Well - I just wanted to build this unique-looking bird, and what I had in the stash was a VERY OLD Frog kit. I was thinking OOB, but from the moment I opened the box, things started happening... I was thinking I'd not add any interior details - just open up air scoops and stuff like that. Looking at the canopy, it's one loooong piece of glass, and pretty thick and full of raised framing lines. I did a quick search to see if I could find a replacement (didn't), but found a set of canopy masks for it, and decided I could sand off the framing and polish it, then use the masks, and end up with a more clear greenhouse. That led me to thinking that you might actually be able to see some of the detail, and it is just one big empty cavern! So.... The only 2 pieces of the below photos that are part of the kit-supplied interior are the two grey floor sections (with holes in them for the seats) - one for the pilot and one for the gunner. There were also 2 seats, but nothing for the observer/navigator. I added the bulkheads, stringers, decking and radio from styrene, snagged a seat from my spares box for the observer, built the swiveling gun mount from a couple of landing gear legs (spares box) and some wire. The extra magazines for the rear gun came from a set of engine dolly wheels sanded down in diameter and thickness. Below is the twin gun piece I found in my spares box as a framework to build out the guns. I used another two of the modified engine dolly wheels on the gun, along with styrene and some more parts from the spares box to create the guns. And as usual, since I'm building wheels-up, I had to totally replace the gear doors, as they did not fit AT ALL. I mentioned that I cut down the rear deck area to depict the gun cover open and slid along the back of the fuselage. I'll glue down a piece of thin styrene to depict the cover pushed back. I also had to then cut the rear canopy section that tilts open (like on the Dauntless, it just pivots back into the section in front of it), so that the gunner can get at his guns and do his thing. I used an engraving tool to depict the rail area where the panel slides open/closed. So then - I bit the bullet - and decided to sand off all the raised panel detail and rescribe everything. I found a good diagram on the-blueprints.com to help me in that task. I wish I had made this decision prior to building out all the interior detail so I would have less hassle sanding and scribing - but oh well! I had recently purchased a Valom Blackburn Firebrand kit, which contained a multi-media torpedo. I decided the Firebrand is cool enough looking without the fish, so stole it for the Barracuda build. The torpedo trunk is resin, the horizontal fin is styrene, the propellors, propellor guards and vertical fins are PE (did I mention I hate PE...?). I'll have to manufacture some shackles for the torp. More pics to come as I progress.
It has been a little over a year since I have completed anything. This is marking the end of that drought. For some reason all of the other build that I have started in the past 12 months have either ended up in the can or on the shelf. I just couldn't get anything to come together. Kurt and I have been passing ideas back and forth and he has been giving me words of encouragement which really helped getting this build to the end. To the end here means that everything is done except the niggly bits which have been intentionally left off until Soonercon this next Saturday. Ill be able to go over it with a close eye to solve most of the issues that I have not caught yet.
I found some references where the windows have been fared over or painted to prevent light seepage.
So I painted the splinter over the windows leaving the radio mans windows unpainted. I then used a white wash mad from the Walmart craft paints and some X20-A thinner with a shot of future. I used the Tamiya weathering sets to give it the grime and soot that I think makes it look well worked.
Looks good Paul. I really like the way the white wash looks over the corrugated wings and fuselage.
You had to get that WIP done and off your build table if for no other reason than it is HUGE and nothing else could be done on your bench. It really came out very nicely. As I said before, the Ju-52 was a working-dog on all fronts. You have captured the degree of use and durability it showed on the most gruelling front of all, the Russian Front.
Congratulations on shaking the modeling dry-spell and producing a great example of the Ju-52.