Wednesday 14 October 2015

new AIMS decals from John MacIllmurray - early Junkers Ju 88s Part 1





new from AIMS and maybe still in time for some of the Battle of Britain Group builds currently running, is this comprehensive sheet devoted to early Junkers Ju 88s. Covering machines from all the leading KGs - KG 51, KG 30, KG 77 - the sheet provides a range of codes and badges enabling the modeller to build some representative aircraft most of which are well covered by references. As usual with AIMS you get full colour  artwork instructions, general upper surface camouflage lay-out with full colour key. and some of the history behind the subject aircraft with details of the crews' fates. Even if you don't intend to model an early Ju 88 just at the moment it goes without saying that this sheet is well worth adding to the library.




Subjects include 9K+AL Wk N. 3153 of 1./KG 51 based during the Battle at Melun. 3153 is in standard RLM 70/71/65 but has the EZ-6 direction finder cover painted in a lighter colour like RLM 02 with yellow spinners whilst the white of 1 Gruppe adorns the radiator rim of the engines, obviously the Staffelkapitän had to have a more colourful aircraft for the propaganda day. 3153 carries full codes repeated under wings, note early position of tail insignia and no fuel triangles on side of cockpit.

3Z+BB Pilot Oblt. Siegward Fiebig was shot down in Wk N. 4136 becoming a POW with his crew after crash landing near Hertingfordbury after attacking the de Havilland factory at Hatfield where it was hit by AA. Only tail and upper left wing are seen in photos so style of codes, badge, presence of fuel triangle on cockpit as well as repetition of individual aircraft letter on nose and spinner tips in Stab colour - all as seen on other KG 77 machines of the time. Ju 88 vol 2, p 392, Classic.

3Z+HN Flown by Staffelkapitän Gunther Zetzsche Wk N. 7112 of 2./KG 77 was shot down by a Hurricane of 229 Sqn, coming down into the Channel 15 miles off Bexhill with all crew lost. An earlier photo of the machine shows no sign of the Wk N. on tail fin so might well be hidden from view on the nose of the cockpit. 7112 bears tactical markings on both sides of rudder and left wing only as per 3Z+BB as well as repetition of individual aircraft letter on upper wings - maybe nose also? Osprey No.17 Ju 88 Kampfgeschwader On the Western Front p. 4, 58

More from AIMS decals on this blog. See John's recent Stab Bf 110 sheet here 
Decals for Messerschmitts in monotone schemes here

For ordering and much more go to John's AIMS Models site here