Hi folks,

A first attempt at taking pictures of a model in progress, hope they're not too bad! This is the Revell Ju52/3m, with the Aires cockpit set. I have to say, I'm moderately happy with it. I've yet to install the seats and the gunners platform, which I'll hopefully get done this weekend. Comments/suggestions please!

That's looking good so far Nick, I like the faded paint look.
I really am a fan of Aries cockpit sets, they add a nice amount of detail and are good value for money.

Looking good!
I have the same kit to build...Is the overall fit good?

If what you have done so far is any indication of the finished model, I very much look foward to a great model.

Jeff

Hi Nick

That's looking really nice. The well-worn look is very effective.

Did the seat harness come with the Aires set, or did you have to supply your own?

Looking forward to your next update!

Rowan

Nice one Nick, looking good. I, like Martin like Aries detail sets, for the same reasons. Can I ask you why you are only moderately happy with this set? I have the same kit and detail set waiting eagerly in the wings for your reply
Mal

Sorry Mal that came out wrong. The Aires set is superb, it's the finished result that I'm moderately happy with! I'm still fairly new to resin and have only just started using oils for weathering.




So far everything is fine. I had to take quite a lot off the resin block that makes up the front of the cockpit so that the fuselage halves fit together, but that's about it.




There is a seat harness with the set, but I have the Eduard set for this too and I used the one from that for the pilot seat. I also recommend picking up the express mask from Eduard, which makes quick work of all the windows.

The only thing I'm disappointed about with the kit is the lack of after-market decals, but I guess due to the size it's the sort of kit you only build once. The weird thing is that when I saw the Ju 52 at Duxford (see below) I was struck by how small it seemed, and yet the kit is huge!

Nick it's funny you should say that, I had a similar thought when I saw the He111 at Hendon, it seemed very small compared to how I'd imagined it to be.

I think this applies to a lot of older military hardware. When you think of a WWII heavy bomber, we think of something huge and then look at it compared to more modern things (ie B-52, B-1, etc.), its doesn't seem so big, instead just rather cramped.

Jeff

Yeah I think when you see them in documentaries it's really hard to get an idea of scale. Seeing them close-up is a real eye-opener. They have the nose of a Halifax I think at the Imperial War Museum that you can walk through, it's amazing how cramped it is.

Martin, I must visit Hendon, it's on the list of things to do this winter (plus, Hannants is on the way there!). I just got a He 111 off eBay.

I'll post more pics of the Ju 52 in a couple of weeks.

If you get a chance, try to squeeze through a B-17. They spared no room. The B-29 is a little more spacier but not by much.

What I feel bad for is a TBD bombadier. Most of the time (in the few battles it flew in), bombadiers weren't carried, but when they were, they sat in the middle (similar to a bombadier in a Kate) but their bomb sight was in a channel in the front of the aircraft below the pilots feet! In fact, the pilot (when not using the rudder pedals) rested his feet not on a floor, but on a pair of "tracks". The best way I can show you this is in the picture below (his station is that little window below the pilot's canopy. He laid on the floor of the plane in between the wings. In order to use the bomb sight and even just to see foward, he had to open a pair of bomb bay-style hatches (the white ones (seen in front of the leading edge of the wing root). Now that is cramped



Jeff