Ju-87 D/G Stuka updated pics 10-18-08

[pickelhaube]

The cowling is done and I fixed the prop. I cut the blades straitened them out and filled in those goofy bumps next to the spinner.

[pickelhaube]

He guys , I need some advice. How does the canopy look so far. The front shield and sliding canopy are a no brainer but the rear with the twin gun turret is kicking my butt. I think I got it right but can use some COSTUCTIVE CRITICISM on this here is a close up the real thing.


Here is mine



And more pics





I am just trying to get the shape right after this is done then I will put the frames on.

[momaw nadon]

If I may add something, as I think I see your problem. It looks like the 21st C fuselage is different (model b) than the one you are trying to make (model D/G) in that section. It looks to me and of pictures I have seen, is that part near the gunner canopy is more rounded on the D/G versions, so you are not getting the correct roundness on the canopy frame. Also doesn't the D/G canopy frame have a farther reach on the sides? I'm not sure if I worded that right. How about this, were the slider is, wouldn't the frame drop down a little farther down the side? I don't know how to word that without putting it the same way, oh well. I think I would have to show you other than work it if you don't understand what I'm talking about.

Overall, I think you are on the right track. Also Is the canopy going to be that think when you are finished? It just looks a bit much. I hope that help and thanks for sharing.
momaw nadon

[Cabe]

from http://www.achtungpanzer.com/gen9.htm

Hans-Ulrich Rudel
(July, 1916 - 1982)
Hans-Ulrich Rudel

Hans Rudel is not the kind of "Panzer Ace" such as Wittmann or Barkmann, simply because he was "Stuka Ace" and destroyed enemy armored fighting vehicles from the air. During his career, as Stuka pilot he managed to destroy enormous number of enemy equipment, including 519 Soviet tanks. Hans-Ulrich Rudel was born in 1916 in Silesia. He was the son of a clergyman - minister. He was never good at school and received limited education. Rudel was a teenager when the NSDAP took charge and became indoctrinated at very early age.Since young age, Rudel showed interest in sports and did not do well in school. In 1936, he joined the Luftwaffe as an cadet officer as a way to continue and develop his sporting activities. After passing his flying training course and becoming a pilot, Hans Rudel applied for further training in the technique of the dive-bombing but was turned down. Instead, he received reconnaissance observer's training and flew long range reconnaissance missions during Polish Campaign in September of 1939 as a Lieutenant. On October 11th of 1939, Rudel was awarded Iron Cross 2nd Class.At the same, Rudel continued applying for Ju-87 Stuka (Sturzkampfflugzeug - dive bomber)training course and was finally admitted in May of 1940. After the completion of the course, Oberleutnant Rudel was posted to Stuka Training Wing near Stuttgart, where he spent the French Campaign. Afterwards, Rudel was transferred to 1st Staffel (1st Squadron) of Stukageschwader 2 (Dive-Bomber Group 2) and took part in the airborne invasion of Crete in May of 1941, although not in the battle zone. In preparations for the Operation Barbarossa, Rudel's Group was transferred to the Eastern Front and on June 23rd of 1941 at 3:00am flew his first combat dive-bombing mission. During next 18 hours, he flew total four combat missions. On July 18th of 1941, Rudel was awarded Iron Cross 1st Class.

On September 23rd of 1941,Rudel's Group (1st and 2nd Wing) attacked elements of the Soviet Baltic Fleet in Kronstadt harbor (Leningrad area). During the attack, Rudel sunk Soviet Battleship "Marat" with 1000kg bomb hitting its ammunition store and breaking the ship in half - "We've got her ... you must have hit her ammunition store...She is blowing up !" (Rudel's rear gunner Scharnovski over the intercom).On Christmas Day, December 24th of 1941, Rudel flew his 500th mission and on December 30th, was decorated with Deutsches Kreuz (German Cross) in Gold by General Freiherr Wolfram von Richthofen himself (who was Manfred von Richthofen's cousin).After that, Hans Rudel was sent to Graz to lecture and train new Stuka crews. On January 15th of 1942, he was awarded with Knights Cross and eventually returned to the Eastern Front on his own demand in June of 1942.In September of 1942, Rudel received the command of the 1st Staffel of the 1st Wing of Stukageschwader 2 (1StG2), while operating in the Stalingrad area. At that time, his squadron was often sent to attack Soviet tank units, when inadequacy of bombs against tanks was realized.

On February 10th of 1943, Hans Rudel flew his 1000th mission and became a national hero to the German public.Rudel was then posted to the new special "Panzerjagdkommando Weiss" unit formed at Briansk to test newly developed tank-busting version of Ju-87 D-3.Modified Stuka armed with two Rheinmetall-Borsig 37mm (BK) Flak 18 guns (each mounted in special canopy under each wing with 6 rounds of ammunition) was developed at the Luftwaffe's experimental station at Rechlin (near Neustrelitz, Germany). Prototypes were used at first against Soviet landing crafts in the Black Sea and in the space of three weeks, Rudel destroyed 70 such boats.In March of 1943, during a tank battle around Belgorod, Rudel knocked out his first tank with his new tank-busting Stuka - "... my rear gunner who said that the tank exploded like a bomb and he had seen bits of it crashing down behind us." (Hans-Ulrich Rudel).Later on, more Ju-87 D-3s were converted to tank-busters and were designated as Ju-87 G-1 (often nicknamed Panzerknacker - Tank Buster or Kanonenvogel - Cannon Bird) and started arriving on the Eastern Front in October of 1943.

Ju-87 G-1

On April 14th of 1943, Hans Rudel was awarded Oakleaves to his Knights Cross.Captain Hans Rudel's squadron of nine tank-busting Ju-87 G-1 was assigned to support of the 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf". On the first day of the Operation Citadel, during his first mission,Rudel knocked out four Soviet tanks and by the evening, his score grew to twelve. "We are all seized with a kind of passion for the chase from the glorious feeling of having saved much German bloodshed with every tank destroyed." - Hans Rudel.At the same time, because of Rudel's squadron'ssuccess, Panzerstaffels (Tank Destroyer Squadrons) were formed.Based on his experiences, Rudel developed new tactics for Panzerstaffels. He found that the best way to knock out tanks was to hit them in the back (T-34's rear mounted engine and its cooling system did not permit the installation of heavier armor plating) or the side. Interesting fact is that attacking the back of the tank meant that the plane had to come from the rear flying towards friendly territory - great advantage if the plane got damaged during the attack.

T-34/76

On October 25th of 1943, Hans Rudel was awarded Swords to his Knights Cross with Oakleaves.In early March of 1944, he flew his 1500th mission and was promoted to the rank of Major.In late March, during a mission, Rudel's squadron was attacked by a squadron of Soviet Lavochkin La-5 fighters. One Stuka was shot down and crash landed with its crew unharmed,Hans Rudel decided to land and rescue his comrades stuck in the enemy territory.He landed and rescued his friends but could not take off because of the soft ground.They were forced to escape on foot towards German lines being chased by the Russians.Rudel and his comrades reached the river Dniestr and swam 600m in the ice cold water and just before reaching the other side, Rudel's rear gunner drowned. Eventually, wounded Rudel was the only one who managed to escape and reached German lines. He then returned to his unit, where he was cheerfully welcomed by his comrades. On March 29th of 1944, for his bravery, Major Hans-Ulrich Rudel was awarded Diamonds to his Knights Cross with Oakleaves and Swords, the highest German military award.In November of 1944, while flying near Budapest, he was shot in the thigh but returned to service few days later with his leg in a plaster cast. On January 1st of 1945, Rudel was awarded the Knights Cross with Golden Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds, being the only recipient of this award specially created for him. In February of 1945, Rudel was seriously wounded and his right thigh was shattered by anti-aircraft fire near Lebus (near Frankfurt am der Oder). He managed to land in German held territory and was quickly taken to the field hospital, where his leg was amputated. Rudel was then taken to the hospital in Berlin, where he had an artificial limb fitted and then returned to his squadron. In the last days of the war, Colonel Rudel commanded the oldest and the best known close assault / support Stuka group - Schlachtgeschwader 2 Immelmann. He was still operating with his unit in last days of war on the Eastern Front. At the end of the war, Rudel wanted to fly a suicide attack with his squadron but his superior ordered him not to take off because "he might be needed later", which might have been the only reason why he didn't do so. He also volunteered to fly his Stuka into Berlin in May of 1945 to rescue Hitler from the Red Army. On May 8th of 1945, when Germany surrendered, Colonel Hans Rudel who was in Bohemia, flew his last mission in Ju-87 Stuka. He managed to contact American forces and arranged for himself and other planes to fly over to Kitzingen airfield (near Wurzburg) in the American zone, escaping the capture by the Soviets.Afterwards, Hans Rudel was interrogated first in England and then in France and eventually returned to hospital in Bavaria for convalesce. In 1946, Rudel left the Bavarian hospital and started working as a haulage contractor and in 1948, left for Argentina, where he worked for the State Airplane Worksand organized with other escaped Nazis a NSDAP party-like structure.

In 1951, Rudel published two booklets in Buenos Aires, "Wir Frontsoldaten zur Wiederaufrüstung" (We Frontline Soldiers and Our Opinion to Rearmament of Germany) and "Dolchstoß oder Legende" (Daggerthrust or Legend). In the first book, Rudel claims to speak for all frontline soldiers stating that they would fight again against the Bolsheviks and that Germany's "Lebensraum" (Living Space) is in the East.In his second book, Rudel condemns not only all the soldiers who tried to kill Hitler as traitors, but also the staff officers of the Wehrmacht stating that both groups were directly responsible for the defeat. Rudel condemns soldiers because the turmoil caused by the assassination allowed the Allied forces to succeed with the Invasion of Europe, while he condemns the staff officers of the Wehrmacht because they could not see Hitler's genius in warfare and worked silently against him. Those two booklets were followed by some more of similar nature.Hans-Ulrich Rudel eventually returned to Germany in early 1950s and in 1953, published his war diary entitled "Trotzdem" (Nevertheless). There was a discussion in Germany if it should be allowed that his diary was published, because he was known as a Nazi, but in 1953, it was no longer that bad to be a Nazi. Most people wanted to forget, mostly their own part of the story, while some Nazis became politicians and businessmen and the Witschaftswunder (The rise of the industry and economy) made the Germans interested in other things. Rudel continued his sporting activities and became a candidate for the Deutsche Reichspartei (DRP) an ultraconservative party but was unsuccessful. The "Stuka Ace" died in Germany in 1982. In 1984, his diary was published again and two of the greatest Allied fighter pilots, Douglas Bader and Pierre Clostermann wrote a warm and praising foreword to this edition, surely being unaware of Rudel's political activities.

Junkers 87 Stuka
Junkers 87 R-1 Stuka of 2nd Staffel of Stukageschwader 3,
over Trapani, Sicily in 1941.

During his career, Rudel flew over 2530 (around 400 of his sorties were flown in a Focke-Wulf 190 fighter plane during which he was credited with 11 air victories) missions and destroyed around 150 various artillery pieces, 519 tanks, around 1000 various vehicles, 70 landing crafts, 2 Lavochkin La-3 fighters, Il-2 Stormovik and sunk Battleship "Marat", 2 Cruisers and a Destroyer. Rudel was responsible for such huge damages to the Red Army that Joseph Stalin himself put a price of 100.000 rubles on his head.He flew more than 600.000km and used more than 5.000.000 liters of fuel. Hans Rudel dropped over 1.000.000kg of bombs, fired over 1.000.000 of machine gun rounds, over 150.000 20mm rounds and over 5000 37mm rounds. Rudel thought that the Lend-Lease American tanks were easier to kill than the Soviet T-34s, but he hated their machine guns, because once he was shot down by one. Rudel was an outstanding pilot with experience,who loved to fly and destroy.He hated to take home leave or sick leave and even when he got his leg amputated he was not depressed since he could still do what he loved - fly and destroy.During his career, Hans Rudel showed remarkable power, toughness, fearlessness, unparalleled determination and arrogance but none of his photos show any impact of the hardship of war on his face. His personal bravery was beyond belief and his place in the annals of military history thoroughly deserved, although it is important to remember the words of an American Protocol-Officer, who absolutely correctly named Rudel "the typical Nazi Officer". Rudel's famous quotation was "Verloren ist nur, wer sich selbst aufgibt" ("Lost are only those, who abandon themselves").

[pickelhaube]

The front and pilot section are pretty spot on . The very rear is what I have an issue with. I have been looking at the Hasagawa rear turret and it looks nothing like the photo. Mine does but it just don't look right.


Here is mine almost just like the photo. But there iis something that looks off. The hieght and length are spot on.

So should I try more to get it better or go with what I have? The thickness will not be an issue . I am going to vacufrom the canopy. In the photo it looks like the sliding part is sooo much more thicker than the middel section. It is actually only about 1/16" of an inch gigger. The glass should slide freely over the back section.

[momaw nadon]

Okay, if you look at the real photo, the canopy is curved from the width of the fuselage up and around the ball part of the turret. Also the ball part of the turret starts the slope of the frame that froms the shelf under the ball and over the fuselage. So your model looks to have more of that shelf on the side than there should be and the ball is not wide enough. Is that what you are seeing?

Also you can just make out the slider rail in the lower right corner and to me if you were to continue the line back the canopy frame should be extended below that. I just didn't know how to word it right in the first post.

Also you might be careful of using models for reference. Unless you know the flaw and fix on your project. I ran into this first hand, so I make sure to know about the kit as best as can, before using it.

momaw nadon

[pickelhaube]

Here is the reworked canopy plug. I hope the details come out when I vacuform it. Now I need to make my BIGGER vacuform machine.
The only thing for the D to do is the under wing oil coolers and the D should be done. Then it is on to the G version. Longer wing tips and thinner wheel pants.

[AlloySkull]

It looks like the real thing... Matt you do amazing work! The cowling is perfect, the guns are awesome and the canopy is spot on. You really have inspired me to learn.

[normandy]

Pickelhaube, that is just outstanding work! This is looking great.

[hworth18]

Pickel,
I don't know if this will help, but here is a walkaround series from the RAF Museum on one of the modelbuilding forums I belong to.

http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/16703

[VMF115]

Pickel,
I don't know if this will help, but here is a walkaround series from the RAF Museum on one of the modelbuilding forums I belong to.

http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/16703

pickel that website should help you alot, there ar quite a few well detailed pic,s.
any ways it's kool website I have been there in the past but could not find it again till now.
I did have tons of pics from there saved on my puter

[pickelhaube]

Hey You guys,
I would like to say thank you for that great web site but..... After looking at it it I still dont have the rear right There looks like a vetical frame in the middel of the rear turret and the gun area is a lot bigger than the one I have. But the turret in the pic does not have the armor shields . Mine does Man this custom stuff is bothersome.
This should be a quick fix but I have cast them already . Oh boooooooooooy.

[warbike]

Hope you get you plane done soon, the T-34's are rolling off the line:

WSN 1/16 RC RTR RUSSIAN T34-85 IR BATTLE TANK:

http://cgi.ebay.com/WSN-1-16-RC-RTR-RUS ... dZViewItem

[pickelhaube]

Hope you get you plane done soon, the T-34's are rolling off the line:

WSN 1/16 RC RTR RUSSIAN T34-85 IR BATTLE TANK:

http://cgi.ebay.com/WSN-1-16-RC-RTR-RUS ... dZViewItem

Hey Warbike '
I clicked on the e-bay page and was excited when I saw the WW1 Brtish tank. I thought they were making one in 1/16 scale !! But then I saw it was about the best tank of all times show rundown

[aferguson]

a man of your enormous talents should be able to make a wwi tank no problem, pH..

[pickelhaube]

a man of your enormous talents should be able to make a wwi tank no problem, pH..

Thanks Man for the vote of confidence. The tanks are not that bad. It is just those millions and millions of rivets and keeping them strait

[supersonicfifi]

if you don't know the book STUKA PILOT from the famous RUDEL , it's a must have !


I hope PH that you will remove your pants .... on your STUKA

There is a lot of STUKA photo where the landing gear "pants" were removed to avoid the mud ( it was particulary true on the RUSSIAN FRONT, and true on RUDEL lasts models ...)

anyway, as usual well done !!

[pickelhaube]

I thought about doing the Stuka gear without the spats. But thinking it over I wll make them the smaller thinner ones. Pantless may incour problems. The 21st Stuka is a heavy model and if I make the gear support out of the resin it may not be strong enough to support the weight.

[aferguson]

i think the guns, canopy and cowl are enough. If someone wants to do all the smaller details, they can do it themself.

Time to move onto other projects, pH!

[pickelhaube]

I have been busy on the P-36 . 3 full paint schemes have been sold before production. French versions . I just made 6 more kits and they have been sent to Jack. I also have nocked out a bunch more cannons and I am in the process of painting them for retail.
I have made and cast the master plugs for the canopy and am in the process of making a larger vacuform machine for the canopies. This is something that I have been putting off . I need to get it done because it is holding up the Stuka. I also have made half of a cast of the cowling . I ran out of RTV. So far with every project I have done it has cost me about $1200 worth of RTV. Not counting resin.

While the epoxy is drying on the vacuform machine I have started on the wheel pants. I will probably finish them today. Unless Mama Spike gives me a "to do" list. She already has said that I need to get a hair cut. I could have pics up of the wheel pants. If I get them done and maybe a couple of shots of the vacuform machine. I am making the machine out of a waffel maker that I bought from a thrift store for $5 ! This has the heating element and it opens and closes like a clam shell. This way I don't have to use the house oven and get static from you know who.

[aferguson]

thanks for the update pH. Looking forward to getting the stuka bits when they're done. I've got a winter stuka just chomping to be converted.

[pickelhaube]

Here are some pics of the reworked Stuka D landing gear. There is something about landing gear. It just takes so much time to do. This is the product of about 12 hrs worth of work.
I basicly cut 3/8 of an inch out of the middel of the pants. Then cut another 1/4 inch from the middel of the strut leg. Then added the leather oleo shock cover. I have primed it and it looks like I need a little touch up with a V file on the leather shock cover. i also added a 1/4 inch wedge to the front pf the pant. The D did not have the flaired leading edge.











I was not sure how to fit the gear back into the larger gear socket so I came up with this idea. Once it is painted it should blend in better. By doing this there will be no modifying of the main gear socket. All you will have to do is just pop it in. Is this a mistake ? By doing this it will be user friendly.
What do you guys think ?

[vmf214]

I think it's a good idea and I like it, the gear look fine imo. Those guns are sweet!!

[Killerf6]

I think it looks great ph. Your work, the attention to detail, the historical accuracy, never ceases to amaze me.

I just want to know how you do it. I strugle to find the time to do a couple of repaints, and in the time it takes me to get set up, you have three complete customs going. At the same time!

I salute you sir

[pickelhaube]

After yestorday's fiasco I had better luck today. Things that are done for the Stuka:
!. I made the longer wing tips for the G.
2. I made the radiator scoops for under the wing. When they changed the B to the D they had to relocate them after cutting down the front scoop.
3. I finished the thinner landing gear.
4. I semi mastered the pouring of the cowling. I have made 4 copies already !
5. I fixed ( I hope ) the heating element for the larger vacumeformer. I will do my first pull on it tommorow. If this is a success the Stuka D/G is done !!!! I will post pics on Friday if everything works out alright.
Then I will have to make molds of all of it. I have this covered . I broke down and got 2 gals of the RTV. This custom was actualy fun to do except the landing gear.
Then the next project will either be the P-40 E or the Tony. There are a bunch of potential cutomers out there asking me about the Tony so that may have to be my next main focus.