When I got back into plastic modelling one of the first kits I bought was the old Airfix Ju52 floatplane. I never built it, quickly realising what a dog of a kit it looked. Fast forward a few years and a new tool kit has hit the shelves from Airfix (one I predicted for 2026).
But why a “rite of passage build”? Many of the models I build or plan to are a result of something my dad did, or I have in the past as a child; prompted by an experience (as here) or an aircraft I have worked on.
When I moved back to the Aldershot/Farnborough area as a ten year old in the early 80’s my dad would drag us to Blackbushe market at weekends. There, along one of the taxiways were a number of B-25’s and Ju52’s. Fascinated by these strange machines with three engines and their corrugated skins added to my already strong interest in the military and WW2 history; then I saw Where Eagles Dare.
So here I am with a modern tooled kit of Tante Ju that jumps the build queue (no eye rolling at the back). When deciding which kit scheme to choose - two splinter schemes over black or light blue, and a winter white - I was leaning towards the splinter over light blue. I’ve done a winter scheme on a 1/48 Do-17z and a splinter over light blue Ju87 Stuka. Then I read the blurb, the winter white aircraft carries the name “Ursula” my youngest daughter’s name. That settles it…and it’s easier to mask
.
Not sure when I’ll start as I need to finish some other stuff first and a fair bit of travel.
But why a “rite of passage build”? Many of the models I build or plan to are a result of something my dad did, or I have in the past as a child; prompted by an experience (as here) or an aircraft I have worked on.
When I moved back to the Aldershot/Farnborough area as a ten year old in the early 80’s my dad would drag us to Blackbushe market at weekends. There, along one of the taxiways were a number of B-25’s and Ju52’s. Fascinated by these strange machines with three engines and their corrugated skins added to my already strong interest in the military and WW2 history; then I saw Where Eagles Dare.
So here I am with a modern tooled kit of Tante Ju that jumps the build queue (no eye rolling at the back). When deciding which kit scheme to choose - two splinter schemes over black or light blue, and a winter white - I was leaning towards the splinter over light blue. I’ve done a winter scheme on a 1/48 Do-17z and a splinter over light blue Ju87 Stuka. Then I read the blurb, the winter white aircraft carries the name “Ursula” my youngest daughter’s name. That settles it…and it’s easier to mask
. Not sure when I’ll start as I need to finish some other stuff first and a fair bit of travel.
