_GOTOBOTTOM
World War II: Germany
Aircraft of Germany in WWII.
Hosted by Rowan Baylis
Airfix 1/48 BF109e Build
raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Saturday, February 18, 2012 - 12:29 PM UTC



So this is my return to modelling after years absence. Being young means living in small apartments with others who don't appreciate the smells of modelling...

But now I'm older and have bought a house with a basement. So I am happy.

The last model aircraft I built would have been an Italieri F15 in about '98 or '99. Needless to say Airfix was cheap but not exactly cheerful back then. I hated Airfix kits. Tamiya and Italieri were my weapons of choice. This build is really a dry run, I intend to build something really nice for the upcoming Fighters! campaign. So the 25 dollar airfix is a cost-effective way for me to brush up on my modelling. The kid at the store told me Airfix has really upped their game lately so I'm keen to see if there's any truth to that.



Not bad. Not bad. Provides option to pose rudder, slats, ailerons, flaps. Not a familiar airfix trait to me.



Oh look! Full colour decal maps for three variants! I like this. Staple it to the wall...



Decent decals, hopefully airfix's not-quite-opaque white parts on decals past have been addressed. So far I am pleased.

I will endeavour to build expiditiously so that I can start my next build in good time for the campaign. I want you all to shout at me when I do something stupid and please please throw advice my way. I especially would like feedback on my airbrushing.

Be ruthless.
GastonMarty
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Quebec, Canada
Joined: April 19, 2008
KitMaker: 595 posts
AeroScale: 507 posts
Posted: Saturday, February 18, 2012 - 05:51 PM UTC

This kit is said to be great in every way except the prop.

This is probably the 1/48th Emil to beat right now, so I look forward to your build.

Gaston

raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Sunday, February 19, 2012 - 08:52 AM UTC
Well I won't post pics of what I've done so far as I'm annoyed with it. I followed the humbrol colour codes given by airfix and I am reminded why I never followed them before. Total, utter nonsense. The cockpit is not slate grey, all the reference photos I see show a definitely blue/green grey tone.

Also I see a predominance of black IPs, not light grey. Argh. So I'm going to repaint in colours of my own choosing from looking at pictures.

Only other note is the two trim wheels (I assume they're trim wheels) next to the pilot's arse will never in a million years go over the plastic pin on the seat, I just nipped it of and drilled, then mounted the wheels on a bit of wire and installed them that way.
Jessie_C
_VISITCOMMUNITY
British Columbia, Canada
Joined: September 03, 2009
KitMaker: 6,965 posts
AeroScale: 6,247 posts
Posted: Sunday, February 19, 2012 - 09:04 AM UTC
The insides of Emils were RLM 02 grey, with RLM 66 grey/black instument panels and details. Model Master makes those colours pre-mixed in enamel and acrylic.
raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Sunday, February 19, 2012 - 01:58 PM UTC
I'm not sure why I bought humbrol. I've never used it before. Frankly not too impressed. It doesn't hold a candle to Modelmaster enamels, and I prefer acrylic for most tasks anyway.

Back to Tamiya for me. I'll mix up a reasonable approximation of those two from whatever acryls I have lying about and hopefully have something to post later tonight!
stonar
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - West Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: August 15, 2008
KitMaker: 337 posts
AeroScale: 309 posts
Posted: Monday, February 20, 2012 - 08:03 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Only other note is the two trim wheels (I assume they're trim wheels) next to the pilot's arse will never in a million years go over the plastic pin on the seat


Nearly!
One is indeed a trim wheel and moved the entire tailplane. The other is for the landing flaps.
By turning the two together it was possible to compensate for changes in trim caused by raising or lowering the flaps simultaneously with that action.
It was a feature much admired by British pilots who tested captured Bf109s.

The safe bet for the interior of an Emil is indeed RLM 02,a greenish grey colour.

Cheers
Steve
raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Monday, February 20, 2012 - 12:11 PM UTC
Okay so moderate progress. Firstly I will again note that I promised myself I wouldn't 'marry' this model. It's just a dry run so I can build something special for the campaign. No PE, no paint bought for it, just OOB... Also I was reminded that toluene is not friends with certain plastics...



Anyway I've gone ahead and resprayed the cabin spaces. The tone is much better, it was far too dark before but for some reason it's much bluer than I had intended. I decided to go ahead and accept the incorrect grey for the interior and will just live with the regret.



The propeller is the most complained about piece of this kit, and if I'm honest it is a little spindly. But I have to say I am least pleased with the IP here, those aren't bezels they're doughnuts! The dials seem to just be 'generic airplane dials,' their placement doesn't really coincide with any photos I can find and as I mentioned before they're just cartoonish.



Here on the starboard inside of the fuselage I've added some details, very basic and ham-handed mind you. In the chart pocket I made some furnace tape charts, and added some wires to the breaker box.


In the final three photos you can see my basic colours brushed in. I will touch the IP later and then a wash or two before I seal 'er up. The plan is to go closed canopy so I won't shed too many tears for this so-so interior. I did carve the molded in seatbelt from the seat earlier, this furnace tape one is less accurate admittedly, but I feel it's more 'alive' than a surface molded one. Must get a PE folding thing, all my attempted at folding the fine copper into a proper shaped buckle thing ended up in little hoops, as shown in the final product there.



Jessie_C
_VISITCOMMUNITY
British Columbia, Canada
Joined: September 03, 2009
KitMaker: 6,965 posts
AeroScale: 6,247 posts
Posted: Monday, February 20, 2012 - 12:55 PM UTC
I think that Airfix do their cockpits with the awareness of the availability of aftermarket parts in mind. Kids won't care that it's not very accurate, and "serious" modellers infected with AMS will replace the whole thing anyway, so why should they spend the time and money getting it dead-on accurate?

I'm still not sure whether I like that attitide, but it's the reality when you deal with Airfix.
raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Monday, February 20, 2012 - 05:56 PM UTC
Further progress, its been a productive day. I finished up my ramshackle cockpit, washed it with a mixture of brown and black water-based inks, oils work better.



Then after a test fitting I sealed up the fuselage. The fit was pretty good here, squadron green and tamiya putty deal with the seams.



The cowling went on, and then the wings. The root seams are damn near flawless, credit where credit is due.





Tomorrow I have another day off and hope to find time to seal up the cockpit, attach all of the control surfaces and hopefully lay down a base and pre-shade. This is a fun little model, in response to Jessie's point about the detail level: I am very much aware that any complaints I have are just extreme nit-picking. Nobody expects a tamiya build for 25 bucks at the local HS. But it is still hard to not be a bugger about it.

Where I feel I am not nitpicking is the absence of swastika decals. This has always really boiled me about airfix. It's not an evil thing, it's a mark. It's the twisted ideas it represented that were evil. And editing it out of history for the sake of sensitive people will not help. A PG rated version of history can only hasten the fruition of the old adage about us being doomed to repeat it.
Banditt
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: March 21, 2011
KitMaker: 27 posts
AeroScale: 19 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 - 07:43 AM UTC
Enjoying the build mate shes really coming together.
vanize
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Texas, United States
Joined: January 30, 2006
KitMaker: 1,954 posts
AeroScale: 1,163 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 - 09:02 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Where I feel I am not nitpicking is the absence of swastika decals. This has always really boiled me about airfix. It's not an evil thing, it's a mark. It's the twisted ideas it represented that were evil. And editing it out of history for the sake of sensitive people will not help. A PG rated version of history can only hasten the fruition of the old adage about us being doomed to repeat it.


ABSOLUTELY!!!

having lived in Berlin for a couple years, I 100% agree. The act of the German government making the printing of swastikas to be illegal is not only widely missing the point, but really hauntingly reminiscent of the reason why swastikas have a bad rap (can you say "irony"?). Also, making it illegal makes it a far more powerful symbol for the home-grown neo-nazi skin-heads.

Also, there is no excuse to not include a two-part decal - that is a trivial solution to the legal problems it presents.
raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 - 03:43 PM UTC
If anyone has any swastikas in 1/48 they don't need I'll give 'em a good home...

Anyway not a very productive day off, having a baby saps my time. First thing I noticed was that I neglected to install the guns under the cowling before gluing it in. And believe me it is well and truly welded in there now. Very stupid mistake...



You'll also notice I've masked the canopy, no small task on an emil. I almost forgot to do the little taxiing windows. I must remember to spray a sparing first coat to seal that up.



I think I'm going to display all the control surfaces articulated but the slats, I may go back on that but the difficulty of painting under the slats or installing the after the fact with properly matched colours is a real put off... So I'm going to leave the flaps et al off until I spray down my first ultra-light base. I want to be done as much of the sanding as possible before they go on.



I forgot how much I like this aircraft. It's very attractive but moreover it's such an uncannily good match for the Spit. Aesthetically I mean, they're such similar aircraft in so many respects but also so different. The inverted V in the 109 gives it that unique nose profile, as many angles as possible on these earlier examples were geometric. Whereas the Spit is so flowing and avian.

I've also decided to install a nice little bomb under the fuselage, the drop-tank and the set of four little bombs were tempting but seemed less 'classic' somehow. I did agonize a bit over it. But I feel the single big bomb adds the most interest. Moreover it reminds me of that great chase scene in the last crusade. Even though that's a Pilatus.



Loving this build, no matter how it turns out at least I'm getting a little catharsis out of is.
stonar
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - West Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: August 15, 2008
KitMaker: 337 posts
AeroScale: 309 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 - 02:15 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Where I feel I am not nitpicking is the absence of swastika decals. This has always really boiled me about airfix. It's not an evil thing, it's a mark. It's the twisted ideas it represented that were evil. And editing it out of history for the sake of sensitive people will not help. A PG rated version of history can only hasten the fruition of the old adage about us being doomed to repeat it.


ABSOLUTELY!!!

having lived in Berlin for a couple years, I 100% agree. The act of the German government making the printing of swastikas to be illegal is not only widely missing the point, but really hauntingly reminiscent of the reason why swastikas have a bad rap (can you say "irony"?). Also, making it illegal makes it a far more powerful symbol for the home-grown neo-nazi skin-heads.

Also, there is no excuse to not include a two-part decal - that is a trivial solution to the legal problems it presents.


If Airfix put swastikas in the kit then they can't sell it in Germany and I understand some other territories. They are not the only manufacturer which leaves them off decal sheets to follow the law.

You can easily buy generic swastika sheets in various scales that give a selection of styles.

German law allows swastikas to be displayed in an educational or historical setting. Scale models are classified as toys and may not carry the symbol.It is in no sense being edited "out of history for the sake of sensitive people." Museum aircraft for instance may have them.

There was a case a few years ago which set the precedent for a swastika to be used in an anti-nazi/facist context. The logo involved was a swastika being thrown into a bin and was eventually allowed.

I've had several discussions with German colleagues over the years and my experience is different from the one above. The majority are quite happy for the symbol not to be displayed though some do think the law may go a bit too far. Germany is a democracy and if enough people want to change the law it can be changed. This is in no way "reminiscent of the reason swastikas have a bad rap" however ironic you were being.

Modern neo-nazi organisations may not and do not display the swastika in public without risking a quick trip to gaol without passing go and that's how it should be.

I like to build historically accurate aircraft and am happy to apply the swastikas. I absolutely respect those who choose not to apply them and think nothing less of their models for that choice.
That freedom of choice is what we were fighting for.

Rant over!

Cheers
Steve
Snorri23
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 25, 2010
KitMaker: 514 posts
AeroScale: 244 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 - 04:26 AM UTC
I am enjoying your build of the new Airfix Bf 109. Was interested in obtaining one if it built well and represented the actual item. So far It looks quite nice and will look forward to obtaining one. Thanks for the build review. I must comment that you have fallen into the trap most modellers do who build the 109. The seam running down the top and bottom of the fuselage need to be there. For the fuselage was built in halves, like a clamshell. They were riveted to each other to form one section then adhered to the previous built section. Eventually creating the fuselage.
raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 - 01:33 PM UTC

Quoted Text

For the fuselage was built in halves, like a clamshell.


Damn. I tried a few times to scribe a new seam in there, but squadron is not so forgiving as plastic, it's very difficult so I've decided that no seam is better than a rubbish one.

All of the control surfaces but the elevators went on today. Also a good deal of touch-ups with CA, Squadron and Tamiya Putty. Sanding has progressed.



It's beginning to look like a nice little airplane. I decided to put the slats in the out position but they did not look good, the kit is not delicate enough for it I would have to say. So the slats are in, the flaps are down, and the ailerons are articulated.



I must comment that on many previous builds in the past I have been frustrated by strut-supported horizontal stabilizers. In theory they should be much easier to glue in but in practice it is often not the case. Not so here though. The struts seat into lovely large slots on the body and made for a very easy stabilizer install. The fit of this kit has been pretty good so far I must say.



I believe that tomorrow all that will remain pre-painting is elevators, drill out a few things (casing ejectors), a little more sanding and to deepen all of the panel lines.



Two things though. Can anyone suggest a way to install the cannons in the cowling now that it's in place?

And any good reference shots showcasing wear and chipping, especially on the wings and around the nose would be much appreciated.
Snorri23
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 25, 2010
KitMaker: 514 posts
AeroScale: 244 posts
Posted: Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 04:10 AM UTC
The cowling guns barely poked out beyond the opening. Just angle drill a hole then widen it out or just cut the tips off the barrels and glue them on. The kit looks quite nice will build one some day. Was the fit for the fuselage that atrocious that it needed that much putty along the spine?
raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Sunday, February 26, 2012 - 04:17 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Was the fit for the fuselage that atrocious that it needed that much putty along the spine?


It was not too bad really. If you look further up there's less putty before I tried to re-scribe the latitudinal seam on the fuselage, that was several failures that resulted in a build up of putty.

Anyway. I got the elevators on, deepened some lines that were worn down by sanding and laid a base coat.



The base always brings many failings to light. Here I like to use a soft pencil to mark all of the things that bother me. Otherwise I'll miss some and be that much more annoyed when I lay a second base. The grey on grey doesn't show up so well but if you're eagle-eyed you'll see my little arrows and circles.



So here we've sanded all the unpleasant bits. After the second base I had only a few little things to fill and then she was good. (not totally happy with it but I am more than a little rusty)



And so Finally I had time tonight to also do the pre-shading. And yes, it is pretty shabby, but my excuse is that I need to buy a finer tip for my Aztek. And I suck.
I really feel I should have bought the Iwata... I am not so wise sometimes.




Anyway I got very little done recently, I had to drive out to the inlaws for the weekend and spent the whole time fantasizing about Messerschmitts...

I'm feeling the Jagdgeshwader thing. I'm strongly considering doing the FW190 campaign before I do "Fighters!"

Although my goal for the end of 2013 is to build myself the great V12 sextet. Which in my opinion can only be The 109e, the Spitfire Mk II, Warhawk P40C, Macchi C202, Ki-61 and the Mig-3.
raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 03, 2012 - 03:55 PM UTC
And I'm back. Finding time is the most difficult part of any hobby.

Anyway I'm laser-focused on this build ignoring my other projects, so progress has been made. Essentially what we've done is do the primary paint work. Notice my extremely tidy tapework.



Hellblau is the usual tamiya light blue. RLM 71 and 02 are of my own concoction, mixtures of Tamiya, Sangyo and artist's acrylics. I feel I met with some success in this regard. I will have to do some touch ups where RLM 02 went on a bit thin, and a few spots on the Hellblau, most noticeably I need to redo the wing roots. I decided to paint on hellblau first, this led to the near impossible task of making a smooth Tamiya Tape seam from the fuselage rather than the wing. Now I have to go back and mask on the wing and reapply a hellblau in enough quantities to cover the RLM 71.

Pictures a-plenty:







In any case I am very pleased with progress so far. For what is essentially a rush-job I think I'm doing pretty well!

I'm going to try and pick up the fine tip for the aztek (for the green fuselage criss-crossing) and some swastikas tomorrow.

GastonMarty
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Quebec, Canada
Joined: April 19, 2008
KitMaker: 595 posts
AeroScale: 507 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 03, 2012 - 11:05 PM UTC

This looks superb to me...

Why there was such trouble in making a good 1/48th Me-109, for 63+ years, is beyond me...

This kit looks so good, it could be a companion to the Zvezda F.

I would advise not using the kit prop from what I heard...

Good work on the paint! Very clean.

Gaston
raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Friday, March 09, 2012 - 03:29 PM UTC
So I've had a few setbacks. On the weekend I got eager to reach the decal stage and the mistake monster reared its ugly head.

Soon after the Frustration monster hoved into view...

Needless to say I've had to repaint like... a lot. So I finished up re-doing the RLM 70 tonight, and the baby and the wife remaining asleep I figured "hours left, let's work on the enterprise. I will make sure progress there."



And that's when things got ugly. I think a lot of you will see what I was doing there, and guess where that number 12 blade ended up.



Aaaaaaargh. Right in the tip of my left thumb. My model holding thumb.

Progress halted.

Its especially sad that I work all day, every day, with knives, and table saws, and all manner of mangling, chopping and maiming equipment. Only to come home and sink an xacto into my thumb so deep it's a member of the family now.
SgtRam
Staff MemberEditor-at-Large
AEROSCALE
#197
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 06, 2011
KitMaker: 3,971 posts
AeroScale: 511 posts
Posted: Friday, March 09, 2012 - 03:58 PM UTC
Been there done that, damn knife attacked me for no reason... Hope your thumb heals quick so you can get back to building.
AussieReg
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
#007
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Victoria, Australia
Joined: June 09, 2009
KitMaker: 8,156 posts
AeroScale: 3,756 posts
Posted: Friday, March 09, 2012 - 04:27 PM UTC
I've really enjoyed following your build here Richard, and your paint scheme looks superb. I did however cringe and almost shed a tear at the Xacto incident !


Quoted Text

. . . my goal for the end of 2013 is to build myself the great V12 sextet. Which in my opinion can only be The 109e, the Spitfire Mk II, Warhawk P40C, Macchi C202, Ki-61 and the Mig-3.


Now THERE is a really good idea for a Campaign for 2013, "The Great WWII V12 Sextet." One superb design from each of the major players, what a great gallery that would create.

Cheers, D
Littorio
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: September 15, 2004
KitMaker: 4,728 posts
AeroScale: 1,351 posts
Posted: Friday, March 09, 2012 - 10:25 PM UTC
Enjoying your build Richard, I may have to get me one of these.
Now that flesh coloured cutting mat your using will heal like the green one but takes longer and hurts like hell, ouch.

Damian I like that idea, but I prefer other versions of some of those aircraft, like Spitfire I or Vb, and Bf-109G. Something to play with any way.
raypalmer
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 29, 2010
KitMaker: 1,151 posts
AeroScale: 985 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 10, 2012 - 03:00 PM UTC
Ok so progress made.

I finished re-doing the paintwork that had been damaged, I was more or less forced into lowering the three-quarters line where Hellblau turns to Splinter lest I have to completely repaint from scratch again, as a result the three quarters line (although acceptable for Emil's of the period) is no longer 100 percent for the particular aircraft being made. (White 7, LG 2, France 1940.)

So anyway here it is with the colours on:





So now to the gun and exhaust stains. Easy peasy. Except the thorn in my side that's been hampering me this whole time crops up again. Only much much worse.

My airbrush keeps clogging. Then the inevitable unclog followed by a burst of not-wanted paint. This causes my upper-wing stains to be quite terrible, the need to mask the unneeded paint that came out results in the powder marks being far too pronounced there.

But on the plus side I figure out that the "Golden" brand artist's acrylic I was using for all my black paint (which went into damn near everything but hellblau) totally clots when alcohol is applied. I notice only now because I switched to 99% alcohol and I was using black unadulterated for the first time.

Lesson learned, stick to MM, Sangyo and Tamiya.

So here's my blackened Emil.






As I said I am unhappy with the scoring on the upper wing surfaces but I have an Fw190 in the post right now and I intend to make this learning experience count when I build that and win the 190 Campaign

Future is drying overnight and tomorrow I'm going to apply decals. Point me to a good article on using Microsol and Microset!!
Jessie_C
_VISITCOMMUNITY
British Columbia, Canada
Joined: September 03, 2009
KitMaker: 6,965 posts
AeroScale: 6,247 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 10, 2012 - 04:48 PM UTC
Using Set and Sol is fairly easy. Set is a wetting agent; you apply it on the area the decal is to go, then slide the decal into place. If it's fairly thin, you brush on a coat of set overtop, then (and this is the important bit) you don't touch it again until it's dry! I can't empahasise that strongly enough. Now let the decal dry. If there are air bubbles, or it didn't settle down into the detail, poke the bubbles with a pin or knife tip, and apply Sol. Sol will wrinkle the decal, but it should smooth out as it dries. Once again don't touch until it dries! If you touch it, even accidentally, you'll end up with a smeared decal mess all over your model and your fingers. Resist the temptation to touch, move, prod or otherwise persuade your decal. Let the Sol do its thing all by itself.

If the decal is thicker, use Set to wet the area, then brush on the sol right away. Once again don't touch until it dries!

In all cases use a wide, soft clean brush to apply the Set and Sol. Rinse the brush with water after using it.

If your decals are armour plated like Tamiya's, try using Walther's Solvaset.

If you're unhappy with your smoke stains, you might want to spray a thin coat of your base colours overtop to fade them out a little.
 _GOTOTOP