Rocky Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I recently decided that I wanted to build an early war Ju 87B-1 in 1/48 scale. I took a look at what was available, and found a zillion Ju 87B-2 kits, but no Ju 87B-1. Is there anything out there? A conversion kit? How is it that there are so many Stuka kits are out there, but no one has done the Ju 87B-1? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jason C-C Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I recently decided that I wanted to build an early war Ju 87B-1 in 1/48 scale. I took a look at what was available, and found a zillion Ju 87B-2 kits, but no Ju 87B-1. Is there anything out there? A conversion kit? How is it that there are so many Stuka kits are out there, but no one has done the Ju 87B-1? What are the differences between the two sub-types? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ch9862 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Is there anything out there? A conversion kit? None that I know of. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G.R.Morrison Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 You've chosen the "wrong scale" -- for Fujimi makes a Ju 87B in 1/72 that can be built as a B-1, B-2 or R (300-liter fuel tanks beneath wings). To do this in 1/48 (and I've no idea why someone hasn't grasped the nettle and produced a conversion), you'll need to: 1) create the earlier exhausts, which are separate oval tubes, not the ejector-style provided by kit and resin-replacement makers, 2) find a suitable slimmer metal prop (the kits all supply the later, broader wooden type), 3) lose the armored gun mount for the radio operator (the macabre joke in Stuka units was that the gunner's body was the pilot's 'armor'), and 4) maybe change the radiator flaps and eliminate the undercarriage leg-mounted sirens -- depending on WHEN you are depicting your subject. The sirens were never universally mounted, and didn't appear until the French campaign (May / June 1940). The St.G. 77 continued to operate B-1s in combat longer than any other unit, even after some others had begun using the redesigned D-1. Major Orthofer (a Ritterkreuz recipient) was killed 12.October 1942 in a B-1, and the 8./St.G. 77 was still flying missions with them in December! Good luck in your project, GRM Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 It's not a difficult conversion at all. I used the exhaust insert pieces from an old Hobby Craft Bf109B and a prop from the spares box. Fill in the panel lines on the cowl flaps and you're essentially there. Good old fashioned modeling, no resin required. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocky Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 According to my reference, Ju87 Stuka in action, its not so simple. Late production Ju 87B-1 also had the ejector exhausts. But in addition to the differences you have mentioned, (props and cowling flaps) there are these as well: "To further increase the airflow into the radiator [of the B-2], to cool the more powerful engine, the mouth of the radiator bath was enlarged and the upper lip was raised to a shallower vee-section... the forward angle of the landing gear forks were increased, causing a slight enlargement in the toe sections of the exterior spats. Additional modifications included a small fresh air duct on the leading edge of the port wing, a hinged access panel over the engine starting-crank opening and the optional use of extended covers over the muzzels of the wing-mounted MG 17s." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beaconroot Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Hello, I am also very interested in building a Ju87B-1 in 1/48th. I have searched through my library and came up with a little information but nothing I am sure everyone already knows. The differences in the landing gear rack and the oil cooler opening are what I am looking for. Does anyone know of any good drawings of these areas? I am wanting to build an early B-1 for a Battle of Britian theme contest. Any information is alway appreciated. Jim Root Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocky Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 Does anyone know what version the Lindberg kit is? If its a B-1, I could chop out parts of it and use them to modify a better kit... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ham Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Digging up an old fossil, but I have been wanting to do a 1/72 scale Battle of Britain Ju 87 for a while and all the decals I can find are for the B-1. I had hoped to use the Italeria B-2 (Tamiya boxing) as I have one. Anyway, I found a photo of a B-1 that illustrates some of the differences discussed here. Note the scoop on the upper right side of the cowling. in the photo about 2/3rds down the page in the link below. Clicky Anyone find additional information on differences between a B-1 and B-2? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bigjugs Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Big difference: Saved from an old HS post- Basically, the B-1 had straight exhaust pipes, non-operable radiator flaps and the radiator was shallower on the early B-1s, an open starter crank port, the landing gear had a slightly different angle as it was slightly more vertical and shorter than the B-2. Overheating was a problem as were nose-overs. As for the sirens on the spats, the earliest B-1 appear not to have them, but B-1s did have the stubs on the spats, although the sirens may not have been mounted in the Polish Campaign. The top of the radiator/underside of the cowl (where the lower part of the cowl formed the top) was curved on the B-1 and "V" shaped on the B-2. The B-1 had a prop with narrower blades than the B-2. The B-2 had a deeper radiator, operable radiator flaps, gear legs were longer and more forward, a covered starter crank port, and different exhaust. Now for the problems. There are many pictures of hybrid aircraft, it appears that either B-1s were retro-fitted with B-2 style radiators or that early B-2s still had straight stacks or that late production B-1s got the B-2 style radiator. In other words, looking at the front end of some Bs, one cannot tell what model. One other thing, camouflage. It appears that the very earliest B-1s had a different camouflage pattern. The underside RLM 65 was higher up. From the front it can be seen that the 65 went up to the wing leading edge making it stop just below the exhausts. Of course, in modeling any aircraft, a picture helps. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beaconroot Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Hello, Dragging up an old topic but I have a question. Does anyone out there have a Special Hobby 1/48th Ju87A that they trashed or don't need or have spare parts laying around? I need the prop blades out of the kit if anyone has them. I want to use them on my Ju87B-1 build. I don't have the Special Hobby kit and don't want to trash a complete kit for the prop blades. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Jim Root Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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