Zerstörergeschwader 76 - History of the German Luftwaffe unit 1939 - 1945 - edited 10/04 20h00 CET

 

Peter Kassak has released his new 'print-on-demand' title 

 "..I am very excited to announce that the ZG 76 book is available for ordering. Here is a short blurb: Zerstörergeschwader 76 - History of the German Luftwaffe unit 1939 - 1945 by Peter Kaššák and Marek Žatkovič. Soft cover, 414 pages (80 grams coated paper) printed in color (however, most of the photos are B/W). Maps, appendices (losses, victories, COs, bases) and 46 color profiles (sample below). Price: 60 EUR.."

 Available at lulu.com at this link

"..Zerstörergeschwader 76 had two eras of its existence. The first installment was active from the first days of WWII until 1941. A description of this very combat-active and successful episode of the unit history is published as the first part of this book. The second installment, which is a matter of the second part of this book, was active from autumn 1943 until early 1945. It has been a long time since. Many men in the unit also had active duties linked to other units, and it is hard to trace all of the facts. But what was available to us from the known sources, is compiled in the text on the following pages. We believe that this work may be considered as a decent tribute to all men of the ZG 76, and we hope it can be a starting point for other researchers in, if not broadening this work, then just bringing more information and facts about partial events involving ZG 76...

(A final word - this book is a print-on-demand service with printers on each continent (Asia, Australia, UK, France, and three locations in the USA), the delivery and postal costs are as low as possible, and the book is dispatched from the nearest location to the purchaser.)

Peter Kassak's other books via lulu.com are available here

IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A - German cargo glider new-tool 72nd scale. Build review Day 9

 

Day 9 of the IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A kit build.

 
Loading a VW-Kübelwagen onto a Go 242 in North Africa ..

Adding some of the larger pieces of PE - the Gotha's control surfaces are festooned with mass balances - even the trim tabs. The Gotha must have been a very heavy aircraft to fly. 

Step 32. Building the  undercarriage/ wheeled dolly/skids. Skid parts are numbered incorrectly but they only fit one way. Two small pieces of etch to fold. 

This effectively concludes the build. Thanks for looking in and for comments and suggestions. 

A few more images of the finished model here

Below;'TD+IU' one of the kit decal options. Click to view large..

IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A - German cargo glider new-tool 72nd scale. Build review Day 8

Day 8 of the IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A kit build 

Step 25 - adding the flaps and ailerons. These all slide into place beautifully, along with the elevator. Only I'm not too sure how to position them. Looks like the Gotha has flaps that are both inboard and out-board of the booms. See the ECPA-D photos below by PK Gremelsbacher. Note Gremelsbacher was KIA during March 1944 so his images are public domain.  

A view of Steps 26 and 30 in the instruction booklet  - the various PE details to be added to the wings and tailplane. That just leaves the steps covering the landing gear.

IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A - German cargo glider new-tool 72nd scale. Build review day 7

Day 7 of the IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A kit build. 

Almost finished masking the glazing - no getting away from it, there's a fair bit of work here. 

I found that a smear of Perfect Plastic Putty was required around the canopy. Dry fit of the cargo ramp/tail in the open position using metal rod to replace the plastic attachments. At least I can get it to sit open without too much help. I know absolutely nothing about how the ramp door operates. Note in the image of the real aircraft below, the door opens much higher than I have it positioned here. Note too that this image appears to show one of the aircraft on the decal sheet  - or finished in a similar scheme. Mottles are brush-painted.

Building the wings. Perfect fit but I still managed to break one of the supporting struts by trying to force it into place - should have drilled open the locating hole. No issues with the tail booms - although the instructions have the boom parts numbered incorrectly. Take care fitting the tailplane  - I was not 100% not sure which way is 'up' - although part 'F21' does need to be on the lower surfaces ... 

Steps 25 - flaps and ailerons - and steps 26 and 30 - the various PE details to be added to the wings and tailplane - still to do.

Steps 32 and 33 - the undercarriage and skids  -can probably be completed once painting and decaling is done. 

Another image of a Go 242 seen here at Heraklion on Crete, en route to North Africa. Check out the ECPA-D website (imagesdefense.gouv.fr) for more like this..there are useful images in the DAK 238 file which show plenty of details. I particularly needed to look at the lower forward fuselage window - which in this image appears to be partially over-painted.

IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A - German cargo glider new-tool 72nd scale. Build review day 6

 

Day 6 of the IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A kit build. 

Not much to show today. Some work on seams - there is a bit of one on the lower surfaces where the sides fit - and finishing off the canopy masking. Two cockpit decals applied - these are noted in the instructions with the grey inverted triangles. Here's a rear view looking at the internal details with the roof etc cemented in place. Note only two MGs placed - the rear-most two positions can be reached through the open ramp door. I've left the seats out, as ideally I want to show the cargo door open with a Kubelwagen or similar being loaded. It has been suggested that I leave the roof off until painting is completed to avoid breaking the MGs but that would make for a rather fragile structure, like a box without its lid - the Gotha is after all merely a 'glorified' box with wings..

IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A - German cargo glider new-tool 72nd scale. Build review day 5

 

Day 5 of the IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A kit build. 

In fitting the fuselage sides we have completed the first 7 steps of this build.

Step 8 Installing the MGs. Still undecided how to do this as they will obviously interfere with masking the windows. Some modellers install them and then cut off the barrels. I don't see really the point of doing that - I'll just try and exercise extra care..

Step 9/10 Building the seats for the troop-carrying option. I'm not planning to glue these permanently in place. 

Steps 11 and 12 cover the roof framework and fitting

Steps 13/14/15/16 adding details to the canopy and glueing the glazing in place. Some of these steps involve just a couple of parts and are probably best left to the end of the build. The pilots' instruments are glued inside the glazing before attaching to the fuselage (Step 15)

Go 242 cockpit with pilot instruments and two control yokes..

Step 17 and 18. Building the cargo tail ramp. Nicely detailed floor and tail gunner  position. Whether 'open' or 'closed' Step 20 would have you install the cargo door now before construction of the wings or booms. It will be far easier of course to paint and decal it separately if posing it open, especially as the attachment 'struts' seem so feeble. Those on my kit were bent/warped. In fact I doubt they will be 'solid' enough to support the weight of the tail in the open position which is a disappointment. Not sure what to do here - will probably have to cut off the plastic struts and use some rod. (one of my daughter's hair clips perhaps.. )

Cargo door/tail ramp in the open position for the unloading of a flak gun 

That's Step 20 out of 32 - minus one or two details -  essentially completed. Well over half way through. Thanks for looking in...

IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A - German cargo glider new-tool 72nd scale. Build review day 4

 Day 4 of the IBG Models Gotha Go 242 A kit build.

Day 4 of this build has mostly been 're-visiting' steps 5 & 6 from yesterday.  I worked out how to fit the frame parts into the fuselage sides - the aerofoil-shaped part slips into the aerofoil-shaped recess - and ultimately this seemed an easier option for joining it all together. The frames for the rear fuselage are also fitted at this stage.

I made another error - as I knew I would - by getting two of the  'open' fuselage 'portholes' the wrong way round so these had to be removed and swapped around. I also looked at the MG 15s as supplied in the kit. Not bad. They are going to have to be inserted into their mounts before the fuselage roof goes on.

Here everything is stuck together and I'm putting it aside to dry. 

A quick 'dry-fit' of the roof and the cockpit glazing. Again, a pretty good fit, any gaps you might notice here will disappear when it is all glued down. Next, detailing the canopy. There are etch control levers and the pilots' instrument panel to be inserted inside the cockpit glazing before securing to the fuselage. Note the open section is another gunner's position which can be shown either open - with MG - or closed. There's also a PE harness for this section...

That's it for Day 4. Thanks for looking in...