Jagdgeschwader group build

hi,

progress is slow - very slow. i had forgoten how you cannot rush working with resin parts, but now i remember.

i have only managed to take the casting blocks of a couple of the aires cockpit pieces and paint them in RLM66, so nothing worth actually showing yet...

Very nice work so far, guys! You're setting that bar pretty high!

Yeti, if it's OK with you, I'd like to change my entry in this GB. Was just checking out my stash and found a 1/48 Tri-master Me-163 that's just achin' to be built.

hi,

working in short bursts, i am making slow progress on my me262...

the aires cockpit is beautifully cast and is coming together nicely. i added some wiring at the back of the cockpit dashboard / instrument panel, as i have a feeling this may be visible, especially if the canopy is open.

i am now turning my attention to how this will fit in with the wheel well - again aires parts superbly detailed - and mate with the fuselage and wings...we shall see!

the starting package:

the workbench area:

checking my references...

cockpit and bits...

and keeping all the resin bits safe...

hope the pictures are ok...

hi,

progress has been v slow as i have been busy with work stuff, but i should be able to post a few more pics later today.

Nick 

right, progress update part 1...

one of the biggest problems i have with working with resin conversion / update sets is working out what to do in what order. it seemed that every time i sat down to do some work here that i spent 20mins navel gazing trying to figure out which bit to attach first, and how to link the kit's instructions with the aires' ones.

so after much thought, i managed to glue one piece (!) to the lower part of the wing (seen on the left) and test fitted the rear cockpit bulkhead. All went ok:

i also test fitted the cockpit in there (nothing else was glued in this pic):

i then set about prepping the rear bulkhead resin piece for gluing to the main cockpit tub, which involved cutting and sanding the back off it (why can't manufaturers spare us this tedium???). Note scoring marks to make removal easier:

unfortunately my cutting was off and before i knew it i had made a hole in the piece (yikes - not good):

....which had to be repaired (it pays to keep all the resin bits you cut off, as you never know when they will come in handy!):

...but also managed to glue my finger to it at the same time!!

at that stage, and with this little creature calling for his food -

i called it a day!

update part 2 - this is what i have just been doing...

began by test fitting cockpit tub into fuselage half:

all seemed in order, but with the resin fuselage walls adding extra thickness, i would never get the two together successfully unless i stripped the kit part. a bit tricky as if i go through the fuselage then the whole project is a write-off, but the extra detail in the resin parts is clear for all to see:

so i decided to go for it...

i started by sanding manually (using nail file from Boots chemist):

taking it nice and slow (no other way unfortunately!):

and then got out my mini drill kit to finish things off:

this did the trick:

i checked it all went ok wth some more test fitting, and found i had to file a bit fo the cockpit tub for best fit, but it wasn;t anything much:

and while i was at it i also did some more test fitting:

and then did some dry brushing of the cockpit parts with tamiya chrome silver (pretty much dried on the brush), and also added a wash (this has not come out great in the pic unfortunately):

next up, i have to attach some of the fiddly bits to the outside of the cockpit tub / fuselage interior, and paint it all silver. Oh, and i still have to sand away the other fuselage interior piece!

More updates when i get time...

Hi Semibold,

it would be nice to have some company! :)

what markings do you plan on building your 109 in?

yeti0010 wrote:

thanks, I have been looking at their me 163. I got some more time to work on my 190 the last few days,  I painted and applied decals. a permanent marker preshade

can you explain the reason and technique for a permanent marker? 

also, i would love to make a badge for the GB.

how about this...

the Idea behind the preshade is to creat a shadow around the panel line.  for it to be effective the paint must be applied in a relativly thin coaat otherwise the paint will cover the effect compleatly

the badge looks good, thanks

using a marker is presumably easier than painting what will be a very fine line with your airbrush. you simply spray as normal over preshaded / marked area.

i don't think i've ever used this technique, but was thinking of giving it a go on this build. basically, unless you can spray a 2-3mm line at will with your airbrush - not sure i can on my Iwata - the marker will be miles quicker and a lot more accurate to boot.

PS nice GB badge btw - i'd be happy to use that one. is that what we are all going to use, especially as there appears no alternative?

so just use a sharpie?

thanks on the badge. 

yes, a sharpie should do fine, and will look esp good under lighter colours such as those in the desert schemes.

PS I added the GB badge - cool!

work so far. im thinking of painting it the desert sand scheme. does anyone know the tamiya or model master acrylic colors?

semibold wrote:

work so far. im thinking of painting it the desert sand scheme. does anyone know the tamiya or model master acrylic colors?

I can help you with the Tamiya colors. 

The underside and fuselage sides should be RLM65 Hellblau which is XF-23 Light Blue 

If you're doing the tan scheme with the green blotches all over the upper surfaces then paint the wings and upper fuselage a mix of 3 parts XF-59 Desert Yellow and 1 part XF-64 Red Brown. 

The blotches should be XF-58 Olive Green.

I took this straight off the painting guide for my 1/48 Tamiya Bf109E-4/7.  

I also find this website extremely helpful for deciphering Luftwaffe colors 

http://ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/stuff_eng_colorcharts_germany.htm

awesome, thanks espins1

TROP camo thus far

next up, tail rudder and nose painted sangelb. 

nice airbrush skills their Semibold :)

i'm about to get an hour or so in on my 262 for the first time in a week - woo-hooo!!

almost done.

Wow, semibold that 109 is nice!  I haven't gotten anything done on my Bv 40 yet, I have a GB that ends on Halloween between me and it.  Anyways, I really like the subtle tiger stripes on the fuselage, instead of the oh-so common mottling.  It looks great.    Keep up the great work, and maybe someday I'll be fit to be in a GB with y'all.

I got an Academy 1/72 Bf-109E with markings for Heinz Bär and/or Helmut Wick, which I like to join with. Hope that's OK!

Azgaron