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This item is discontinued. GREAT PLANES JU-87 STUKA 60 ARF 
For years one of the most easily recognizable WW II aircraft has been the classic German Ju-87 Stuka. But rarely have there been any R/C kits available of this neat model. But now, Great Planes Model Manufacturing is offering not only a model of this warbird, but an ARF at that. So finally, those of us who relish the look of vintage aircraft can have our very own Stuka dive bomber in the air after just a couple of weekends in the shop! The nickname "Stuka" came from the most famous Sturzkampfflugzeug (dive bomber). It was the most famous of all planes used by the Germans as a dive-bomber in World War II. It was built as an army dive-bomber at the request of then General Ernst Udet and it instantly became recognizable due to its inverted gull wings and fixed undercarriage. The Stuka Ju-87 was not very pretty but it was extremely, sturdy and accurate, but very vulnerable to enemy fighters. After the Battle of Britain, the Germans knew that they needed air superiority. The Ju-87 fit into this plan because although it was slow compared to true fighters, it was very effective in destroying vehicles, fortifications or ships. It was also renowned for frightening civilians. The Germans fitted the wheel covers with sirens that were used once the planes went into a dive to shatter the morale of enemy troops and civilians. They also fitted whistles onto the fins of the bombs to ensure that the recipients below knew just when the bombs were released. The sirens even lowered the morale of the most experienced and battle-tested soldiers, when the loudest and heaviest German artillery fire failed to do so. Over 5700 Stukas were built before and during World War II. The aircraft flew with a crew of 2, the pilot and rear gunner. It had an operational ceiling of 8000m and a range of only 600km. Its armament was three 7.9 mm machine guns and either one 500kg bomb or four 50kg bombs fitted to racks either under the fuselage or under the inboard portion of the wings. From 1942 on the Ju 87G-1 was a dedicated anti-tank aircraft on the eastern front. It was fitted with a 1400hp Junkers Jumo 211J engine. It had a maximum speed of 314km/h, a ceiling of 8000m and a very limited range of only 320km. The reduced speed and range was due to the armor plating installed to protect the pilot and gunner when flying low-level tank busting missions. It was armed with two 30 mm cannons in pods under the wings and a 7.92 mm machine gun in the back for the gunner. Our test Great Planes Ju-87 came out of the box fully sheeted and precovered with Coverite flat covering in olive and black military camouflage trim. We laid out the pieces and found all the pieces were in good shape including the painted cowl, precovered wings, tail and fuselage. The kit also contains a nice decal set, scale exhaust stacks and just as on the full size plane, the ARF features a "greenhouse" shaped canopy that can accommodate two pilot figures (they are not included in the kit). Included is a 32 page instruction manual that takes you through the assembly of the Stuka and you begin with the wings. Because the Stuka has a reverse gull wing design, you first must locate the two plywood center wing joiners and four plywood outer wing joiners. We used Great Planes 6-Minute epoxy constructing the center and outer wing joiners. Be sure that when you are fitting the joiner, that the bend of the wing is going in the correct direction! We were then guided through the installation of the ailerons, flap and inner flap. There are pre drilled holes for the hinges but you have to cut the covering away over the three holes in the leading edge of the aileron, the three holes in the leading edge of the flap and the two holes in the leading edge of the inner flap. Before gluing the hinges in, we put a tiny drop of our trusty 3-1 Oil on each hinge joint to prevent the glue from getting into the joint itself when installing the hinges. We were glad that our Stuka was delivered in the state of completion it was because building your own set of reverse gull wings, with separate flaps and ailerons would be a nightmare! With this ARF version, it is nothing more than following the photograph laden steps to completion. And they worked! Once the wings were completed and joined (the 70" wing is a one piece unit once constructed), we proceeded through the fuselage construction and installed an O.S. .61 FX horizontally using the included fiber engine mount. The engine was fitted with a 12 x 6 prop and we then assembled the fuel tank. Be sure not to over tighten the center screw since it can cause leaks and ruin the tank. We then installed silicone fuel tubing (which is not included in the kit) with a return line from the muffle for pressure. At this point we have to remind you that this model comes in a flat military paint scheme so you must be cautious with your adhesives. We cleaned our hands several times during each construction period so we would not mar the finish. We had a trusty Futaba 6 channel system already on hand along with enough servos to take care of the flaps, ailerons, throttle, elevator and rudder controls. Having a "reclaimed" radio or two around the shop really cuts the expense of a new model. When we finished the canopy area, we took a little more time than is required because we wanted to do a good job of installing the instrument panel decals and front of the cockpit. The canopy of the Stuka has many panels of "glass" and it requires patience when you finish it. If you decide to paint the canopy frame, you will find that a Hobbico Master Mask makes the job easier. We brushed the mask on the inside of the canopy on a Friday night and Saturday morning, after it was dry, we cut the mask around each of the panels. The film was removed from the canopy frames but left on each window panel. You then paint the canopy frames from the inside of the canopy with black Formula U or any other acrylic paint you like. Once the paint is dry, you place the canopy on the fuselage and drill four 1/16" holes in the bottom of the canopy on both sides of the canopy. We applied a drop of thin CA into each of the holes drilled in the fuselage and mounted the canopy with eight small machine screws with washers. The last step was the application of the decals using the sketches and box cover to position them on the model. The decals are self adhesive but we used a trick taught to us by Butch Andrews, previous owner of Model Graphics, that eased their application. We cut the decals from the sheet and submerged each in a pan of warm water mixed with a few drops of dish soap. The decal is peeled from the backing and layed on the model in position exactly where you want it. The water/soap film allows for final adjustments and you then simply use a paper towel to wipe away the excess solution. We allowed them to dry overnight before taking our model to the field. After installing a 2 oz weight in the nose our Stuka balanced perfectly and we were off to the flying field. The O.S. .61/Futaba radio combination operated flawlessly as we test ran the new engine on the rich side. We then did a few practice runs up and down the runway holding up on the elevator to keep the tail wheel on the ground. Once ready, we faced our warbird into the wind and took off with flaps down. The aircraft took off in a very short distance and we brought the flaps into their flying position. Once the wing was in the standard flying mode with no flaps, it flew rock steady around the pattern. And it looked great! After about 5 minutes of flying we held the Stuka airborne and tested the flaps effects, preparing for landing. They slowed the plane down noticeably but did not cause any unusual stall effects. Our little Luftwaffe warbird landed gracefully and is still one of our favorite models to bring to the field. Not just because of its predictable flying characteristics, but because it is not the usual model you will see on the flight line. We remember when all you would see on a Sunday "at the field" were Lasers and Extras over and over. When you bring out your new Great Planes Stuka, you have something different that flies great and is fun to build! SPECIFICATIONS March/April 2002 R/C Excellence Editor: Fran Smith
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