TC`s build thread.

[NARSES2]

Well they had a couple of A models 

[tc2324]

Progress so far. Pretty easy build although there are a number of gaps that nees to be filled on the underside. Didn`t bother with painting the engine as it will be covered up. Was thinking about the paint scheme. Aircraft will be green on top with grey undersides, as was the norm for late war Japanese aircraft, however I`m going to try to see if I can reproduce the `worn` look that will have the BMF showing underneath in some places. Well, you have to experiment with these things don`t you....

[tc2324]

Progress so far, gaps filled, primed and then an undercoat of aluminum sprayed on.

[Taiidantomcat]

Looking good! 

[tc2324]

Quick update. Need to do some work on the cockpit join area and I think another coat of green will need to go over the wings?

Amazing what a flash from a camera can highlight that doesn`t seem so bad to the naked eye.!!

[tc2324]

Final picture before weathering and decals. Think I got the colours about right for a late war Japanese aircraft?

[lenny100]

it look great remember late war aircraft were in a mess as far as paint went, they didnt have time to use paint just keeping them airworthy came first

[Cliffy B]

Looks nice man! 

I don't know if this is true or not but I've heard a story pertaining to the late war IJN and IJA aircraft.  Regardless of how deteriorated the main camo colors were the national insignias (the giant honking meatballs) were to be faithfully maintained.  Ever crew chief carried a small tin of red paint and touched up the insignias whenever they began to show any signs of wear.  Can anyone substantiate this or is it just another internet rumor?

[NARSES2]

Not sure if that "Meatball" account is true Cliffy but it would fit the Japanese psyche and I've not seen many photos of aircraft with badly maintained national markings.

Another reason for them being in better condition then the main camo may have been the paint was better quality ? More of the better stuff may have been around as the war went on and stocks deteriorated. Camo paint got used up quicker and was replaced with cheaper materials.

If Japanese procurement ran along similar lines to most other purchasing dept's then they would have ordered as much red paint as green and grey ?  

[tc2324]

Model completed. Thanks for the contributions guys. Hope I haven`t let you down with my rendition?

Next is the diorama and backstory which should be done by Wednesday to finish this one up.

[NARSES2]

Looks right 

[Taiidantomcat]

Looking good! 

[tc2324]

Backstory and pictures as follows. Enjoy the madness....!

Junkers 87 (Irene) Operations in the Pacific

By the 1st April 1945 the Tenth United States Army 7th Infantry Division had captured a small airfield called Yara Hikojo near the small village of Kadena on the Japanese home islands of Okinawa. After repeated attacks by U.S. naval aircraft, the airfield was in dire need of repair with the first Allied aircraft to arrive within 24 hours to start operations over mainland Japan. It was at this point that allied intelligence officers received a call to visit the airfield. On their arrival they discovered a Junkers 87G `Stuka` had been discovered sitting amongst other Japanese aircraft. A quick inspection had found high explosive within the aircraft and it was concluded that this example had been prepared for a Kamikaze mission. After the `Irene`, (this was the Allied Codename for the Ju 87 in the Pacific Theatre of Operations), had been made safe it was removed from the rest of the aircraft and wrecks for a more detailed examination. Although the Allies had known that the Germans had sent Japan various aircraft and weapons for trails and testing, they were still surprised to see a late war `G` variant of the Ju 87 on Japanese soil. They had known about the two Ju 87` `B`s that had been sent for evaluation purposes at the start of the war but that was where they thought the story had ended. They were in for a surprise.

With the war now over a more detailed examination of the Japanese Air Force records could take place and documents analysed. They soon discovered that a total of ten airframes had been sent by submarines from Germany to Japan as early as January 1944. Of those ten airframes 7 were made airworthy, (airframe 8 had been lost when the submarine it was on was sunk and airframes 9 and 10 were then used as spares), and prepared for combat on the island of Guam. They had been sent there to work up for the crews and the Island was not considered a target at that time by the Japanese High Command. This soon changed however when the Carriers of U.S. Task Force 58 turned into the wind in the early hours of June 19th 1944 and started launching aircraft for the attack and then invasion of the Mariana Islands.

It was soon discovered via the documents that the Japanese Ju 87`s combat debut, and ultimately only mission of the war, was on the evening of the 19th. In an amazing bit of luck all seven `Irene`s` had survived the days attacks and were readied for a night assault on the U.S. fleet. Just before take off one aircraft went unserviceable while the other six slowly made their way into the dark night.

At approximately 11.45pm U.S. radar picked up six approaching aircraft heading for the fleet and Hellcat night fighters from the USS Lexington were sent to intercept. The intruders were correctly identified as hostile, but incorrectly identified as six Aichi B7A `Ryusei` which by coincidence had the same `bent` wing appearance as the Ju-87. With the Japanese aircraft crashing into the sea on a dark night and the fact that `Stuka`s` where purely a European based aircraft, no one questioned the pilots reports and the war went on.

It was only the discovery of the 7th example at Kadena that this tiny untold part of the war can be revealed. When the files were declassified, four pictures and the only ones in existence came to light. They show the 7th example of the Ju 87 `Irene` as found at the airfield near Kadena.









And a few colour shots for those who prefer them....,

[Taiidantomcat]

Very very nice 

[tc2324]

Thanks all for the comments. Hope my stories and builds helped kill a few minutes at work...