Quote from: NARSES2 on May 14, 2016, 02:24:35 AM
I'm currently building the new tool Airfix Ju 87 and something is puzzling me. Now I've looked through my Putnam's and various other books, looked on-line and been through this thread and I'm still none the wiser. So hopefully someone here can enlighten me ?

The Airfix kit has a clear plastic box which is fitted so as the pilot can see through a clear vision panel that is located just forward of the rudder pedals. He looked down and slightly forward. However they would have you paint the underside vision panel of this box the same colour as the rest of the underside. So did the Stuka have a clear vision panel so the pilot could see below him ? If so was this usually covered by a panel ? If covered how did it open ?

Not important but it's piqued my interest. It also shows how modeling can still be educational even after all these years 

There is currently a build thread on Britmodeller that is asking exactly the same question. Of course I don't know what user name you have or if you are a Britmodeller member so I might be giving a link to your own build and question 

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235002228-junkers-ju87b-1-stuka-airfix-172-new-tool/

Gondor

This cutaway drawing shows an oil tank in the location you describe Chris.  And some armour.
Of course its for a D3 and that might not have been the case on the earlier models.

Quote from: NARSES2 on May 14, 2016, 02:24:35 AM
So did the Stuka have a clear vision panel so the pilot could see below him ? If so was this usually covered by a panel ? If covered how did it open ?

Your post got me wondering, and I went to the internet to look at the Chicago Stuka as she is hung from the ceiling so I thought there might be a good image of the belly, and I found this blurb about the Chicago Ju-87R-2 Tropical Stuka (one of only two complete Stuka survivors) when she was taken down for cleaning and scanning:

".....The 3-D scan has turned up some new information, McCarthy says; it found a small trap door under the pilot seat that had been sealed over; it was probably used at one time for the pilot to have a clearer view of targets on the ground....."

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82855865/

Sandie' thank you 

I had never heard of it before that's for sure and it would appear to have been only on the early marks ? All I can say is that Airfix have really done their research.

Quote from: Gondor on May 14, 2016, 03:09:21 AM

There is currently a build thread on Britmodeller that is asking exactly the same question. Of course I don't know what user name you have or if you are a Britmodeller member so I might be giving a link to your own build and question 

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235002228-junkers-ju87b-1-stuka-airfix-172-new-tool/

Gondor

Not me mate. Glad I'm not the only one though 

FWIW, early versions of the F4U Corsair had a window in much the same location for, apparently, much the same reason.

Quote from: elmayerle on May 15, 2016, 07:18:56 AM
FWIW, early versions of the F4U Corsair had a window in much the same location for, apparently, much the same reason.

Ah interesting. I knew a lot of USN types had a window for downward vision but wasn't aware the Corsair had one

This bit of information was posted yesterday on Britmodeller

Quote
That certainly is odd Ced, the instructions do appear to advise you paint the clear bit of the pilot's floor window blue... but I believe you are correct in not doing so!



If you are using the kit transfers for the France-based Stuka, you are on safe ground as it is a Battle of Britain option.

The person doing the build, Ced, is using a masking set which included a mask for the external part of the "window chute" as he calls it, parts E07 & E09. But as the person I quoted above says, it was probably painted over as the war progressed.

Hope that helps

Gondor

Cheers mate. I'm making a real world Royal Hungarian AF example circa 1942, which retained the original 3 colour upper camouflage scheme but had the "white cross" national markings. I think I'll work on the basis the window was painted over.

Storchtuka 

Quote from: ysi_maniac on November 15, 2022, 07:27:46 PMStorchtuka 

Very narrow undercarriage track.
Or is it just a single leg and it tips onto one wingtip when ground speed drops below a certain level?


I necromanced this thread because I am thinking about a radial engined Anton.

Quote from: zenrat on July 16, 2023, 05:55:46 AMOr is it just a single leg and it tips onto one wingtip when ground speed drops below a certain level?

If the wings were long enough that'd work a treat. Sailplanes do it all the time.   

Post war civilian Ju-87

The Schtorctuka is just weird....but the Taxi sure looks good ! Imagine the "driver" diving you to your destination !

On Wikipedia the description of the D-5 version included "The window in the floor of the cockpit was reinforced". So it seems the floor window was there. Now if and when it was painted over was up to the ground crews and paint availability. So you could be right either way. I would probably not paint it as it would add more visual interest to the model, but that's just me.