2015 Messerschmitt Bf 109 Group Build

that's look really nice joe, a lot of work going into this, its really paying off.

Well I'm brand-new to the forums but have a couple of 109 variants, so I will join in - sounds like fun!

Tamiya Bf-109 E3. I plan to build it into Adolf Galland's yellow-nose E3 from JG26 with the mottling. I have started this kit, but only so far as painting and halfway assembling the cockpit.

Hobbycraft Hispano HA-1112. I bought this kit yesterday and plan to build it out of the box.

Joe... you really get into the guts of the build! Incredible...

A little more progress. Fuselage is together and cockpit installed. Was able to fix the mismolded area on the right fuselage half. Fortunately I realized I had forgotten the fuel line before I put the cockpit in.

Jay

All looks good from here sir!   Nice!

Great looking planes Joe, Jay, Doug, and Tbolt!  

Joe, that plane looks like it may be operational when completed.

Brandon D: Welcome aboard man!!! Those look to be good kits , especially that Tamiya E3! 

Lots of great new stuff in here again. Where do I start?

Mike: Those cockpits are looking really nice so far! Your Avia truned out great as well!

Steve: Same goes for your Avia. Some nice, clean work!

Craig: Now that's one detailed engine. The IP looks really good too. Is it just me or do Eduard's 1/32 IPs look way better than the 48th ones?

Handi: I love the beat-up look you're going for on that engine!

cbaltrin: Your little G-10 is coming along nicely too!

John: Those exhausts must be really tiny. Great job on getting them drilled out. Everything being so small is the main reason for me not building any 72nd scale kits, so my hat's off to everyone who does!

Doug: That office looks lovely! And thanks for the instrument decal tip! I already ordered some to replace the IP decals of my 2nd Royal Class build (G-2). The kit supplied IP decals really are the only disappointment i had with the kit so far. They just look terrible and I refuse to use that blue PE panel...

Joe: Dang, now that's some impressive scratchbuilding! I'm digging the radio assembly!

Jay: Holy smokes, you really are serious about your rivets! I don't think I'd have the patience or skill to get so many straight rivet lines on any model. Major kudos to you for that!

Brandon; I got you added to the build list. Welcome aboard! I'm really looking forward to seeing you build the Buchon!

Welcome aboard Brandon and welcome to the forum.

Looking god there jay.

Hey guys, I've been working on my Royal Class a bit more and after looking at the instructions more closely I noticed it's basically just the G-6 kit with a ton of extra parts to build a G-2, G-4 or G-14 as well.

Now I'm not entirely sure on this, but as I'm building one of the kits in the box as a G-6, I should have all those extra parts for one aircraft left over.

If there's anyone of you out there who wants to build an Eduard 109 that's not a G-6, I could send you the parts and a set of fitting decals... All you would need is a normal G-6 profi pack and the PDF instructions from the Eduard website.

Ok gents, I can't stand it anymore. I am starting on my kit. Here is what it is.

1/48 Zvezda Bf109F-4. The kit contains 210 parts on 6 sprues including one clear. I have added the following to the kit to improve upon it, although the kit is amazing and they really are not needed.

Quickboost Exhaust

Quickboost Engine Pump

Quickboost Air intake and Ailerons

S.B.S. Resin cockpit set with PE

Eduard Luftwaffe seat belt set

Authentic Decals decal set for the Russian Front, I will be using Yellow 1, second one down on the sheet shown in the photo.

First impressions of the kit is that it is without a doubt the finest quality kit I have ever seen, bar none. The detail throughout is just stunning and there is no flash anywhere on any sprue including the smallest parts. The panel lines and rivet detail are extra fine and if one is not careful you could eliminate them. This should leave a very realistic model when done. The clear parts look as if they have already been dipped in Future, nice! The instructions are very detailed and quite clear. There is very little wording but it states what to do to build one of 4 versions and has a separate diagram for each one rather than one diagram, 4 parts and some hope on your part. 

This build will take awhile. I plan to move through it very methodically as I want to do an extra good job on it. I plan to display it with cowling open to show off the engine detail and all the bits I will add as I go. This is going to be one very nice bird. 

It sounds like a nice kit Brandon. I have been thinking about getting one of their Ju 88 kits and have heard some good things. Will be interesting to see this one.

Nice, Brandon. Looks like you're all set up there. No flash?? Dare to dream! My current build has lots of it.I know a few here who rave about zvezda. It will be nice to follow along.

Clemens.. You will like them I'm sure!  When installed where you want just put a touch of micro sol or which ever you prefer, to suck em down and a drop of clear and they look just like real instruments! Cant wait to see them in your Royal Class!

Brandon... Very nice!

BrandonD -- the Tamiya E-3 is a beautiful kit that just falls together, I built one for a GB back in about '08 and could not have been happier. the Hobbycraft Buchon, however is another matter -- I've not built it but remember it being built for a GB several years ago and the watchwords are caution and patience. there are many alignment issues, so expect to be adjusting, trimming, shimming and so forth, take your time and anticipate curveballs!

BrandonK -- Zvezda have come a long way! That's a majorly impressive kit (even without the impressive suite of extras!)

M/TB379

PS: A little progress to report on the D, pics later.

Thanks all, I am looking forward to this!

Lots of cool goodies being thrown around Brandon. Word of caution: the quickboost ailerons are way too short. Might be better off with the kit ones.

Good evening guys. I promise I have started my project.  I in my youth when I bought my kit in 1992. I started to paint it by hand and in all the wrong colors. So I'm in the paint removal stage right now. I am using the purple power soaking method.  It is time consuming and requires patients.  I used it on my last build. I had started an F111a back in 1990 and I finally finished last summer. It was also hand painted and it was a mess. So back to the 109. I have gotten my photoetch cockpit parts painted and hope to assemble it tomorrow.  I have never worked with photoetch before so I will be working very carefully. There are a lot of great pictures and they have inspired my to do my best with what I have and someday I will have the experience of all the great builders here.

I am always humbled by the kind words about my work.  Thank you.

The work so far has been incredible in this thread.  

Joe

Hi guys -- I have a research request. I've been scouring the web and my reference volumes since last night looking for a clear shot of the radiator grill of the D model. I've seen a couple of different configurations but can't locate the pictures again! I'm scratch building the radiator grill and have it complete but for the pattern of struts overlying the core/mesh. If anyone has a pic or link I would be most grateful!

M/TB379

All the pictures I can find show one strut in the middle, just like the later models.

Jay

Well after much deliberation....read looking through the decal stash....I've decided to do Hermann Graf's G-2 yellow 11.  With a eduard zoom set.

BrandonK

Ok gents, I can't stand it anymore. I am starting on my kit. Here is what it is.

1/48 Zvezda Bf109F-4. The kit contains 210 parts on 6 sprues including one clear. I have added the following to the kit to improve upon it, although the kit is amazing and they really are not needed.

Quickboost Exhaust

Quickboost Engine Pump

Quickboost Air intake and Ailerons

S.B.S. Resin cockpit set with PE

Eduard Luftwaffe seat belt set

Authentic Decals decal set for the Russian Front, I will be using Yellow 1, second one down on the sheet shown in the photo.

First impressions of the kit is that it is without a doubt the finest quality kit I have ever seen, bar none. The detail throughout is just stunning and there is no flash anywhere on any sprue including the smallest parts. The panel lines and rivet detail are extra fine and if one is not careful you could eliminate them. This should leave a very realistic model when done. The clear parts look as if they have already been dipped in Future, nice! The instructions are very detailed and quite clear. There is very little wording but it states what to do to build one of 4 versions and has a separate diagram for each one rather than one diagram, 4 parts and some hope on your part. 

This build will take awhile. I plan to move through it very methodically as I want to do an extra good job on it. I plan to display it with cowling open to show off the engine detail and all the bits I will add as I go. This is going to be one very nice bird. 

BrandonD

Thanks all, I am looking forward to this!

Brandon, that looks like quite a project. I bought three of the F-2 when they first came out and ended up chucking two of them. Excellent detail but too fiddly for me. Still have one left that I will never build, especially now that i don't build 1/48 any longer.

Got the wings on tonight. Always like that point when it really starts to come together and painting isn't far off.

Jay

Tucohoward

Brandon, that looks like quite a project. I bought three of the F-2 when they first came out and ended up chucking two of them. Excellent detail but too fiddly for me. Still have one left that I will never build, especially now that i don't build 1/48 any longer.

Got the wings on tonight. Always like that point when it really starts to come together and painting isn't far off.

Jay

Jay: Your'e really racing through this build. Some top-notch quality work!

Brandon: Now that's a lot of AM goodies. This one's gonna be interesting to watch!

Ok, I got started on the HA-1112 this week.

I'd read that drilling the holes in the wings for the wing fences and bulges led to problems, so I carefully poked them with a No. 11 blade just so I'd know where the parts went. I was able to drill out by twisting the blade in small enough increments to add the wing bulges so they fit so tight I didn't even need glue (I did take them off and glue them, however).

I've decided to paint this one in the natural aluminum finish, so I bought some Alclad to work with and will test it on my poor Monogram HE-111 that I never finished years ago and has since become my testing ground for all new techniques and products.

Back to the Buchon - I was originally going to paint the interior RLM 02, but in research photos I found, the Spanish ones (as opposed to the ones used to mimic Bf-109s by Hollywood) seem to have much lighter cockpits. The closest thing I have to the color I've seen is Dark Sea Gray, but that's still a little light, so I sprayed a base of flat black.

After that, I lightly sprayed over it with dark sea gray, and I left it light over the foot area so it would have the beginnings of a dirty look. Same with the seat and seat back.

Yep, the scuffed paint is because I just had to play around with it right when I got it back inside. An easy fix, at least.

The instrument panel isn't getting anything fancy, but I wanted to put a few bits of gauge needle markings in and drybrush the bezels. I'll put drops of Future over each gauge face, but I'm not expecting anything fantastic out of it.

Next up is detailing the rest of the boxes, switches, levers and throttle in the cockpit and making some lead foil seat harness.

Just taping everything up shows that the wing root fit is nice and tight. The wings stay on just from tension, so no need to worry about filling obnoxious seams. I'll probably have to hit the fuselage join with a small amount of filler, but shouldn't be too bad.

-BD-

Nice progress, Brandon! For what it's worth, so far it looks a friendlier prospect than the HC D I'm working on. Looking forward to seeing this one come together!

M/TB379

Nice start Brandon.  With all the AM stuff, that plane should look sharp.  Jay, looks like you're roundin' the corner and headin' for the home stretch.  Looks good.