The Junkers Ju 88 is a perennial modellers' favourite and is often ranked among the most versatile aircraft of WWII. Therefore, trying to cover it in the kind of detail that modellers need in a single book is a tall order, so Richard Franks has wisely opted to divide his research across two volumes, with this second instalment focussing on the later variants. Even then the softbound A4 book extends to 256 pages, packed with hundreds of photos and drawings.
As with all the titles in Valiant Wings' excellent Airframe & Miniature series, the book is divided into two broad sections - Airframe Chapters and Miniature Chapters - but there's a lot of overlap and modellers will definitely want to refer to the Airframe content and aircraft enthusiasts will find plenty of interest in the Miniature section.
Things begin with a 27-page Preface - a term which doesn't really do justice to what is, in fact, a very useful and concise history of the development and service of the late-variant Ju 88s. The content extends to cover the many captured examples, providing quite a lot of detail about their testing and, sadly in almost all cases, demise. The chapter is illustrated with well-reproduced B&W photos accompanied by informative captions. Obviously the quality of the original photos varies, with some being period "snap shots", but there's a mass of useful detail included.
The Evolution section extends to over 30 pages and covers each individual Ju 88 variant with a separate entry. In most cases the concise descriptions are illustrated with side views, and there are numerous period photos backing things up. This is a fascinating section, and despite having been interested in the Ju 88 for years, I found plenty of surprises among the variants described, especially with test airframes and variants that were either produced in very small numbers or failed to leave the drawing board.
Camouflage & Markings begins as usual with the important caution about attempting to reach firm conclusions regarding colours from vintage B&W photographs. As has been demonstrated elsewhere, different film types and lighting conditions can produce radically differing results of the same subject. This notwithstanding, the author does an excellent job explaining the evolution of the official camouflage styles and examining the myriad field-applied variations.
Once again there are plenty of period photos to illustrate things, but this time they are accompanied by excellent colour profiles and a stencil placement guide by Richard Caruana. There's masses of inspiration for modelling projects here among the Luftwaffe colour schemes and those sported by aircraft operated by Germany's wartime allies, plus the Ju 88s in post-war French service and those tested in the UK and USA.
The Miniatures section of the book begins with reviews of the main 1:144, 1:72 and 1:48 Ju 88C to 'T kits that are readily available in 2024. The reviews are detailed and very useful, breaking each kit down area by area - fuselage, wings etc. - noting the construction, options and accuracy. It all adds up to an excellent ready reference that highlights the pros and cons of current Ju 88 kits.
Following the in-box reviews is a trio of attractive builds. Libor Jekl tackles Hasegawa's 1:72 Ju 88G-6 and Steve Evans goes to town on the ICM 1:48 Ju 88C-6. Finally, Richard Franks showcases the quick-build Hobby Boss 1:72 kit. The first two models are covered in detail, with step-by-step descriptions and colour photos of the builds. Steve's build of the ICM kit is particularly interesting in highlighting an issue with the styrene used, including a negative reaction to primer. Hopefully it was a one-off problem - and I haven't come across it myself - but forewarned is forearmed and I'll certainly watch out for it in future.
As usual, Building A Collection revisits the ground covered in Evolution, but this time with the aid of isometric views by Wojciech Sankowski. It's done this way because it counts as one of the Miniature chapters, but I always think it would be better to combine the two sections, because as a modeller I will always refer to both chapters. I imagine the same would be true for pure aircraft enthusiasts as well, so splitting the material this way seems rather pointless. This minor bugbear aside, it's another very useful chapter, focussing on the differences between each variant with clear annotations for the isometric drawings and squeezing in period reference photos of many of the details. All this means it's ideal as a quick reference for what's involved with modelling a particular version, and choosing your best starting point if it's not available directly in kit form.
In Detail is always the highlight of this series for me, with its combination of period photos, illustrations from original pilot notes and servicing manuals, plus modern colour photos of preserved airframes. For me it's the ideal way of doing things, with the focus very much on the original material to ensure accuracy, and detailed captions pointing out what's missing or has been changed in the modern photos. The coverage is truly comprehensive - the most detailed I've found yet on the aircraft - and it forms a superb basis for any model build, whether it's making basic corrections and additions to a kit, or to pull out all the stops for some super-detailing.
The material is broken down into the following main sections, each occupying multiple pages:
Fuselage
Engine, Cowlings & Propellers
Oil, Fuel, Coolant & Hydraulic Systems
Wings
Tail
Undercarriage
Armament
Electrical Equipment
Miscellaneous Equipment
Rounding off the main content are four Appendices with lists of the various Ju 88 kits, accessories, decals and masks that have been released over the years, plus a handy bibliography for further reading.
And, last but certainly not least, is a fold-out sheet of 1:48 scale drawings. Obviously, these will be easier to use if you detach them from the book, so in an ideal world the plans would be a separate item held in a flap at the back of the book to save damaging it, but that would undoubtedly raise the cost.
Conclusion
Together with Volume One this must represent the most comprehensive study of the Ju 88 that's easily accessible for modellers and aircraft enthusiasts. It will appeal equally to both groups of readers, and I'd rate it as a "must" for anyone planning on going beyond an OOB Ju 88 kit build. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Valiant Wings for the review sample.
Airframe & Miniature No.24 is available now from Valiant Wings - Price: £28.95
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