Academy 1/72 scale Ju 87G-1 Stuka "Tank Buster"

Kit: No. 1641
Scale: 1/72

Manufacturer: Academy, distributed by Model Rectifier Corp., 80 Newfield Ave., P.O. Box 6312, Edison, NJ 08818, 732-225-2100, http://modelrec.com
Price: $12
Comments: Injection-molded, 80 parts, decals

Pros: Excellent surface detail, excellent fit, good interior, accurate shapes
Cons: Strange hole in wing, decals thick and stubborn

Hugo Junkers' famous Stuka may not have been a beauty, but it was deadly throughout World War II.

This new Academy kit is molded in light gray plastic with excellent detail and fine recessed panel lines. Clear parts are packed separately to prevent scratches. The interior comprises good pilot's and gunner's stations, and the cockpit sidewall detail is crisp. The 7.92mm MG 81Z rear machine guns are well-molded, but include no gunsight, even though it's shown on the painting instructions. A decal instrument panel is supplied, and the pilot's instrument panel also features raised detail in case the builder prefers that option.

The wing is molded in three pieces, and it features the correct short-span configuration for the Ju 87G-1. The Stuka's articulated ailerons and flaps are molded with (but correctly stand away from) the lower wing section. This makes a sturdy assembly and eliminates having to attach these tricky pieces. Care is needed when handling the separate control-surface hinges and tiny aileron mass balances.

The upper left wing of my sample had a hole in the juncture of the inner and outer sections; I checked another kit and found the same hole on its wing, too. None of my references show this on the real aircraft, so I filled it in. The hole's location, right on the dihedral break and fairing cover strip, makes sanding a little tricky.

Assembly was smooth as silk. The fit was as good as that of any 1/72 scale kit I've built. The spatted landing gear fits precisely into sockets in the lower wings. Putty was required only on the lower fuselage where the wing trailing edge fits. The only sanding required was to the propeller backplate to fair it into the spinner's curves.

The 3.7cm Bord Kanone underwing cannons are nicely executed, and their attachment fittings provide secure mounting and alignment.

Optional parts include the MG17 wing machine guns, fairings to replace the guns (common, but not necessarily the rule for the G-1 variant), and optional clear parts for open or closed canopy sections. The pilot's canopy, however, is slightly too thick to pose in the open position. The lens cover for the landing light is good, but there's no light inside.

Two markings options are provided. One is for an aircraft flown by Hans-Ulrich Rudel. The other is for a 1./SG.1 machine, which I chose. The decals are a bit thick and don't react well to mild setting solutions. I used the more aggressive Gunze Sangyo Mr. Mark Softer. The yellow fuselage stripe was particularly stubborn to line up to the compound curve; it also proved slightly too short, so I closed the gap at the underside with yellow trim film. No swastikas were included. I used a pair from SuperScale sheet 72-716. For the final touch, I added an antenna wire from stretched sprue as shown on the kit's box art.

This is a fine kit, despite the decals. I spent about 14 hours on it, less than usual because of the great fit.

I enthusiastically recommend Academy's new Stuka to modelers of all skill levels, with the caveat that a few tiny and fragile pieces might give beginners a bit of trouble. The finished model scales out close to the correct dimensions and accurately captures the sinister stance and appearance of this lethal machine. The kit's parts breakdown and other features suggest more Stuka variants to come from Academy.

Walt Fink