Battle of Britain GB 2008 - 21 June to 31 Oct 08

Now thats some top notch work there Mike! I love that Emil and the markings are a nice choice also.

                                                                           Soulcrusher

Mike,  Absolutely beautiful Emil .

Regards,  Rick

Outstanding work Mike!!!

2.5 days?  My spinner took longer than that.  Beautiful work there my frind, and the photos are awesome too!

 Absolutely astounding Mike! That has got to be near the best 1/72 109 done in 2 . 5 days I have ever seen! I am crazy about your choice of markings as well. Looks concasmigorical fer sure! Yo!

 All the work here is just the best thing since sliced bread! Been all I can do to keep up with the E-mails! Darren may have to take holiday just to keep up!

OK, she's finished, all of about 2 1/2 days of work, this is a record for me I think! 

Once again "White 2" of 4./JG 51 operating from Marquise, France in August of 1940, piloted by Ofw. Hans Illner.  Illner's combat career lasted until 5 November 1940.  While flying over England in another aircraft he noticed a Spitfire coming in from behind.  As an evasive maneuver he put the plane in a high speed dive but lost the starboard wing while pulling out.  He was obliged to bale out and was captured.

What's next on the agenda?  I have no idea!

Mike, very nice work indeed and like the way its turning out

Steve

darson wrote:

Mike RLM 02 is the correct color for the IP before the Germans switched over to RLM 66 and fantastic work on that 109 of yours, you would honestly never know it wasn't 48th scale. Cheers

Darren- Thanks! I had some color pics of the IP but they were restored aircraft, which are always suspect.

Thanks Darren, much appreciated!  It was a great kit and one I enjoy building often.  Prolly will do another one for next year's BoB GB!

I don't remember the page it was posted on, but Stan (Phoenix7187) finished his 109 as well.

Hi Darren,

This is a busy build, and a lot of fun! Could you update my listing also? I'm still waiting on that Emil (any day now, c'mon Australia Post! You can do it!), but I've made a good start on the vintage 1:72 Matchbox Do 17 Z-2, with decals courtesy of Luftwaffle and accessories by Squadron.

Cheers,

Mike / TB379

Hi Mike,

Right, everything's under control -- accessories are on their way too. Vacform clear parts, weighted tires, balkenkreuzers and swastikas. Next I need to go shoppig for paints, and some of that panel wash.

I've scribed and assembled the starboard nacelle. The parts fit is poor, very flimsy, it'll take some superglue here and there. They'll strengthen up when the engines are attached, but that'll be later in assembly.

Cheers,

Mike TB379

Hi Mike,

Yes! I checked the envelope again and there they are -- the badges.

Ah, now I see! It's actually a black fine B that overlies the heavier white B to create the fuselage code. No worries!

Well, I gotta crack on with this beast. I'm doing some PhD work right now on a gray and cold afternoon in Aus, so I might reward myself with a bit of plastic art... One nacelle half left to scribe! Then I can assemble the port nacelle, mount both to the wing and get some filler into the joint (looks like it'll need it, no way will that gap pass muster as a natural panel division!)

I'm still waiting for that package from Hong Kong, I'm dying for that Tamiya Emil!

Cheers,

Mike/TB379

Mike, I think the white "B"'s are the outline for the red "B"'s, it's a two part decal so you get a red "B" with a white outline.

I'm confused on the squadron badge, I thought I put those in the envelope, should be the red and white shield with the two Maltese crosses on it?

Hi Mike,

FineMolds and Aeromaster -- gotcha!

The decals arrived in today's mail, many thanks! I checked them against the instruction sheet and found where they go, with the exception  of the white 'B's -- where on the airframe would they end up? I can research the KG3 squadron badge and take a crack at creating it as a custom decal on some white inkjet decal paper I have.

Excellent!!!

TB379/Mike

 Wow, that is looking real nice there Mike.  I'm really going to have to step up to the plate with you and Frank setting the bar so high on the 109's.  Thanks for the tip on the wash.  I think I'll have to hunt some down too.  

Beautiful work on the Emil, Mikester .

Regards,  Rick

Thunderbolt379 wrote:

Hi Mike, I see -- I think I'll order some! The gray is subtle... Frankly, your F-4 looks the deal to me, it comes out on the realistic side of the equation, and while the eye has become used to clearly accented panel lines as a modern modelling standard, my eye sees a much more realistic effect here -- it makes me want to pull out something and build it quick! This shade should also be excellent for USN gray-and-whites... the possibilities are endless. I'll have to watch the use vid at the site. Cheers, Mike TB379 PS: That's a beautiful Ferdinand of JG54 -- what was the kit, and what decals???

Thanks, Mike.  It's the FineMolds kit and the decals are Aeromaster's "Luftwaffe Top Guns".

Hi Mike,

I see -- I think I'll order some! The gray is subtle... Frankly, your F-4 looks the deal to me, it comes out on the realistic side of the equation, and while the eye has become used to clearly accented panel lines as a modern modelling standard, my eye sees a much more realistic effect here -- it makes me want to pull out something and build it quick!

This shade should also be excellent for USN gray-and-whites... the possibilities are endless. I'll have to watch the use vid at the site.

Cheers,

Mike TB379

PS: That's a beautiful Ferdinand of JG54 -- what was the kit, and what decals???

Mike,

I used the "Dark" wash (which is kind of a medium-dark gray color) on my Emil which is good for light to medium colors.  I have not used the Black yet, but I think it would work well for darker schemes, here's an F-4 that I did with the dark, I think it would have looked better with the black because you don't get much of an effect here:

Hi all,

Well, I'm sold on the Promodeller wash! It's a fantastic result, I'd never have expected so crisp and clean a definition in so small a scale, and also that the contrast would feel so 'right' -- amazing! There's been discussion lately about panel washes being more artistic than realistic, a situation where less-is-more, and this certainly feels on the realistic side of that equation.

I see there are four shades -- which did you use, Mike? I'd have thought black would be too stark for 1:72 except over a very dark base colour -- if pursuing other techniques I'd have been mixing a mid-gray.

Got two bits for the Dornier glued together last night. Poor fit on the nacelle halves, they needed reinforcing and will call for a spreader of some sort to match the cowl width. I have the main wing together and will add the nacelles in the next bit of work.

Cheers,

TB379/Mike

Daywalker wrote:

Darren- Could you add the Spitfire I built to the list too?  Figured it counted as one that sat around for a while waiting to get finished.  Thanks!

Darren, hey while you're at it could you make a slight correction on My Do 17, it's actually a 1/72 Monogram kit.  Thank you sir!

Thanks Mike, I try to order anything I need to order from Sprue Bros.  GREAT products and service!

Andrew- The wash you put on that P-40 was awesome, now I AM gonna get some of that wash.  Thanks buddy!

Darren- Could you add the Spitfire I built to the list too?  Figured it counted as one that sat around for a while waiting to get finished.  Thanks!

I think it was a good choice to use promods wash, I used it on my P-40 I just built and I think it great.

You can order them in the US through Sprue Brothers, who are great to deal with.

http://store.spruebrothers.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=sbm&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=982830226&Count2=899970650&Keyword=promodeller+wash&Target=products.asp

That palne has got lips painted on the nose?  NO WAY!!!  That's really cool.

I've heard about those pro modellers washes, anyone know where to find them in the US?

Sounds like something I'm definitely going to have to try, Mikester. It sounds like a great product, and the results you're getting with it really back that up. Thanks!

I totally agree with all the remarks so far. Shes looking awesome so far fella. I love the markings on this bird. The Gruppen marking of the Bird with the glasses on the Rear fuz and the strange Lips on the lower cowl. Wierd but great. The mottling is something else. Very nice job and on 1/72nd. Top marks.

Ive just found out my LHS stocks Promodeller washes, so my plan is to get some tomorrow. Im off work on hols for a fortnight Woo hoo.

...Guy

Mike, thanks!

I use Promodeller Wash for my panel lines:

http://www.promodeller.com/buy-the-wash/

This is by far the best product I've ever used for washes.  I tried just about every one of the "secret recipes" out there for panel line washes but never found anything I was really completely happy with until this stuff.  It's incredibly easy to use and gives consistently good results.  I know I sound like I make this stuff myself or I'm a major stock holder but that's how much I like it.