My cousin has tasked me to convert a kit he had, Italeri’s 1/72nd Ju-52, from the Lufthansa version to Luftwaffe. The kit contains all the necessary bits and pieces, e.g., benches vice airline seats, MG-15 machine guns, exhaust extensions, and cowlings in order to pull this off. Plus, the upper fuselage has the turret opening molded in, which I have cut out. I guess that sometime in the future Italeri plans to release the kit in a Luftwaffe version. Has anyone attempted the aforementioned conversion? If so, how did it work out. On the internet I have uncovered a wealth of pics and data regarding the Ju-52 in Luftwaffe motif which has been a big help.
Any response would be most appreciated.
Dick McC
[:D] Hi - Don’t you just hate it when no one says anything! I was surprised to see you had a civilian JU 52 they are rarer than the military ones - frankly I would have kept it civilian and gone out and bought a military kit. I am still contemplating putting together the old Revell 1:72 Ju52 on floats…I built ther Revell 1:48 Civilian and left the roof loose so you can view inside complate with seats and luggage racks, their (Revell) Germany 1:48 Military seems to be floating about just now and would be a lovely kit based on the spares (from the military version) that came with the other! I believe the Italieri does not have a removable roof option but hey …Rember military was a floating situation so anything would have gone in a crisis …Good luck! David
Hi Dick,
I´ve made this conversion in 1995.
It´s easy.
You must remove the civilian chairs, put the military ones, align to the fuselage, the MG15 guns must be fitted with white school glue on the holes of the windows.
Put the ring antena near the cockpit as it showed in the pictures of the sites listed above.
And at least, you must put the especial exaust pumps close to the engines.
In 1995 I used the pictures of a military book to adapt the civilian version into military one.
The decals I pushed from a Brazilian dealer and the yellow list at the midle-end of the plane I painted masking the fuselage with Tamyia tape.
It´s a good job.
I hope I have helped you.
Good luck.
Try this sites:
http://www.warbirdalley.com/images/ju52-02.jpg
http://www.umt.fme.vutbr.cz/~ruja/modely/podklady/Junkers/Ju-52/Ju-52.jpg
Julio Loureiro - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil [8D]
Julio/David,
Appreciate the response. The Ju-52 is going together rather well, with the usual necessary gap filling and sanding. Yesterday I put down two coats of paint on the bottom and today plan on the initial coat of light green on the top. The game plan is to have it finished in a “splinter” motif. I’ve the necessary Luftwaffe decals from my spares box. This is the first 1/72nd I’ve done in one long time and these old eyes have been put to the test!
Again thanks for the information.
Dick McC
Hi Dick,
You also try a quick view at www.google.com/ images and type “ju 52” to take a look at original photos and restorations of this aircraft around the world.
Good job and put some photos of the growing plan on the forum.
Regards.
Julio[:)]