Print Scale 72014: Ju-87 Stuka

When I started work on my Airfix 1/72 Ju-87B-1 kit, I thought it would be nice to find some markings different from what came in the kit. So I started looking for some. Well, it seems that the aftermarket folks have not yet caught up with the Airfix release and all I could find at the time was one sheet from Print Scale. Finding the sheet was equally challenging as it is one of their early releases and most places were sold out. I finally found a place in Ukraine that had it and so after several weeks in the mails, it arrived.

The sheet is one where you have multiple options and minimal insignia. In fact, there are enough to do the single Spanish civil war option and one Luftwaffe plane. There are a pair of swastikas, but typical of European decals, they are in sections. The decals themselves are printed in Russia and are actually nicely done. I noted no issues with registration while perusing the sheet.

The majority of the aircraft are in the standard RLM 70/71/65 splinter camouflage that gives many modelers fits due to all the masking required. A nice four view of this scheme is provided on the sheet. Though the aircraft shown is the D-5 version, the scheme is identical on all similar planes. What isn't shown are the upper markings on some of the more unusual camo schemes, so you are on your own when it comes to researching these.

On the sheet is a single Ju-87A, four B-1 (one of them the same markings as the Airfix kit), four B-2, four R-2, two D-3, one D-5 and one G-2. There is a nice mixture of theaters of operation with a couple from the Greek campaign, several from the desert (including the obligatory R-2 with the snake on the fuselage), and all of the D series planes have parts of the landing gear covers removed so a bit of hunting for the right kit will be needed. There is no kit recommended as none of the markings are such that they won't fit on any available kit.

Instructions show profiles of all the options with information on each one. A stencil diagram is provided to help with markings placement and you even get a color drawing of the main instrument panel. I have used these markings and found that though some of them seem attached to each other, they separate once you remove them from the backing. I also found them to be quite thin and easy to tear. The yellow is a bit transparent so keep that in mind, though the markings with white in them are quite opaque.

If you like to model the Stuka in this scale, then this would be a nice sheet to find.

February 2016

Copyright ModelingMadness.com

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact the editor or see other details in the Note to Contributors.