Bf109f

[stona]

That looks good. Exhaust staining on Luftwaffe aircraft appears more "black" than that on ours. I guess it's something to do with the composition of the fuels. Like Trey I spray it. I use burnt umber,grey and black.

For aerials I use 1Kg monofilament fishing line. Depending on the attachment point I drill a small hole or cut a small groove and use superglue to attach the line. To tighten it heat a spatula (or similar) and pass it close to the line. Too close and you're starting again. The wire on a Bf109 which ran from the fin to mast wire down to the fuselage I attach at the top with white glue and pass into a small hole in the fuselage. It's not quite the insulater on the real thing but it's easy to do! Tensioners I do by stretching white glue along the antenna in the relevant places. The wind deflector towards the front and rear can be made by pushing a sharp pencil,or similar, into a warmed piece of thin platic card to make a cone which you can trim to size. I don't think you need to worry about them on an F. Some had them,some didn't.

Moelder's E with deflectors.

Marseille's F without deflectors.

A detail,from a restored aircraft of the antenna lead into the fuselage.

The antenna wires were stainless steel. Once I'm happy with mine I paint the fishing line with aluminium paint,Humbrol 56. They were NOT black!

Cheers

Steve

[Vaughan]

Hi all well I've had a go at fitting the ariel wire from the mast to the tail fin.

I have also added the down wire to the fuselage. I think the hole I drilled is slightly too large but not bad for a first attempt. I painted it with Humbrol aluminium Metalcote which went on ok. Glueing with super glue was interesting as it doesn't go off straight away as you would think it would. Thanks Steve for the tips and archive photos. Here's some images and I've also added the drop tank.

Vaughan

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[Guest]

Hi all well I've had a go at fitting the ariel wire from the mast to the tail fin.I have also added the down wire to the fuselage. I think the hole I drilled is slightly too large but not bad for a first attempt. I painted it with Humbrol aluminium Metalcote which went on ok. Glueing with super glue was interesting as it doesn't go off straight away as you would think it would. Thanks Steve for the tips and archive photos. Here's some images and I've also added the drop tank.

Vaughan

I have used for the last three models thread for the mast rigging. Gold Zack Strick-Elastic Knitting in Elastic. Obtainable on Ebay or was it Amazon this is nylon clear. Have a black EZ Line. Both are elastic. If you use super glue there is generally no need for holes. Also if a friend is clumsy & picks up your model there is stretch to save your rigging

Super Glue. Probably using a shop bought superglue. The best are the pro super glues of which there are an array & they are apparently much better made. Thin medium thick & gel plus a brush application. Apply with a very smooth plastic toothpick trying not to touch the mast or nylon elastic. The supplies of pro super glue also sell an accelerator. A drop of this will send the glue off in milli. secs. The last wire I glued was to a dress makers pin which I had made as the stub mast on the tail had broken off & it made a perfect & strong joint.

Laurie

[stona]

That's turned out well as they say!

There are plenty of options for antenna wires,but many are way overscale. Even monofilament is to some extent. RAF aircraft used the "cheese cutter" IFF antenna,that's the wires that run from the tailplanes to the fuselage until 1943 but you try and see them in a photograph!

Using a kicker for your superglue is a good idea but be aware of a sometimes nuisance side effect....heat.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

i work in a builders merchant and been using product called "mitre fast" marketed by ever build. i have had very good results with this and it is basically a superglue and can of accelerator and it goes off in about 2 or 3 seconds. so if anyone is struggling to find ca accelerator try your local builders merchant, also while your there get them to get you some wet and dry sandpaper at ridiculusly cheaper prices than the like of halfrauds.

[Guest]

That's turned out well as they say!There are plenty of options for antenna wires,but many are way overscale. Even monofilament is to some extent. RAF aircraft used the "cheese cutter" IFF antenna,that's the wires that run from the tailplanes to the fuselage until 1943 but you try and see them in a photograph!

Using a kicker for your superglue is a good idea but be aware of a sometimes nuisance side effect....heat.

Cheers

Steve

Agree Steve they can be way overscale. That is the beauty of elastic threads I have mentioned. They actually stretch about 7 times their ordinary length. As you stretch so the thread becomes smaller.

"Quote from little-cars.co.uk for EZ Line

There are two thicknesses

Colours available are Charcoal, Rust copper/Green(old copper) and white.

These are available in fine 0.003 inch or heavy 0.006 inch.

It is supposed to stretch to 7 times it's original length and doesn't free.

At the moment I'm selling it in reels , but am expecting to cut these down and add them to my detailing range so people can try it without having to fork out for a whole reel."

Worked out that at 1/72 .OO3 that would work out in the real size at about 5.4mm .006 at 10.9mm

1/48scale .003 at 3.6mm .006 at 7.1mm

Laurie