Junkers Ju188A/E

[Paul A H]

Junkers Ju188A/E

1:72 Hasegawa

Designed as a successor to the highly effective Ju 88, the Ju 188 fitted the cliché of being a good German design that nevertheless failed to make much of an impact on the war because of the relatively small numbers produced. Entering service in mid-1943, the Ju 188 differed from its predecessor in a number of areas, including a new crew compartment, new engines and an increased wingspan and wing area.

The new aircraft quickly earned itself a good reputation in the Luftwaffe, although in reality the improvements over the Ju 88 could be said to have been marginal. The bomber versions of the Ju 188 were generally used in the anti-shipping role, flying from Denmark and Norway. The aircraft was developed further into a high-altitude, high-performance versions, the changes being so significant that it was re-designated Ju 388 before it entered service.

Hasegawa have crammed a whopping twenty-four sprues of light grey plastic into their fairly large, top-opening box, along with some poly caps, decals, instructions and a nice-looking four page history of the Ju 188, although sadly this is in Japanese only. As you would expect from Hasegawa, the parts are beautifully moulded. Panel lines are very finely engraved, and the all-round level of detail is very good. There are no sink marks present on the parts, and no flash.

Just as there was a great deal of commonality between the real Ju 88 and the Ju 188, so does Hasegawa’s Ju 188 share many sprues with their Ju 88 range. By designing the series in this way, the maximum number of versions have been squeezed from the moulds, but the engineering, and therefore construction of the kit, has been made a little more complex as a result. Because of the commonality of parts with the Ju 88, the front of the aircraft, including the cockpit and crew compartment, is built as a separate sub-assembly to the main fuselage. With that huge expanse of glazing up front, a nicely detailed cockpit is called for. Happily, Hasegawa do not disappoint; instrument panels and radios are represented with crisp, raised details and the overall effect is suitably busy in appearance. Optional decals are also provided for the instrument panels.

Once the front-section is complete, it can be joined to the fuselage. The fuselage itself holds two spars that will aid location of the wings and help to keep them in place. As the main parts of the wings are identical to those used on the Ju 88, new wing tips must be added, and care may have to be taken to achieve a nice smooth join here. Separate dive brakes and flaps are provided.

Two different types of engine and airscrew are provided; Jumo 213s for the A version, and BMW801s for the D version. The modeller must therefore decide which version they wish to represent at this stage. Bomb racks are provided to fit underneath the wing, along with a choice of 250kg and 500kg bombs, both of which look rather nice on the sprue. The undercarriage is very well detailed, with each of the main legs being made up of five separate pieces.

Transparent parts are thin, delicately detailed and nice and clear. Happily, Eduard have released a set of their excellent masks for that complex canopy framing.

Three colour options are provided: a Ju 188E of KG66, 1945, another Ju 188E of KG66 belonging to one Leutnant Hans Altrogge between summer 1943 to spring 1944, and a Ju 188A of 1./KG6. Both of the Es will require you to possess and airbrush and nerves of steel, comprising as they do of spots and squiggles. The A option is a little less challenging, being a more straightforward RML 70/71 splinter pattern. The decal sheet is nicely printed, and appears to be in perfect register. Swastikas are included.

Conclusion

This is a fantastic kit of a subject that will no doubt interest fans of wartime Luftwaffe aircraft. The quality of the mouldings is second to none, and it looks like it has the potential to build up into a beautiful model. Definitely recommended.

Review sample courtesy of UK distributors for

[The wooksta V2.0]

Hmmn. If it's got both the Jumos and BMW801s in it plus a load of others spares, it may well be worth getting, even at the extortionate prices Hasegawa kits are being sold for these days.

I'm very tempted, if only to get some of the bits (mainly engines) to finish the Ju 388L-O I'd started work on from the Hasegawa Ju 88G!

Edited November 29, 2010 by The wooksta V2.0

[Giorgio N]

The Ju-188 is a beautiful plane ! I've been tempted to buy this kit for a while, only put off by the price. I'll have to take the plunge and buy it one day ! Pity it doesn't offer the striped scheme from the box.. more money to go in a decal sheet

[robw_uk]

wow that is some detail in 1/72... I bet the price matches the number of sprues.. but could well be worth it for a change of scene......

[popeye]

.

Admittedly about £ 40.- is quite a lot for a 72nd twin but this compares to the price asked here, while in Germany the kits seem even more expensive.

Whats more - as I already wrote in my RFI - the kit is excellent, contains both engine types ( BMW & Jumo) plus some parts not for use coming in handy if you are going to model other Junkers variants maybe.

Quality, detail and clear parts are superb, its a fun build and - most important - it really looks like a 188 when finished OOB.

If you can afford it and are interested - get one as long as it is available - you may possibly regard it as something of an investment better than stock market.....

popeye

[Giorgio N]

.

Admittedly about £ 40.- is quite a lot for a 72nd twin but this compares to the price asked here, while in Germany the kits seem even more expensive.

Whats more - as I already wrote in my RFI - the kit is excellent, contains both engine types ( BMW & Jumo) plus some parts not for use coming in handy if you are going to model other Junkers variants maybe.

Quality, detail and clear parts are superb, its a fun build and - most important - it really looks like a 188 when finished OOB.

If you can afford it and are interested - get one as long as it is available - you may possibly regard it as something of an investment better than stock market.....

popeye

I remember your model built from this kit, and looked great !

I can't remember now how the different 188 versions were, can you tell if one of the planes used for anti-shipping operations can be made out of the box ? Or can only bombers be built ?

[The wooksta V2.0]

You'd have to add the radar and a torpedo but it shouldn't be that difficult.

Very tempted now but I'll try to contain myself till payday.

[popeye]

Giorgio,

The Wooksta is almost right > "You'd have to add the radar and a torpedo" >>>

but you would need two topedo racks, (different from standard bomb racks) maybe the radar antennaes (not fitted to every a/c)

and you would have to add the cover for the topedo steering gear on the right side of the front fuselage.

The kit contains upper clear parts with an opening for the nose gun, and one without the opening.

also included two lower clear nose parts - with and without fairing for the bomb sight.

Generally the present boxing is catering for plain bombers.

I am however sure Hasegawa will follow suit with torpedo bomber and recce versions soon enough.

Speculating - I suppose Ju 188 S/T and early 388 versions may follow later on as well.

popeye

[Antoine]

Excellent, thanks.

Any possibility to get profiles for the three different colours options?

[Paul A H]

Excellent, thanks.

Any possibility to get profiles for the three different colours options?

No problem - here you go:

[Giorgio N]

Thanks all for the info ! I might wait and see if Hasegawa proposes an ani shipping version. But if I find the kit around for a good price I might just buy the bomber !

[Test Graham]

Given the lack of photos (or indeed evidence) of the Ju188S/T, I think it unlikely Hasegawa will do one, but a Ju388 is possible.

I've just checked on HLJ, and they show 11 variants of the 88 kit (including the 188) - three out of stock and eight discontinued. The last includes the night fighter with Berlin radar that Hannants are still waiting for! The list doesn't include an A-17 torpedo bomber, which I find surprising, so perhaps the tools don't exist for this option?

If they were planning a torpedo bomber, I'd expect holes (to be drilled out) in the fuselage sides for location of the fairing over the control runs - any sign of them?

[Paul A H]

If they were planning a torpedo bomber, I'd expect holes (to be drilled out) in the fuselage sides for location of the fairing over the control runs - any sign of them?

There are no holes on the inside of the fuselage, but the lower fuselage (below the wings) is a seperate piece, so you never know. Hasegawa have designed the kit so that a large number of variants may be squeezed from the moulds - we may not have seen the last of these yet.