AirDOC (Aircraft Documents)

Ju 88 A - Lehrgeschwader 1, Nahaufklarungsgruppe 1 FFS (B) 34,  KG 51 "Edelweiss, KG 54 "Totenkopf" 

1/72 or 1/48 Junkers Ju 88 Part 3 decal sheet

1/72 product # ADM 72011  -  1/48 product # ADM 48011

Review by Steve Bamford on  Feb 5 2008

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This decal sheet from AirDOC is the 3rd in a series of 4 decal sheets for the Ju-88.  This particular decal sheet features 16 different Ju 88's.  The Ju-88 was a core aircraft to Luftwaffe operations and it flew in a variety of theatres during WW2.    

  • A/C # 1 is Ju 88 A-1,  L1+ER, 7./LG 1, France in 1940.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71  and 65 with white spinners.  

  • A/C # 2  is Ju 88 A-5, L1+BB, Stab I./LG 1 in Yugoslavia in early 1941.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 with unusual Mediterranean Front identification markings of a white painted fuselage front section, white rudders and elevators and a 1/3 white section on the spinners.  

  • A/C # 3 is Ju 88 A-5 L1+MN of 5./LG 1, "Operation Marita", Yugoslavia in 1940.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 with yellow cowlings and rudder and red spinners.  Mediterranean Theatre of Operations (MTO) markings of a white fuselage stripe.

  • A/C # 4 is Ju 88 A-4 L1+KP with 6./LG 1 in Italy,  in 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 with Mediterranean Theatre of Operations (MTO) markings including white wing tips and a white fuselage stripe.  The spinners are yellow.

 

  • A/C # 5 is Ju 88 A-4 L1+JL with 3./LG 1 in Africa in 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard desert camo of RLM 79 and 78 with Mediterranean Theatre of Operations (MTO) markings including white wing tips and a white fuselage stripe.  One third of the spinners are yellow.

  • A/C # 6 is Ju 88 A-4 L1+OK with 2./LG 1 in Africa in 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard desert camo of RLM 79 and 78 with large blotches of RLM 70.  This aircraft features Mediterranean Theatre of Operations (MTO) markings including white wing tips and a white fuselage stripe.  Sspinners are red.

  • A/C # 7 is Ju 88 A-14 Q1+JC with Stab Nahaufklarungsgruppe (NAG) 1 in Rumania in 1944.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71, and 65 with Eastern Front identification markings of yellow fuselage stripe.   

  • A/C # 8 is Ju 88 A-16 CT+YZ with Flugzeugfuhrerschule (B) 34, Kastrup  in Denmark in 1943.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71, and 65 with 3 yellow fuselage stripes, yellow wing tips and a big white 24 on the rudder.   

  • A/C # 9 is Ju 88 A-1 9K+AL with to 3./KG 51 "Edelweissgeschwader" in France in 1940.  This aircraft is painted in non-standard camo of RLM 71 over RLM 65 with yellow spinners, white wing tips and white engine cowl rings. 

  • A/C # 10 is Ju 88 A-5 9K+HP with 6./KG 51 "Edelweissgeschwader" 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.  Engine cowl rings are red and the spinner tips are yellow.    

  • A/C # 11 is Ju 88 A-4 9K+DS with 6./KG 51 "Edelweissgeschwader" in 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 and yellow fuselage stripe.  Engine cowl rims are yellow and red  spinners.    

  • A/C # 12 is Ju 88 A-5 B3+PM with 4./KG 54 "Totenkopfgeschwader" in Sardinia in 1942.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 over painted in medium grey peeling off from the nose section, engines and leading edges with Mediterranean Theatre identification white fuselage stripe and red spinners with a white stripe around the spinners.

  • A/C # 13 is Ju 88 A-8 B3+BB with Stab I./KG 54 "Totenkopfgeschwader" in Italy in 1943.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 with Mediterranean Theatre identification white fuselage stripe and white wing tips and green spinner tips with a thin white stripe around the spinners.

  • A/C # 14 is Ju 88 A-4 B3+HP with 6./KG 54 "Totenkopfgeschwader" in Sardina in 1943.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 with Mediterranean Theatre identification white fuselage stripe and white wing tips and red spinner tips with a thin yellow stripe around the spinners.  The underside of the aircraft is over painted with blotches and dots of RLM 02 for dusk and dawn attacks against Allied shipping.

  • A/C # 15 is Ju 88 A-17 B3+LR with 7./KG 54 "Totenkopfgeschwader" in Italy in 1943.  This aircraft is painted in standard camo of RLM 70, 71 and 65 with the topside over painted in a wavy pattern of RLM 76 while the underside received a wave pattern of RLM 70.  Mediterranean Theatre identification white fuselage stripe and white wing tips and yellow stripe around the spinners.  

  • A/C # 16 is Ju 88 A-4 B3+MH with I./KG 54 "Totenkopfgeschwader" in Switzerland in 1943.  This aircraft has a wave pattern of RLM 79 and black on dark blue top surfaces (very dark version of RLM 78 or RLM 77).  Black bottom surfaces.  Front portion of the spinner is is white with a  black stripe.  This aircraft accidentally landed in Switzerland and I suspect it remained there for the rest of the war.

I am impressed by the variety of markings and paint schemes included on this decal sheet.  The 16 aircraft are from a variety of locations including Africa, Rumania, Denmark, Italy, Yugoslavia, France, Russia, Sardinia, Switzerland.  Some of these 16 aircraft were fitted with exhaust flame covers for night operations.  I have a passion for desert camo schemes and this sheets includes plenty of MTO aircraft including one in the tan desert scheme and I also find the Eastern front aircraft of interest due to the stories involved with that campaign.  The wave camo schemes will be a serious challenge for any modeller that takes on those aircraft.  

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.  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.  Many of the aircraft appear 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