There was a lot of interest on all the forums when Hasegawa announced a new 1/72nd Junkers JU 188. Aside from a build in Scale Aircraft Modelling, there has been a surprising silence since. Priced at over £40 in the UK is the kit really too expensive ?
My friend Rolf (Popeye on britmodeller.com and IPMS recce SIG member) from Basel, Switzerland believes it is worth every yen, dollar, pound or euro and to prove it has achieved these magnificent results!
Rolf reports that there are some fit issues – in particular the join of the lengthened wings needs some filler and blending in. The cockpit is sufficiently well detailed and has a correct floor and the transparencies are crystal clear and fit the new front section like a glove. The model was built with the help of pics and data from "Aufklärer, Volume Two" from Classic Colours by Dave Wadman and some additional information received from the author. The Hakenkreuze are obscured in these views.
The subject of Rolf's build is a 3. Fernaufklärungsgruppe 33 machine. This recce Staffel converted to the type late in 1943 and moved to the eastern Mediterranean in spring 1944, flying long range recce sorties to Alexandria and beyond.
The aircraft were all camouflaged with tight blue "squiggles" by crews and maintenance staff. If interested in more detail and other Luftwaffe recce gen I can unreservedly recommend "Aufklärer Volume One and Two". We'll conclude this post with a final look at Rolf's masterpiece and a view of another of his Luftwaffe recce marvels, a Ju 88 D coded 7A+NH from 1.(F)/121 in an overall 65 scheme ! (Decals from the AIMS 'early Junkers' sheet..)
