1:32 Ju-87A

The first Stuka, still with trousered landing gear

The A version was the very beginning of the whole family. It had a weaker engine, a more angular vertical tail surface and above all the conspicuous fairings of the fixed landing gear, which for their shape became known under the nickname trousers. It went through its combat trial in Spain, where the Germans sent it in 1937 in small numbers to verify whether an attack from a steep descent works at all. It did, and so the early version was quickly replaced by later machines with a smoother fuselage. A single airframe has survived to the present day.

What you will find in the box

Two parts for the glazing of the long canopy, one for the outside and one for the inner side of the frames, and one part for the national marking. Size 1:32, paints and plastic components are not enclosed. The parts are die-cut in advance, so they are stuck straight in place without further work with a scalpel.

Craft: film on a doubly curved surface

Flat film and a rounded canopy are at odds. Never stretch it all at once; waves form that lift at the edge. Lay it down from the middle first, smooth it out from there toward both sides and rather cut the surplus at the rounded end into several wedges that overlap. Slight warming also helps; warm air from a hairdryer on a low setting is enough, the film softens and clings to the curve. Cold film returns to its original shape after a few minutes and peels off exactly where you did not press it down. Before you reach for the airbrush, go over the curve once more with a fingertip and make sure that no bubble is standing anywhere.