[Cruver Collecter]

I have a bit of a question. Does anyone have any reference material that shows a picture of a Ju 88 with outer wing bomb rack like this Corgi model has? I just spent the past hour going through eight books and have come up dry. Shoot I can find diagram with flight control and trim tab cable layout, but not a single picture or diagram with the outer wing hard point. Even have a diagram with wing rib and main spar layout, but no indication of a hard point. I dug out my 1940s recognition manuals, but still nothing.

[Hornchurch]

CruverCollector ; they were featured on the famous Airfix-kit (A.4 variant) in production for 'donkeys-years'

Now you've raised it, I'll look amongst my stuff over the weekend (it's V.late here & time for ZZZzzzzzzzzz's !)

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Hornchurch

CruverCollector ; they were featured on the famous Airfix-kit (A.4 variant) in production for 'donkeys-years'

Now you've raised it, I'll look amongst my stuff over the weekend (it's V.late here & time for ZZZzzzzzzzzz's !)

I am really curious as to what you can dig up. Just wondering if Corgi might have made an oops on this outer wing rack.

[Cruver Collecter]

I may have just found the answer to whether this model of the Ju 88 should have the optional ETC bomb racks outboard of the engine nacelles. Found that the Ju 88A-5 did have the ability to support these bomb racks, but still cannot find a picture to illustrate this. These outboard bomb racks were not associated with the Ju-88A-4 series. Appears Ju-88A-5 series was a stop gap measure for a delay in the A-4 series due to engine problems. The Corgi model is a Ju-88A-6/U which was either upgraded from Ju-88A-6 anti-balloon variant to Ju-88A-4 standards with there also being an indication that a number of Ju-88A-6/U being built directly from Ju-88A-4 airframes. It looks like Corgi may have made an error by including outboard bomb racks on this model. The absence of the port wing FuG 217 "Rostock" radar antenna also tends indicate an error was made. Still plan on picking this one up, just keep the extra bomb racks in the box (And probably make up a radar antenna for the port wing).


Found some interesting Ju 88 data at this site: http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_ju88A.html

[SkyBuffalo]

I couldn't find any references to outer wing bomb racks in any of my books, either.

But, in my "Hamlyn Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of WWII" on P. 121, there is a picture of a Ju-88A-4 with similiar markings to the Corgi model, and the plane is described as :

"Junkers Ju 88A-4 of I/KG 54 'Totenkopf' at Bergamo in September of 1943"

So our KG 54 Corgi plane may be based out of Bergamo, Italy in late 1943. Bergamo is located in the far north of Italy at the base of the Alps, maybe 50 kilometers east-northeast of Milan.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by SkyBuffalo

I couldn't find any references to outer wing bomb racks in any of my books, either.

But, in my "Hamlyn Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of WWII" on P. 121, there is a picture of a Ju-88A-4 with similiar markings to the Corgi model, and the plane is described as :

"Junkers Ju 88A-4 of I/KG 54 'Totenkopf' at Bergamo in September of 1943"

So our KG 54 Corgi plane may be based out of Bergamo, Italy in late 1943. Bergamo is located in the far north of Italy at the base of the Alps, maybe 50 kilometers east-northeast of Milan.

Found some reference material that points to no on the bomb racks.

[Epapazian]

One of the references I checked regarding this plane was "Warplanes Of The Third Reich" by William Green ( copyrighted by Green in 1970 and published by Galahad Books in 1990, ISBN: O-88365-666-3 ). On page 455 of his book Green shows three poorly reproduced photos , including one already posted on this thread, of a JU-88A-6/U which operated over the Mediterranean via southern Italy which appears to be the plane we are discussing. These pictures show a higher density of grayish---RLM 76?-- squiggles than on the Corgi and in my view a more subtle and far more effective application. Also there are no outer wing bombs, FuG 217 antennae can be seen on the upper wing and the undersides of the engine nacelles extending from the wing seem to be a light color--either RLM 65, RLM 76 or possibly yellow. but certainly not black. While the absence of outer wing bombs on a plane at rest on its home field doesn't prove that such ordinance couldn't be added prior to a mission, I remain skeptical on this issue. I still contend that Corgi muffed it on this plane.

[Shamrock]

I really like this aircraft Epapazian despite it's faults. What pisses me off is the fact that Corgi in it's brochure described it as an Eastern Front aircraft based in Poland. As we know now thanks to the forum members input it is an Italian 'bird'. Quelle surprise!!

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

One of the references I checked regarding this plane was "Warplanes Of The Third Reich" by William Green ( copyrighted by Green in 1970 and published by Galahad Books in 1990, ISBN: O-88365-666-3 ). On page 455 of his book Green shows three poorly reproduced photos , including one already posted on this thread, of a JU-88A-6/U which operated over the Mediterranean via southern Italy which appears to be the plane we are discussing. These pictures show a higher density of grayish---RLM 76?-- squiggles than on the Corgi and in my view a more subtle and far more effective application. Also there are no outer wing bombs, FuG 217 antennae can be seen on the upper wing and the undersides of the engine nacelles extending from the wing seem to be a light color--either RLM 65, RLM 76 or possibly yellow. but certainly not black. While the absence of outer wing bombs on a plane at rest on its home field doesn't prove that such ordinance couldn't be added prior to a mission, I remain skeptical on this issue. I still contend that Corgi muffed it on this plane.

I have found four different sources now that pretty much indicate it was an error on the part of Corgi to have bomb racks out board of the engines on this model. Ju-88 A-6/U was based on the Ju 88A-4 which did not have hard points to support a rack as Corgi model portrays. Variant that did support this was the Ju 88A-5 which was a stop gap interim when engine problems arose with the Ju 88A-4 line. Really hard to attach bomb rack when the wing structure is not designed to support it. That and the mission role the Ju-88A-6/U performed would not really indicate that heavy of a weapons load. Maritime mission usually range was at a premium and not ordinance carrying capacity.

[Merritec]

I really wish a Corgi representative would be on this forum, or be available for questions. I would love to hear Corgi's side of why they made it the way they did. There must of been some reason for the things they do, even if it was based on an inacurate model kit. At least we would know why and then could buy or not buy based on these desisions. Somebody in the research dept has the reason for this, maybe they even have a photo that none of the other members can find. This could quickly put all fears to rest.

Why does Corgi refuse to interact with it's collectors?

How much would it cost to have some PR with your customers?

It is like they are trying to get people to stop buying their products.