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

Dave, I keep looking at Revell's 1/72 Type VIIC, especially as one my LHS' has one at 20% off, but I don't know where the hell I'd put it.

Revell has just re-released the VIIC in 1/144, along with the XXI I'm working on now. Think that might be more my size.

Having siad that Airfix have just issued the ex-Special Navy Type XXIII in 1/72 which is very tempting.

The XXI just needs paint now, lots of it! Slightly off topic, but here's a pic.

The Emil looks great BTW.

Guy, I was always under the impression that the rear fusleage of the 109 was built up from clam shell sections, with a seam top and bottom. I've definitely got pics of 109Gs with both seams.

Karl

Dave-your Emil is looking great.  Very impressive.

Karl-nice job on the U-boat.  I need to diversify into other things than WW II planes & the occasion WW II armor & race car.

Mike-Thanks for the info.  I am going to leave both seams.  If necessary, I can make corrections on the next BoB build.  This one is wearing me out.

Anyway, this is the look that I'm going for on Wick's Emil:

I'm not really happy with my sponge job...might do some more work later...maybe not.

One question for the group-did Wick's plane have the hortizonal surfaces, i.e., wings, sponge camo'd also?

Thanks

Ill have to check my refs on the seams but im pretty sure that the 'E' had one on the top and nothing underneath yet the later types had a seam on the top and the bottom. Probably found out an easier and faster way to produce fuselages. I may be talking out of my A$$, as i say ill check my refs.

Oh yeah, great looking sub Karl. Shes a honey. Yet im pretty sure she didnt participate in the BOB. Im not fussed, i think she should get an honary entry.

...Guy

Bob, very nice work on the camo job. I think your sponge work worked very well and looks the real deal. Dont know if you can improve on that. Good job.

Steve

Luftwoller wrote:

Oh yeah, great looking sub Karl. Shes a honey. Yet im pretty sure she didnt participate in the BOB. Im not fussed, i think she should get an honary entry.     ...Guy

Hi all,

A little more progress on the Emil today. I've fixed the clear parts, including the gunsight, now in place and solid, and the second and third canopy elements. The special glue seems to be doing the trick but you have to let it cure well. Also, I doubt it would be too forgiving on ill-fitting parts. These, no bother. It remains to be seen if the glue will hold during the amount of handling required to do the masks.

" border="0" />

On the current discussion of structural seams in the Emil rear fuselage, here's a photo I found in Aerodata International: Fighters of WWII (Squad. Sig., 1981):

" border="0" />

I see a major rivetted joint at the bottom, a seemingly less robust joint at the top, and panel attachments to the stringers all around. Hope this helps!

Bob -- the sponge camo came out amazing -- did you apply the paint with a fragment of Scotchbrite pad??? This is a finish I would love to try one day.

Great work on here, as ever!

Cheers,

Mike/TB379

 Awesome work fellows! Missed a lot during the Hurricane ( not made by Hawker) Everything looks fantastic. Lots of 109's and a U-boat! Fantastic stuff!

Karl, that's great news about the re-release of the type XXIII.  I'll have to deep an eye out for that.  Love the pic of your uboat but when do we get to see the He 111? Eh?  

Bob, I think the sponge job came out pretty good.   I still get a kick out of seeing your mega block pant stand.

Mike, the emil is looking good.  I always use pva (kids white school glue) for my canopies now - except for those complicated multi-part ones.

Aaron, glad to have you back.  Saw your pictures in the NAW thread and glad you had minimal damage.

Dave & Mike-thanks

Mike/TB379-your Emil is looking great.  Looking forward to seeing some paint on it.  I have found that if the canopy has been Futured, then CA glue won't cause fogging.  However, I'm sure that then next time I try that, it will fog.

For the paint application, I took a small piece of a sea sponge, applied paint and blotted it until almost dry and then applied to the plane. 

Bob, stunning job on the sponge work paint finish.

Looking forward to seeing that one complete.

Mike, nice progress with the Tamiya Emil.

I use MicroKrystal clear or PVA for clear parts, no mess, and both are pretty tough too.

Dave, I was hoping to get some pics of both the 111 and the Hurricane done this weekend, but I've spent most of the weekend working on some fencing in the garden. 

Both are complete and sitting on the shelf, just can't seem to get around to taking some pics.

Karl

Thanks Karl.  I'll be glad to finish this one.  For some reason, it has been a bit more challenging than it should have been.  Painting it the wrong colors for the period didn't help matters any....

Looking forward to seeing the 111 & Hurricane.  I remember that I built a 1/48 He-111 for the first BoB.  The cowling was quite a challenge.  I can't imagine doing a 1/72nd version .

 Keep us posted on the U-boat.  Looks like a fun build.

Hi Dave, Bob and Karl,

Thanks for the kind words! I tried PVA for canopies years ago but the glue in this country is so very unreactive that it was barely any use for even temporary tack-in-place jobs. Breathe on it and it would fall off. Superglue spoiled me, I always expect rock-hard joints and I don't expect to hang around them them!

I'll have another look for Pledge and see if it'll work as a Future substitute, and there's the Estapol clear I found last week.

Now, I need to tangle with the masks -- new experience coming up!

On the Dornier, I did the props the other day, now I need to do the hubs. The spinners are simply termed 'blue' on the Techmod instructions and I looked around for an RLM shade, RLM 24 Dark Blue is the only early-series blue I've come across. I know color photos are rare as hen's teeth from the era, but has anyone any thoughts on what blue they're talking about? I'm assuming it'll be a standard shade, same as RLM 04 for all the yellow signal trims of the period.

Bob -- I meant to say, great use of Lego for your painting stand!

Cheers,

Mike

Hi Mike -- Great, Testor produce that one, I can probably pick it up locally. Thanks!

I'm putting the Express masks on the Emil -- they're an excellent product. If the ones for the Dornier are even a close-fit for the Squadron canopy for the Matchbox kit they'll really simplify those transparencies.

It's a grey, rainy day today, so no enamel spraying (outdoors). Might fade the acrylic camo on my Tiger, though...

Cheers,

Mike

sfcmac wrote:

Awesome work fellows! Missed a lot during the Hurricane ( not made by Hawker) Everything looks fantastic. Lots of 109's and a U-boat! Fantastic stuff!

oh there you are, Beginning to worry as youve not been around recently. Thought the Hurricane had taken you on vacation somewhere

...Guy

Hi guys,

OOOOHHH!!! Me like Exress Masks!

" border="0" />

Cheers,

Mike

Luftwoller !!!!! been trying to reach you all weekend! Forgot you don't check your PM's!!!!  Maybe some of the fellows here will let you know I'm looking for you!

Thunderbolt 369? 227? 578? Numbers numbers....... Those Mask look great and your right they are addictive! I think we should all be wary of such useful products as they slowly zap our skills!  An example would be how difficult is was for me to build models without electricity. I didn't touch one for a whole week but back in the days of Abraham Lincoln he used to build his Me-109's by candle light with glue made from old horses. Ran the airbrush with an old tire pump!

All I'm saying is be careful man!

 Guy!  I'm fritzoogled!

Thunderbolt, I pity you, man. Your on that darn slippery slope. Today its cocpit masks....Tommorow its scratchbuilding doo-diddlydads in the whatchamakallum thingy whatits. I speak the truth man.. Be strong.

sfcmac wrote:

Guy!  I'm fritzoogled!

I was too, but thank the Lord for antibiotics.

...Guy

Been real lazy when it comes to modeling lately. The Airfix Hurricane doesn't need much to be finished just can't seem to get of my butt and finish it. I think I was fritzoogeled once too! mabye it is going around like a flu?

                                                                           Soulcrusher

 Bob,

 The sponge finish looks real good so far ,maybe  just put on a little more.

 Just looking in on this build makes me want to do one next year , there is alot of GREAT

 jobs being done here by all.

  Frank

bobbaily wrote:

Thanks Frank.  I think that I will expirement a bit with the sponge & paint on a test mule and see if I can get a light enough coat & then add some to 109.

Let me know how the sponge thing works out! Looks great so far! I am having trouble finding a suitable sponge to try it myself. Mine keeps squirming!

I just realized this could be Mr. Baily's new call sign!

sfcmac wrote:

bobbaily wrote: Thanks Frank.  I think that I will expirement a bit with the sponge & paint on a test mule and see if I can get a light enough coat & then add some to 109. Let me know how the sponge thing works out! Looks great so far! I am having trouble finding a suitable sponge to try it myself. Mine keeps squirming! I just realized this could be Mr. Baily's new call sign!

Aaron-Thanks. I found a small sea sponge at my LHS and I cut off a small section (about the size a 1/48 scale 'natural' sponge would be), dab it into some paint, then blot it until almost dry.  I hold the sponge with a pair of long tweezers & dab onto the fuselage.

As far as the new call sign.....I'll get back with you.....

Ok here is my finished Bf-110. I have been finished for a few days and it took me exactly a week to finish it. I used prisma pencils for the interior, and used tamiya and tenex glues instead of Testors(I will not use testors again I tried to fill the wing seams, because I haven't done that before. Here it is.

Hey a Chicken!

Hope this won't make any of you mad, but here is the whole BOB collection I have. My dad and I built the Spits along time ago.

Thanks for Looking! All comments very welcome.

Nice build Andrew.  Well done.

Regards,  Rick

Very nice build Andrew. It turned out well and god job on the finish

Steve