WGS Spanish Civil War 1936-39 - 1/200 Hobby Master Legion Kondor Junkers Ju52

[Carl_Brisgamer]

I was cleaning up my hobby desk today and found three 1/200 Junkers Ju 52 trimotors I bought on eBay in 2011 - and had completely forgotten. They are Hobby Master diecast aircraft, originally in Swissair colours. With the recent Spanish Civil War action in mind I could not resist the urge to give my Republican Polikarpov I-16's something really big to shoot at. The Junkers Ju52 was a German trimotor transport which entered service as a commercial airliner in 1932. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936 the Ju52 played a pivotal role as German crewed aircraft ferried General Franco’s Army of Africa to Spain in what was the first military airlift in history. During the war the Ju52 also served as a bomber, with two bomb-bays fitted, capable of holding up to 1,500kg of bombs. In this role three squadrons of Ju52s participated in the carpet bombing of the Basque town of Guernica in April 1937.

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I selected Legion Kondor Ju52 identification no. 22-76 as the first repaint, particularly since it had an aluminium finish like the original model.

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I painted the engine cowlings and wing nacelles black, as well as the nose of the aircraft. The freehand curve from the cockpit to the bottom of the fuselage was a 'brow-furrower' but actually turned out OK the first go.

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I then painted out the civilian Swissair markings with chrome silver, finally painting the rudder fin white.

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I then made a set of decals for the aircraft - fuselage ID and Nationalist insignia, black under and over wing roundels and the black Nationalist cross for the rudder.

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The finished product.......

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from port..........

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.........and starboard.

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One Legion Kondor Ju 52 ready to go, two more in the hangar.

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I have included the decal sheet I made for this and the other two Ju 52's, and threw in the decals I have previously made for my Legion Kondor Messerschmitt Bf 109's.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Now that I have seen this post, I am even more impressed than when I saw just the finished aircraft Carl.
It is always an added bonus when you manufacture your own decals.
Rob.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Finished the last two 1/200 Ju 52s to make up my Legion Kondor Kette.

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The Legion Kondor Ju 52 flying in the bombing role are off to raid the Republicans, with Messerschmitt Bf 109 escort (a teaser for AARs to come!).

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Combat operations throughout 1936-37 proved that although the Ju 52/3m was an excellent transport aircraft, it was not well suited as a bomber. I have ruled that before the Ju 52 can drop its bombload it must perform TWO slow straights or stalls instead of just one to reflect the rudimentary nature of the type's bombsight.

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I have fixed the Ju 52s to the WGS bomber stands using large 6mm diameter rare earth magnets on the aircraft and the peg - easily enough magnetic attraction to hold these heavy die cast aircraft in place.

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With a top speed of 271 kph and a cruising speed of 222 kph, the Ju52 is too slow for any of the official manouver decks. I will cobble something together later this week. I'm giving the aircraft 24 damage points (no armour or self sealing tanks). The top altitude is 7 (5200 m) and the climb rate is 9 (3.9 m/s). Armament consists of a single 7.92mm machine gun in the dorsal hatch and another in a ventral 'dustbin' position (short A, long A).

[Flying Officer Kyte]

:eek:Looks like the Republicans are in for a whole world of pain Carl.
Rob.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

:eek:Looks like the Republicans are in for a whole world of pain Carl.
Rob.

I have a scenario in mind involving one little town in northern Spain, in the Basque region to be precise.

I just had Officeworks print this map off for me today.

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There will be more Spanish action this weekend.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

:)Looks so idylic and peaceful Carl.:hmm:
I can't wait to read your AAR.:lol:
Rob.

[Jager]

Looking for some Pacasso-esque inspiration, hmm?
Karl


I have a scenario in mind involving one little town in northern Spain, in the Basque region to be precise.

I just had Officeworks print this map off for me today.

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There will be more Spanish action this weekend.