Warbird Replicas Ju88 Night Fighter build

[gillyg1]

Looks good Richard. Like it. Thinking might have to do one of these. It's on the list anyway.

[RICHARD WILLS]

Thanks Graham . Glynns camera plays a big part in getting these realistic shots . Also the big props available for electric models are totally convincing .

[Jonathan Roybal]

Hi everyone, I am working on one of these Ju88 kits over here in the United States, and I was wondering if perhaps someone has a picture of where they placed their servo tray? I am waiting on parts to come in the mail but I hope to make some head way this next week.

Cheers

Here is a link to my build log on RC groups.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?3124929-Warbird-Replicas-Ju88-G6-Nachtj%C3%A4ger-Build-Log

[Eric Robson]

Day one of my Ju88 build, if all goes a quickly as this it will be soon finished the only thing to slow up progress is good flying weather.

[Paul Johnson 4]

Looking good... I'm surprised not more of these were ordered.

[Danny Fenton]

Excellent start Eric.

Cheers

Danny

[Eric Robson]

Thanks Paul and Danny, Good flying weather won today one of my soldered flying wires come adrift on the Fury, now repaired. Also flew ME,109 and a Tucano no problems with them, forecast for rain on Wednesday so that will probably be day two for the Ju 88 build.

[leccyflyer]

Would have loved one of these -if anyone has one that they are not going to get round to building, drop me a message.

[Eric Robson]

Hi all, many years ago I made this Ju88and painted it in the splinter green livery, I have always wanted to make another on the desert livery. I still have the Roy Scot plan and the article from 1976 so at the moment Iam working on the possibility of modifying the night fighter kit . I have made up the wings today a lot of sanding involved I won't join them yet as they are easier to manage separately .

[Eric Robson]

After 3 days and a lot of balsa dust and shavings this is where I am at the wiring is in the wing for the retracts motors and ailerons. The fin is the one for the night fighter version I have copied the the Roy Scot earlier version onto 3 sheets of a4 and now need to build it up. I am still undecided about the front glazing much easier to make the early night fighter version as supplied .I want the dark green or desert camo. as the light grey blends to well with the clouds we get a lot of up here. Wednesday turned out fine so I went flying all day.

Cheers Eric.

ps. that is a Warbirds Spitfire next to it.

[Paul Johnson 4]

Nice quick build..... you'll be flying next week

[Danny Fenton]

really speedy building Eric, well done

Cheers

Danny

[Eric Robson]

After making use of the good flying weather and repairing a model damaged during this time I am back on the JU88. I have mounted the retracts and cut one side lower nacelle ,the fin is not from the kit as I am making an earlier version, if I had went with the kit version night fighter I would have been a lot further into the build as the fin and rudder are foam veneered and just need the top and bottom blocks and capping's on. You were right Paul I was flying the next week only not the Ju88

[Eric Robson]

I have made up the early fin and rudder, depending on how I get on with the front glazing depends on weather it will be a bomber or early night fighter. The nose glazing and underside bomb aimers gondola are the awkward parts, I can get away with the single gun main canopy as some were fitted with single guns in the centre and some had two guns, the twin gun canopy is quite complicated so worth avoiding. I have found a block of pink foam which is big enough for the gondola don't like working with foam very messy and creates a lot of static but it is probably the best option . the Roy Scot plan had it formed in fibreglass but long out of production.

[leccyflyer]

She's looking brilliant Eric - nice work.

[Danny Fenton]

Cracking on nicely Eric, well done

Cheers

Danny

[Eric Robson]

After a break from the Ju88. due to good flying weather I have made some progress over the last two days on my night fighter to bomber conversion. Thanks to Richard moulding me a glazed nose cone it went better than planned, the bomb aimers compartment was a copied from the Roy Scott plan for outline and as no sections shown due to the fact he was producing a fibre glass moulding, I guesstimated it from photo's. The fuselage is now covered with brown paper, one motor is fitted but the cross mounting supplied fitted the motor but the holes for mounting it on the bulkhead did not fully extend beyond the circumference of the motor. I have countersunk the holes and used 3mm countersunk Allen screws but only have enough for one motor. I think Richard could be persuaded to produce some more kits if there was enough people interested .

[Eric Robson]

Elevators and rudder covered, the rudder should be sheeted ,the plan I was working off showed3/4" balsa but I made it built up to save weight. it's a long fuselage so keeping the back end as light as possible.

[RICHARD WILLS]

Great work Eric , I like the fact that you are creating a different version of the 88 and of course , with that decision comes the option of lots of other colour schemes . I am still flying prototype and it has filled the role I intended . That was to provide a simple to build and operate large twin with no hidden "nasties" .

The fuselage cross section of the 88 is basically square but with round corners . There are no convex curves (as with a Heinkel or Mosquito ) so we could employ large sections of foam veneer so that the builder can get an airframe together very quickly . This is particularly helpful with twins as you have to realise that extra time will be spent on the wiring . The thinking behind this design approach is that if the modeller is making his first large twin , it is likely that if it takes too long to build , he will approach the flying with more trepidation (simply because of time invested ) . A nervous test flight of a big twin (especially, say , a Mosquito ) quite often ends very badly ( check you tube!) which is a shame, as it then puts off the modeller from building another .

Unfortunately , my theory didn't really carry through as expected . Like I said , the 88 was intended as a quick build ,entry level twin that would still have plenty of wow factor . I know Adrian , who started this thread flew his version at all of the big shows , with his usual flair and got great responses , but we still only sold a handful . But just think about this . It is a 10lb 72" twin warbird that you can use every week ,Have a look on you tube at similar sized twins crashing left right and centre , then check their weights !

The old adage of "you can take a horse to water ...." comes to mind , but equally , people want to invest their time and money on what they fancy . When I "were a lad" (Im not even Northern ) , I use to build Airfix and Revell kits of all types . With a couple of exceptions , I liked them all . I really recommend considering other types rather then the usual -Spitfire/Hurricane/Mosquito. Lets face it , if you smash it on the first outing or the dam thing just firightens you , then it wasnt a good venture in the first place .

[Eric Robson]

Thanks Richard, if I had built it as per kit it would have been finished now. My original Roy Scott flew very well until the dreaded engine failure, I actually repaired it and fitted a 60 t.s.in and flew it as an early night fighter the single prop was almost invisible. Now with electric flight engine loss is not much of a problem I will have more confidence when flying. There are 2 members of our club who have Mosquito's and I have yet to see them fly, both have 52 4 st. motors one is about 3 yrs. old and has not flown, the other has been flown but only manages one flight then he quits while he's ahead as most times I am told he damages the undercarriage on landing mainly due to the weight of the aeroplane. I want to fly as much as possible and don't see the fun in bringing a plane up to the field and setting it up for one flight..

Cheers Eric.

[maurice northcott]

As one of the silent majority that sit and read the threads on here, to me this is a fantastic thread. An added bonus is because it is on one of my favourite aircraft. Great modelling Eric and you are making it very interesting. So much so that I am now, herewith putting my name down for one of these 88 kits please Richard, because I want to be sure of being at the right end of the queue. Keep up the good work Eric and you too Richard........

[Graham R]

I am enjoying your build thread Eric. It's looking good.

[Eric Robson]

Thanks Maurice, and Graham, not much done today, too many interruptions I have not went into great detail about the build as this has already been covered and if your like me I don't watch T.V. much because of the repeats. I had intended to cover the wings today but decided to make up the servo boxes and fit the servo's before covering. hopefully I will have a better day tomorrow and post some more pictures. Graham I followed your Tempest build that was quick work, it has always been a favourite of mine I had a 1/48 scale model just after the war that I carved from balsa pre plastic kits, I put a lot of detail on and it lasted well into the sixty's then my 4 year old son got his hands on it. Later I made the Brian Taylor version it looked great in the air spoiled by having a fixed undercarriage. I have the laser cut parts and fittings from Sarik for another one , that will be my next build so look out for it.

Cheers Eric.

[Eric Robson]

Not a very good photo but this was my Roy Scott Ju88 , no laser cut parts then

[Eric Robson]

Plodding on, the lack of good flying weather has enabled me to push on with the Ju88. It is now covered in brown paper and the fuselage has an under coat of rattle can primer. Control surfaces to be pinned and linkage to be made up, another Homer Simpson moment I forgot to put the wires through for the esc's. If I can't squeeze them through the holes through the wing alongside the other wire's I will have to cut trough's through the underside of the wing skin, doh! The Me 109 has been fitted with a sound system so next fine day I will be testing that out.