. And if I finally cave in and buy the AIMS Mistel conversion I'll need another. Then I'll need to buy a house with a hanger.
James

 

[BigDog]

Thanks for your assistance...

"... There is a company in the USA that sells the conversion, but they also sell the bomb racks in sets of four:
L'Arsenal
AC32-01 JU-88 Bomb Racks x4 $11.00..."

Yo Sharkmouth,

Would you by any chance know the name/internet address of the American company/store that sells the bomb racks in four? Thanks in advance! Well, after the bunch of changes pointed out on Sharkmouth's post above, to make my Junkers into a Ju-88A-4, the pics I was going to post aren't needed anymore... But I'll post them anyway, just to illustrate a little this Thread!

Ju-88A-1 with four bomb racks

Ju-88A-4 with two bomb racks

Ju-88A-1 exhaust with no flame hider

Ju-88A-4 flame hider

So I guess I'll just have to buy "meself" another resin kit... my, oh my... and I thought model building would be a less expensive hobby than slot racing. Anything else, guys, before I bring some other stuff in...? :gogo

Cheers and thanks! B)
Fernao

 

[Sharkmouth]

Re: Thanks for your assistance...

You do know that you can just buy the bomb racks and save the two you already have on the way for the future release of the Ju-88A-4... no need for the conversion now...

To buy in the USA, go to L'Arsenal USA (Tony Bunch - [email protected] - is the owner) or M & Models (Marty and Mary are the owners).

Regards,

 

[BigDog]

Hi Guys,

I finaly decided to abide by Sharkmouth's recommendation and ordered a kit from l'Arsenal USA, with Tony Bunch. They were real fast to reply and my parts should be on their way soon.

Now I'll have to confirm which type of rack is coming from England - hope it's the 500/1000/XI, so I can use them on my Ju-88A-1 as per Sharkmouth's suggestion (the Ju-88A-1 has different racks on the outside/inside of it's wings).

Thanks for the help everyone, specially you Saúl!

Cheers! B)
Fernao

 

[BigDog]

Hi Guys,

This is just to tell you that I finally got the resin bomb racks kit (pack of 4) for the Ju-88 A-1 (recommended by Sharkmouth), from l'Arsenal USA, where I got the most friendly treatment from Tony Bunch ([email protected])!

I also got the canopy masks so highly recommended by Laura and James - now I understand their concern. And a few days earlier the mailman brought me my 8" Mk R Multi-head Hold and Fold PE bender (wonderful tool, very well finished!) and some templates for scribing squares and circles. :dude

So I guess there're no excuses left for me not start my Bomber Command build... except that I'm moving into my new house starting this weekend, so it'll take me a week or two to get settled and organized, then it's "bombs away"!!!

Thanks to everyone who chimed in on this issue!

Cheers! B)
Fernao

 

[Sharkmouth]

Hi Fernao,

Glad to read you got the bomb racks, I am sure you will use them. The Small Shop is the best maker of folding tools still producing (there was the Ausfwerks Fender-Bender which was better but they are out of production).

Regards,

 

[moon puppy]

That's the same PE Bender I got Fernao, I've even tried cheaper stuff but nothing matches, I don't know why i keep trying others.

And you're Dang Skippy there's no excuses now, we'll expect some pictures of your build here shortly! (when you can, don't rush...)

 

[Kreighshoer]

fernao - some tips for your build that should be useful for you:

- the bomb aimer seat (on the RHS in the cockpit) that gave me some problems should be glued in strictly as the instructions say, that way you won't face problems - at least it was like that with my build

- the two dial boards in the nacelles should face towards the fuselage so better double check into which nacelle half you glue them!

- the landing gears and nacelles can be a bit tricky to fit! the way i did it needed some persuasion for the nacelles themselves but i'm afraid that following the instructions leads to even more problems! better watch out when you reach that point!

- when mounting the two firewalls/wing support thingies better carefully align the already assembled wings with the fuselage while the glue has not completely set! i noticed a step with the right wing after having test fitted both wings and i had to lift up the frontal support beam on the RHS! the loud crack i heard when the glue loosened wasn't very nice to hear at all!

- double and triple check where you have to mask clear parts from the inside and please don't forget to remove the masking! (don't ask!)

 

[Sharkmouth]

Fernao,

Laura is offering great advice.

- double and triple check where you have to mask clear parts from the inside and please don't forget to remove the masking!

Laura,

I have done that on several occasions and the reason I switched to decal strips. Paint the clear decal sheet the internal cover, follow up with the external color, then cut to strips the width of the canopy frames. However, this does not work for camouflage schemes where the canopy frames are multi-colored.

Regards,

 

[BigDog]

"fernao - some tips for your build that should be useful for you: ..."

Thank you so very much, Laura! As a beginner I would certainly have fallen into those "traps" - as I will probably fall into several others. Now, just checking: what is a RHS? What kind of glue do you use to glue the wings, as they're a heavier struture: normal plastic cement or something stronger - the use of epoxy is not unheard of.

"Laura is offering great advice.

- double and triple check where you have to mask clear parts from the inside and please don't forget to remove the masking!

Thanks to both of you for the heads-up. :dude Is that because it's easy to overlook masking/un-masking one, or more window panes on whatever side of the canopy? I did notice that the mask is black overall... :hmmm

As I see it, I'll have to struggle a bit with this build of mine... but with this kind of help, my chances of building a decent model will simply skyrocket!

Cheers and again, thanks for your consideration! B)
Fernao

 

[Kreighshoer]

RHS = right hand side!

i will use normal plastic glue, when you reach the point to dryfit the wings you will know why!

 

[moon puppy]

However, this does not work for camouflage schemes where the canopy frames are multi-colored.

Regards,

Why not? You can paint the camo scheme on the decal paper and then cut to best fit. May end up wasting some decal paper but the effect would be ubercool.

 

[Sharkmouth]

You wrote it, "May end up wasting some decal paper"... I am ULTRA-Frugal.


Regards,