Reich Defenders IV Group Build: Strike From Above

Modeling Subjects Group Builds
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Reich Defenders IV Group Build: Strike From Above

After considerable discussion and shuffling of time and suibject matter (not to mention all kinds of RL pressure that caused a miss of a January start date), I am proud to announce that Reich Defenders IV is finally go! Daywalker passed me the torch, as it were, to host the RD group builds, and 2013 will be my first, with a twelve-month event (end date January 31st 2014) aimed at thoroughly exploring the world of German late-WWII ground attack, the desperate attempt to stem the Allied tide sweeping across Europe from east and west toward that fateful collapse of the Third Reich in May, 1945.

Aircraft applicable to this phase are many and varied, from tank-busting Stukas to bomb-carrying jet-fighters, the bazarre “Mistel” composites and the solid, powerful Fw 190 F-8 workhorses. If it was used for tactical strike, it’s in.

In discussions there were expressions of interest from the following: Bish, BobBailey, Satch_ip, KJ200, Lawdog114, Nathan T, DoogsATX, Reasoned, Wingman_kz and ww2_psycho. If you gents and anyone who may be interested in coming aboard would like to let me know if you’re still in and what you’ll be taking a crack at, I’ll build the participants list as we go.

For myself, I’ll throw my helmet into the ring with a Fujimi 1:72 Ju-87 G-1 Stuka in Hans Ulrich Rudel’s markings, to start the ball rolling.

Roll Call

Thunderbolt 379 (host): Fujimi 1:72 Ju-87 G-2 (Rudel’s markings) DONE

Nathan T: Italeri 1:48 Ju-87 D-5 Stuka… (w/ masks, resin exhausts, possible PE)

Bish: MPM 1:72 Me 262A-2a/U2 (w/ Aires cockpit) DONE

Taxtp: Tamiya 1/72 Henschel Hs 129B-2

Bobbaily: Hasegawa 1/48 Fw 190 F-8

AndrewW: Tamiya 1:48 Fw 190 F-8 (Yellow 11, w/ Eduard PE)

Rigidrider: ProModeler 1:48 Bf110C (Jabo, with some True Details resin and PE) DONE

Sanderson_91: Dragon 1/48 Ju88P-1 (w/75mm Pak 40) DONE

Tempestjohnny: Hasegawa 1:48 Hs129B DONE

Stalkerfish: Cyber-Hobby 1/48 Bf110D-3

Schatten Spartan: Tamiya 1:48 P-47 Thunderbolt (captured, w/ german markings) DONE

Badges

Honour Wall

26th May, 2013 Rigidrider

30th June 2013 Bish

11th Nov. 2013 Thunderbolt379

23rd Feb. 2014 Sanderson_91

26th Feb. 2014 Tempestjohnny

2nd May 2014 SchattenSpartan

Let’s build some planes, gents!

Cheers, Mike/Thunderbolt379

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Nice to see this up Mike. I’m pretty clear on the rules, but how about a D-5 stuka in '44 markings? I have one in the stash but not sure when I’ll get to starting on it here. Darn group builds comittments…lol!..or better yet, darn work comittments… I take it anything in '43 markings would be alittle out of the theme?

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To right i am in. I have just finished the Academy Ju 87G-1, but i know i have other kits to choise from. Not sure what i will build yet, got a pretty full bench this ye but will deffinatly sort something out.

Mike, did you mean the G-2 rather than G-1. I have the Fujimi G-1 as well and that doesn’t have the markings for Rudel’s bird.

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I cannot commit at this time, we’ll see what the future holds.

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Hi all, welcome to the build!

Nathan T – ideally anything post-Overlord would count as Defense of the Reich, but by '43 things were turning against Germany, the invasion through Italy was well underway and the disaster at Kursk saw them lose the initiative in the east and go on the defensive, so potentially 1943 could be counted. A D-5 in '44 markings would be a definite yes.

Bish – you’re absolutely right, it’s a G-2, sorry about that. Yep, there’s plenty of time to sort out a project, just let me have the details when you’ve decided.

ww2_psycho – no worries, if you fancy comign aboard at any point, just let me know.

Cheers,

Mike/TB379

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Look forward to seeing that. I originally got the Fujimi G-1 and G-2. But then replaced them with the Academy kits. As a big Rudel fan, i can’t wait to ssee your build. I plan on doing his G-2 as well at some point.

Would German what if aircraft count, just so i know how many kits i have to consider.

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Sign me up Mike, I’ll let you know in a little while what it will be.

Cheers

Tony

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You got it! M

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Bish – yes, I have the Academy kit lined up as well, including Eduard masks, I might slip that one in too, you never know… A what-if? I see no reason why not, I have no grounded objection to speculation, and Germany came up with so many experimental and proposed concepts it would be impossible to catalog them… So go for it, it’s all about fun!

Cheers, Mike

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The Academy G-1 is a nice kit, i used the eduard mask’s and they were very useful with that type of canopy. Look forward to seeing yours, i have a massive soft spot for Stuka’s.

I just got a kit today that in got on E-bay. Its an Me 262 variant that i have wanted for ages and only recently found out had ever been produced in 72nd. Its the MPM Me 262A-2a/U2, the one with the bomb aimer in the front. So i will probably do that one.

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Bish – I have that one somewhere in my stash, I remember it being a most unusual piece – great, shall I go ahead and list that one as your project?

TB379

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Ye, deffinatly. It looks a pretty nice kit. I am going to add an Aires resin cockpit, but i think that will be it.

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Done! I’m getting the itch to cut sprue already myself…

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This sounds interesting. The only problem is I don’t have anything Axis.Unlike most fellow modelers, I don’t have a stash of kits. I built or am building everything I bought. Ya’ll should see the basement of my local hobby shop. I bet he has literally 20 tons of kits and all kinds of spare parts and such down there. The first time I went down there, I thought I died and went to heaven.

All I can say right now is I might possibly sign on.

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Okay, mandatory box art shot to start the ball rolling:

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Greentracker98 – I can understand the sense of going to kit heaven when you encounter a motherload like that! No worries, the build runs a year, if you fancy coming aboard with an Axis ground attacker, you’re more than welcome to sign up at any time.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

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Nice stuka there Mike. Bish has set the bar pretty high here in the 1/72 scale Stuka world. Looking forward to this.

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Mike - That box art makes me want to start one of those Stukas too. I’m thinking that I might build the Tamiya 1/72 Henschel 129B-2. It will depend on whether I can find a decal option in the kit or on a decal sheet that fits this GB. For the moment, put me down for that, and I’ll investigate the options that I have. Just for my understanding, does defence of the Reich mean defence of Germany or defence of any country that they had occupied ?

Bish - I really like the different versions of the 262, I’ll look forward to your build, and also to acquiring that kit myself. Hurry up with it man !

Cheers

Tony

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Hi Tony – I would rate “the Reich” for our purposes as including the occupied territories – the factories and manpower of those regions were utilised to support the war effort and Allied advances through those territories cumulatively eroded the power of the Third Reich.

Okay, will list your kit at this time – I think it’s an Italeri rebox, yes???

Cheers, Mike

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Hi Mike,

Yep, I’m pretty sure it is an Italeri re-box.

Cheers

Tony