After after missing the posting date in the D-Day GB, I have decided that, whatever my grandiose plans are, I'm going start with the easiest one first. I hope so, since I've never built this kit. It will be mostly out of the box, but I do have the True Detail photo-etch set so I will dress up the cockpit with some of that. Any tips etc are more than welcome. More pictures soon.

Thanks for the info Seamus, Hard to believe that in 50 odd years of building models, I have never built a Stuka. I've had a Monogram Ju-87D in my stash for years, the main hold up is I don't want to build one of Rudel's planes. I did find a winter scheme on an old Aeromaster sheet "Best Selling Stukas Pt II" #48-678, but I can't justify spending $40 for the only copy I've found. If anyone has even a partial sheet that has the marking for "S2+LT" of 9/SG77(?), I'd love to hear from you.
Well on with the show. Got a bit done tonight, including my first attempt at soldering photo-etch parts.

This is the cockpit floor with the True Details gunner's seat and spent cartridge bin. I added the TD seat back to the kit pilot's seat, and thinned down the edges and have filled a big pin mark in the seat pan. The primer on the brass is Floquil's Red Zinc Chromate.

Added a trim wheel to the left side.

A couple of rows of buttons on the right.
I hope to get this a sprayed RLM02 & RLM66 as appropriate this afternoon, and then get started on the detail painting.

This is my first experience with Airfix's light blue plastic. Has sort of a soft, soapy feel to it. No problems yet, but I could see how a slice of a knife could turn into a gouge. I think the first pass at any open seams will be with stretched sprue and Testor's liquid cement. We'll see

Like it Rick, I've got this kit but an older issue so the decals are knackered. I found that theres not a lot of choice for after market sets, particularly for BoB machines. I look forward to your progress. BTW watch out for that plastic when it comes to paint time, I found in the past the release agents applied to the mouldings can cause problems with paint adhesion on some Airfix kits Chuck I recently did a WIP on the Airfix Seafire if you wanna check it out 🙂

Good plan. I haven't used enamels for years so maybe they won't react the same way the water based paints do - sometimes. I have started to prime my kits prior to building to be on the safe side, and so far it seems to be working. Airfix always advise that you wash the parts prior to building.

Well, the first tip I was going to give you was a good scrub with alcohol but I see you are ahead of me. Isopropyl alcohol is great for removing mold release agents. I prefer using the alcohol wipes one finds in a hospital or doctors office. As a registered nurse, I have an endless supply. I also give my builds a good wash with it before applying primer/paint. Don't let the soft plastic put you off either. It is very advantageous in avoiding seams. I use the Testors cement that comes in the black bottle on this kind of plastic. I join the fuselage halves, wait a few seconds, the give the fuselage a little squeeze, and a bit of melted plastic oozes out of the seam line. I let this dry overnight then sand away the melted plastic (now hardened) to a seam free finish.

Incidentally, if you ever want a really good shade of RLM 02, try Model Master "SAC Bomber Tan". It is a dead on match for the now defunct Aeromaster RLM 02 which, in my opinion, was the best match for the actual RLM 02.

1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

I was able to get some RLM02 & 66 laid down tonight. Probably going to let that dry a couple days before I come back to it. In the meantime I'll work on getting the wings and spats, etc together. Should have another update in a couple of days.

I missed Seamus's suggestion about using SAC Bomber Tan, and used MM RLM02 which I had on hand. Probably wouldn't have switched anyway. The gas to drive out to the hobby shop and back plus the price of the paint would have been more than half the price of the kit..ouch
Now if we were talking about US Interior Green vs the abomination that MM currentiy produces as FS34151 I'm right there with ya, but that's a whole 'nother dog fight..lol