Bf-109: Reich Defender GB The End

Karl here is a side view drawing of the differences bertween the G-10 and K-4. As you know most model companies love to pass off G-10's as K-4's because of the same cowl arrangment and ignore the fact of all of the differences on the fuselage. Someone posted this pic a while back. I do'nt remember who but I think you may find it usefull if you want to build a accurate K-4.

                                                                                    Soulcrusher 

SC, thanks for the comparison drawings.

They've come in handy already, as I picked up the Revell 1/48 K-4 today from the LHS. They had is down for half price, which actually made it cheaper than a Pegasus kit!

First up I sawed off the tail wheel and sanded down the DF mount behind the cockpit.

Then I filled the panels specific to the G-10 airframe.

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Tomorrow, I'll sand down the filled panels, and scribe in some new ones.

I like this kit already, it has a part count marginally lower than my IQ, and the detail isn't too bad for it's age.

Karl

Frank, think you might as well.

I think the G-14 is going to be a bit of a sleeper.

Thanks

Karl

I swear that I am having more basic problems with these decals than I have ever encountered before on ANY kit. And I have never before had ANY issues with Aeromaster decals in the past on any kit I used them on (many)..... Lots of silvering on the upper wing crosses that just wont got away completely, the fuselage crosses not wanting to snuggle down tight in a few spots, and that spinner spiral. It has a few spots that after repeated slicing and micro sol applications just will not play along... I will not be defeated by any kit!!!!

Does micro set/sol have an expiration? I know my bottles are old....

Karl glad I could help out with the pics. The Revell kit is not a bad kit for the price. With a little work rescribing a couple of lines she should build up real nice. Looking foward to seeing pics.

Stikpusher Frank is the only one I know who can get those darn spinner decals to behave. I burned through 3 decals when I built my G-14 and still never got it right. Guy used very fine cut pieces of Tamiya tape and sprayed them on. He got pretty good results on his spinner.

                                                                                                Soulcrusher

Karl- Roger that!  List updated.

SC- Thanks mate!  Those spinner decals can be a beast.  Takes me a LOOOOOOONG time and LOTS of solvent to get them down.

Carlos- I hear you about those Aeromaster decals.  The last few sets I (tried) to use were awful!  Very thick, and reminded me of trying to get a piece of cardboard to snuggle down onto a beach ball.  I avoid them whenever possible.

Finished at last!!!

This is my 1/48 Hasegawa ME-109G-10 finished in the markings of "White 3" from I./JG52.  This aircraft crash landed behind American lines in May of 1945 when the pilot ran it out of fuel trying to get to the Americans before the Russians caught up to him.  Here is a short WWII color video showing both this aircraft and "White 8" (ME-109K-4) down in a field.

White 3

Here are the finished photos...

Simple spectacular Frank!  Looks more real than the real thing!  Just incredible how you have brought it back!

I love it Frank! The white spinner really looks cool. The weathering looks spot on too. Well done buddy!

                                                                                         Soulcrusher

Echoing the compliments, Frank, you make them look so very good! This is a standard I really aim for with my own work -- I refer back to your builds to get the look and the feel. I love the dust work on the UC, the panel lines and all.

I actually made some headway on the K-4 last night, working on the radiator scoops. I installed the actuator rods, painted the interiors and mounted the rad faces. I have some seam work to do on the underside of the fuselage, then I can get the under-engine scoop into place and filled around. I should be assembling the wings today and with luck I'll mount the cockpit and get the wings on. It's been a long time coming, that's for sure! (I found another retailer for Model Master and picked up the missing RLM 75 last week, too.)

Cheers,

Mike

Frank, I've already said it on the main forum, but I'll say it again now, absolutely stunning.

Karl

Hi Frank,

Re the K-4, see my blog for a post on Hasegawa's 1:48 (address in my signature line). Progress pics coming soon, I should have the main assembly done shortly.

Cheers,

Mike

Frank - that is really, really, really sweet. You could describe techniques 'til you're blue in the face to me, but man would I love to see you in action to see how you get results like that!

Wow.

Frank-I can't really add anything that hasn't been written about your build-just plain FANTASTIC!

I'm not worthy....

Hi all,

I've made some progress on the K-4, and the main structure is just about done. What's the poop on supercharger intake interiors? I was about to simply paint the inside of the trunk black but thought better of it and checked my reference photos, discovering that in many cases where sunlight shines into the trunk the inside walls are definitely not black!

Were they painted as part of the aircraft's exterior, in the overall colors? What do the experten here do? Mount the intake unpainted and let the camo colours invade the interior?

Pics shortly, as soon as I finish the actuator on the chin scoop.

Cheers,

Mike

Thanks fellas, I appreciate the feedback!

Mike- On mine, I usually paint the interior of the intake RLM 02, though I do not know if that is the correct color.  Some of the restored aircraft I have seen have either this or RLM 76 as the pain color.  HTH!

Hi Frank,

Thanks for the tip -- it set me thinking back and I rummaged in my image folders. In December 2006 I photographed Black 6 in the museum at RAF Hendon, and it turns out I got some detail closeups. Here are a couple of shots:

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And, right on the area of interest:

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Looks like the interior of the big tropical filter on this G-6 in North Africa camo was indeed painted the same shade as the underside countershade, and if that was a standard then the intake of Yellow 4 should be the same (it also had an RLM 76 underside).

Anybody else got any thoughts before I slap on the 76?

Cheers,

Mike

Mike when it comes to small intakes like the opening on the tropical filter I like to paint the inside a dark gray then attach the part to the model. Then when I paint I just let what ever the exterior color overspray work its way into the opening. It gives the effect of shadow way down in the intake and the airbrush with feather in the exterior color and you end up with a realistic looking intake. Just my !

                                                                                      Soulcrusher

Mike, I suspect that the inside of the air scoop was either RLM 02 like the rest of the interior panels or simply left natural metal.  My guess would be that on late war planes NMF would be more prevalent due to paint shortages and time saving measures.

I don't like to use museum birds as a reference because often times they are not entirely accurate.

SC and Luftwaffle -- Good points both! After considerable thought I decided 02 would probably be safest, giving a shadow shade to the interior as well as being a reasonable shot based on general Luftwaffe practice.

I'm getting the intake fixed up at this time, and may also mount the outboard flaps pre-painting. I'll try to get a couple of pics up tomorrow, and may be picking up some sheetstock for the hatches behind the headrest, as well as some acrylic RLM 70 for the prop blades. I'm hoping to move her along smartly, I really want that badge! (Especially as I've missed a few badges lately, due to pressures of work!)

Cheers,

Mike

Made some progress on Revell's old K-4.

Got the pit painted earlier in the week...

...I know it's totally wrong, but as I'm going with a closed canopy, I really couldn't be bothered to rebuild it to K spec.

I did however add the hatch behind the seat, along with the tube for the locking mechanism.

I also added a hing to the forward cowl, from 3 amp fuse wire, scrored with a knife to represent the hinge segments.

Revell molded the oil cooler as solid at the rear! Where would all that hot air go?  So I ended up opening it up with a file and adding a false floor from plasticard.

As you can see from the above shot, I needed some filler on the lower fuselage joint, as there was a slight, but noticeable, step.

I also tried adding wing tip navigation lights from clear sprue, but my super glue, CA, appears to have become distinctly un-super, so I ended up making the lights out of painted wire and 2 part epoxy bloobed on, and then sanded smooth. Pics next time.

Pit is now installed, and the wings are attached, so hopefully the paint shop won't be more than a few days away.

Karl

Neu -- I hear your troubles, iIve not managed anything more than orangepeel from gloss, whether paint or clear, in a while now and I'm leaning toward using a polishing kit on future projects. keep at it, the bird is looking good all the same!

Promised WIP pics of the Hasegawa K-4:

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In the second shot you can see the radiator actuators, which were easy to install, and that pesky intake with 02 inside. Very little filler has been needed on this bird, joints are pretty close in most cases, and carefully lining up the wing and fuselage minimised potential problems. All things are relative, of course, some of them dependent on eyesight! I think I had an attack of AMS two nights ago, when I used filler in the ejector pin marks inside the split flaps, although to be fair I'm going to add some styrene rib detail there and if it's worth building in one to be (just barely) seen, it's worth filling the other not to be.

Cheers,

Mike/TB379

Neu, great job on the G-14.

With Future you need to drop the air pressure to around 15psi, and apply a mist coat first. Once that has dried, usually around 10 minutes apply a heavier, wetter coat. That should even out into a gloss finish.

Mike, great progress on the Hase 109 K-4, it's looking like it'llbuild into a beauty.

Karl

Neu I love the subject you chose. I did Hartmans Late G-6 Yellow 1 earlier for this GB. I am going to do this same plane someday also. Although you see this plane modeled alot Hartman did not actually use this particular plane for to long. Just for a short peroid while he was head of the "Ace of Spades: Geschwader. I can't tell from yoour pic but make sure the yellow chevron from the Hungarian theater wraps up over the top edge of the upper wing all the way back to the leading edge slat.

Mike good to see you making progess on the K-4. You have to love thoses Hasegawa 109 series.

                                                                                      Soulcrusher

soulcrusher wrote:

Neu I love the subject you chose. I did Hartmans Late G-6 Yellow 1 earlier for this GB. I am going to do this same plane someday also. Although you see this plane modeled alot Hartman did not actually use this particular plane for to long. Just for a short peroid while he was head of the "Ace of Spades: Geschwader. I can't tell from yoour pic but make sure the yellow chevron from the Hungarian theater wraps up over the top edge of the upper wing all the way back to the leading edge slat.