2015 Messerschmitt Bf 109 Group Build

Ok gents, I almost got the cockpit work on my Royal Class done. the only thing I still have to add are the IP decals.

I didn't have access to a computer the last couple of days (was visiting a friend), but I got some pictures of my progress to show you tomorrow.

Of course I followed along on my phone and there's some really nice stuff being posted in here. I'll get the build list updated tomorrow and If I have enough time I'm also going to write some longer comments on everyone's builds.

Was digging though a box of books and found this:

So while I was waiting I started re-reading the book as it's been 20+ years from the first time I cracked this tome. What better way to get familiar with my planned build?

Workspace has been cleared of excess clutter otherwise I may end up with a bizarre 'what if' 109 sportin' sidewinders and napalm which would have really been a game changer for the Battle of Britain.

So here's what's in the box other than the instructions:

Wow a Hasegawa kit that includes external ordinance! The drop tank and bomb will go to the spare parts bin.

That's all I got done before bedtime. Hopefully can start cutting plastic this weekend but depends on other factors like wife, kids, changing oil... Oh and how much I sit around

Those Hasegawa 109's are good kits. One of these days I'm going to have to do another one with the skills I've gotten here from all you fine folks! A clean bench..................Wow!

Looks like you're off to a great start on your engine! I knew you were gonna be the first one with some progress to show.

Doug: This one's gonna be interesting. That's some very nice work on the engine!

Craig: Same goes for you. Some good looking progress already! I really like Gunze's version of RLM 02. It just sprays so incredibly well and it looks pretty close to the color plates Jack posted.

Joe: As usual, your big 109 looks amazing! Some very impressive scratchbuilding!

Mike: You seem to be off to a good start as well. Looking great there!

Lostagain: I already got all the decals I need. Thanks for the offer though! I got you added to the front page.

John, nomad, Mike, Zvezda: I added you to the front page as well. Welcome aboard!

Allen: I added your big G-6 to the build list as well.

As promised, I got an update for you guys as well:

Everything is built completely OOB with the exception of two cables on the right cockpit wall.

The Eduard Royal Class is truly a fantastic kit to work with and there were no fit issues whatsoever so far. The level of detail in the cockpit is really good as well and more than good enough for 1/48 without any need for AM extras.

I really like Joe's (lawdog's) approach on painting cockpite and this is basically my attempt at getting mine to look at least somewhat like his efforts. I'm not sure if it worked, but I like the look of it.

I started out by spraying everything in Tamiya's semi-gloss black. The RLM 66 is from Gunze's acrylic line and was sprayed in several thin coats to let some of the black show through in all the recesses.
All the deatil painting was done using Tamiya and Vallejo paints, applied with a fine brush and a toothpick.
I finished the cockpit by applying a heavy black-brown oil wash to bring out all the details and add some color variation.

I ran out of Micro-Sol so the decals have to wait untill I can get a new bottle from my LHS.

All that's left now are the seatbelts and Eduard included some lovely HGW fabric belts as well, so this should be fun!

And just when everybody who knows me well enough starts wondering how I managed to restrict myself to just one kit:

It wouldn't be me If I didn't start working on at least another one as well, right? So yeah, here's the other one included in the box. 

You might notice the IP of the G-6 does have some decals on it. The reason for that is me trying punch out all the dials and apply them induvidually without a decal softener. It worked well enough to not be noticeable once it is in place with a closed canopy (I'll build my G-6 all closed up), but the open canopy of the G-2  means I'll finish the other IP the proper way.

The plan is to build one as a Finnish G-6 and the other one as Wilcke's G-2.

I hope you like them... 

Cheers, Clemens 

That looks very nice, SS. Nice coloring. I really like how you've done the fuel line.

Dayuum Clemens!! You're sure in hyperdrive here! Looking good pal! 

SchattenSpartan : Why wait for decal setting solution? Its just vinegar diluted with water.

Allen109

SchattenSpartan : Why wait for decal setting solution? Its just vinegar diluted with water.

I thought that stuff smelled familiar....

Raven728

Allen109

SchattenSpartan : Why wait for decal setting solution? Its just vinegar diluted with water.

I thought that stuff smelled familiar....

 Totally unrelated in subject matter but related in why I'm not yet building a 109 in here yet is because I started a project around the first part of November (since I had two months of free benchtime between builds) that was supposed to be a touch up on a 1970 Dodge Challenger that I built when I was 14 years old (lets see that was..............32 years ago! ). All I was going to do was paint a hood, hood scoop and rear spoiler from a spare kit that I recently acquired and shelve the model again and be done in more than enough time for the 109 GB.  THAT is NOT what happened. 

I started with this:

and it quickly turned into this:

and it soon turned from the original 340 Six Pack engine here:

to the upgraded 340 Six Pack engine that I have now and am still adding detail here:

the wheels went from here (and the original tires are on the right-the Goodyears you see here will not be used):

to here: (these are the tires that WILL be used and these are the rears-the fronts are a tad bit smaller. These were robbed from a 66 Mustang model I had and I still need to work out the white lettering)

and things like the instrument panel went from this:

to this (the instrument panel is still all original parts too):

and along with wheels and other small items, from this :

to this:

Without getting in a hurry , I'm trying to be completed with this here in the coming month , or maybe two, and I'll be in here building away. Until then I'll be around frequently as your host. 

Clemens, I see you've opened a Messerschmitt franchise too! (How did the final schwarm of FWs go???) Amazing work, my friend, as ever!

Mustang -- I do love the Challenger! I've not done a car kit since I was a kid, but one day ... maybe!

I'm hoping to tie up my last two 2014 projects today, and get into the new year this coming week, so I'm aiming to prepaint elements of the -D and -E-4 in tandem. I'll let you know how it goes...

The E-4 has some tricky challenges despite being rated a Skill Level 1 kit -- the small parts are wickedly fine and experience shows that getting them off the sprue intact, let alone cleaning them up, will be a PITA. I think I'll write to QuickBoost and suggest they make resin replacements... And I had to shake my head a little while ago when looking at the kit, because despite this being a 1:72, Airfix's decal instrument panel appears to be 1:48! (No, no conventional details supplied either.)

M/TB379

That challenger so reminds me of the real 71 Cuda I owned when I was a teen

Clemens, you are off to a smashing start. And thank you for not disappointing me with just one. :)

Cockpit is looking very good. I tried to mimic Lawdog's Joe's method on my build in progress, not quite up to Joe standards but I am pleased with it.

Joe, that's quite a project you've gotten yourself into, there. Looking good.

Joe... Where da wings???

OK... Man, I'm lagging here... truly amazed with the work thus far, I knew this would be another killer GB...That being said... Pictures!

Engine done... I know it will never be seen once cowling is in place, so why did I do it... Why not, I enjoy doing them and who knows, maybe some archeologist will unearth it in a thousand years and I want to make a good showing! LOLOL!!! Yeah , RIGHT. Any way, on to the office! Take care all...

Doug

Really nicely done, Doug. Loving the serial numbers.

AWESOME!!!

Doug - Excellent looking engine.  I'm currently assembling mine.  What color did you use to paint it?  The kit I'm building calls for Metal Black.  I have a MM Gun Metal, but it looks more blue than black. Is there a RLM color that can be used?  Thanks Craig.

Clemens - Your twin build looks great.

Doug. Very nicely done

Clemons great progress

You guys are too kind... Thank you,

Craig, I forget what the Tamiya XF color # is and I'm away from my bench, But I found what works amazingly well on Luftwaffe aircraft (works on the tires too) is the NATO Black. Its not as deep as XF1 Flat Black, but much deeper then German Gray. Then just dry brush some aluminum to simulate chips and wear and you have a pretty convincing looking engine.

Raven... The serial # are Woodland Scenic dry transfers from the train section of the local Hobby Shop. They come on a sheet of various sizes from like 3/32 to 5/16 I believe and also in various fonts and colors. I use dry transfers as often as possible and prefer them over decals when I can make them work.

Doug

Here's my offering,

The 1/48 Academy Israeli Avia S-199 (Israeli Knife). A Czech-built copy of the Bf 109G with 1,320 hp Junkers Jumo 211F powerplant and propeller used in the He 111.

The IAF 101 Squadron was the only Israeli squadron to use the Avia. the 101 was the first Israeli Air Force squadron formed on May 20, 1948, six days after Israel declared its independence. The types nickname was Sakin, Hebrew for 'knife' however The Czech nickname for this airplane was "Mezek", the word for mule, due to its stubbornness.
Twenty five aircraft were obtained and all but two were eventually delivered. They proved unreliable and performed poorly in combat. One Avia pilot remarked "she tried to kill us on every take off and landing." The Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine allowed for a central cannon mount which was not possible with the Junkers Jumo 211, and so the S-199 used a version of the Luftwaffe's modification kit, which consisted of a pair of MG 151 cannons in pods, one beneath each wing. This further impinged on the aircraft's performance. Also the gun synchronizer for the cowl-mounted MG 131 machine guns, which did not work as it was meant to, lead to a few Israeli pilots to shoot off their own propellers. Besides weight and low power, the S-199's Jumo engine had another drawback. The huge prop created much torque, and pilots needed full right rudder to compensate. With no way to adjust rudder trim, pilots had to constantly fight the airplane while it was on the ground.
However in spite of these drawbacks they were able to score victories over its opponents, including the Spitfire.

This particular kit represents #121, flown by Ezer Weizman during the 1948 war of independence.

I remember you posting this modelcrazy! This..............is just too cool!!! Never knew they existed until now!

Doug, wow, lovely work on the engine.

Clemens, nice start there, looks like your going to be busy.

But whats this, a car in a 109 GB, what ever next. Looks nice though, but could do with some mottling.

I thought I would drop in and check out the progress.  There's so great work already.  Doug, that engine is sweet.  The serial number is a nice touch.  SS, I'm glad some of those tricks are working for you. Your cockpit looks great so far.  Mustang, I love that Challenger.  I built the same kit about 30 years ago.  I hope yo jump in here soon.  Cruising for G-2 decals soon....

Joe

flyerduke

Doug - Excellent looking engine.  I'm currently assembling mine.  What color did you use to paint it?  The kit I'm building calls for Metal Black.  I have a MM Gun Metal, but it looks more blue than black. Is there a RLM color that can be used?  Thanks Craig.

Clemens - Your twin build looks great.

I am trying to decide what colour to use on my engine as well. I have done some searches but can't find any info on a good colour to use. I was thinking of a semi gloss black, but looking at pics I don't think a pure black looks right. I do want to use an enamel otherwise I might go for Tamiya NATO black. I am thinking of trying a black with a very small amount of white. My instructions don't give any info on painting, even though its an engine kit.

I know Bish. Hey it's 24th scale.............oh man !!!!!  It's the wrong scale! It shouldhave been 1/72nd scale! lol 

Engine well? Are you talking about the firewall and inside of the engine panels?

mustang1989

I know Bish. Hey it's 24th scale.............oh man !!!!!  It's the wrong scale! It shouldhave been 1/72nd scale! lol 

24th you say, interesting. I have a Stuka in that scale. MMMM, I smell a target.

Morning Bish... Yes the color I used was NATO Black XF69. I had read somewhere while researching the engine the actual color that DB used and I believe that the NATO Black was the nearest match.

Joe, (Lawdog) Thank you and I always look forward to seeing your work! There are so many talented builders listed here... Gonna be a good one guys!

Doug

Thanks Doug, that's handy to know. I might see if I can find an enamel equivalent.

Bish

flyerduke

Doug - Excellent looking engine.  I'm currently assembling mine.  What color did you use to paint it?  The kit I'm building calls for Metal Black.  I have a MM Gun Metal, but it looks more blue than black. Is there a RLM color that can be used?  Thanks Craig.

Clemens - Your twin build looks great.

I don't have Tamiya NATO black, but I do have Testors flat rubber.  Unfortunately, it has a brown tint to it.  The Vallejo RLM 66 I have is pretty dark, but I don't think it's quite dark enough.  I don't know.  Maybe I can play around and figure something out.  I all else fails, I'll just pick up some NATO black when I'm in town. 

I am trying to decide what colour to use on my engine as well. I have done some searches but can't find any info on a good colour to use. I was thinking of a semi gloss black, but looking at pics I don't think a pure black looks right. I do want to use an enamel otherwise I might go for Tamiya NATO black. I am thinking of trying a black with a very small amount of white. My instructions don't give any info on painting, even though its an engine kit.