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BF 110D cockpit color variations?

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  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: N. MS
Posted by CN Spots on Thursday, April 3, 2014 6:45 PM

"Crisp" is a better description of the detail on these wings too.  It's probably closer to actual scale rivets and panel lines than the rest of the plane but I'm really going to have to watch the paint build up.  I may re-scribe a few to be safe.

The Quickboost resin exhaust arrived today.  They look amazing!  

Thanks for the additional info!

  • Member since
    November 2004
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Thursday, April 3, 2014 6:12 PM

let me throw my money in here

between 1936 and 1942 cockpits of bombers and transports were RLM 41 (Vallejo model colour 70986) The BF110, whilst official designation as a heavy fighter also had bomb carrying capability, so it may be possible that the cockpit could be RLM 41.

I could be wrong, and no doubt member will tell me if I am that my research seems to tell me that RLM 02 was basically the all over primer colour and the cockpit of fighters, ME 109 in particular, was left in that colour until the change in 1941 to RLM 66, but the colour change would only affect aircraft leaving the factories.

With your 1/48 scale build I would suggest that while RLM 66 is technically the right colour for the date, RLM 41 could be a better shade to use for the scale and would show up detail better.

James

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: Bent River, IA
Posted by Reasoned on Thursday, April 3, 2014 5:03 PM

CN Spots

Reasoned & dflu78,  Were the wings in your 110 kits kind of dull (sheen wise) compared to the rest of the parts?  I noticed this about mine.  They look almost like they've had a dull coat sprayed on them.  The panel lines and rivets are a bit shallow too.  I wasn't sure if this was inherent of this aircraft type or a mold defect

No, the wings look the same as the rest, it's the C variant. 

Science is the pursiut of knowledge, faith is the pursuit of wisdom.  Peace be with you.

On the Tarmac: 1/48 Revell P-38

In the Hanger: A bunch of kits

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Thursday, April 3, 2014 4:14 PM

CN Spots

Reasoned & dflu78,  Were the wings in your 110 kits kind of dull (sheen wise) compared to the rest of the parts?  I noticed this about mine.  They look almost like they've had a dull coat sprayed on them.  The panel lines and rivets are a bit shallow too.  I wasn't sure if this was inherent of this aircraft type or a mold defect.

Very nice pit dflu78!

I have a 110D in the stash, and have actually built most of it, but stopped because my kit had one upper wing half that was badly warped at the tip, and there was no way I could correct it 100%. So I contacted 
Eduard  and they sent me a replacement sprue that contained the upper wing halves. I noticed the same thing you mention. The new wing sprue they sent looked much more dull and the detail was different. Not so much less quality, but more small and crisp?? It just made me do a double take, that's all. I'm sure it will look nice under paint and with a wash applied. 

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2014
Posted by Silver on Thursday, April 3, 2014 2:36 PM
Black gray.
  • Member since
    February 2014
Posted by dflu78 on Thursday, April 3, 2014 1:30 PM

I hadn't noticed that...may not have paid that much attention. It's on the stalled build shelf (still awaiting my parts). I'll give it a glance later on and get back to you.

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: N. MS
Posted by CN Spots on Thursday, April 3, 2014 1:08 PM

Reasoned & dflu78,  Were the wings in your 110 kits kind of dull (sheen wise) compared to the rest of the parts?  I noticed this about mine.  They look almost like they've had a dull coat sprayed on them.  The panel lines and rivets are a bit shallow too.  I wasn't sure if this was inherent of this aircraft type or a mold defect.

Very nice pit dflu78!

  • Member since
    February 2014
Posted by dflu78 on Thursday, April 3, 2014 12:17 AM

I have to concur regarding RLM 66...it just doesn't lend itself well to shading and chromatic variation like 02 does.

I sprayed it here and drybrushed with neutral grey and ran a pin wash around the detail...about as good as you can hope for I think...

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: Bent River, IA
Posted by Reasoned on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 9:08 PM

Nathan T

...Or Russian turquoise green?

Wink

Science is the pursiut of knowledge, faith is the pursuit of wisdom.  Peace be with you.

On the Tarmac: 1/48 Revell P-38

In the Hanger: A bunch of kits

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 6:10 PM

LionOfLux
Lawdog! How can you say RLM 66 is a boring color? I think cockpits in RLM 66 look just fine if handled properly. It's such a nice shade... :-D

Yep....boring.  At least Tamiya's example of it (XF 63 German Gray) is to me.....too dark.  Thats why I lighten it with a touch of light or neutral gray.  Works for me.... 

Joe

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 11:37 PM

...Or Russian turquoise green?

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: Bent River, IA
Posted by Reasoned on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 7:57 PM

LionOfLux
Lawdog! How can you say RLM 66 is a boring color? I think cockpits in RLM 66 look just fine if handled properly. It's such a nice shade... :-D

Agreed, beats zinc chromate or Russian blue.

Science is the pursiut of knowledge, faith is the pursuit of wisdom.  Peace be with you.

On the Tarmac: 1/48 Revell P-38

In the Hanger: A bunch of kits

  • Member since
    October 2013
  • From: Luxembourg
Posted by LionOfLux on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 1:49 AM
Lawdog! How can you say RLM 66 is a boring color? I think cockpits in RLM 66 look just fine if handled properly. It's such a nice shade... :-D
  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: N. MS
Posted by CN Spots on Monday, March 31, 2014 6:39 PM

Couldn't stand it.  I just ordered the exhaust from Sprue Bros. : )

  • Member since
    February 2014
Posted by dflu78 on Monday, March 31, 2014 5:56 PM

CN Spots

I noticed a part missing on mine as well. One of the pipes on the exhaust manifolds.  I found it odd that those were not one piece like most aircraft especially since they are not hollow.  I sent Eduard an email last night about 10PM and they had replied before I woke up this morning saying that they are sending a free replacement.  So for, I've been nothing but impressed with them.

I've contemplated ordering the Quickboost resin exhaust from Squadron.  They look really nice and worth every bit of 6 bucks if it keeps me from having to glue on and drill out 24 individual pipes. Yikes!

Their customer service is exquisite. I bought my -C at a show. It had been opened, and I called myself going over it pretty good, but it was marked at $20...a considerable savings compared to new, so I rushed and bought it. Got to the ailerons and found they were missing....they had clearly been snipped from the sprue too...so the kit had been cannibalized. I even explained to that Eduard...whole new sprue regardless.

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Monday, March 31, 2014 2:24 PM

I used the Quickboost exhausts on my C....they are beautiful and well worth it. Especially since they are so prominent on this particular plane. I remember the sorry kit examples, one look and I was like..."nah"... Joet

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: N. MS
Posted by CN Spots on Monday, March 31, 2014 12:49 PM

I noticed a part missing on mine as well. One of the pipes on the exhaust manifolds.  I found it odd that those were not one piece like most aircraft especially since they are not hollow.  I sent Eduard an email last night about 10PM and they had replied before I woke up this morning saying that they are sending a free replacement.  So for, I've been nothing but impressed with them.

I've contemplated ordering the Quickboost resin exhaust from Sprue Brothers (I thought it was Squadron but I don't think they sell them).  They look really nice and worth every bit of 6 bucks if it keeps me from having to glue on and drill out 24 individual pipes. Yikes!

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Monday, March 31, 2014 3:31 AM

dflu78

There are a lot of "experts" online that are no more experts than I am a brain surgeon, so my advice would be not to let total accuracy become an obsession. There is room for artistic license in this hobby. None of us were actually there, so honestly there is no being sure 100% about the exact hue of any colors.

I couldn't have said this better.  Good advice.  Heed it and you'll live longer.....

Joe

 

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2014
Posted by dflu78 on Monday, March 31, 2014 12:14 AM

I've got the C stalled as I wait for replacement parts from Eduard.

The cockpit is one of the better ones I've seen OOB. As for color you've already painted yours, but is say 02 is more on point with the D. There are a lot of "experts" online that are no more experts than I am a brain surgeon, so my advice would be not to let total accuracy become an obsession. There is room for artistic license in this hobby. None of us were actually there, so honestly there is no being sure 100% about the exact hue of any colors.

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: Bent River, IA
Posted by Reasoned on Sunday, March 30, 2014 9:41 PM

You're right about that Eduard 110, I have the "C" version in the stash and the cockpit detail is insane.

Science is the pursiut of knowledge, faith is the pursuit of wisdom.  Peace be with you.

On the Tarmac: 1/48 Revell P-38

In the Hanger: A bunch of kits

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: N. MS
Posted by CN Spots on Sunday, March 30, 2014 1:25 PM

Thanks guys!   I went with the 02 this morning.  This kit has like 260 parts and 258 of them make up the cockpit.  Couldn't bring myself to cover all of that in such dark paint.  Ironically, after all the prep work and priming the RLM 02 was nearly the exact color that Eduard molded the kit in.  I probably could have just hit it with Future and moved on.  I still think it will look a bit more lively than the 66 in the end though.  I'll start the wash/weathering on it tomorrow.

I hadn't seen the wip on your 109 yet, Joe.  Outstanding work as always!

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, March 30, 2014 3:16 AM

In the discussions in the Stuka GB I mentioned a page on Swannies models which lists what colur cockpits should be. I can't recall if I posted a link, so here it is.

www.swannysmodels.com/Painting.html

According to this, the 110D should be RLM 02. But as was pointe out in the Stuka GB, it was not always as simple as that, and some early aircraft were indeed painted in 66.So I think either way would be ok, and officially RLM 02 would be the colour to use.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Sunday, March 30, 2014 3:09 AM

I had the same issue when I built my Bf 109 E-3.  Apparently they were painted in RLM 02 up until early 1941 and the dashes were always RLM 66.  It would be safe to say the D version could go either way I suppose, depending when it was in service.  RLM 66 is a boring grey, so I lighten mine with a tad of neutral grey and drybrush the details silver to make it more interesting.  Add a wash to really make it pop.  Here's how I did mine if your interested.  

cs.finescale.com/.../157297.aspx

Hope it helps,

Joe

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

GAF
  • Member since
    June 2012
  • From: Anniston, AL
Posted by GAF on Sunday, March 30, 2014 1:13 AM

Why am I reading this at 1:00 am?  Tongue Tied

Probably because I'm trying to get things done late at night and just happened to decide to peruse the forums before going to bed.

CN>  They recently had a discussion on the cockpit colors for the JU-87 over in the "Stuka GB", so you might read what they had to say there:

Ju 87 Stuka GB - Group Builds - Modeling Subjects - Finescale Modeler Community

Start about the middle of the comments.  This was about Stukas, but applies to all German aircraft.  Apparently that RLM 66 is correct, though you might get by with a lighter shade.

Hope this will be of help.

Gary

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: N. MS
BF 110D cockpit color variations?
Posted by CN Spots on Sunday, March 30, 2014 12:20 AM

I recently started work on Eduard's 1/48 BF 110D.  I was about to begin painting the cockpit components based on the manual's color suggestions (RLM66) but while doing some online research I noticed that many other models were painted with a much lighter grey.  Something closer to RLM02.  I think the latter looked much better as the RLM66 is almost black and I fear most of the detail will be lost in such a dark area.  The PE instrument panel and ammo canisters really pop on a lighter background.

Was this a case of artistic license on the modeler's part or did the Germans really use different color interior paints on the same aircraft? 

I tried to limit the search to the "D" variants but the interweb being what it is...  who knows.

Any help would be appreciated.

Also, what's wrong with me that I would sweat over this at midnight on a weekend?  

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