Begemot 72-011: Ju-188

Although the Ju188 is rather well known by most modellers, and in 1/48 there is a very nice kit by Dragon, it is not so well served in 1/72. That means, both for kits and decals! As far as kits go, there’s the old Italeri offering that also appeared in Bilek boxings, and the even older Matchbox. I’ve not seen the latter, but I’ve read the Italeri is generally preferred. At least that’s the kit I have as it was the most available, though it's 1970s vintage with raised panel lines, and a sparse and inaccurate cockpit and wheel bays. Apparently there are also a few exterior inaccuracies like the wing being mounted too high on the fuselage and the aft fuselage cross section being off, but that's for another review. ;-)

 Now, the 2 kit options aren't exactly exciting, so I went looking for decal options. Well, if you're like me and like options, this Begemot sheet from Russia is the one to get!

You get 11 options both for A/D series with Jumo engines, and E/F series with BMW radials, both of which are included in the Italeri kit. For the D and F recce versions you'll have to add the camera openings in the aft fuselage.

 The sheet offers the following options:

 1) Ju188A-2, 1/KG2, France, 1944. Standard RLM70/71, but with black undersides and large patches of RLM76 oversprayed and some squiggles on the rudder. Curiously there's no swastika.

 2) Ju188F-2, Aufklarungsgruppe 22, Norway, 1943. Standard bomber camo of RLM70/71/65 but with eastern front yellow and winter whitewash. This version needs the camera openings added in the rear fuselage, of which no mention is made in the instructions.

 3)Ju188F-2, same as #2, but without the whitewash, and no 20mm nose cannon.

 4) Ju188D-2, Unknown unit, Kassel, Germany, early 1945. Recce version with Jumo engines, apparently oversprayed with RLM76 and splotched with RLM81. Having seen a photo of this plane in the AJ press Ju188/388 book it indeed looks splotchy but not sure of the colors. No nose cannon as well.

 5)Now here's a nice option, a Ju188A (possibly an A-3) of KG26, Norway, fall 1944. Standard bomber RLM70/71/65 bomber scheme but with RLM76 squiggles all over the upper surfaces. Might need the torpedo control fairing added on the left side, no mention of this in the instructions, so check your references. This option also lacks the nose cannon.

 6)Ju188E-1y, I/KG66, France, 1943. KG66 was very involved in night bombing pathfinding missions using radio beams as guidance, and thus has an antenna where the top turret normally would be. The Italeri kit provides a blanking plate if the turret is not fitted by the way, leaving you only to scratch the antenna. The nose cannon was also removed. Black undersurfaces and RLM76 uppers. A photo in the infamous Warplanes of the Third Reich shows the black undersurface color extends into the fuselage side cross. A nice option if you don't like masking or standard bomber camo.

 7)Ju188D-2, 4/FAGr 121, Beldringe, Denmark, may 1945. Standard RLM70/71/65, recce version. Not much color on this one, the only thing being the unit codes in red. Again no nose cannon.

 8)Ju188D-2, Unknown unit, Linz, Austria, 1945. Standard 70/71/65 camo, but rudder and nacelle fronts in yellow. Unit code in red.

 9)Ju188F-2, KG200, Germany 1944-45. Standard splinter scheme, but with black undersurfaces and RLM76 mottle.

 10)Ju188D-2, Braunschweig, Germany, spring 1945. Standard splinter scheme in 70/71/65, with the only color coming from the yellow wing tips, spinner spirals and the red Y.

 11)Ju188E-2, KG6, western Europe, spring 1944. Now here's a bit of confusion... the AJ press book has a profile of this and lists it as being coded ZG-DM and being of KG6. However, Begemot decals show the small tail code as Z6-DM making this a KG66 aircraft. The type of camouflage would seem to fit this, too, consisting of black undersides, RLM76 top and RLM74 spots. The pattern isn't really mottled but appears to have been made with masks. The cockpit framing also appears as a dark color. Like #1, no swastika.

 The decals themselves look well printed, are in register, and have a matte carrier film.

 Completing the package is a separate sheet with common markings and standard camouflage patterns drawings. So, there should be something for everyone, if you choose your options carefully you can do more than one 188 from the sheet, as the oversprayed aircraft generally did not have the stencils reapplied.

 My only gripe is with the instructions not showing what needs to be modded for the recce birds; however, if you get the AJ press book on the 188/388 there's plenty of details on these versions.

Jeroen Koen

January 2010

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