Steffen Arndt has done a superb build of Eduard's new Bf 109E-1.

On April 21st, 2012, Steffan and his model are entered in a show, but before he left he sent us an exclisive sneak preview.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Hi Steffen,

Very nice work!

I hope I will see the model in Siegen. I'm currently building mine and I think it's a fine kit indeed, though I agree with you, some PE parts are not mandatory. The all plastic Weekend editions will be real bargains and will produce an excellent kit out of the box.

Jean-Luc

Hi Steffen

Lovely job all round!

It gives me itchy fingers though, because I'm still waiting to see the kit after the sample somehow went to the wrong address a couple of months ago...

All the best

Rowan

Thanks Jean-Luc and Rowan!

J-L: I will bring it to Siegen, though I am not sure if I will attach the antenna ....

Thanks also to Jessica for preparing the article and correcting the name ...
still not fully correct, but a lot better than the first version I already wrote quite long explanations several times here and I am getting a bit tired of it .. thought I am also pedantic about this issue

In short: [Manufacturer: 1 capital letter, 1 small letter] [space] [Number given by RLM] [model: capital letter] [dash] [sub-type: Number][rare (e.g. Me 262): engine: small letter] there is more but the Rüstsatz/Umbausatz-thingie gets very difficult and fuzzy so in this case:

Bf 109E-1

sorry for being a PITA

cheers

Steffen

Well, yesterday I talked to a few people and I'd like to share kind of a hint.

When I build a kit I keep not strickt to the instructions which sometimes is really bad but sometimes seems to pay off. Jan Z told us at Nuremberg that one of the test builders screwed up the whole appearance of the kit when he did not pay close attention to the fit of the chin oil cooler

The nose assembly looked o.k.in the kit instructions, but I wanted a good fit of the chin cooler, which is not possible to check when you build it in before the fuselage halfs are mated as the engine with exhaust stacks has to be sandwiched between these. Furthermore I think that fast modellers can easily screw up the correct position of the exhaust stacks.

Here is my approach: I completed the wing and the fuselage separately (firewall backwards), then I put the fuselage to the wing (dry, no glue! --- perfect fit on my kit!) and testfit the cooler This was good and I glued it in. Then I attached the engine and had to fiddle a bit with the mounts and fuel line. But this was no real issue as I separated wing and fuselage again. Now I glued in the stacks through the opening in the fuselage (front to rear) .. they literally snapped into the small holes in the engine block.

So all in all no big deal, but I had no fit issues with my kit! If you look at picture 2 you might ask yourself why the part seems to be damaged. Well, I preferred to use the plastic hand trim wheels on the PE mount from the extra set which of course did not fit and forced me scrap away some plastic in the left fuselage half ... my own decision.

all the best

Steffen

Hi again Steffen

Thanks for the heads-up on the assembly - I'll pay attention when I finally get my greedy mitts on one of these beauties!

Most of us aim for a degree of accuracy with our builds, so I think you are quite correct to place similar importance in getting the name right - it's history, after all. I came across an "ME-109" in old magazine recently and couldn't help but think of you with a wry smile.

All the best

Rowan

That's a really nice "Emil" Mr. Steffen
Really like it

Cheers Nick

Okay, changed again
Aren't we glad that I keep the originals of the photos?
You should be pedantic. This is history we're playing around with and we should strive to be as accurate as possible.

Thanks again Jessica!

this is my pet peeve on Luftwaffe aircraft discussed online

@Nick: thanks mate!

all the best

Steffen

Very cool build of the BF-109e/1, Steffen. Good tips on how to build match up the parts accurately.

PS. Just joking about the Bf 109E-1 name part

Thanks a lot Jesper!

I was at a modelshow in Wilnsdorf to meet Jean-Luc .... that darn bastard had build 2 kits silently over the past month. He might have some more hints (maybe / probably even better). Buy TMM France to read his view.

He was so kind to tell me that one cannnot see that 2 modelers built the 3 kits .. but I think his are at least one class better (is still like mine, but it is a bit frustrating)





all the best

Steffen

Hi Steffen

Great trio of Emils - and your's does indeed sit perfectly with Jean-Luc's pair.

I've known Jean-Luc to be called a few things on Aeroscale over the years, but never a darn b*stard before!

All the best

Rowan

HI Rowan,

I was a bit amazed that the auto censoring did not crop that, but as this is really no evil attack at my french friend I think the board did make an exception ...

cheers

Steffen

Hi Rowan,




Steffen should be banned from Aeroscale for that...

Jean-Luc

P.S. I wonder what the other "few things" are...

Hi Jean-Luc

Don't worry - Steffen will have to submit another great Feature to make up for it.

Other things you've been called? - I think there have been Maestro and Mon Capitaine, but surely the worst is Santa Luc! Utter filth!

All the best

Rowan

That might be your accepted nomenclature today. The problem is that many people prefer no spaces,it helps with search features on many sites.

Many contemporary documents would have your type written as:

Bf 109 E-1

Note the extra space.
I've just had a look at about five or six and they all follow that format.
Here's a couple of typical examples.





If we should pontificate that any format is "correct" then maybe it should be that originally used by the RLM/Luftwaffe.
Frankly I don't think that there is any point in getting our knickers in a twist about this sort of thing.

Steve

Hi Steve

well, the point was not about one or two spaces here and there but about the general layout and the frequent use of dashes in every place you can imagine. (I agree that there can (should) be a space after the type number)

cheers

Steffen