Short
History:
The
Junkers Ju 288 was created to replace the over aged German medium Bombers of the
30´th. The developement was part of the "Bomber B" program. It was
intended to increase flight ability in various situations. The plane should fly
higher and faster than the older Junkers Ju 88. It should also carry more bombs
(4.000 kg) and its range should enable it to reach every point over the British
Isles.
The work on the Ju 288 started in 1939 and the first of the 22 prototypes and
pre-production aircraft flew on November 29 1940. The Junkers Ju 288 V-3 was
fitted with two BMW 801 radial engines, because the planed Jumo 222 engine
still was not available.
The Junkers Ju 288 V-3 differs a lot from the better known Junkers Ju 288 C. One
could say the Junkers Ju 288 C became a completly new plane fitted with DB 606 s
engines like the He 177. The Jumo 222 engines never became available for the Ju
288.
The
Kit:
As
is usual with vacuumformed kits, assembly starts with cutting out the pieces from
the plastic sheet. The current kit is not one of Airmodel's
best, but useable.
Now the kit is fitted with a new clear canopy. 98%
of the interior had been scratch-built.
Click on
images below to see larger images
I
used two seats and the rear bulkhead from an old Ju 88 kit. The cockpit of
the V-3 Version was very small. The three crewmembers were placed in line in
contrast to the Ju 288 C.
Luckily
I found some pictures and an usable side-view from the layout of the interior.
So I was able to build it more accuratly. Some sources report RLM 22 black (?)
or RLM 66 as interior colour. I believe it was painted RLM 02 for the early
prototypes.
Click on
images below to see larger images
As
opposed
to other airmodel vacuumformed kits (so called combi-kits) with small
parts made of resin, this kit does not include such parts. Therefore I stocked a
number of useful parts, which I often need to complete a kit. I already
prepared most of the typical German engines, propellors and wheels, which often
only have to be changed a little bit.
I built the main gear out of plastic and brass tubes. The assembly
instructions showing 3 view drawings of these parts.
The panel-lines had been completely re-scribed.
The colour-pattern is a splinter camouflage in RLM 70 and 71. The underside was
painted RLM 65. For all painting I used JPS colours (Jens Popp colours).
I installed all the accesories which had been installed during testing the Ju
288 V-3 prototype. Not all of them had been installed originally at the same
time. As there were: gun turrets above and below the fuselage and ventral gun
turret, speed-brakes above and below outer wing section and messuring probe
which looks a little bit like a bowsprit.
I
myself really love the lines of the Ju 288 V-3 version more than the later
C-Version. With its a little bit unusual upper-view (wing devides the fuselage
in the middle and the straight fuselage line) this shoulder-wing monoplane looks
very unique.
I
hope you love it too :-)
Matthias
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