Hah, the picture was not taken at the workbench, I spread out the kit on the sitting room table (a.k.a. my photo studio) for the picture.

After a unplanned weekend at work when one of the other managers came down with the flu, I finally got to finish up the cockpit of the Bf110. It's quite basic, but I decided to make it a bit more interesting with scratch-built seat harnesses.
Picture at Instagram

Weathering, done. Final touchups and details, done. Landing gear, attached. Another Hanger Queen is ready to take it's spot on the shelf...



I present the finished Messerschmitt ME P.1111 in "1946 Defense of the Reich" markings for JG.400, 2nd Group.

The kit from PM Model was a little rough around the edges, but went together well. I have alot of fun building these little PM kits, so I scooped up a bunch of them recently as I heard the owner died and the moulds for all their products had been destroyed.











Thanks for looking.

WOW, that thing is doing a 100 knots while standing still. I'm not much on Luft '46, but that's a good looking bird.

Great Work

Don't forget to post a photo or two in the gallery. (You're welcome Bob.)

@ Van: ditto on what Mark said, it is a good looking bird.

@ Mark: thanks belatedly

Bob

Nice job there Van! I enjoy seeing those Luftwaffe '46 kits done. Some don't, but it is an interesting exercise in what if had history gone another way. Thanks for sharing it with us, I'm sure you will enjoy having it on your shelf. Russell

OK, its time to get this bird into the done column. Its been languishing in my closet for more than 2 years.

Cheers,
Fred

@ Fred:

Wow! what a start, love the stripe job. Glad you could join all of us.

Bob

Thanks, Bob. This is one of my first "limited run" kits. Looking at it now, I don't like the colorway of the upper surface green and gray as much as when I first sprayed it, but I can live with it.

What brought this build to a halt (and consequently made me miss my campaign deadline) were several build challenges, however, just since dusting it off I spent some time reflecting on the overall state of the build. I think I've got a solution for each and every build roadblock left.

Now all I have to do is remember what mixture of yellow I sprayed for the vichy markings.

Cheers,
Fred

Last night I got the main paintjob underway on the Messerschmitt

Agamas RLM 70 and RLM 71 is (as they should be) quite close in nuance, but in natural light the two greens look different enough.

One thing that caused some extra checking of references is the fact tha Airfix has the bad pratice of not including swastikas on the decalsheets. After a bit of reading I found that Messerschmitt delivered Bf109s at this time (1939-1940) with 315mm swastikas. I found it reasonable to assume the same size was used on Bf110s. 315mm would be about 4,375mm in 1:72 scale. I used a set of 650mm in 1:144 scale (from a Kopro decal sheet), which is 4,514 mm I doubt the 0.16mm difference is noticeable.

All done! Uploaded pictures to the gallery.

(A few more pictures on my blog)

Nicely done Eirik.

Bob

I haven't forgotten about this campaign!!
Just to prove it I have finished the main painting phase on the Su-2..

That is Mr Color lacquer paint and boy does it dry flat!! Flattest paint I have ever used. First coat I did I unwittingly used the wrong thinner. I assumed being a lacquer I could use lacquer thinner, BUT it sprayed very strangely and bit of paint lifted and it looked like there were cobwebs all over it. Then I remembered I had some Mr Color Thinner on the desk. I used it and it worked very well.
On the home stretch now. I don't know what happened to the undercarriage so it will be a belly sitter. And the turret had some weird residue on it I thought I had removed. But when I tried to apply the mask I had found it just lifted off immediately. SO the turret is hand painted while the rest of the canopy used the old, grey Eduard mask.
Lets hope the decals work..
Cheers
Warren

That's quite an interesting and uncommon subject yo have going there, Warren.
The canopy lining looks pretty good. I hope the decals work too, Id like to see that finished!

The LS-8 makes its return. I've been slowly getting the surface smooth and white, which has been taking longer than I had anticipated.

@ Warren: that sounds like how Floquil would behave when I used it in the 1970's.

@ Jessie: your sail plane just has beautiful lines and such a grace that it makes me want to go out to any glider feild and go flying.

Bob

Well, after sitting in a state of unfinishedness for about 5 years the Su-2 is finally finished. It will be a belly sitter but I am happy with it after the fit problems I had.


The decals had been dunked in Future before I applied them and had not dried as yet hence the darker patch around them.
This plane caught my eye when I was very young in one of Kenneth Munson's books that I used to get out of the library all the time and now I have one in the collection.
Wish I could get all those books..
Cheers
Warren

That's a fine model Warren. I suppose it's 72 scale?

I must say that a very dark brown wash should improve the result by breaking a bit of that overall russian green, have you considered it?

Cheers

By the way, I have started my 2nd queen (the 109) but somehow lost sight of my camera. Still looking for it

Sorry, yes it is ICM's 1/72 Sukhoi Su-2. Once all the decals etc are 100% dry I might give it a wash.

Just to help anyone who may be interested (and myself) how would you go about it, Pedro?

Way to go Warren, do not forget the gallery.

Bob

Hi,

Another small up-date...!

It' need some touch ups, but the legs are on it way...



And the cooling, a llot of hard work is on this little part..!





Thanks

Diego

Diego, the cowling and legs look fine. What scheme/color will you use?

Bob

Hello Rob,

It will be the CR-42CN MM7584 of Capitano Corrado Ricci, CO of 300ª Squadriglia, in Ciampino Spring 1942...

She is a colorful machine, but still a Nightfighter...

Diego

@ Warren, well you can tackle the washes with several products.
My favourite so far is a very dilluted wash of Valejjo black+ Mahogany brown in a 50-50 ratio. This method gives, to my eye, the best result but it's very demanding cause the wash mix dries rather fast and quite often leaves flood stains that you need to avoid by using a wet cotton or even a finger (I go for the latter cause it's cheaper Lol).
Another good way is using oils+ white spirit or AK enamel based products.
Early this month i got my hands on another product that i am yet to fully test...Flory Models washes. Take a peek at their website to see how simple to use it seems to be.
Just be sure to use any wash after applying a gloss varnish coat.

Hope this helps
Cheers

Pedro

A bunch more decals on the Duce.


Still a bunch of fiddly decals to go, I may not use them all. Next onto the missles.

Ok, I have a entry (better late than never) for this GB..
Been sitting idle for about 12 months at least so should qualify.

Only problem is its missing its tail wheel so will have to delve into my spared box there.