Revell 1/32 Junkers Ju 88A-1
By John Williams
History
Development of the Junkers Ju 88 began in 1935 when the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) issued specifications to Junkers, Messerschmitt, Focke-Wulf, and Henschel for a 3 man fast bomber. Three proposals were received. One each from manufactures Messerschmitt, Henschel, and Junkers. After careful review, the Technishe Amt and RLM ordered the Ju 88V1, V2 and V3 prototypes construction. In the spring of 1936 construction began and the first flights of the prototypes powered by two 1,000 hp Daimler-Benz 600A1 12 cylinder liquid cooled inline engines took place in December of 1936.
The Junkers Ju 88 would suffer from some teething troubles but would ultimately see service throughout WW2 as a bomber, day and night fighter, reconnaissance bomber, torpedo bomber, ground attack aircraft, and even pilot-less bomb. The Ju 88A-1 would start service in 1939 and see widespread use during the Battle of Britain. Considered by it pilots as an airplane with very good handling qualities, it was well liked by its flight crews and its ground crews for its ease of maintenance. By the end of the war, over 15,000 Ju 88s would be built, more than all other German bomber types combined.
The Kit
This is the first example of the type in 1/32 scale injection molding of which I am aware. Revell has presented the Ju 88A-1 in a large (20”x14”x5”) colorful box that contains 281 parts, exciting box art and clear pictures of a built example. Inside you will find 10 parts trees as well as one for the clear parts. They contain parts molded in a light gray plastic that appears the same quality as other Revell products, with finely recessed panel lines and detail that should please the pickiest of modelers. All of the trees are free of flash.
The detail in the cockpit area is especially nice, with representations of the entire cockpit sidewalls, bombsight, radio equipment, and seats for the gunner and pilot. No seatbelts are provided in the kit, but these and other after market items are already available for those who would like them. The clear parts are reasonably thin and appear distortion free.
One missing detail is the external bomb racks that were fitted to so many 88s. Also absent are the engines, although these would not have been seen without removable cowlings on the model, which it does not have.
Instructions
The 16-page instructions are clear and follow a familiar assembly sequence. They include a brief history of the aircraft, a color chart for paints needed marked with the RLM numbers, and a layout of the parts trees. The instructions appear busy at times, but I suspect with a little study they will serve the purpose well. There are some profile drawings for decal placement and color schemes at the end of the sheet.
Decals
The one large decal sheet provides markings for one machine from KG54 and another stationed in Norway during the Battle of Britain in 1940. They appear to be of high quality and are in register with good color whites and yellows. There are no swastikas provided, as with many of the kits sold in Europe, so you will have to provide these yourself.
Conclusion
This is a large model with a finished wingspan of nearly two feet, so one should have plenty of display space for the finished product. This kit offers a large twin engine bomber that I am glad to see in 1/32 to partner the many fighter kits we have seen released in 1/32 lately. We can hope the Revell Company will see success with this release and offer other versions of this bomber in the near future. I can't comment on the fit of the kit, as I have not started the build yet, but I am sure it will be on the bench soon as it is so appealing. The kit retails for around $70.00-80.00, so it is not cheap, but I think it provides good value for the dollar. Review sample is courtesy of my own wallet.