Eduard 1/48 bf 109 E-4 Weekend Edition

[Alan 45]

No probs mate I think I know what I'm going to do and if it's wrong it's wrong

[Guest]

No probs mate I think I know what I'm going to do and if it's wrong it's wrong

That's a philosophy I believe in!

[stona]

Is the Airfix one the E 1? I'm thinking those ones had a strip of 02/71 across the dorsal spine & the fuselage was RLM 65 almost up to the top.

The E-1 was the earliest of the 'Emils' but most were upgraded to E-3, E-4 or even E-7 standard subsequently. They always retained their original werknummer and it can be very difficult to ascertain what standard a particular aeroplane has been upgraded to from photographs.

As far as the camouflage goes there was an evolution. Initially the early 'Emils' wore a splinter scheme of 70/71, the same colours as bomber and transport aircraft. This was modified by over painting (or substituting in new production) 02 for the 70 giving the 71/02 scheme most familiar from the Battles of France and Britain. Initially the RLM 65 was carried very high up the fuselage, at least to the lower edge of the canopy and in some cases so high it did leave little more than the strip referred to above. The only way to be sure is by finding a reference to your subject, or at least a similar aircraft from the same unit.

The RLM 65 was soon discovered to compromise camouflage on the ground and subsequently all sorts of stripes, squiggles, mottles and stipples were applied to tone down the blue sides. Again, only a reference picture can give a certain answer to how an aircraft looked at a given time.

Without going into too much detail the evolution continued to the 74/75 over 76 fighter scheme, with a lower demarcation and a factory applied mottle. It is sometimes possible to identify where a machine was produced from this characteristic mottle.

Late in the war things got very confused and complicated indeed with the introduction of the new 81,82 and 83 colours, initially used in combination with the previous 74 and 75 colours, and also either a new underside colour (sometimes referred to as RLM 84) or at least a new shade of RLM 76. That's a can o' worms for somewhere else

That is a potted and very simplified overview of Luftwaffe camouflage. Whole books can be, and are, written on the subject. I know because I've got a lot of them! I'm always happy to attempt to answer any specific questions.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Thanks Steve! As usual your encyclopedic knowledge astounds me I'll most likely be asking when I start my Dora.

[flyjoe180]

Nice work Patrick. Humbrol now do a nice range of RLM colours.

[Guest]

Nice work Patrick. Humbrol now do a nice range of RLM colours.

Thanks Joe! Unfortunately my LMS only stocks the standard/older range of Humbrol colours

But I'm thinking of trying Xtracolor as most of their paints are gloss & they have an extensive choice of aircraft colours.

[stona]

But I'm thinking of trying Xtracolor as most of their paints are gloss & they have an extensive choice of aircraft colours.

Patrick if you are using enamel paints then take a look at the White Ensign Models Colourcoats.

https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/c/Colourcoats+Aircraft+Colours/52/1/

Most of their colours seem very accurate to me. Some may need a little lightening for scale (particularly their RLM 75 IIRC) but they spray as any other enamel thinned with white spirits and give excellent results. Their RLM 71, 02 and 65, as likely applicable to a Bf 109 E-4, are superb.

You can order direct from WEM and I've always received my paints within a few days. You will incur a postal charge but I always compare that with the cost of getting into town, parking etc

Having said that I did use Xtracrylix in a brief flirtation with acrylics and whatever else I think about them I thought their RLM colours were very good. I expect that Xtracolor will be similar.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I've seen the WEM paints before (mainly after your previous builds) , but as I'm on a budget atm they're just too expensive!

I like the idea of the Xtracolor paints as they're gloss - they should provide a better finish ... I hope!

[tr1ckey66]

Hi Patrick

This is another build i've just caught up with. Nice Galland 109. You getting the winged-thing bug too? I do hope so! Great model, nicely finished. Not much more to do now - aerial mast etc.

I'm going to quickly check the completed aircraft section to make sure you've not already finished it!

All the best

P

[Guest]

Hi PatrickThis is another build i've just caught up with. Nice Galland 109. You getting the winged-thing bug too? I do hope so! Great model, nicely finished. Not much more to do now - aerial mast etc.

I'm going to quickly check the completed aircraft section to make sure you've not already finished it!

All the best

P

Thank you Paul! Praise from your skilled self is praise indeed!

I have the winged bug for sure! I'm looking at the parts of an Eduard FW 190 D-11 right now!

As far as this one goes, I'm just waiting

for Eduard to send me a part I lost by mistake!