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

phoenix7187  that is one increible looking paint job! Wow that is amazing how you pulled off that scheme. As for me well perhaps there is light at the tunnel's end but I still have a couple fit issues to deal with yet. The worst was the fit of the nacelles to the wings. Like they went on a whole different kit or something. The next is the solid bomb site holder that attaches to the clear part under the nose.

Test fiiting warned me that it wasn't even close so I attached it to the clear part only yo find that it thows off the fit of the clear part to the main assembly. Trim trim dremel dremel , hack a little more and it fits ok but will be a lot of work for those who have this  kit on the to be built pile.

 I spend a lot of time on crew figures. Mostly because I like them but there are advantages to adding them especially when checking scale accuracy and stuff.

 I painted them up just like to poor blokes in the movie that are shown being shot up and trapped in crashing bombers. Yep still watching the movie again... can't say I don't follow orders. am am tempted to make a bullet riddled bomber with the gunner whose eyes explode inside his goggles.

 Any ways here is where I need a little advice and help. I white glued the Machine guns to the upper canopy and was immediately  taken aback by the fact the rear three all meet over the gunners seat. Not only is there no room for a person to use them to fight with there isn't even room to sit? Could not be that way in the real aircraft as I feel it would have been to tight to use any of them in combat.

 So looking at the photos I have of the real bomber I can only see two options which are they weren't there at all on the earlier aircraft and when added they were more mid located where there was room to actually use them as in this photo.

So here is my dilema. I don't want to change the position unless I can be reasonably certain that it is a kit error. So I am taking a break to wait and see what y'all think or know. Right now my best guess is they were not there in the earlier bombers and when added for additional defense were in fact mid mounted in the canopy. So I turn it over to see what you think may be the case. I'll still be looking too.

Karl, SC- Thanks much!  It's a lot of fun adding some home-made detail to a kit.  And cheap too!

Karl- WOW!!!  That is awesome my friend.  I have never actually seen a Spitfire in flight, but I hope to someday!

Stan- Well done there!  I have never seen that camo on a model, but it looks spot-on to the photos of the real bird.  You're a tough act to follow, hope mine turns out OK!

Stan, great job on the camo.

I love the field applied look on Luftwaffe aircraft.

Aaron,Soulcrusher, seeing that Spitfire has made myweekend already.

Karl

Update #3. Rough paint and camo work done, now I have to clean up some of the rough spots and do I little weathering, then decals and other small parts.

Hey great job on the prop, Frank. Thats some dedication to your art fella. If the rest of her has half as much dedication as the prop were in for a treat.

Aaron, that looks like an absolute nightmare to mask but she must be nearing the finishing line mustnt it? Keep going fella the finish line is in sight. LOL

...Guy

You are a lucky chap there Karl. I live near several large and small airports. About once or twice a year during the summer while in my shop hard at work I hear the unmistakeable drone of an powerfull piston engine winging its way thought the air. I go running out of the shop and twice I have been fortunate to get a nice look at a B-17 g in formation with a B-25 Mitchell. What a beautifull sight and sound. There is a small airport anout an hours drive from me where they land every year and for a fee they will bring you up for a 45 minute ride. I promised myself I will find myself inside one of these warbird this summer.

                                                                                    Soulcrusher

Aaron, great progress on that Dornier.

Frank, I am seriously impressed that you sprayed and masked the interior of the spinner. All mine ever get is a coat of black!

Driving home on the motorway this afternoon, an aircraft crossed at low altitude, possibly 200-300 ft, before pulling up into a vertical climb and performing a series of rolls and Immelmans. 

As it pulled up the perfect plan form view showed the unmistakeable lines of a Spit.

Not sure what mark it was, but it had full span wings, a single 20mm in each wing and a razor back, and it looked georgeous!

I looked at all the motorists around me, but seems I was the only one who noticed the masterpiece stunting low over the Oxfordshire countryside.

That's the second Spit I've seen on the drive home, the first was a Seafire on the back of a lorry a few years back.

Karl

Stan,

Yep, that TA looks to be the epitome of a builder's kit, LOL!  The wing that came with the kit is quite poor, and I'm hoping that I can modify the Dragon Dora wing to resemble it.  Just have to find a reasonably priced Dora and I'll take a look at it.  This is gonna be one of those WIP's that will take a while.

Those Dorniers are coming along beautifully fellas!  I finished smoothing out the wing joint on the 109 and painted a few parts this morning.  Hoping to have her ready for paint by Sunday night!

Aaron you sure got that right. I think I have used the dremel with the sanding drum on it more in the last two weeks than I have used it in a year. A by pruduct of the both of us chosing a Classic Airframes kit for this build. Looks like you have made some incredible progress on your Do 17. I am watching your post carfully because I have one of those in my stash and I am trying to catch all of the problem areas you are running into so I will not be surprised when I build mine someday. Kep up the great work. I can't wait to see her in colors.

                                                                            Soulcrusher

Morning (yawn) Happy Independance Day! or 4th of July.

 Hmmm Hey Mike I probably should have said particular aircraft and not "version" The version will be the Z. The blister came as a less drag more updated replacement for the loop antenna. The Devil Dornier I am representing was shot down before upgraded. So it is more of a time representation when it comes to the blister and not an actual version.

 Here is a pic that shows one with and one without.

Here is my solution. Oddly enough my filler is drying clear. (didn't expect that) I found the blister to be very thick. About 2 mm. Had to be very careful not to break the briitle clear plastic.

 Oddly enough the one on the hobby craft box art can be seen with it.

Had I noticed that I would have been happy enough just to trade the decal markings.

 Frank that propeeler is looking swell! Hmmmm blue tack and tape. I use model master liquid cement and superglue myself.

 Soul Crusher I feel your resin woes! One word .... Dremel Tool! thats 2.

 Darrin, Sing along ( I have earplugs) Did you say there is a precut mask for this kit? Huh?

 Well hope to finish up my crew today. Making them fit and look right can be challenging. Almost like a check for accuracy when you find a nice looking pit that no one could fit in. Well Now rested my singing has abated but fear not Bondoman I have got the Black Sabbath a crankin!

Frank, so you have the ta kit. It not easy to build but can be done, Thsi is one of those kits that challanges the modeler. It not so bad it can't be built but not easy by any means. This one falls under the old saying "it's not the quality of the model sitting on the bench, but the quality of the modeler sitting at the bench" 

Ruddrat all those units were involved in BOB. The major players were

Luftflotte II

   Almost all of Jg26, with Jg3 and jg51

Luftflotte III

Mostly Jg2, 53, and 27

Luftflotte V

just about all jg 77

Short version.

Jg 54 served with luftflotte II but was not up to full strength at the start of BOB. they were still replacing losses and regrouping from the french campain. I'm doing a E-1 from 6./JG54. they operated out of Guines and did see some combat. near the end they were transfered to the eastern front.  

sfcmac wrote:

Almost luftwaffle , that big blister on the canopy where the loop antenna goes doesn't belong on either version represented in this kit. Time for the mad doctor to perform a little surgery! I

I've got the same thing on mine, wasn't sure if it belonged there or not.  Which version is that actually for?

Thanks Darren, I appreciate that!

WHile the wing/fuse glue joint cures, I have been working on the spinner/prop assy.  After painting the inside of the spinner RLM Grey, I masked it off with tape and Handi-tak.  The prop blades were first sprayed RLM 70 Black Green, then the hub was detailed.  The taped blade serves as a handle, lest I damage the paint while working on it.  More to come!

Frank that pit looks wonderful, the whole thing ties together really nicely from the harness, the IP to the gun sight, great job.

Aaron I'm afraid I a completely crap singer but the Dornier is looking awesome.  Btw had you thought of getting a pre-cut mask for that bad boy?

Mike great to hear you're plugging away on the Hurricane, post some pics when you can.

Cheers

sfcmac wrote:

Still singing! bondo man...... bondo man...... do things that only bondo can.... the germans bomb and bondo wins..... bondo man.  ( They might be Giants! ) Fear not my wife says they have a cure for my affliction, it is called sleep. Sounds like a killer project bondoman!

Either way I'm touch, bedraggled, misbegotten, a Pirate, a scurvy dog, and a most humble liege of your Ladyship, or is it your lordship? Can't tell.

Me wife, thinks the remedy to my ills is a musket.

Ration the rum and pass me Susanna York in a white shirt!

Making some slow but steady progress on my Hurricane. Dry fitting the fuselage and wings show a pretty good fit for a short run kit. Unfortunatly all of the parts that go inside the fuselage and wing assembly do not fit. The instrument panel was to wide and the wrong shape the contour of the seat bulkhead does not match the shape of the inside of the fuselage. It was a major pain tryin to line up the resin wheel wells with the opening and it did not want to fit flush with the bottom wing section. All of these things have been fixed but have really slowed this build down to a crawl. Unlike most of the Classic Airframes kits this one did not comwe with a nice resin cockpit. It is mostly injection molding and the detail is very soft with lots of flash. I am not going to worry about the cockpit. I am going to concentrate on achiving a nice exterior finish with the "sand and spinach" camo. No pictures really worth posting yet just wanted to let you guys know I am plugging away with you.

                                                                                Soulcrusher

Still singing!

bondo man...... bondo man...... do things that only bondo can.... the germans bomb and bondo wins..... bondo man.  ( They might be Giants! )

Fear not my wife says they have a cure for my affliction, it is called sleep.

Sounds like a killer project bondoman!

I just placed an order for etched window, railings and fittings, plus a full interior, for the Watch Office through Hannants, $ 50.

Not bad for a $ 8.99 kit, eh?

It's OO scale, which is 1/76.2

There's a couple of fellas that scale to about 5'-10" at 1/72 so they'll do just fine.

The subject is TBD but I'm learning a lot through research

Frank, really nice work on the Emil pit.

Mark, decals for BoB Stukas seem to be thin on the ground, as I looked doing a Stuka for this GB a before I bought the Huricane.

Aaron, great job on the masking. Just keep singing that song....

Karl

Mike- JG 77, JG 2, & JG 54 all participated in the BoB, the problem is nailing down whether those aircraft were pre-BoB.  If you have some pictures or more info I can help you out, I have a lot of BoB reference material.

Frank- Cockpit looks great!

Aaron- Great stuff, looks like that baby is ready for some paint!

 Oh yeah I'm like a lost cause now. the good thing is I think I have it? Betwwen the engine/wheel well nacelles that do not even remotely come closing to fitting and the masking it has slowed me down. I am getting there though. I put the cowling frame work in with some fine wire. Not to shabby. ( I sang twinkle twinkle little star while I did those) Look out american idol.... here I come!

Ok since everyone is all set we can all join in,

 I've been maskin on my dornier, all the live long day! ( everybody now)

...... I'm still masking on my dornier just to pass the time away.....

Can't you hear the bombs a falling,

RAF is up early this morn.....

Can't you hear the Captain shouting...

Look out blow your horn!

Mike, I picked up Jon Lake's very nice BoB book at the local librairies used book sale for $10.00 earlier this summer (score!).  According to this source all of the above mentioned Geschwader participated and each were broken down into three Gruppen at this point designated by roman numerals.  So III/JG54 indicates the third Gruppen of Jagdgeschwader 54.  The Gruppen were further broken down into 3 Staffel of 12 aircraft each, therefore each geschwader had nine staffel indicated by 9./JG54 meaning the ninth staffel of JG54.  So all of the units you have mentioned existed at the battle of Britain. 

Oh ya, I also picked up Adolf Galland's book 'The First and the Last' at the same book store.  It was a happy day!

Dave, Mike- Thanks guys, much appreciated!

Mike- I'm no BoB guru, but according to my references the only one of the ones you listed that was available for the BoB was 1./JG51.  Can anyone else verify this?