Bravo Jim!! You did an outstanding job with the build and it's finish was flawless. I loved how the wash brought out the details of the panel lines. It's surely a build that one would be proud to display in it's splendure!

Cheers,

Hermann

Very, very nice work on this bird. Clean paint job, superb work with the decals and panel lines!

Just a beauty!

AW

Niceley done indeed.

Beautiful! The before and after wash shots show how effective it is. Great photos too. One to be very proud of Jim!

Beautiful Bf 109, this will definitely be one of my next projects.

Hi there all,

My heartfealt thanks to Hermon, Brad, Hermann, Aenea, Maurice, Ben and Anze for all your kind words. I am very happy that you like my work and it is a pleasure to be able to share it with you.

Hermon, I know what you mean about the spitfire, the messi' really is much more "bling"!

Brad, I look forward to seeing your progress. When I did the wings I glued the top halfs to the fuselage on their own before attatching the lower part. This made it much easier to get a nice join at the wing root. A tip I saw on a Mal Mayfield Spitfire build.

Many thanks once again to all,

Cheers,

Jim.

The picture comparing 109 with a Spitfire remindes me my feeling when I have seen for the first time 109, Hurricane and Spitfire in Hendon. My first thought then was: "Gee, 109 is so small...how was it possible to shoot it down..."

What terrifies me is that I'm thinking about buying Tamiyas' 109, but I have so many models in my stash already waiting to be build...

Hi Michal,

I know what you mean about the size difference to the Spitfire. It surprised me when I first sat them beside each other. It must have been great to see them in the flesh together. I am lucky enough to have an original Spitfire hanging in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow which I have visited a few times.

As for adding to the stash, this kit would be a great addition. Remember, a stash needs to be fed to stay healthy and happy!!!

Cheers and thanks again,

Jim.

Not sure how I missed this build. It's amazing. Your masking and painting is superb. Well done.

Hi there Bryan,

Thanks very much for your kind words. I am really glad you like it.

Cheers, Jim.

I lost track of this (work and things). Firstly tremendous job, what a lovely 109.
Secondly I know there is much gnashing of teeth about the cockpit colour for these early(ish) Bf109s. Here is a photograph of Bartels downed E-1. The date is 24/7/40.

I think that the visible interior (and hood frames) are in RLM66.
Cheers
Steve

Hi Steven,

Thanks for the kind words. I am really tempted to buy eduards 1/32 E3 but have so many other projects in progress. One more can't hurt though! Thanks also for the very interesting photo.

Cheers, Jim.

Go on,you know you want to! It is a good photo and I think shows the problem with the sort of unequivocal statements that get bandied around the internet. Most 109s at this time did indeed have 02 interiors but not all. Interestingly Bartel's aircraft (pictured) bore the W.Nr. 6296F. Fstands for flugklar meaning it had been repaired and returned to airworthy status. Possibly got a respray as well, who knows?
As Dave Waldman has shown all sorts of combinations were possible.
I'm just starting an Me262 and as far as interior colours go the cockpit is just about the only thing I'm confident about!
Cheers
Steve

this is a great thread and a great build. Some awesome info in this thread - just waiting for my cockpit mask and etched parts and I am gonna attempt a quality build like this.
Cheers
Pz

My head fell off when I saw that instrument panel.

Thanks guys, it was a fun build. It's a great kit and the Eduard zoom set really does finish off the 'pit nice.

Cheers, Jim.

Omg - my Eduard etch set came today, SOOOO many small parts. Never worked with etch before, been away from serious models for a generation. Going to need the magnifying glass for these.
I plan to use thick CA glue for these is this correct?
Thank you

Thick CA will work but of course the drawback is that you have to get it right the first time or else
If you're just gluing a flat piece to a flat surface you can use clear paint which will give you a little working time to get the piece exactly into position. This works especially well if the part won't be under any stress.

Thanks J_C
One thing I have got is a lifetimes worth of paints.
Some are 15+ yrs old and still workable.
Cheers

Jim,
Quick question: what kind of airbrush/air do you use? I am looking into getting a new airbrush, and I liked the effects you were able to achieve.

Thanks!
-Andrew

Hey Andrew,

I use an iwata(hence the callsign!lol) HP-CH airbrush with a simple single piston compressor(sim-air branded), which came with an air pressure regulator. I also use the iwata pistol grip moisture trap which makes handling the brush much more comfortable, in my opinion. The HP-CH has a 0.3mm nozzle which can be a bit small for applying primer so I use an old aztec airbrush for that job.

One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given was to have a sacrificial kit or kit shaped object to try any colours, techniques, etc, before commiting to the actual model. Saves so much heartache!

Hope this helps and I'm glad you like my efforts.

Cheers, Jim.

On seeing the results there I just said 'wow' out loud.

I brush paint and like it, but it seems I'll need to get an airbrush if I want to, as it were, run with the big boys. Certain things just aren't possible with a brush. I like the idea of using premixed washes, along with just about all the other techniques used...

I'm still curious, though, as to whether you sorted out what the mystery panel was, as mystery panels always intrigue me.

Merrick's E-3 cockpit photos don't show any with the ZVK fusing controls, but the E-4s have them, and the ZVK knob itself is offset to the left. The panel is centered (or close to it) between the pilot's legs, but then the left 4/5 of that panel is the ZVK with its big dimmer-switch-type knob and the right part is the fuse and switch box for the ZVK, which amounts to a master arm switch for the bombs.

You may know that the ZVK is for bomb fusing. It has five settings, 12 o'clock is off (Aus), the right side is for level bombing (Wagerecht) and the left for dive bombing (Sturz). 10 and 2 o'clock are m.V. for 'with delay', the outside two are o.V. 'without delay'.