2015 Messerschmitt Bf 109 Group Build

Don't you have to thin Mr. Color with mineral spirits?

Hey Bob... I too stick mainly to aircraft, but having built model cars as a kid, I do like to build one on occasion and it breaks the "comfort zone" bonds nicely. Also like Joe, I'm doing a few cars here and there and find them more enjoyable then I used to. Maybe the ability to be more realistic is the reason, but I'll never give up on my beloved Luftwaffe building! lol...I for one have enjoyed seeing your progress and hope to see much more from your "VERY CLEAN" bench! LOLOL...

Doug

Invited here by Mustang1989, I’ve decided to make this entry, also being posted elsewhere as a “what if” project. The "what if" idea here is that while airframe designs continued to evolve, flamboyant marking schemes did not, the Germans hanging on to the garish Flying Circus type individual personal markings mentality, and as cool as they were, who could blame them?

The kit:

The inspiration:

Thanks Bob! All of those guys over at that GB are doing some amazing stuff. What started out as a filler "touch up" between builds starting in November of last year that was supposed to take up no more than a month or so turned into a four month ordeal. I never thought I'd go as far as I did with it because up until that point I had very little interest in automotive modeling. I'm still wrestling with whether it was a blessing or a curse that I ended up really getting into the automotive world of modeling again. On the blessing side I have learned more about automotive modeling in the last 5 months now (and stuff that transitions over to aircraft builds too) than ever before and on the curse side, I've been bitten by the "auto modeling bug". I have since acquired no fewer than 10 auto kits with most of them being things that I either built as a kid or wanted to build as a kid.

  I have one regret so far with building automotive subjects and that is my progress on my 109 has slowed significantly. I'm going to press through with the current automotive project that I am working on(just because I've got so much in depth planning on it)  and get back on my 109 that I have been planning out and looking forward to now for the last year and a half.

Thanks again for the kind comments Bob.

I must confess to not holding great appeal for myself for cars and armor kits. I and my family have had a great love affair with aircraft of all types my whole life. I'm  a real life pilot and have owned two aircraft over the years. Big Mistake on my part! I had the opportunity to peruse through the Red Hot and Rolling auto GB. Took some time. For those out there, like me, that limit their viewing on FSM to aircraft, please allow me to give a shout out to our esteemed GB leader for his work there. Nothing short of amazing work on his auto rebuild. I'm in awe of the detail given to these builds. Beautiful work Joe. Nicely done!

Jay: As always... the modeling machine just keeps going like the energizer bunny! I was interested to learn you paint with lacquer. 

I have just a wee bit more to finish up, navigation lights and antenna on the F4. Will leave the canopy off and finish up the pilot a bit down the road before hanging from grandsons ceiling. I'll get the final pics posted tomorrow. Will also be inquiring as to where to get the artwork for a mug. My first GB, gotta do it!

Cheers!

Bob

Your K is looking good!  I think that you nailed the RLM 84, I use the Color of Eagles aircraft colors RLM 84 for my late war builds and has the same look that you got.  I believe that SprueBrothers has that line in stock most of the time.  

Looking great Jay,  cant wait to see the camo completed.

<Matt

That looks great, Jay! I really like the RLM 84/NMF combination!

lawdog114

Nice work Jay.  Mental note made on that RLM 84.  I'm gonna start shying away from the Gunze line.  Its too hard to get and goes quickly because of the amount of paint needed for the right painting consistency.  Tamiya is much better in this regard, but I just can't get the RLM colors to look right

Joe

Lawdog, you're talking about the Aqueous line right? I think Jay uses the Lacquers(Mr. Color). I think I know what your issues is about thinning Joe. You'll get much better results using Gunze's own thinner made for the aqeous. Mr. Color hobby thinner. Its at Spruebros. The Tamiya X-20A just doesn't work as nice, and makes the gunze aqueous do funny stuff, like go on very transparent, which is good for shading but not so much for coverage. Unfortunately, I can't solve the availability issue, but www.sealmodel.com has great stock and decent shipping from Hong Kong.

Great work again jay. don't often see the NMF on German aircraft.

lawdog114

Nice work Jay.  Mental note made on that RLM 84.  I'm gonna start shying away from the Gunze line.  Its too hard to get and goes quickly because of the amount of paint needed for the right painting consistency.  Tamiya is much better in this regard, but I just can't get the RLM colors to look right

Joe

Thanks, Joe. I am surprised to hear that about Mr. Color. I get mine from Sprue Bros. and I have to heavily thin it, as much as 80% depending on color, so for me anyway, it does go a long way. My favorite paint by far. I do like Tamiya as well, but there is that mixing thing you mentioned.

Jay

Jay: I like the usage of that bare metal on the undersides of that bird and that shade of paint looks great on there.

Mike: I hear you on that! Hopefully I can make full use of the bench in the weeks to come. I was away from it for 3 days and can feel the difference that those days make.

Nice work Jay.  Mental note made on that RLM 84.  I'm gonna start shying away from the Gunze line.  Its too hard to get and goes quickly because of the amount of paint needed for the right painting consistency.  Tamiya is much better in this regard, but I just can't get the RLM colors to look right

Joe

An excellent homebrew for Sky is Tamiya XF-21 Sky (which I find too dark for comfort) mixed 1:1 with white. That should double pretty well for RLM-84, though the exact ratio may be different.

M/TB379

PS: Pressures of work this week have kept me from the bench but I'm hoping to get some hours over the weekend.

Thanks, Nathan. I think they do have RAF sky, but I don't have any RAF colors in Mr. Color in stock and didn't want wait to get some. Painting is my favorite part so I can get a little impatient to get going.

Jay

Nice work Tuco. Gunze doesn't have RAF Sky in their line? That's a perfect match. Your paint mix looks right on too.

After some more research I decided this plane would most likely have had natural metal wing undersurfaces and the late war sky type color on the lower fuselage. Mr. Color doesn't offer that color, sometimes refered to as RLM 84, so I had to mix my own. Mainly off white with a little RLM 04 and 65 added. Also here is a photo of the subject.

Jay

It's interesting to see the different techniques used in painting. I always paint my bands after I've got the colors all on. No matter what the method, it always seems to work out for everybody. I've recently become a fan of preshading after my Fw190D-9 build. It didn't seem to show much on the D-9 build because I applied to heavy of a coat of paint but by the time I painted my Stuka a build or two later......well that was a different story altogether.

Thanks, guys. That's funny, I like the primer look too, but I like color even better so I am moving on. Preshaded roughly. I never try to be exacting with it as I don't leave much showing, although it's always more than the pictures show. RLM 76 for the bottom and sides. Usually I paint the fuselage band first and then mask over it for the rest of the painting, but that green is a real pain to cover up the overspray, so I masked off the area, painted it and will now mask over it. Planning out the rest of the painting now.

Jay

I agree with Joe... Looks good in just primer!

Man that thing looks beautiful in the primer Jay!

Thanks, Tom, and thanks for posting the link. It's the 1/32 Hasegawa K-4.

Jay

Mike (ruddrat) Very nice looking cockpit there. Impressive.

John. Sorry to hear about your dad. That's devastating. I hope you get to a better place soon.

Jay: Nice! Is that the Revell G-10? I missed what your newest kit is along the way here.. Looking forward to seeing more.

Here's a link to those 109 pics...I took the liberty that Marc wouldn't mind if it was posted.

www.flickr.com/.../28092068@N03

I got the wings installed last night and then the primer on. The primer showed a few spots that need attention, but nothing serious. Hoping to get it preshaded and the 76 on tonight. Starting to look like a plane.

Jay

John (Falconmod)  WOW.... What a shock that was! Heard of this happening but , just ...Man... Sorry my friend.

As to compressors, I use a little ole Harbor Freight 1/2 horse pancake compressor, yes a tad noisy, but it performs well and I like the size and the fast recovery time. I had an older AB compressor at one time but it ran constantly, was uneven as to air pressure (just from being old) and I had to rig up a foot pedal switch to operate it (kind of like a gas pedal on a car).

Doug

Many of you may have seen this, but just in case, check out the Flickr album of Marc-Andre Haldimann. Lots of pictures of later-war 109s. Seems to be only G-6 and later. Great reference. No I don't have a link, but you can google it.

Jay

Mike, nice choice of scheme. Definitely different from most G-10s. I always try to find something unusual myself, or at least something I haven't seen done much. Dark and/or low contrast schemes can be difficult to make interesting so I am looking forward to see your approach. There was a very nice one done in that scheme on my home forum, Large Scale Planes, a couple of months ago so it can be done.

Jay

Joe: I went round and round for a few weeks on a new compressor decision. Paralysis by analysis. Finally I went with the HobbyLobby 40% off coupon on the Sparmax 501N. With the coupon it's within $20 from the online price before shipping. Be sure you get a newer model, as HB has some sitting around in their locked up airbrush cases for years. I have a Husky shop compressor I was using and still have it to use so I wanted a single purpose compressor. The husky is BIG and NOISY. I paid $188 out the door from HB.

While I'm just getting going with the AB and compressor, it is super quite and small. Turn it on and it shuts off within 5 seconds, your ready to go. Built in water trap. No buyers remorse on this one.

Bob

John,

  I am very sorry for your loss. it leaves a big hole that is hard to fill.   I can relate,  I know what your going through.  I probably would not have posted this if you hadn', but I lost both my parents 2 weeks ago 12 hrs apart.  Mom was expected to go first as her kidneys were shutting down but Dad went first what a shock!   we are convinced he died of a broken heart,  couldn't live without his wife.  Also being the old school gentleman he was he needed to get to heaven first to open the door for Mom.

So my prayers go with you.   Dad was 93  and mom was 88  

john

I am using an Iwata studio air compressor.  I got mine off evil bay.  So far I love it.  Supper quite and performs well.  I can use it and nobody knows that I am running it.

Ruddrat that is a cool scheme.  

Joe (lawdog): I've got a Badger Airstorm compressor that I purchased off of my Mac tool dealer. I've had it now for 3 years and love it. It's quiet and performs really good.

Mike: That scheme for Black 13 looks nice man! It seems like the darker schemes are far and few between in the modeling world.