Ju 88 Early Birds Part 1

AIMS Decals, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

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AIMS Decals owner John McIllmurray has channeled his personal interest in the Junkers Ju 88 into numerous decal releases in all three major scales.  In this 1/48 release, John focuses on Ju 88 As (and one Ju 88 C) operated by the Luftwaffe early in World War II.  In comparison with the myriad of Ju 88 camouflage schemes that evolved later in the war, the machines featured here were all finished in RLM 70 Black Green and RLM 71 Dark Green over RLM 65 Light Blue.  The range of interesting unit and tactical markings on offer, however, more than compensates for this lack of variety in camouflage.

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As usual with AIMS releases, there are plenty of subjects from which to choose:

• 9K+AL/Wk.Nr.3153 of 1./KG 51, based at Melun, France, mid-1940.  This aircraft had a blue, white and yellow unit badge on port forward fuselage, white forward engine cowls, and yellow spinners and individual aircraft letter 'A'.

• 9K+EL/Wk.Nr.3134 of 1./KG 51, also based at Melun, France, mid-1940, was similar to 9K+AL but without white cowls and only the forward sections of the spinners in yellow.

• Oblt Siegward Fiebig of KG 77 was flying 3Z+BB/Wk.Nr.4136 when it was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crash-landed near Hertingfordbury during the Battle of Britain (no date provided).  Unit badge on port forward fuselage, green forward section of spinners and individual aircraft letter 'B', and white tactical rectangle on both sides of vertical fin (partially obscuring the Hakenkreuz).  The instructions note that – due to limited photographic references – the reconstruction presented here is mostly conjectural and informed by the markings of other KG 77 aircraft from the same period.

• Another KG 77 machine, 3Z+HN/Wk.Nr.7112 was being flown by Staffelkapitan Gunther Zetzsche when it was shot down by a Hurricane and lost with all crew (again, no date provided).  3Z+H9 had a red forward section of spinners and individual aircraft letter 'H', which is carried on both upper wings (outboard of the Balkenkreuz) and fuselage sides.  White tactical rectangles on both sides of rudder and both upper wings (inboard of the Balkenkreuz).

• 4D+IT/Wk.Nr.2027, based at Oldenburg and flown by Oblt. von Wartenberg of 1./KG 30, was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and crash-landed at Beck, Netherlands, presumably during Germany's attack on the west in May 1940.  White forward section of spinners and individual aircraft number 'I'; unit badge on port forward fuselage.

• 4D+DC/W.Nr. unknown of 2./KG 30, based at Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands during the Battle of Britain.  Low demarcation of upper surface camouflage colours, green individual aircraft number 'D', and unit badge on port forward fuselage.

• B3+EL/Wk.Nr.4079 of 1./KG 54.  Yellow individual aircraft number 'E' and unit badge on port forward fuselage.  White forward section of spinners and – unproven but likely – diagonal Gruppen band around fuselage between rear wing root and individual/national markings.

• B3+DC/Wk.Nr. unknown, flown by Oblt Welthe of Stab. 2./KG 52.  Forced down onto Portland Bill by a Hurricane on 11 August 1940.  B3+DC didn't carry a unit badge but did have a red diagonal Gruppen band around the fuselage, a green individual aircraft letter 'D' and white-red-white (or white-green-white) forward spinners.

• Ju 88 C-0 (some sources say C-2), 4D+FH/W.Nr.0133, flown by Feldwebel Eugen Kretschmer of 1./KG 30.  This aircraft crash-landed during the Norwegian campaign in May 1940; the wreckage was recovered in 1990 and is currently part of the Norwegian Armed Forces Aircraft Collection.  White individual aircraft letter 'F' carried on both upper wing surfaces outboard of the Balkenkreuz.

The comprehensive instructions are printed on two double-sided A4 sheets.  The illustrations are full colour, with a port profile of each subject and a generic starboard profile and overhead plan view.  Each profile is accompanied by an informative caption that describes the history (where known) and details of the aircraft in question, along with detailed references for modellers interested in conducting further research.

One detail the instructions barely mention – which is odd given how much other information is included – is the breakdown of Ju 88 subtypes on offer here.  While it’s clear that eight of the nine options are Ju 88 As, while the other is a C, there is no mention of which A sub-types are featured.  This is important because there some subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences between, for example, A-1s, A-4s and A-5s – and the version you choose will determine which kit (or if it’s an A-1, conversion) you use to complete your model.  Hopefully some of this information is included in the references.

The instructions also include:

• Scrap views showing the location of stencil decals on the main gear legs and propeller blades, and upper and lower wing configurations for identification codes and tactical markings;

• Port forward fuselage/cockpit/gondola views for six of the nine marking options, showing the location of markings hidden by the engine nacelles in the main profiles;

• Sketches with precise measurements for recreating upper wing walkways using the lines and rectangles of red dash decals provided; and

• Colour swatches that identify the main airframe colours by RLM number.

The decals are by Cartograf and printed on a single A5 sheet.  Quality looks to be superb.  Single colour decals are crisply printed, while the colour transitions in unit insignia and other multi-colour decals are also beautifully defined.  A small selection of airframe stencils is provided; these are the only numbered decals on the sheet, as the location of the larger items is self-explanatory according to your chosen subject.

Enough national insignia are supplied to complete one model.  The tactical markings on  3Z+HN and 3Z+BB, and Gruppen bands on B3+EL and B3+DC, are not included on the sheet and will need to be carefully masked and painted.

This decal release gives some great options for modellers interested in replicating an early war Ju 88 A or C.  If your subject is an A, you’ll need to do some more work to determine which subtype you’re dealing with, but once you’ve settled on this AIMS gives you everything else you need to complete a great looking model.  Highly recommended.

Thanks to AIMS for the samples

AIMS' decals, kits and accessories are available online from AIMS website

Text and Images Copyright © 2016 by Brad Fallen
This Page Created on 12 October, 2016
Last updated 12 October, 2016

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