2015 Messerschmitt Bf 109 Group Build

What beautiful work.  Stunning across the board.

I am finished.  No, no pics as of yet.  They will be a bit delayed.  

In the last three weeks I had contacted an editor of a magazine (not FSM) and have been allowed to write up something to submit with the opportunity to have it published.  This build was the subject.  The editor contacted me and it will be in an upcoming issue.  I was told that they wish to have the opportunity to publish the build prior to my posting the finish.  That is the delay.  

It is my first article published.  It is my first build published.  I am excited, bouncing off the walls is a better way to put it.

Joe

Nice start Mike

That cockpit looks really nice, Mike! I really like how those seatbelts turned out. Something I always have huge issues with...

Good looking start Mike!  Love a well detailed IP. A

Nice start Mike, its surprising what photo's can turn up that we have missed.

Thanks, Clemens! Yep, enjoying the chance to flesh out the collection faster than the steady rate of two or three in a year (which I didn't manage last year...)

Here are some first progress pics of the Tamiya cockpit:

These photos reminded me I had not yet cleaned up the last wash application, so that was done with a moistened brush. The fuselage is closed up and joint line dressing is underway, there are a couple of licks of filler over areas where the sprue gates were located, and I'm aiming to sort out the separate cowl and rudder shortly, then marry up the wing and get to the rest of the smaller details. With this one falling together I can probably set it aside structurally complete, then backtrack to the Hasegawa, finish painting the moulded-in harness, then run through the build sequence.

Cheers, M/TB379

Thanks and hope you get to feeling better Clemens. If you had the flu that's going around this year, I feel for you. My wife got it around the first of the year and wound up in the hospital for a night. She was sick for almost a full week before it let up. Take care my friend.

Doug

Sorry for my long absence, guys. I've been really sick the last couple of days, but I'm slowly recovering...

I got the build list updated. If I missed anything, please tell me.

70gt: Your K-4 is looking very sharp so far! You're really making that old Revell kit shine!

Joe (lawdog): As usual, your painting and weathering skills are nothing short of spectacular! I'm sorry to hear about you having issues with the kit, but you've overcome all of them perfectly.

Joe (mustang): Now thats one detailed engine block. I'm always amazed by the level of detail Eduard manages to put in their brassin sets and you're really doing this one justice!

Mike: You're going all out on this one, aren't you? I'll get your Emils added to the build list asap.

John: Lookin' good!

Eagle: Those spinner masks look really promising. The results sure speak for themselves!

Radial: Some very nice looking work on your part as well!

Doug: That Emil sure looks different with Japanese markings. Definitely something unusual (in a good way that is) You pulled off that camo perfectly. Great job all around!

70gtvert: That's some fancy footwork on that paint so far man! That's not the first time I've heard that about the canopy being a little off. There have been folks that have even sent off to Revell for a replacement one.

Doug: I like this version of this fine aircraft! It's definitely different and it looks great!

Radial: Looks like you're pulling through the discrepancies in the paint color information there. Your build is looking good BTW.

Hi Radial9,

the 41 is not indicating the tail band colour but instead, damage from a rock, sustained during one of Marseille's take off.

Regards,

Allen

Jgeractic... yes, same kit.

Thank you all for the feedback regarding tail color. It would appear that Hasagawa does have it incorrect. The instructions call for either color #41, red brown, or decal #42, which is a decal of the tail band that accompanies the separate  rudder maroon decal, which is indeed curved for the tail and maroon.

I primed the tail, under wings and under cowling white to accept either the white or yellow top coat. 

I have 3 sets of 1/32 decals for this 109, I may decide to use one of the sets rather than the stock kit set. I have been getting some good hours in with the airbrush and might go for a simple camo paint outlined in one of the decal sets.

Here are two pics showing the apparent error in the kit instructions. For prosperity.

Doug, Thank You for your kind words on my first real build. I have another 109 here and may build it after the P51D for the Mustang GB.

Doug, your correct about red being used as an RD band. It was use by JG 1.

Nice work there, does look a bt odd seeing those markings on a 109.

OK all... Some more progress...

Starting the decals... Man, I don't know, Meatballs on a Messerschmitt... Something a bit off there.

Still a tad wrinkled from the micro sol...

The decals are mainly leftovers from past builds.

Being these 5 units were for flight testing only the gun ports were faired over.

Just started the weathering, they were relatively new , so there wont be a lot to do. That's about all for now...

Doug

By the way, Joe (M) and Clemens, I'm putting together the ingredients for another 109, this time it will be an "F". I have a 1/32 21st century kit in stash I've been wanting to build, and it really looks pretty good as far as detail and such. Kind of unconventional packaging but still kind of nice looking. Any experience with these kits out there?  Still trying to narrow down the subject, but will likely be Eastern front and again likely Jg26. But still not decided.

Thanks Guys!

Doug (RR)

Bob... In my Luftwaffe unit markings list There is indeed a maroon band but the kit your building is far too early a build for that. Your white band is proper (as Bish said) for the Med service campaign. Also the under side of the nose (again as was mentioned) should be yellow. The bands your thinking of were the Defense of the Reich bands (I'm pretty sure) and weren't used until the Luftwaffe had been driven back to within its original albeit ever shrinking boarders. At that time most every remaining Group had its own distinctive banding , usually but not always multi colored like red and yellow, blue white blue, white black white and so on. Some were a single solid color like the maroon, some were double colored. It really depended on the group. Hope that helps, and great work so far on the one your doing. Hope its only the first 109 from you!

Doug

jack, that's the same kit I am building and hase do say a white tail band. Its just that one version on the box that has a red tail. But I think Bob might be a bit confused. He mention's tail theatre band, but I think he might be meaning the red on the rudder.

Bob, the white markings you have there on the wing undersides and fuselage are correct. Your fiend at the model club has got them mixed up, yellw was for the eastern front.

But, assuming you are doing the kit jack has posted a pic of, it should be yellow under the engine, not white.

Here are a couple of more picks of the inexpensive 1/48 Revel G10 that I'm doing as a K4. I made a stencil for the 176 numeral. The overall outline is fine but the canopy is poor. It is not wide enough from side to side leaving about a 1 mm step where it sits on the fuselage and it has a gap where the front meets the part that opens. I will fill that with crystal clear and touch it up when I do my finish work on it. Now it just has the cammo and gloss on it.

Bob - too many pages to look back to see if you posted the model box kit, but is this the one you are building?  Just guessing because your build does have the tropical air filter and you mention Africa.

It's possible the tail rudder with the kill markings is  maroon, but the fuselage theater band is white.  If Hasegawa really instructs for a maroon theater band, it's either a mistake, or they have uncovered something new in the field of Luftwaffe markings.

regards,

Jack

Jack... My bad.... North Africa.. Hasagawa F4 Trop directions POSITIVELY say maroon. in fact they provide a decal on the sheet for it. Guru at club says yellow. Now white is a contender. I'm sure in the end it'snot going to make or break my grandsons bedroom ceiling decor. I'll see if I can get it right thought.

Cheers,

Bob

Bob - assuming the South Africa is a typo, and should be North Africa.  Mediterranean/Africa based Luftwaffe aircraft should have white theater bands.

regards,

Jack

I know I should have been further along on this 109. However, I have a 6 year old grandson, who, while I'm working on it stands next to me watching intently and says: "Grandpa, when are we going to finish my Warthog?". So... I have had to set the 109 aside until this past weekend to finish up the model that started me down this rabbit hole. I won't post pics of the Warthog, here or elsewhere. We will chock it up to experience.

Anyway.. I was able to get it primed. Here are some photos.

The instruction sheet calls for the tail theater band to be maroon, South Africa 1942. One of the more experienced members of our local modeling club says they should be yellow, same as under wing and cowling. Any thoughts or opinions out there?

Cheers,

Bob

mustang1989

Eagle90: I like the way your spiral came out there. I've become comfortable with either method on those. I used to hate the decal version but tried it a couple of times I actually am more comfortable with the decals now than the paint(even though I go through a lot of Microsol) lol . Looking good buddy!

lawdog: We'll leave the light on for ya!   

Thank you sir!  I can imagine the decals would really be tricky being so thin and all.  It took a try or two to get the mask on right!    So I can't imagine trying a decal yet!

Eagle90

Bish

Nice work there Eagle, those masks seem a real must.

Thank you sir!  I'm a BIG fan of any type of mask now! 

Eagle90

lawdog114

Thanks for the compliments guys.  Eagle, that spinner looks great.  Before the GB wraps up, with permission, I may come back with a Tamiya Emil (another one of my favorite kits).  I gotta build some some Mustangs and Thunderbolts first....

Joe  

Thank you Joe!  Those masks are great!

Eagle90

Great work, TJ, there's nothing like production-lining a couple through together!

M/TB379

Thanks Nathan

PM me commander John.

Does anyone have a spare control stick. basement monster ate one

Well I have decided to join the party. G-2 on the left will be Hermann Graf's yellow 11. F-4 Jabo on right is Oblt. Frank Liesendahl's blue 1