Hobby 2000 72019 - 1:72 Junkers Ju-87 D-1 North Africa

Plastic model kit of the German Junkers Ju 87 D-1 dive bomber in 1:72 scale

The Ju 87 D-1 was the most refined version of the Junkers dive bomber: a streamlined, redesigned cockpit, the more powerful Jumo 211J engine and a greater bomb load. Hobby 2000 72019 takes the subject to the North African front, where the Stuka operated in desert camouflage over Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.

The kit is based on Fujimi sprues with a new sheet of waterslide decals printed by Cartograf and self-adhesive masks for the extensive canopy glazing. The decals cover three marking options from Schlachtgeschwader 3: S7+EP of 6./SG 3 at El Aouina in Tunisia (1942), S7+IR of 7./SG 3 in Tunisia (February 1943) and S7+AA of the Geschwader staff flight, the aircraft of Oberst Walter Sigel at the Siwa oasis in Egypt (August 1942).

What you will find in the box:

• Plastic sprues with airframe, cockpit and undercarriage parts
• Clear parts for the extensive canopy glazing
• Bomb load parts with the swinging crutch
• Self-adhesive masks for the glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf covering three marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72019
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Length of the finished model: approx. 160 mm
• Wingspan of the finished model: approx. 192 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate

Please note: the kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

The Stuka is a rewarding modelling subject: the fixed undercarriage in its distinctive spats and the simple structural layout make assembly predictable and enjoyable. The two-place cockpit is best painted and assembled before the fuselage halves are joined, as the long glazing leaves it clearly on show. The self-adhesive masks are a real help with the many small canopy frames.

North African machines wore sand camouflage with olive green mottling and light undersides, often with the white Mediterranean theatre bands. This is a good opportunity to work on dust and wear effects – light pigments on the undercarriage spats and lower surfaces are worth considering. The decals are best laid over gloss varnish, which prevents decal silvering, with a satin varnish for the final finish.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes or an airbrush
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for the decals and satin varnish for the final finish
• Decal setting solution to help the decals conform to the detail
• Modelling wash to emphasise the detail and panel lines

About the aircraft – Junkers Ju 87 Stuka:

The Junkers Ju 87 is a symbol of the first years of the Second World War – an aircraft that, thanks to its ability to bomb accurately in a dive, became a tool of blitzkrieg. Its unmistakable shape, with inverted gull wings, spatted fixed undercarriage and the sirens fitted to early versions, has become part of the war's iconography.

The D version was the answer to mounting losses and the need for a heavier bomb load. It received the more powerful Junkers Jumo 211J engine, a completely redesigned, streamlined cockpit with lower drag, a revised cooling system and improved armour protection. The D-1 was the first production variant of this family and could carry bombs totalling up to 1,800 kg, although in practice smaller loads were usual.

Stukas operated in North Africa from 1941, supporting Axis forces in the fighting for Cyrenaica, Tobruk and El Alamein and later covering the retreat in Tunisia. Desert conditions were extremely hard on the aircraft: sand ruined engines and weapons, and without fighter cover the slow machines were easy prey for Allied fighters. Even so, the Ju 87 remained in service to the end of the war, moving into the night ground-attack and tank-busting roles.

Original aircraft specifications (Ju 87 D-1):

• Length: 11.50 m
• Wingspan: 13.80 m
• Height: 3.90 m
• Take-off weight: approx. 6,600 kg
• Crew: 2 (pilot and radio operator/gunner)
• Powerplant: Junkers Jumo 211J-1 inline engine of approx. 1,400 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 410 km/h
• Range: approx. 1,165 km
• Armament: two 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns in the wings and a twin 7.92 mm MG 81Z in the rear cockpit
• Bomb load: up to 1,800 kg
• Production: approx. 6,500 aircraft of all Ju 87 versions

About the manufacturer – Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that builds its range around its own themed releases of plastic kits. Each box contains sprues from an established manufacturer – in this case Fujimi sprues – combined with the company's own artwork, illustrated assembly instructions and a new decal sheet. The waterslide decals for the brand's kits are printed by Cartograf of Italy, valued in the industry for their thin carrier film and accurate colour registration. Most of the aircraft releases also include self-adhesive masks for the glazing, which makes painting the canopy frames considerably easier. Hobby 2000 selects its subjects around specific campaigns, units and pilots, and Polish themes appear regularly in the catalogue. Print runs are limited, so once a release sells out it rarely returns. For the modeller this means access to proven tooling in a boxing with carefully researched markings that are often hard to find elsewhere.