1/72 Airmodel Junkers Ju 288 V-3

by Matthias Simon

--------------------

 

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 turr
et, 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

Photos and text © by Matthias Simon, http://www.airmodel.de