Messerschmitt BF109 Z Trop, fighter bomber, Sweet 1/144

[Guest]

First completed build of 2011 and theres a WHIF in the air.

Having recently read the excellent Haynes manual on the BF109 and reading of the variants I became quite fascinated with the idea of the Z and thought a model of one would be nice, receiving the excellently moulded Sweet 1/144 Trop ‘star of Africa’ kit I thought, this is ideal, especially as there are two kits per box and what better than a partial scratchbuild on a scale you’ve never built before to make it a bit of a challenge!

The plane was made entirely from the kit parts and sprue from the sweet box, nothing external added.

I’m delighted with it overall with the exception of the canopy which I’m really disappointed with, I had masked it and painted, (which took a while), and the mask unfortunately removed some frame paint and left residue, being fair it had been on a while.

I then had to paint the frame over, by hand and mine isn’t the steadiest when it comes to fiddly brush painting.

Based on White 7, Lt Helmuth Fenzi, (because I didn’t like the half fuselage demarcation and liked the number 7, no particular reason why, though of course most building one of these kits would build Hans Joachim Marseille’s machine)

The ‘bombs’ are created from the drop tanks modified with fins and a yellow nose.

I know the ‘plans’ round and about show a flatter constant chord centre wing but as it’s a WHIF, who knows, and it was too tricky to scratch and make it look as nice as the rest of the kit moulding.

Final pic is a comparison between an Airfix 72nd Hurricane for size.

Hope you like it.

[Guest]

Wow Mike that is one awesome zwilling ! Thats incredible especially at that small a scale . I would'nt beat yourself up about the canopy even masking something that small is quite an undertaking let alone free handing it. Great job and very unique, my hats off to you Sir on a job well done!

[Guest]

Tiny but perfectly built

[stona]

That's a hell of a job at that scale,well done. Odd looking machine .

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

...Final pic is a comparison between an Airfix 72nd Hurricane for size.

Hope you like it.

Nice one! What a tiny fiddly little thing. I'll bet he's the first 109-pilot that ever really felt intimidated by a lone Hurricane.

/Daniel

[Guest]

That's a hell of a job at that scale,well done. Odd looking machine .Cheers

Steve

Thanks all.

I'm surprised you don't have a ream of info on these Steve. I know none were ever found as the one which was built was destroyed in an allied bombing raid and it went no further but there are plans which were found, the starboard fuselage had a huge fuel tank in place of the cockpit and it was piloted from the left much like the Mustang twin fuselage so theoretically even though it was powering two engines it should have vastly extended the useable range.

I was actually looking forward to your wealth of knowledge and hearing something i hadn't already read.

Re Daniels comment, that'd certainly get the bowels moving wouldn't it, seeing an enemy fighter bearing down on you that's twice the size you'd expect.

I'd recommend these kits to anyone, even if you quake at the thought of a 72nd scale as they are an easy build due to the moulding quality, not a dash of filler on this one, everything fits perfectly, it has recessed panel lines and the moulding is better than some 48th scale i've had, seriously.

You get two goes per box in case you mess up the first or if you don't you can build two different registrations, the decals supplied are enough to build two and then probably another two, I wish all decal sheets were like this.

The tricky bit is getting a decent paint job, i'm a bit nervous at the thought of the Barbarossa F-4 and the Hurricane camo jobs which i've yet to build, (I was so impressed by the quality I bought a Zero, Hurricane and Barbarossa BF109 F-4 straightaway to add to the stash)

Meant to add also, it's the nice little touches that make it exceptional quality like the fact that the left nose cannon sits further forward than the right as per the real thing, the displacement due to the magazine boxes not allowing side by side placement. Yes it's only a stub of styrene but how many 72 / 48 kits don't have this?

[Guest]

I think this is a little cracker of a model and what an incredibly innovative thing to do with a kit that has two model aircraft in it! Brilliant.

As for all this in 1/144th scale, it's way beyond my eyes nowadays, I still peer over the top of my glases in 1/35th!!

[yak face]

Hi mike , great little conversion, excellent arent they these little gems? As you say the canopies are really tricky , the magnifying light is essential! Cheers tony

[stona]

Thanks all.I'm surprised you don't have a ream of info on these Steve.

Well they never entered service which always tempers my enthusiasm a little. I've got a book somewhere in which various "zwilling" get a mention. It's really more about the Mistel combos but I do remember at least some drawings if not photos. I'll see if I can dig it out.

They were an interesting idea and,as you've shown,make a great subject for a model.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I'd be interested in anything you can find Steve, theres only a brief mention of the variants which weren't actively used in the Haynes book and other bits I got from the net, I quite like the look of some of the Mistel Combinations too, wouldn't mind tackling one of the FW190's

[Guest]

An amazing job there, and the scale is far beyond me, well built and painted, and a great subject.Top marks.

[stona]

I'd be interested in anything you can find Steve, theres only a brief mention of the variants which weren't actively used in the Haynes book and other bits I got from the net, I quite like the look of some of the Mistel Combinations too, wouldn't mind tackling one of the FW190's

I've had a dig. Favourite was the excellent "Mistel German Composite Aircraft and Operations 1942-1945" by Robert Forsyth. I hadn't read it for a while but I didn't find the Zwilling stuff I expected in their. Lots of Mistels obviously. If you have any specific Mistel requests I'd be happy to sort anything useful for you.

If I do stumble across anything Zwilling related I'll let you know.I can't keep all my books and magazines downstairs so there's a chance it's been filed in the loft!

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Something like this.

http://www.albentley-drawings.com/images/S2%20Long%20Nose.1.jpg

[stona]

Arthur Bentley and Eddie Creek did all the technical drawings for the book I mentioned above. If you see either of their names on a drawing you know it will be good!

I also have some good colour profiles by Tom Tullis and Dennis Davison in the same book.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I met Arthur Bentley at the Teleford last year and had a good long conversation about his work especially the Ho229 and the FW190. I will be purchasing some of his drawings for the Ho229 Project that I have planned.