I know little about aircraft and even less about the 109. I almost thought that the photos were real, the seat belts look outstanding. I can't comment on seems and such since I wouldn't know what was suppoed to be where. Very nicely built model though.

Hi there

Welcome to both Frank and Mike

I've been out of the loop on this one, so I wont go into "seams or not seams"! I had a bit of that on my Sea Hornet! ... I never did find what people had picked up on.

Frank - What a beautiful model! The camouflage and weathering are fantastic. :-)

The one thing I'd like to ask about concerns the oil cooler. Most of my refs seem to show that unit painters were careful not to spray tactical markings directly over the radiator face itself. Seeing as you've done this so deliberately and completely, I'm sure you've got evidence to back it up and won't mind my question.

All the best

Rowan

Guys, thanks for the comments - especially from you senior armor builders. I take you finding my model to look real as about the highest compliment I could get. My weathering is inspired by what I see in the armor world. I don't post much but I real all kinds of armor sites to try to learn way's to make my aircraft look more realistic.
Realistic is what I am striving for, and this isn't the last model I am going to make, so if it fell short -that's OK it's alot closer than a kit I built 5 years ago!

Merlin: as to the oil radiator face - I had no idea. I think you know something I don't. Can you be specific on where that information is found?

Regards,

--Frank

Hi Frank

No, my comments not down to any particular reference, I'm afraid - it's more a question of never having seen the radiator painted before, so it leaped out at me.

I've had a quick look through my reference pics and, where the lower cowling is re-painted and you can see the radiator, it looks pretty clean - I guess this is why I'd assumed the painters tried to avoid getting paint on it.

I've flicked through Michael Ullmann's "Luftwaffe Colours" to see if there's a mention in the official painting instructions, but I couldn't spot anything.

Incidently, I wonder what you make of his point about the interior of flaps etc. being left n/m from 1942 onwards to conserve materials. I've stared at photos, but I can't confirm it either way, so I'd appreciate your advice.

All the best

Rowan

Thanks for the welcome Rowan . As to your question about parts being left unpainted, it would have been closer to late '44. After a point, aside from camo, only steel and wood parts were to be primed.
Mike
a
b
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...but as with most things LW, that wasn't always the case necessarily.

Cheers Mike

I'd always associated those type of resource-saving measures to the last year, or so, of the war... but the document which Michael Ullman quotes is dated 18 May 1942...

It would be interesting to see the reaction to a model painted (not painted ) in accordance to the RLM directive...

All the best

Rowan

FrankC,

That's a beautiful 109 you've built. I'd like to throw in a couple of comments (heck, I can't see the seam lines either). First, in the bucket seat, the metal connector of the harness bends to conform to the contour of the seat. I'd think that being a metal connector it would remain straight. The second nit is that the starting crank is uniformly weathered - it would seem that the grip part would be more polished by the continual use. I'm not saying that it would be chrome, but, you know, shinier.

Hope these help,
Mika

I showed that to a friend, and he didnt realise it was a scale model until he saw the base

One of the ultimate comments. Well done Frank.

Frank C, I'd say I'd haft to give you an A+, now I normally don't look at wing things, but your 109 really caught my eye, now I'm real hard on mold seams, and I can useually see them when others can't, but I never could see any, and believe me I looked, and I believe if you can see one, you can remove it.
At first I thought you had one on your manifold on the engine, but then I noticed, it is supposed to have a seem there. Mighty fine job of building and weathering, keep up the good work.

Best regards Kerry

Hi FrackC,,
Marvelous!!
You have done a great job...
looking at the photo, at first i thought this is a real plane..
and nice shoot also..i love the BW photos..
man..if i can build a 1/32 models just like this....

good paintjob...
good base dio job

this make me wanna start build 1/32 prop plane back......

man................