1/48 Eduard Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (JG 50 Grislawski)

mustang1989

 

 How in the world do you ship something like that without worrying about all the open panels and goodies falling off? I've transported mine to shows but that was me.............not the postal service. You know how those guys can be with packages sometimes. Just curious is all.

 

I have a pretty good packing system. They are basically sandwiched between two slabs of high density foam and secured with wire, contained within a box.  Little stuff does sometimes fall off but that goes with the territory. That yellow nose P-51 I just finished was shipped to Italy and made it unscathed. 

lawdog114

 

mustang1989

Was this a commission build or one for your shelf?

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks bud...this one will be on its way to Massachusetts shortly.  The good news is that I plan on taking a break from commissions and build for myself for a while.  I plan on building one of these closed up and then the airfix P-40B I ordered from Hannants when it arrives from across the pond.  Thinking Pearl Harbor markings....

 

 Looking forward to that P-40 build BTW

1943Mike

Do you have a room dedicated to displaying all your a/c models?

 

Nope...I have a handful of favorites but I sell most of them on eBay. It's turned into quite a lucrative business for me and has spawned several regular customers, to include the recipient of this one.  I hope to use the money to send my daughter to college someday.  

Thanks for the kind words...

mustang1989

Was this a commission build or one for your shelf?

 

Thanks bud...this one will be on its way to Massachusetts shortly.  The good news is that I plan on taking a break from commissions and build for myself for a while.  I plan on building one of these closed up and then the airfix P-40B I ordered from Hannants when it arrives from across the pond.  Thinking Pearl Harbor markings....

Call me a petrol head but I always love seeing those engines on display. Great work, Joe. Love how that turned out. Im totally Jelly.

BK

Greg

Was this your first Eduard kit or just the first with all the Eduard aftermarket goodies?

 

 

No...I've built many Eduard kits.  It's my first surgery to display the engine kit.  Thanks for the kind words..

Just superb work!

Do you have a room dedicated to displaying all your a/c models?

Dangit Joe! I was looking in to see the progress on this thing and BWAM!!!!! It's all done! . Man you've really gotta slow down on these builds as you're making us all look bad. I'm in awe not only of your work but the short time that it took you to achieve it. Was this a commission build or one for your shelf?

You knocked this Eduard right out of the park, Joe. Beautiful work.

Was this your first Eduard kit or just the first with all the Eduard aftermarket goodies?

I have to echo Mustang Joe's comment a bit, I have fond and vivid memories of building my first Eduard, also a 109, a few years back in the 109 GB, so I know what's involved in this kit. How you have done what you have done in a few weeks has my head spinning. If yours looked slapped together, that'd be one thing, but it looks like a contest winner to me.

Anyway, I recently recieved my second Eduard, one of the Spits, and it may be partially your fault because of this WIP thread!!!

More importantly, I always enjoy your WIP's, thanks for this one.

Another beauty Joe! It looks really cool all opened up and was worth the effort. Looks like a fantastic kit!

Ah Joe, another masterpiece for sure, you've reached a pinnacle unclimbable by me. I always enjoy the history part of your builds also, just another educational plus of our hobby of perfection.

Max

Thanks for the kind words all.  I still have to fix a few small things here and add a few tid bits there, but for the most part its done.  To recap, it's the 2014 original issue Bf 109 G-6 in the JG 50 markings of Alfred Grislawski's "White 10" around September of 1943.  Grislawski was a 133 kill ace, which included 18 four engine bombers.  

Reference the kit, I'm aware of all the criticism but I just could not find any glaring errors to warrant a reboot.  I'm no expert though.  It certainly looks like a Gustav to me.  It's supposed to be too big, but I didn't notice it.  The landing gear angle was supposed to be wrong.  I personally couldn't tell the difference.  I did Tenax the attachment holes liberally then push them slightly forward as they were drying to increase the forward rake.  Aside from my surgery woes, it went together beautifully.  The surface detail is second to none and the fine rivets even held a wash, including the prop hub! Count on me doing another one of these closed up out of the box very soon.  I hate to admit it, but the Hasegawa kit is now in danger of being rendered obsolete. If their upcoming P-51 is anywhere near this good, look out Tamiya... 

One thing is abundantly clear here, Joe. I need to step up my A-game lol. This is amazing work you're doing here.

rooster513

...where do you get your Gunze paints and do you find there colors pretty accurate? Mixing all those tamiya paints as you had to do can be a pain.

 

Thanks guys...

Rooster, I get them off eBay.  Aqueous are hard, if not impossible, to get in the states now.  It's a labeling thing I believe.  

It's looking great. Another inspiring, bar setting, job.

-J

There's so much fantastic looking detail between the pit and the cowling it actually looks like a real engine and guns - I'm completely gobsmacked.

Your committment to grinding through the work required to get that meticulous effect is extremely commendable. The result is outstanding!!

Joe you've really raised the bar with this project,looking Awesome Sir!

That looks REALLY nice Joe! A couple questions...where do you get your Gunze paints and do you find there colors pretty accurate? Mixing all those tamiya paints as you had to do can be a pain.

Well I'll say first and foremost , this is one helluva job you're doing on this thing Joe. The engine, gun platform, and interior are just dripping with beautifully built detail and weathering. Secondly, it takes me a good month or two to end up where you did in mere......................hours??? In alot of ways I envy you for your speed to your targeted goal because I'd love to build with that amount of surety and fluid like qualities but on the other hand , my display space is limited and I'd run out of places to put all those built models. In any case you're turning out one good looking 109 here.

I was able to sit down and get some paint work done last night.  I'm building this subject, Alfred Grislawski's JG 50 mount.  JG 50 were a specialized unit whose purpose was to combat the British Mosquito, which were becoming a real pain in the you know what for the Reich.  More on him later.... 

Anyways, I preshaded the panel lines then sprayed the underside nose yellow.  I used XF-3 Flat Yellow with a few drops of XF-7 Flat Red for color intensity.....it works.  

I also painted the tail white then taped those areas off.  Next I fired down the RLM 76.  I'm out of Gunze so I had to mix it from Tamiya.  I used 2 parts XF-23 Light Blue, 2 parts XF-66 Light Grey, and the 7 parts XF-2 Flat White, per Tamiya recommendation I located online.  It looks ok to my eye.

Next I sprayed the wings and upper fuselage Gunze RLM 75. Gunze sprays like silk with their own thinner.  It does take longer to dry than Tamiya though, so you have to be careful in handling.......in my case a slight annoyance.   

Next I used blue tac rolled into "worms" to mark off the demarcation lines.  I used the instructions as a reference on how the pattern should go.  I then sprayed the Gunze RLM 74.  I'm simply in awe of the surface detail on this kit and it's some of the best I've ever seen, so I decided to forego my normal condensation streaking which felt would detract from it.  I did add a touch of XF-2 to the 74 to sun fade it just a bit.  I added the 74/75 mottling then gave everything a postshade. I, and the 7 parts XF-2 Flat White, per Tamiya recommendation.  I added more XF-1 to the postshade and then put down the black Daimler Benz sooty exhaust stains which are so prominent on the Bf 109.  

The underside.  I grunged it up with a postshade.

Time to start on the little stuff....   

Looking mighty fine!

Mike

Masking looks good.  I've never tried a combination tape and post it notes as a mask.  Great idea!  Got to try this technique, it's very interesting sir!

Toshi

Thanks folks.  I had some issues with the PE that fits around the exhausts.  I had trouble getting it to fit right.  On the port exhaust "roof", you have to bend a curve into it which I found to be nearly impossible to do.  Stupid design.  I finally bent it with tweezers but it's not pretty.  This is why I like engines closed up.  Anyways, I managed to get the airframe together and the seams sanded to await primer.  I can say that this is the best surface detail I've seen on a 109.  I don't think Eduard missed a rivet.

It took me an hour to tape off the engine compartment.  I used Post it notes under the tape so delicate wiring and such wouldn't stick to the tape when removed.....like a tent  I'll still be careful with the painting as it's not as secure as normal.   

I find that on the Bf 109, Tenaxing on all the flaps and control surfaces while still in bare plastic provides a better bond.  It fuses them together and they tend to stay put throughout the build.  Before I started doing this I was always knocking off the radiator flaps during painting.  Tenax is like a welding gun for styrene..

I hope to be painting soon.  

Looks Great

Looking amazing there Joe, keep us posted!  I must say that the Brassin engine looks a bit easier than the Aries set I'm working on with my 335.

<Matt