1/72 Junkers Ju 88C-6, Zerstörer variant of the Schnellbomber
T'was the night before the night before Christmas...and I got my final build in for 2024.
The Ju 88 was originally a Schellbomber, but this C-6 is the Zerstörer variant with quite a few guns. I started this Ju 88C-6 a few months ago, doing a few German splinter camo schemes at the same time.
This HobbyBoss #80297 kit is one of those 'Easy Builds' and has some nice panel lining but it does have its issues. The kit cockpit has only two in-line seats, both of which are facing forwards. The cowling 'bumps' in front of the exhaust area is also missing. The chin gondola position cannot be corrected and is too far back and partially covers a set of bay doors and there are no rear wheel cover panels. When you scale up the main gear doors, they measure up as almost four inches thick - I left them on anyways. A little trimming was required since the cockpit was replaced with one from the Italeri 1/72 Mistel 1 kit (#072) since the Mistel will not need a cockpit. The Italeri machine guns were also used in the cockpit and the gondola.
After applying Tamiya rattle can primer and matt black panel lining highlights, Mr Hobby Acqueous RLM 70/71/65 were used for the RLM colours.
I did try some Tally Ho decals, but they did not cooperate very well. The kit decals were used and it seemed they don't have enough adhesive, but they do settle nicely and hug the recessed panel lines. Various diagrams indicate the fuselage insignia should be a simple white cross with no black inside section. Data stencil details were from the Revel kit. Underwing tanks were from the Fujimi Bf-110 kit, previously painted with Testors RLM65. To me, the tanks appear a bit too big.
All in all, not a terrible kit to build and it does look good on the shelf.
Excellent result from this somewhat simplified kit, George!
Well done!
Thank you Spiros, easy on the build gets you quickly ti the paint stage. I think I’ll let the RLM70/71 schemes have a rest for a while.
Have a Merry Christmas my friend.
It looks really nice. Your great workmanship offset the kit’s short comings.
Thanks Jay, I think the gondola placement would turn off many builders. This kit does have some nice features though.
Nicely done George.
Thanks Allan,
Have a great Christmas Down Under.
Excellent Junkers, George. I've had similar experiences with Tally Ho decals...
Thank you Dan,
I’ve used Tally Ho before with good results and this sheet had some good options, but the insignia I needed seemed a bit too dull and greyish and they were just a bit too stiff. I got them second hand, maybe this sheet was not stored very well. 🤷♂️
That's a wonderful Ju88, George @georgeswork
Especially the splinter camo came out beautifully.
Merry Christmas
Thanks John.
If you include the 109’s from the beginning of the year, I got 6 similar camos done - pretty good practice I’d say.
Merry Christmas.