AirDOC (Aircraft Documents)

Ju 88 A, D, T - Long Range Recce and Coastal Units

1/72 or 1/48 JunkersJu 88 Part 1 decal sheet

1/72 product # ADM 72009  -  1/48 product # ADM 48009

Review by Steve Bamford on Dec 16 2007

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This decal sheet from AirDOC is the 1st in a series of 4 decal sheets for the Ju-88.  This particular decal sheet features 13 different Ju 88 A, D, T - Long Range Recce and Coastal Units.  The Ju-88 was a core aircraft to Luftwaffe operations and it flew in a variety of theatres during WW2.  This decal sheet focuses on the Long Range Recce and Coastal Units, so we're talking anti-shipping etc as well as long-range reconnaissance.    

  • A/C # 1 is Ju 88 A-4 (Trop) S4+AH of 1./KüFl.Gr 506 in Northern Germany in 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71,  and 65 with a blackened underside.  

  • A/C # 2  is Ju 88 A-4 (Trop) S4+AL, 3./KüFl.Gr 506 in Northern Germany in 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71,  and 65.  

  • A/C # 3 is Ju 88 A-4 F6+KH of 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr 122 in Russia in 1941.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71,  and 65 with Eastern Front identification markings of yellow wing tips, yellow fuselage stripe.  White spinners 

  • A/C # 4 is Ju 88 D-2 F6+CH with 5.(F)/Aufkl.Gr 122 in Russia, central front-line in early 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71,  with the top surfaces over painted in white water based colour.  This aircraft features Eastern Front identification markings of yellow wing tips, yellow fuselage stripe and red spinners.  

 

  • A/C # 5 is Ju 88 D-1 F6+AL with 3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr 122 in Russia in 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71,  and 65 with Eastern Front identification markings of yellow wing tips, yellow fuselage stripe and white spinner tips.  

  • A/C # 6 is Ju 88 D-5 A6+CH with FAGr 120 in Norway in 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71, and 65 with the top surfaces overpainted in wave pattern in RLM 76.   

  • A/C # 7 is Ju 88 A-5(F) 4U+BH with 1.(F)/Aufkl.GR 123 in France in 1940.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71, and 65 with white spinner tips.  

  • A/C # 8 is Ju 88 D-2 7A+KH with 1.(F)/Aufkl.GR 121 in Africa in 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 78, 79 with the spinners painted in RLM 70 with the white portion.  This aircraft featured Mediterranean Theatre identification markings of white wing tips and a white fuselage stripe.

  • A/C # 9 is Ju 88 D-1 4N+FK with to 2.(F)/Aufkl.GR 22 in Southern Russia in 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 with Eastern Front identification markings of yellow wing tips, yellow fuselage stripe and red spinners.  

  • A/C # 10 is Ju 88 D-1 4N+VL with 3.(F)/Aufkl.GR 22 in Northern Russia in 1943.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 with Eastern Front identification markings of yellow wing tips, yellow fuselage stripe and a yellow stripe on the spinners.    

  • A/C # 11 is Ju 88 D-1 4N+DK with 2.(F)/Aufkl.GR 22 in Russia 1941.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 with Eastern Front identification markings of yellow wing tips, yellow fuselage stripe and red spinner tips.  The top surfaces over painted in white water based colour.    

  • A/C # 12 is Ju 88 T-1 4U+VK with 2.(F)/Aufkl.GR 123 in Italy in 1944.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 with Mediterranean Theatre identification markings of white wing tips and a white fuselage stripe and red spinner tips.

  • A/C # 13 is Ju 88 T-1 4U+MK “Mizzi” with 2.(F)/Aufkl.GR 123 in Italy in 1944.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 with Mediterranean Theatre identification markings of white wing tips and a white fuselage stripe and red front portions of the spinner.

So...what does all this mean?  Well for one thing this decal sheet covers 13 aircraft in a variety of locations including Northern Germany, Norway, Africa, Italy, France, Northern Russia, Central Russia and Southern Russia.  Some of these 13 aircraft were fitted with exhaust flame covers for night operations.  Two are in my favourite Russian winter camo scheme.....one is in desert tan camo and you can't overlook the wild aircraft in the wave camo.  Not that there's anything wrong with the standard green/green camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65, but the winter or the Mediterranean Theatre paint schemes do stand out more and the wave camo will stop people in their tracks if you build one for your next model show.  One of the aircraft (#2) is fitted with a torpedo for it's anti-ship role.

The instructions are beautifully printed in glossy full colour with numbered arrows showing which decals go where.  Each aircraft is shown from one angle and there is generic colour drawings showing 4 views of the Ju 88 which will assist in camo layout and decal placement for national insignia etc.  There is also 5 photos showing the various defensive guns used on the Ju 88.....this plane was hunted so the defensive guns kept being modified to try to deal with the aerial threats the Ju 88 had to counter.  Thankfully the instruction sheets do mention what type of canopy and defensive guns were fitted to each or these aircraft and even mentions one with a field modified nose glazing and whether the dive brakes were removed or not etc.  Also included is colour samples on the instruction sheets to help the less informed modellers figure out the various RLM colours.  

The decals print by Cartograf come on 3 small decal sheet on the 1/72 sample before me.  They are clearly and crisply printed and appear to be of the highest quality.  Each aircraft appears to have some sort of squadron nose art, no sexy pin ups.....but interesting none the less.

This is a very well done decal sheet with good variety and well worth purchasing.

Steve

I would like to thank AirDOC for providing me with this review sample.

AirDOC also has a large selection of aircraft reference books covering modern and vintage aircraft as well as decals covering vintage and modern aircraft.

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Photos and text © by Steve Bamford