Ju-52/3m g5e

Started by Walt · 28 · 2 days ago · . 1/48, conversion, floatplane, Floats, Ju-52, Luftwaffe, Monogram
  • Profile Photo
    Walt said 2 weeks, 3 days ago:

    I printed the crates myself John, @johnb, but the drums are from Tamiya. I think I have some files for the drums but the Tamiya ones are so nice and easy. I am going to print up some more boxes I down loaded also to get some variety.

  • Profile Photo
    Paul Higgins said 2 weeks, 3 days ago:

    Nice to see you've got around to starting this floatplane version of the '52', Walt. And good on you for getting those resin floats, especially because they're hollow inside. The ones I got were solid blocks of resin, and make the kit very heavy; I think you'll have a bit of an easier time attaching your floats than I did mine.

    The Revell kit is getting on in years now, but is still a lovely build with few, if any, major issues. I look forward to seeing the completed kit. I'm sure it'll be impressive... ;-).

  • Profile Photo
    George R Blair Jr said 2 weeks, 3 days ago:

    Interior looks great, Walt (@luftwaffe-birdman). Adding the boxes and drums will make for some nice cargo. The handles on the boxes must have been fun to get off the supports.

  • Profile Photo
    Walt said 2 weeks, 3 days ago:

    Thanks Paul @paulh and George, @gblair. Paul your build was and is a great inspiration to me. When I started researching this I refered to your post and build video. I was able to get the floats from the "Rare-Plane Detective" web store on eBay. He also has a website and fortunately for us shows up at most the local shows. https://www.rare-planedetective.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqQ1i0HFGgorEYCGm5vUHyXJl7UE1UoEnF7ACkEiTKEz84Rxy1m

    There were two different types of floats used on the Ju-52. The ones I am using look similar to the Edo Floats used on the C-47. I like the ones you used on your build, Paul, but I like the shape of these also and I have some expeince with them for panel lines and where the access panels should be mounted. I am trying to figure out a way to build the kit, install it in a water base but be able to remove it for transporting purposes. Any ideas are always welcome.

  • Profile Photo
    George R Blair Jr said 2 weeks, 3 days ago:

    Hi Walt (@luftwaffe-birdman): I have seen a couple of ways to make the plane removable from a base. These were used for ships, but I think they would work for plane floats. One was using plaster as a base, and they wrapped the hull in cling-wrap and put it in place in the plaster until it dried. The second was to create base, then create the ocean using a piece of plywood raised from the base by a 1/2 inch or so. They cut a hole in the shape of the hull in the plywood, created the ocean using acrylic gel, etc, leaving the hole in the plywood intact. When the ocean was done, the hull was placed into the hole, and the interface was hidden using cotton to replicate sea foam. I am sure there are others, but those are the ones I have seen. Good luck.

  • Profile Photo
    Walt said 1 week, 5 days ago:

    I made some progress although not as much as I hoped. I worked on the floats, the castings were pretty good just a few bubbles and I had to block the mating edges to true them out. I clamped them together and used thin CA glue and let it capillary into the seam. After I used some thick to fill the gap a bit. It worked pretty good, and will not take too much work to clean up. I will have to add detail though as they lack panel lines, a chine rail and keel.

    I painted the bed of the truck, and then scraped and rubbed all the salt off to give a well worn truck bed look. I am pretty happy with these results too.

    I also glued the bottom of the fuselage onto the plane, and the fit was very good.

    Glueing the bottom of the fuselage also sets the dihedral of wing. I saw one guys build blog and he thought it was wrong and shimmed it. I think it looks perfect out of the box.

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 1 week, 5 days ago:

    Excellent progress on both the floats and the main airframe, my friend @luftwaffe-birdman!

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 1 week, 4 days ago:

    Some really nice progress, Walt @luftwaffe-birdman
    The bed of the truck came out perfectly with this salt technique.
    To me the dihedral does look perfect as well.

  • Profile Photo
    Walt said 2 days, 11 hours ago:

    I have been working on adding some details to the floats and spent some time cleaning up the struts that attach them to the plane. I added panel lines and rivets and then a chine rail and keel. I don't know if it is 100% accurate but I from my experience I think they make a good representation.

    I had the good fortune to build these types of items for real aircraft. The floats on the model are quite large and scale out at around 5-1/2 feet (1.68m) and the plane I worked on was a little over 6' (1.83m) wide. In reality the floats on the this Ju-52 are almost as long and wide as the Grumman Goose I worked on. They are big!

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 2 days, 11 hours ago:

    Lots of work on those struts and floats, but they do look great, Walt @luftwaffe-birdman
    Pretty sure they are very close to the original ones.
    Must be awesome to be able to work on that Goose.

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 2 days, 11 hours ago:

    These floats look very realistic, my friend @luftwaffe-birdman! Great additions! Your experience on working with real floats certainly helped a lot. And yes, you are a lucky man working with the real thing!

  • Profile Photo
    Tom Cleaver said 2 days, 10 hours ago:

    You come up with some interesting projects, @luftwaffe-birdman, and this is one of the most interesting.

  • Profile Photo
    Pedro L. Rocha said 2 days, 4 hours ago:

    Very interesting and splendid execution of your Tante Ju Walt @luftwaffe-birdman
    Following with interest obviously