FW-190 Reich Defender III 5/10-2/11

Hello all.  Checked out all the new WIPs and they look fantastic! 

Does anyone know of a technique for removing yellowing from old decals other than the tape to the window sun bleach method?  No sun here now.

Frank--Do you have a count as to how many birds have been completed?

Hello everyone,

I finished the build and the painting. I will start to detail and weather next over the next week or so. I am not sure if I am going to add the drop tank. I ended up paining the black forward fuselage markings instead of using the very thick decals, but I didn't have the courage or patience to add the red stripe that outlines it.

Thanks,

Rob

WOOOHOOO!!!!!Frank's Zero is in the newest issue!

Mike- I agree, the more I look for answer on Luftwaffe questions, the more questions are raised.  Ahhh... now I understand the allure of these machines.  I have also seen many different callouts for ordnance colors, never sure which is right.

Not sure if you have seen this site or not, and also am not sure if it is 100% accurate but it is an interesting study.

Bomb Annex

Hugh- So far, 18 completed and more on the way!

Rob- Excellent work on what I think is one of the most handsome 190's to take flight.  Great work on the masking, and I agree- painting that thin red outline sounds painful indeed.

Bill- Thanks mate, I appreciate that.  Break out the rum!

Rob, fantastic work, i'm seriously loving that build...I'll PM you my postal address so you know where to send it once your finished

Rob she looks stunning mate!!!!!

WOW you did it again Frank!!!! WELL DONE mate!!! Thanks for the pics too!!

Maxfax -- another precise, clean build, a pleasure to see! Excellent!

Frank -- thanks for that link!

Latest WIP shot -- my near-daily progreess reports are drawing to a close and if the modelling gods smile it'll be the gallery pictures tomorrow. Here are the ancillary parts painted and ready to be fitted:

Frank, the spiral decal is on! I must say, Tamiya didn't quite nail the algorithm for the conical development as well as Hasegawa did on their Bf 109 K-4, but it was close enough for four applications of MicroSol and a blade to get the spiral to snug down acceptably.

These parts are now going on, and yesterday I did the metal chipping. I'm not very comfortable with the technique yet so I went with less-is-more. If I get better at it I can scratch it a bit more in future, but for now I'm tempted to spot out a few metal bits that don't look quite right. I'll make a call on that tomorrow. Earlier today I did the carbon staining, it was not quite as satisfactory as on previous projects, but it's only my third or fourth time so some variation is to be expected yet.

Landing gear going on next, then tank, bombs and underside antennae, leaving dust on the lowest points and the radio antenna for tomorrow.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Rob looks like your almost done, she looks great! Lovely clean paintwork.

Mike, excellent progress, I like your painting on the little bits, excellent work.

Sorry for my slow progress, mad week at work followed by a weekend away and now it's getting dark at 7PM!

A coat of Halfords grey acrylic primer and some pre-shading with some Gunze black, soz about dodgy pic.

Used Gunze RLM 76 on the underside and up the sides, lightening the centre of some panels to try and keep it a little interesting,

Added a couple of drops of dark grey to the 76 and using post-it notes as masks I picked out some panel edges, this will get a pro-modeller wash to wards the end so hopefully all come together nicely.

I'm hoping to start on the top side a little later.

Cheers...

Done! Thanks to everyone for the compliments along the way, they sure help with keeping the momentum going to get from A to B.

Today I dusted the lower parts with MiG Europe Dust, corrected a couple of minor ommissions, and did the oh-so-fiddly antenna using EZ Line (not sure why they call it that, this time it took me about five attempts to get it to work, while the 109 on which I first experimented went through at the first prod!)

On with the evidence:

I wish I could get the antenna wire to not sag under the pull of the vertical section, but it seems to be part and parcel of this method! As always, comments and suggestions are more than welcome, I want every build to be better than the one before!

Frank -- thanks for another wonderful GB, I've learned fascinating stuff and had a lot of fun contributing to the amazing body of work that always seems to shake down when the "Luftwaffe Plasticworks" gets going! I'll post here when I manage to make progress on the other three kits I lined up for this build, and in the meantime I'll help myself to the badge. (I never feel right grabbing the badge until the model is actually done!)

Cheers, and thanks again,

Mike/TB379

Excellent work on that preshading Spike, well done!  Which scheme are you doing?

Mike- Outstanding stuff, welcome to the finish line!  That was quite a sprint at the end, and the finished product looks great my friend.  Page one updated!

With the end date looming ahead, should we extend the date, or finish up and prepare for RDIV?

Hi Frank -- many thanks, it's been quite a job of work, taking up a fair part of my mid-semester break, I'm back to teaching two days from now, but will find bench time for necessary escapism!

If there are builds still going I'd be all for extending the deadline, I would certainly like to take a shot at the 1:32 A-8, it's already a fair way along on subassemblies. No guarantees, though, I have at least seven other projects that I should tie up first, including my 262 for RD II... I didn't complete a Phantom for my own F-4 GB! Do we have a decision yet on the theme for RD IV? Whatever it is, you know I'll be aboard!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Spike:  your build is coming along nicely. I wish I pre-shaded my panel lines as well - it creates a nice effect.

Thunderbolt: Beautiful build! What did you use/method used to highlight the panel lines?

Rob

Mike congratulations on a marvelous build, she looks beautiful . Great pics too!

Frank and Rob thanks for the comments, Frank I'm doing this scheme,

I liked the blue on the cowl and I'm a sucker for a name under the cockpit!

Here she is with some RLM 75,

and with some RLM 74 added,

Still plenty to do but moving along well at the mo

Cheers...

Spike- nicely done. You have a great touch withyour airbrush!

Rob

Wow, Three great looking builds in progress and they are all stunners

Rob, Black 8 looks terriffic great job.

Spike, I like the pes shading effect a lot, I do that also but I have a heavy hand with my A/B and usually cover most of it but I will take note of your procedures and give it a go.

Tbolt, very nice build and I especially like the green chevrons, it sets off the whole scheme.

Great work by all

Steve

Rob, Spike and Steve -- thanks, guys, it's always nice when a build is appreciated! Rob, the panel lines were accented with Promodeller "Dark Dirt" weathering wash, I find it's less stark than black, though black would be more appropriate (or at least visible) against really dark colours. It's optimised to be used over a gloss finished, so on a satin finish you actually need to wash the excess away, rather than simply rub it away dry. I use a slightly moistened paper towel. Some wash tends to remain on the surface here and there, contributing to a dirty/shadowed look which is quite evocative of the grime a machine collects, while being subtle enough not to shout 'visual filth!' to the viewer.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Here are a couple of bonus shots of the F-8 alongside the Bf 109 K-4 I built for RD I. I experimented with flash for these, and although the shadows are hard, the effect is not bad...

This comparison really shows what a beefy aircraft the 190 was, or, conversely, what a petite design the 109 was! Two very different aircraft but which did similar jobs just as well as eachother.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Rob, Steve thanks very much, Gunze paints are great, I love em,

Cheers...

Frank, maybe keep the GB going until all the current builds are finished....BTW whats you idea for RD IV, didn't you mention Zestorer/nightfighter?

Mike, outstanding work buudy thats a beautiful build...Well done

Spike, lovely airbrushing, you do have a deft touch...Looking forward to seeing the finished build

That Zerstorer idea would be great. I bought a Revel 1/32 Me 110 C  a few months ago at a store closing sale for next to nothing. Got some Eduard PE (for the G4- but I'm just about the look!) for the deficient cockpit and was going to try my hand at some scratch building. When would it start, just after this one?

Rob

Cheers Julez I appreciate the comments.

TTFN...

I'd be down with that. A Croatian Bf 110, or maybe a Reggie one.

Daywalker

Excellent work on that preshading Spike, well done!  Which scheme are you doing?

Mike- Outstanding stuff, welcome to the finish line!  That was quite a sprint at the end, and the finished product looks great my friend.  Page one updated!

With the end date looming ahead, should we extend the date, or finish up and prepare for RDIV?

I assume the end date would be Halloween?  I think I can make that deadline(although a pretty mean cold has sidelined me the last few days)but if extending it means a few more folks are able to get their birds done, I am all for it,

What are your plans for RDIV?

Mike

Great family photo of the 109 and 190, love it!  Funny how two aircraft can look so different, yet very similar at the same time?

Julez72

Frank, maybe keep the GB going until all the current builds are finished....BTW whats you idea for RD IV, didn't you mention Zestorer/nightfighter?

Good idea Julez!  How about we keep this one going until all of the current builds are finished, and then wait a month or two to start RDIV so that we can all finish up some other GBs?

I would be inclined to go for the nightfighters, as I have a few decal sheets of nocturnal 109's and 190's (not to mention Stukas!)  Believe it or not, I do not have any Zerstorers in my stash at all, NONE!

The FW 190 is a small aircraft; the 109 is a really small one. Of course the 190 is much the more effective of the two.

Daywalker

 

I would be inclined to go for the nightfighters, as I have a few decal sheets of nocturnal 109's and 190's (not to mention Stukas!)  Believe it or not, I do not have any Zerstorers in my stash at all, NONE!

Frank, Maybe do both, any Zestorer or nightfighter......

Daywalker

Great family photo of the 109 and 190, love it!  Funny how two aircraft can look so different, yet very similar at the same time?

Julez72:

Frank, maybe keep the GB going until all the current builds are finished....BTW whats you idea for RD IV, didn't you mention Zestorer/nightfighter?

 

Believe it or not, I do not have any Zerstorers in my stash at all, NONE!

pssssst...Dragon 1/32 Bf 110C-7 on sale at GMW...$60....

Mike- Great work on the F-8, gorgeous build!

Spike- paint looks excellent, picked some great markings too!

I like the Zerstörer and Nachtjäger themes for RD IV, I'll throw out Schlachtflieger as an idea for a future RD GB as well, gotta' give the mud movers some love too. 

Prosit!

Mike

luftwaffle

I'll throw out Schlachtflieger as an idea for a future RD GB as well, gotta' give the mud movers some love too. 

Prosit!

 

Mike

Mmmmm... great idea Mike!  Funny you brought this up, I was just pouring over a Hasegawa Stuka this morning.