AIRCRAFT - Battle of Britain Group Build (Jan 1st 2005 - May 31st 2005)

QUOTE: Originally posted by rjkplasticmod Starting date is getting closer. Took the shrink wrap off the Tamiya 109E, sniffed the plastic. Looked it over for molding defects, didn't find any. I've built this kit 4 times in the past, so don't expect any surprizes. Anxious to start, but I'll observe the GB rules. For today anyway . Regards, Rick

well Rick.. I went as far as snipping the fuselage from the sprue for my Bf110.. the cockpit floor as well... then I felt guilty haha ... I'm chomping at the bit on this one... I really think I should wait for the PE I haven't ordered yet.. (the cockpit area is a bit sparse but it is closed so who would see??? <ME!!! thats who!!!>) After taping that fuselage together and seeing how well it fit I am raring to go.. first time for a 110... so I am excited... but at the same time I already ordered the AM decals for it so I guess I should wait...

hmmm... tomorrow IS the day before the day before the day before the start date!!! haha...

Good luck to ya! I don't know if I can wait!

Starting date is getting closer. Took the shrink wrap off the Tamiya 109E, sniffed the plastic. Looked it over for molding defects, didn't find any. I've built this kit 4 times in the past, so don't expect any surprizes. Anxious to start, but I'll observe the GB rules. For today anyway .

Regards, Rick

Hasegawa also has an He111 out that is done in BoB markings... a very good model as well, nice detail without being a pain to put together...

Tom,

Thanks for the reply. I have to agree with you-on the surface it looks like a good fit. If not, nothing that some decals won't fix. I'm torn between the He-111 or a Tamiya Bf109. My local hobby shop had 2 of the He-111's in stock the last time I was thru though. Might have to tell the wife that I'll be a little late for dinner this evening.....

QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Speaking of canopies i opened the the Stuka's last night and the framing lines are neither raised or rescessed, they appear to be in the middle of the plastic because both the outer surface and inner surface of the canopy is perfectly smooth.......

now that IS odd.. can't say I've seen a kit with that.... maybe what the other guys suggested with the masks would be good? You could at least approximate it on the canopy and go back afterward and realign any wayward pieces.... would at least give you the right curves and what not...

I looked and cutting edge has a nice set for about $2 US they have a seperate set for each of the B through G versions...

QUOTE: Originally posted by bobbaily Quick question for the group-does anyone know if the current release of the Monogram He-111 (1/48) come with BoB decaling? It's getting close to decision time... Thanks

hmm can't say for sure Bob.. I looked on Monograms website and it LOOKS like it is intended as a BoB aircraft. In fact I would almost bet on it, this is their description of the kit:

Heinkel's He 111 was one of the most numerous and successful medium bombers used during World War II. The He 111H was used extensively in the Battle of Britain in the standard bomber form, but other He 111Hs were used as torpedo bombers to perform the anti-shipping mission

if not for about 10 dollars you can pick them up on greatmodels.com look for a set named: 1/48 fcmhb4801 Battle of Britain Set, the code is the part number you could cut and paste it in there and it would find them for you in a sec! If that's too expensive (I know I would have trouble paying 10 dollars for decals) There are other sets on there, just do a little research on JG's involved in the BoB and you should find one listed on greatmodels!

Good luck! The set I listed also has decals for a lot of other BoB aircraft so those would be keepers for later builds!

Quick question for the group-does anyone know if the current release of the Monogram He-111 (1/48) come with BoB decaling? It's getting close to decision time...

Thanks

QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Darren no problems mateIt's just sitting here doin nothin.........Hmmmmm whats the bet when i make my 109 I'll break it too and i'll think no problem I'll just grab the spareNah that won't happen i'm gonna fill the canopy up with blue tac so i won't break it

I actually had the front and middle sections of the canopy Blu Tack'd and they masked up a treat. What I was doing to the end piece was masking the internal ribs and tamping the making down with a toothpick when captain fumblebutt pressed to hard and the rear canopy piece gave way. I tell you, there is no way I could repeat here the language that flowed for the next couple of minutes when the whole model almost suffered from severe deceleration trauma after being launched into the wall

As for pre-cut masks, I usually get mine from either Greatmodels or from Meteor
www.greatmodels.com & www.meteorprod.com

Cheers
Darren

Here i am wondering where to get these masks from and Tweets left the web address in his last post
Thanks Tweety although i didn't see any masks for the Revell 1/48 Stuka only the Hasegawa version...........
But they do have the Masks for the Tamiya 1/48 Lancaster which i've been sitting on for the last 10 years

Tom, that seals the deal!!!!
Thanks for the pics.
Going to order that kit and the PE set for my birthday next month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love that canopy, will be an easy masking project.
ALOT easier than the A6M5 I'm doing for the Pacific GB ATM.

Darren, good to see Jules doesn't throw anything out

Darren no problems mateIt's just sitting here doin nothin.........Hmmmmm whats the bet when i make my 109 I'll break it too and i'll think no problem I'll just grab the spareNah that won't happen i'm gonna fill the canopy up with blue tac so i won't break it
The pre cut mask idea has got me thinking that it might be easier to place them instead of cutting 4 tiny pieces of tape per frame and another in the centre to cover the middle, considering the amount of framing on a stuka canopy the tape method would take a very long time..........
Question is where do i get them from

QUOTE: Originally posted by darson With your Stuka, have you thought about using commercial pre-cut masks to help you out with your canopy? ...... Cheers Darren

Darren,

Having used EZ-Masks before, (and also suffering from big fingers like Tom I suspect!!), I found them a lot easier to position against raised lines ... a hard edge to butt them up against when placing!!

Not saying it won't work - of course it will!! ... but it will not be an easy job toplace them JUST SO

QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Darren your in luck mate i found it buried deep in the bowels of my spares box, just send me an email with your postal address and i'll post it the next day........ Speaking of canopies i opened the the Stuka's last night and the framing lines are neither raised or rescessed, they appear to be in the middle of the plastic because both the outer surface and inner surface of the canopy is perfectly smooth....... This is going to complicate painting cause i won't be able to use BMF because i have no guide to cut it withlooks like i'll have to use tamiya tape and do section by section...

Jules, you are a legend, I cannot thank you enough and also a big thanks to Tom and Sean, I really appreciate the offers and advice guys.

With your Stuka, have you thought about using commercial pre-cut masks to help you out with your canopy?

Tom Thanks for the preview pics, I can't wait to see that baby painted up.

I can't believe it only three days to go!!

Cheers
Darren

Darren your in luck mate i found it buried deep in the bowels of my spares box, just send me an email with your postal address and i'll post it the next day........

Speaking of canopies i opened the the Stuka's last night and the framing lines are neither raised or rescessed, they appear to be in the middle of the plastic because both the outer surface and inner surface of the canopy is perfectly smooth.......
This is going to complicate painting cause i won't be able to use BMF because i have no guide to cut it withlooks like i'll have to use tamiya tape and do section by section...

ok you guys went and did it... after seeing how clean this thing *looks* like it will go together I guess I will be the guinea pig and go first.. I was trying to wait and get the decals for the SBD first but I can't... the kit keeps calling me! I just washed her down completely and as soon as she dries I'll tell ya what the interior goes together like! I'm building OOB as this is just a warm up for the real thing...

ok as promised, I will just put the links in in deference to the bandwidth challenged... I was REALLY surprised how well the fuselage fit together... if you see what appears to be misalignment in the pic it's only because it's taped so wouldnt stay aligned... not ONE gap on it! you can also see the forward fuselage where the belly tank would go as well, panel lines there as well... (of course I didn't see the wing root fit... wonder how THEY will be?)

Parts have little or no flash, you can see in the interior sprue shot the pilot that had open heart surgery... (hmmm a diorama of him being pulled from the plane and being operated on? ok kidding...)

I put the canopy over something colored but because I had to resize it you can't see how crisp the recessed lines are...

I ******LOVE****** the way they thought to put the engine nacelles ON the wing... seen a few kits with it as a seperate piece and the gap was HARD to transition into the wing...

---edit--- I forgot to add, on the decals page there is a dark splotch on one of the sheets, I just darkened a reflection off the plastic so it didnt take away from the rest of the pic.. it's not actually on the decals.. also the paint guide has the other version on the back... actually if it didn't have all the color notations on it, it would be nice to put on the wall in the frame..

anyway, I'll let you judge for yourelves...

Without further adieu... Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fujimi Bf-110 C/D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/tho9900/bf110/fuselage.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/tho9900/bf110/nosewherebellygoes.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/tho9900/bf110/interiora.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/tho9900/bf110/intsprue.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/tho9900/bf110/paintguide.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/tho9900/bf110/wings.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/tho9900/bf110/decals.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/tho9900/bf110/canopy.jpg

email me if you want me to look at something else for ya! All in all looks like it will build up nice!

QUOTE: Originally posted by tweety1 Each side of the frames?? Do you mean outside AND inside? Outside is good, makes it ALOT easier for me to do the masking with foil when I eventually get that kit.

no I just said that to confuse ya! it's just on the outside as far as I can tell, gonna open the kit up in a little bit and get some pics fo you guys... tape the fuselage together to see how the fit looks and such things...

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 QUOTE: Originally posted by tweety1 Tom, whats the frame work like on that 110 canopy? Raised or recessed?? wierd... it's recessed, I guess I didnt pay attentioned when I looked at it the other day... there's recessed lines on each side of the frames

Each side of the frames??

Do you mean outside AND inside?

Outside is good, makes it ALOT easier for me to do the masking with foil when I eventually get that kit.

QUOTE: Originally posted by tweety1 Tom, whats the frame work like on that 110 canopy? Raised or recessed??

wierd... it's recessed, I guess I didnt pay attentioned when I looked at it the other day... there's recessed lines on each side of the frames

---edit---

I just went and did a look see on the net and looks like that would be appropriate... not much exterior bracing at all, all looks mostly interior except the windshied area in front....

Tom, whats the frame work like on that 110 canopy?
Raised or recessed??

Well, the start date is getting close. May have to take the shrink wrap off the Tamiya 109E-4 & start sniffing the plastic .

Regards, Rick

ok.... this is getting crazt.. just reset my post twice!!!!

I did my SBD with those masks and although a chore to get on for these senile old eyes of mine, the end result was brilliant!!! A little off in areas but better than freehand I think...

The jury is out but I plan to get a set for my Bf-110 for a warm up for this build and tell yall how it works!!!

A link I found that may save us from broken canopies in future

http://www.ezmasks.com/index.html

Darren, sorry to hear that mate.

When I did my Hase G14 it was fitted with the 2 part canopy, so the section you are after I have as a spare.

It looks like it will fit, cause I have the Tamiya E3 kit for this GB and I just compared them and they look pretty damn close.
The differance would be dead easy to rectify with your skills.

If Jules has no joy in finding his, lemme know and I can send it to ya this week

Darren, in case Jules doesn't have what ya need you can call them at: (800) TAMIYA-A

or mail them at:

Customer Service Address:
Tamiya America, Inc.
Attn: Customer Service
2 Orion
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4200

I broke the rear half of my N1K1 canopy and called them, it was at my house in about a week tops...

Being in Oz it might be better to email Customer Service first and let them know your situation. They'll need the kit number (usually on the front page of your instructions, "Item No. X" in the top right corner on the two Tamiya kits I checked just then. And also the sprue letter as well. They can't send you just the part you need, but will send you a sprue. I think it cost me $5.00 in the states for mine.. real decent folks on the phone too!

Good luck!

---edit---

here's where you can email them at: http://www.tamiyausa.com/contact/email.php

Darren sory to hear about youre canopy, I almost did the same thing on the rear canopy of mine, bent the little bugger right in but it didn't snap......
As far as i know the only way to get a replacement part is to fill in the little form you get with the kits and mail it off but that may take ages to get.......

I built an E-3 a while back and was sanding it in the bedroom while watching TV and the missus decided to rearrange the room and thats the last i saw of it.....
The point is i didn't throw out the rest of the parts so i think i may have a spare canopy around here somwhere.......
I'll have a look when it's daylight and i'll get back to you.....Jules.......

Disaster has struck I was masking up the canopy for the 109 that I'm building at the moment and I've gone and snapped the rear canopy piece in half
I just can't believe I'm such a putz.
Does anybody know how to order spare parts from Tamiya in the US? I would appreciate any help.

Thanks
Darren

I built the Fujimi 1/48 Bf-110 kit a few years ago & don't recall any problems with the build. The interior is a bit sparse, but passable for an OOB build, or you can spiff it up to your hearts content. Sorry, I don't have any pics of the model.

Regards, Rick

yah Sean and Darren.. except for a bit of a sparse interior (it is gonna be a closed cockpit anyway...) the kit looks really nice!!! I'll take a pic or two tomorow and let you see some of the stuff I pointed out..

right now I am gonna go sleep of a bit of the turkey we had for dinner though..

Thats great to hear Tom.
Thanks