Hobby 2000 72020 - 1:72 Junkers Ju-87 D-3 N / D-7

Plastic model kit of the German Junkers Ju 87 D-3 N / D-7 night ground-attack aircraft in 1:72 scale

The night Stukas are one of the less obvious chapters in the history of the Ju 87. Once the dive bomber had become too easy a target by day, the Luftwaffe moved it to operations after dark – the aircraft received flame dampers on the exhaust stubs, which protected the crew's night vision and made the machine harder to spot in the dark.

Hobby 2000 72020 is based on Fujimi sprues with a new sheet of waterslide decals printed by Cartograf and self-adhesive masks for the glazing. The decals cover two marking options from the night ground-attack groups: D3+GK of 2./NSG 2 in Italy (June 1944) and E8+LK of 2./NSG 9 at Ghedi in Italy (September 1944).

What you will find in the box:

• Plastic sprues with airframe, cockpit and undercarriage parts
• Flame damper parts characteristic of the night versions
• Clear parts for the canopy glazing
• Self-adhesive masks for the glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf covering two marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72020
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Length of the finished model: approx. 160 mm
• Wingspan of the finished model: approx. 192–208 mm (depending on the version modelled)
• 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 build is a relaxed one – the Ju 87 has a simple shape, fixed undercarriage and few assemblies that call for problem solving. The cockpit deserves the most attention and should be painted and assembled before the fuselage halves are joined, along with the flame dampers, which give the night version its character and catch the eye on the finished model.

Night ground-attack machines were painted dark, often with subdued markings and overpainted light surfaces – a subject where shading and subtle wear pay off, as a dark silhouette easily loses definition. Gloss varnish under the decals is recommended, as it prevents decal silvering, followed by a satin finish. A light wash in the panel lines helps bring the detail out of the dark camouflage.

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 night versions:

The Ju 87 went to war as a precision dive-bombing tool, but as early as 1940 over England it became clear that a slow aircraft without effective fighter cover suffered very heavy losses. The following years made the problem worse: growing numbers of Allied fighters and ever denser anti-aircraft defences made daylight Stuka operations increasingly costly.

The answer was to move the aircraft to night operations. The Luftwaffe formed night ground-attack groups (Nachtschlachtgruppen) in which the Ju 87 harassed the enemy's rear areas – transport columns, supply dumps and airfields – using darkness as cover. The aircraft were fitted with exhaust flame dampers, night flying equipment and darker finishes.

The D-3 was a development of the D-1 with increased armour for the cockpit and key components, adapted to low-level ground attack; its night variant carried the suffix N. The D-7, in turn, was a night ground-attack aircraft produced by converting earlier airframes, with the more powerful Jumo 211P engine and wings of increased span. Both served with the night groups until the last months of the war, among others over Italy and on the Eastern Front.

Original aircraft specifications (Ju 87 D-3 / D-7):

• Length: 11.50 m
• Wingspan: 13.80 m (D-3) / approx. 15.00 m (D-7)
• Height: 3.90 m
• Take-off weight: approx. 6,600 kg
• Crew: 2 (pilot and radio operator/gunner)
• Powerplant: Junkers Jumo 211J (D-3) or Jumo 211P (D-7) inline engine
• Maximum speed: approx. 400 km/h
• Range: approx. 1,100 km
• Armament: machine guns in the wings and a twin 7.92 mm MG 81Z in the rear cockpit
• Night version equipment: exhaust flame dampers and night flying equipment
• 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.