Battle of Britain GB 2006 - 1 May to 31 Oct 06

Sean I know that I need a holiday feeling.

As for the tail struts I've had the same problems with one of my Tamiya builds.  In the end I just junked the kit struts and made a couple of replacements out of strip styrene.

Cheers

---edit---

Yeah, I haven't had a holiday in 15 years

Nope, I tell a lie!, I went to Broome for 1 week 6 years ago

Have no idea why I dont feel refreshed..............................

Anyways it looks like my struts are ok.

The dry fitting looked all gammy and stuff, but I bit the bullet and glues the tail wings on, and low and behold the kit struts are only a poofteenth out!!

Easy to fix in no time flat.

Now most of this is outta the way, time to figure out the 'stipple' technique I plan to use.

Looks like some good progress on the Emil.

Regards,  Rick

I did a little testing on an old 109g today trying to attempt sponge applied camo.  On the right side I used a large piece of Sea Elephant Ear sponge and around the engine I used a smaller piece.  I dipped the sponge in paint and then patted on a blotter a couple of times before applying:

On the left side, cockpit back, I used a 'spouncer' made by Stencil Decor.  Not sure if I got it at Walmart in the craft section or at my LHS.  It is a large pore synthic foam/sponge 'thingie'  Around the engine section, I used a piece of packing foam, with very small pores.  Same process to apply as above:

For some reason, the pics aren't turning out well, at least at my terminal.  For my build, I'll probably use the 'spouncer' although the small piece of sea elephant ear sponge might work if I blot out enough paint.  Anyway, here is a pic of the devices:

The 'spouncer' is the blue 'thingie'.

Sorry Bob, I really can't see enough detail in the pics to offer an opinion.

Regards,  Rick

Bob-I'm with Rick, can't really 'see', got any closer pics?

Personally I'm working on a mask so I can airbrush my stipple effect on.

The way I see it, if I can hold a mask a tad above the surface the fuzzy edges should bring it into scale.

It's taking time but I reckon it's gonna look alright.

After all the camo was applied with either rags or brushes 'stabbed' onto the aircraft surface.

FeldMarSchall Model wrote:

Hay got around to working on my 109, had little time during the summer with work and all.

I dont mean to pick fault in anyones builds, but your cockpit is in the wrong position

The storage compartment behind the pilots seat is meant to sit in front of the small section you can see obscuring part of the storage compartments hatch.

Like this..............

Sorry to point this out, but maybe you can still save the kit by splitting the fuse.

Or you can leave it.................

Karl, great pics, thanks for sharing them.  That first pic threw me off a bit because with the head on camera angle and the person in the background acting as a scalr reference it looked more like a 1500mm gun.  (could you imagine )  It took me awhile to realize that the muzzle was actually way out in front of the bunker .

Bob, hard to see and don't feel bad.  My 12 yr old son figures out all my gadgets too these days.

Nice pics Karl.  Thanks for posting.

Regards,  Rick

Looking good Dave.

Regards,  Rick

Rob don't sweat it, I think everyone can relate to a build getting on top of them to the point that it's just not fun anymore.

Dave cool looking 109, it should look excellent with its gear on and flat coat.  Being such a little sucker how did you manage to mask the canopy and what did you use.

Cheers

Very nice work Dave, especially in 1/72nd.

Karl-nice pictures from Normandy.  Would like to visit there someday.

Darren-tried the camera using the macro function-not sure if it is any better.  I think I also have a lighting issue.

Again, this is an old 'test mule'-not the real thing.

'spouncer'

elephant ear sea sponge-small on engine canopy, large from cockpit back

The 'spouncer' looks more refined to me.

The elephant ear looks way to blotchy for 1/48 scale.

Just my 2 cents

Should have my test run of the mask tomorrow night fingers crossed.

Hey Bob, I'm no expert, but I think I like the elephant ear sea sponge (the area around the cockpit and engine on the bottom photo) best.  Both look good, but it seems the large sponge has a tad too much large splotches, where as the small sponge are smaller.  I "think" they should be smaller splotches.  Your's look pretty darn close to this:

Darren, I used Tamiya tape and masked each frame one at a time, cutting along the edges of the window pane the best I could.  It will probably have some mistakes in it.  The trick will be getting the mask off without pulling paint off where it should remain.  I'm gonna try and be a good boy and use my knife to cut along the edges before lifting the mask this time.  Me and canopies don't mix well most of the time, but I'm hoping it looks presentable.  We shall see.  It was quite tedieous on a canopy that small.  It's just the 109s are small planes to begin with, and then you throw in a 109E in 1/72.  It was smaller than other 1/72's I've built.

Sean & Dave-thanks for the input and Dave, thanks for posting the picture.  Not sure which one I'm going to use (maybe sponge on one side, sponcer on the other ).  Might test using the spouncer and 'double coating' to get better coverage.  dunno.

Also noticed that the upper wing surfaces have camo applied in the picture that you posted Dave.  My kit instructions make no reference to this.

  Sean-do your references show wing surface camo applied?

Bob, can ya give us a little more info on what your instructions say or what particular aircraft or scheme you are going for.  I was assuming that you were going to paint it pretty similar to the picture I posted, but wasn't sure, I just guessed.  Almost without exception (at least that I'm aware of), Bf-109E's during the BOB had a camo pattern similar to the picture on the upper wing surfaces and on the top of the fuselage.  Other than that, the differences come from the mottling on the sides (like what you are making) or the color of the engine cowling, color of the tail fin, etc.

Dave, the kit instructions (Hasegawa 1/48) show the side camo pretty much as the picture you posted, but no 'sponge/rag/brush' applied camo to the upper wing surfaces.  The splinter camo is a match though.  Also, three versions-one white nose, two yellow nose-for the BoB timeframe. I'm going with the white nose.

Also, question for the 'resident experts'-what color artist oil should I use for an oil wash-dark grey or raw umber?  Or something else? 

Thanks

I looked back in the thread a bit and you mentioned you were going to do Wick's plane.  I found two, one has the white nose that you said you wanted to do.  It shows the spinter camo, at least on the upper fuselage.  I wouldn't think that it would have the "sponge" type paint on the wings, but I'm not sure.  If I had to guess, I would say it has the splinter camo on the wings as well.  Is that what you are trying to figure out?  Sorry, I'm sometimes a bit dense.  Just trying to help out.  Here are the pics I found of Wick's plane:

[Edit]  I just noticed that the picture in my previous post is the same plane as the second one above.  I wasn't aware that that was Wick's plane when I originally posted the other picture.  I'm not sure which is accurate, the white or yellow nose or both.

Thanks Dave-actually, you have been a big help.  There are just so many reference sites/sources out there and sometimes they don't match.  I will probably go with the kit instructions and leave the wing surfaces in the splinter 'only' mode unless other documentation surfaces. 

Thanks again.

Wick's bird definitely had splinter camo om the wings.

For oil washes, I use Paynes Gray, Burnt Umber & Burnt Sienna.  Depends on the base color & what effect you want.

Regards,  Rick