Variations on a Theme... by Junkers

Neil Robinson models a quartet of 1/48 scale Ju 88s, tweaked and modified to ring a few changes...

- Neil Robinson

Possibly one of the most drastic uses of the Ju 88, developed as a way of delivering a large amount of explosives in one load, the Mistel composite comprised a piloted single-engined fighter control aircraft, in this case a Bf 109F, mounted above a modified Ju 88 explosives-carrying drone.

I like modelling to a theme, and recently embarked on a series of modifications a and conversions, using the Dragon 'Master Series' range of 1/48-scale Junkers Ju 88 kits as a basis, some of which were also marketed by Revell. Over the years, I had acquired a number of these kits (from both manufacturers) in different boxings and featuring the various sub-types that they had released, so I was in a position to mix and match and cross-kit, to end up with yet further variants ...

In the event, I ended up modelling a Ju 88R-2, a Ju 88H-1, a Ju 88S-3 and a Mistel 1 composite.

Maritime Fighter - Junkers Ju 88R-2

The Ju 88R-2 was the easiest of the modifications, as essentially all it required was the exchange of the Jumo 211) engines in the Dragon/Revell Ju 88C-2, for the BMW 801 engines in the Dragon Ju 88G-1 kit. Originally developed as a night fighter, Ju 88Rs were basically identical versions of the Jumo-engined Ju 88C-6, but powered by BMW 801 engines - the R-1 had 1,560hp BMW 801 Ls and the R-2 had 1,700hp BMW 801G-2 engines. V Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 40, the Luftwaffe's only long-range maritime fighter unit, which was equipped with Ju 88C-6s, was also issued with a few Ju 88R-2s, some of which were still in service when V./KG 40 was re-designated I./ZG 1 in October 1943, and it was as one of these aircraft that I finished my model.