The themed double build that turned into a slightly off theme triple build ended with a spectacular…fizzle.

To recap, the build started with Eduard’s FW 190A-5 and Italeri’s JU 87B-2 Stuka.  The 190 was completed with some hair-pulling due to decal silvering.  Similarly frustrating, some parts issues with the Stuka put it on pause, so I started and completed a Hobby Boss Mig 3.  And then, things fell quiet for a few weeks while I waited on replacement canopy parts to arrive from Italy.

And then, more waiting.

In fact, I waited so long that I decided to just try to repair the short-shot pilot’s canopy (having already fixed the destroyed-on-sprue bomb trapeze). And, I did. It took about a week of piddling around with superglue, abrasives and bondo, but I finally got it to a place where I felt I could mask and paint the part. That I did, and like Pontious Pilote, I washed my hands of the whole ordeal.  I wasn’t terribly happy with Italeri’s customer service, but I wasn’t terribly upset at the kit. In fact, I think it turned out well despite of the effort it took to get some of the kit parts to usable form.

And then after all of that effort…the canopy parts finally arrived to great pomp and circumstance. Frankly, I might use the replacement canopy, but don’t hold me to it.

So, without further ado here are the completed builds (Stuka; 190; Mig 3).