Dragon 1/72nd He 219 Completed pics page 2

crown, I just checked that image on wings palette. Just for info there is an error in the caption. It says the aircraft shot down 5 lancatsers. Its actually shot down 1 lanc and 4 halifax bombers. And i notice on that image there is mottling under the canopy, the two otehr plates i have sen with mottling also show this. And i think this is what has clinched it for me. A couple fo days ago i found and image online of the cockpit afer the crash. I have the same image in books, but this is much clearer.

But i am really greatful for all the comments. All help is appreciated.

I think thats worth a pint  

Looking great. I have to ask what is the story behind the crewman facing backwards? Was that a night fighter thing?

Griffin, Its not just a Night Figther thing, rear facing crewman was quite common in German 2 seater aircraft. Often these would be rear gunners, such as the Ju 87 and me 110.

 I suppose it made sense in this case because of all the equipment the radar operator was useing, it was better to mount that to the back wall.

Also, the aircraft was the first full production aircraft fitted with ejection seats. Both seats were ejected on a single frame, so they had to be back to back for that as well.

Hi Bish,

      Recently I built this same kit, and see that you have questions about the camoflage.  I have read that the early versions were issued with RLM 75 over RLM 76.  They were then oversprayed at unit level with RLM 76.  Many pictures are available online showing some planes completely oversprayed with RLM 76 and some oversprayed in criss-cross patterns, repeating figure eights, or attempts at cloud immitation.  In many cases, you can see exactly how the guy with the paint sprayer did it.  Later versions were issued with  black upper and lower surfaces.  The upper surfaces were again oversprayed a lighter color at unit level.  

Best wishes,

Gary

Bish

You have to go with your gut instinct. You have looked under all rocks and things are pointing out out to no mottling.

I generally don't trust any art work or museum subjects for paint accuracy as I find the most reliable source to be an actual photograph of the subject in question. I do believe at this time that you are going with the appropriate scheme. 

Right, its that time again.I had a few days delay as i was waiting on some decals, but more on that in a bit.

So after the last up date, it was time to prime and paint. I still struggle with seams and joins, the tops of fuselage and canopiy joins especially. becaus eof the light mono scheme i really wnated to get this as good as posable. In some places it took 3 attempts at painting, filling, sanding re painting before i was finally satisfied. I still do need to work on my seam technique.

I know some would use colour modulation on a scheme like this to liven it up a bit. But those who know me will know thats not my style. So while it might be un interesting, i figured as thats what the real one looked like, thats good enough for me. Filling in the panel lines will be as artistic as i get.

Now, those decals. From the star i knew the kit ones would not work. Apart from there not being any swastika's, there was also no double chevron. And many of the other markings just looked wrong. The black line son the top wing crosses were to thick and the green F's had a black out line. I thought i could cover all those from my AM sets and spares. Then last weekend i realised that despite haveing more swastika's than i have kkits, i did not have any black outines in the right size. So i ordered some from Fantasy Print shop. But then during the week i made anotehr realisation, i don't have the right double chevrons. So after a quick search, tehre was nothing for it bit to order a set of He 219 decals from AIMs which include ,arkings for this aircrfat, with the correct chevrons and swastika's.

So, that was a fun week. And after all that, the AIMs set did not include the wing crosses. But the decals are now on. The two markings for the foot holds come from the kit, the only ones i used from tehre. The wings crosses are from the decal stash and everything else is from the AIMS set.

Next thing to do is exhaust stains and the panel lines and that will be about it.

jumping form 1/32 down to 72nd must be crazy!!

That thing is really looking good. Forget about the color moduation, this scheme is quite eye appealling, it's different, yet German. Very cool build, Bish.

BK

Looking good there Bish. Almost ready for a wash.

This is just coming together very nicely, just up to this point where you're at is amazing.  I don't know how you guys do it!  Great job.

Toshi

Looking good Bish. A panel wash will break up things a Bit.

Speaking of panel washes. I used the Flory washes on a comission and they acted weird. They chunked up and separated once they went to the model. I suspect Micro Sol and Set contaminated the surface. I should have wiped the model out well with alcohol. Flory didn't do that on my 109G but then I used Solvaset and sealed the kit in Future prior to the Flory Wash application.

Thanks guys.

Toshi, don't worry, your not the only one. I don't have a clue.

PJ, the wash is now done and indeed it looks much better. I used Flory straight onto the Xtracolour and had no issues at all, even on the decals which had gone down with the help of set and sol. But what you have experienced is the same thing I often get when using it straight onto Xtracolour. Strange.

That is weird Bish. I used Testor's gloss white and sealed in Future on one plane. That one the wash separated and I had to really work to get it into the panel lines. Then I used the same mixture on an old Fujimi unpainted plastic plane and it woked just fine.

I previously used it on the 109G for the Messerschmitt GB, painted with MM flat paints and sealed in Future but the Flory Washes worked fine there.

Yes I went over to the Techniques Section to see what's up with the funky results. I also used some Dawn dish washing soap which helped a tad.

GazzaS

Hi Bish,

      Recently I built this same kit, and see that you have questions about the camoflage.  I have read that the early versions were issued with RLM 75 over RLM 76.  They were then oversprayed at unit level with RLM 76.  Many pictures are available online showing some planes completely oversprayed with RLM 76 and some oversprayed in criss-cross patterns, repeating figure eights, or attempts at cloud immitation.  In many cases, you can see exactly how the guy with the paint sprayer did it.  Later versions were issued with  black upper and lower surfaces.  The upper surfaces were again oversprayed a lighter color at unit level.  

 

Best wishes,

 

Gary

 

Gary, i am so sorry, i completly missed this post.

Thats some interesting information there. Do you think that would also apply to the pre production aircrfat. I know several of the first ones were painted all black. I have not come across any otehr painted blue all over, i will ahve to have a better look.

Thanks again, and sorry about missing you out.

Thanks Marc. Better late than never. 

Hi Bish,

     No worries.   I can't remember ever seeing an A-O captioned machine that wasn't RLM 75 over RLM 76.   The machines I've seen with completely black undersides are all later versions.

Best wishes,

Gary

Gary, yes, I have seen quite a few of those. The A-0 V1 was all black and I think a couple of other may have been as well. But given everything I have looked at, I am about as certain as I can be that the V9 was RLM 76 all over with no mottling.

But, its now declared and weathered and secured to the base, so I guess this is when the evidence will appear which shows I am wrong lol. If it does, I will live with it now.

Thanks for the input, its much appreciated. I just have a couple of ground crew figures to finish and its all done, hopefully some pics tonight, if not tomorrow at latest.

Well, here it is. After the last update i did a neat panel wash with Flory washes, i wanted a nice clean finish for a change. Exhaust staing was done with Tamiya smoke, including on the tail as shown in the crash pics. Then the wheels were added along with clear pars for the lights and the antenna.

And still my favorite view of the aircraft, though i imagine not one many RAF bomber crew would want to see.

And once fitted to the base, i added 2 PE wheel chocks and a couple of figures. I wanted a nice simple dio showing the aircraft about to star its engines prior to its one and only operational sortie.

And there you go, my first ever He 219. I can now scrub this off the top of my loist of stash kits i most want to build. I still have 3 more Dragon 72nd kits plus the Revell 32nd in the stash, so it won't be the last.

Thanks all for following along and for all the feedback. Its much appreciated as always.

All coments welcome of course.

Outstanding work. She's a real looker !! Great scheme that makes it unique.

BK

Nice job Bish, Great job on the panel lines and the exhaust staining on the tail..