Airfix 1:48 Bf109 (New Tool)

[Guest]

The cowling fits so well, I will put it on but not glue it. A bit of blue tack on the top of the engine should ensure it doesn't go astray.

After a weekend of no modelling, as well as a few days at the end of last week, I am behind on everything so I will be catching up soon.

[Guest]

Well, that was so nerve wracking. I have always done freehand soft edged camo on aircraft I have done so far. However, this one has required me to do a sharp edge splinter camo by spraying, masking, spraying masking. When the final dark green went on, it looked like a badly wrapped Christmas present with no idea if it was going right or wrong. Finally got to peel off the layers of masking tape and this is what was underneath.

Wish I had done the yellow nose and tail first but hey ho. Looks very stark at the moment but a bit of washing and very slight weathering should (Please!) pull it all together. Still kept that gorgeous surface detail though, really nicely done. I think I have the demarcation a tad too high on the fuselage but I cannot do anything about that now. May be able to blend it in a bit when I do the mottling (oh joy)

[Guest]

Starting to come together a bit more. Anyone doing this, do the yellow nose before the fuselage, it was a pig to mask off lol.

Still looks a bit 'pale' but I am hoping that the layers of Klear and washes will blend it down a bit.

[Guest]

Graham mate this is looking uber sweet keep the pics coming and i most definately want one now.

scott

[stona]

Lovely looking 109. You could bring the upper colours doen a little and merge them into the mottle. The sharp demarcation line had virtually disappeared by the period you are modelling (see earlier piccy). I think this must have been an intention of the sprayer.

See here with the man himself at the controls:

And the same aircraft a bit later:

Don't worry about the yellow,it definitely faded quite badly. See the cowling photo I posted....faded and flaking off,the original red nose band is visible.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Looking lovely graham, it is nerve wracking when you peel the mask off hoping you've not had any bad bleed through isn't it.

Like the look of the exhaust, what did you use for that?

[Guest]

Cheers guys. Steve, I am leaving the paint as I don't want to spoil it at this late stage but I acknowledge it is not right, another lesson learned.

Mike, the exhausts are a Mig rust pigment. I picked a couple up at a show ages ago and to be honest, I am very much learning with them. I had them looking great only to find the exhausts were too thick to go into the slots so I have had to sand them down a bit lol. Ahh well, another lesson learned.

Scott, this is a great kit and for the money, a bargain. Honestly, if you bought this kit, you would not be disappointed. In fact I am that confident about this model that if you got one and could prove to me it was a bad kit, I would refund your money!!!!!

I have now got Klear on it and will be putting the decals on ready for second coat of Klear and then weathering. Should be finished for the weekend, I need it to be so I can get the Honda Blackbird out the way, do a bit more for the Group Build and start on the Jaguar "Katrina Jane"..... Oh, did I mention the Bf110 that is on the list to, my first multi engine aircraft of WWII and I am really looking forward to it. My second multi engine was going to be a Revell 1:48 Mosquito but I see that, once more, someone has beaten me to it in the shop!!!!!!! getting annoying now lol

Best bit of news though is that I have at last gone for a decent Airbrush to replace my ever faithful cheapo. I will soon be taking delivery of an Iwata from the shop and a couple of bottles of Alclad. I know there are people on here who use Alclad and are OK with it but I am planning to do a "My first time with Alclad" write up very soon so if anyone it thinking of having a go but are wondering what a mess you can make, just hang on and I will show you lol.

[Guest]

On the Airfix site, they are showing the next 109 tropical offering which goes up to the Mk7. Interestingly, there is the following quote on the site

One of the limitations of the earlier Bf 109E interceptor fighter was the short range of 660km (410 miles). The E-7 rectified this problem as it was the first to carry a drop tank.

Looks like the stuff that came with the original 109 is really for the next one lol

[Guest]

I did notice whilst checking my kit that it has a couple of bombs in there also Graham, Did Steve not say that this model could have carried a bomb payload instead of the drop tank? Maybe this could be an answer to your mounting plate dilemma?

[Guest]

Yes you can do the bomber version just do not use the tank and fittings, use the fitting rack that is for bombs. Look back up this thread for details, there is a pic showing the longer rack.

[Guest]

Well, she is just about finished. The ariel thing that sticks up behind the canopy went missing in the final varnishing??? Never saw it go, just noticed it was gon....

Anyway, just a couple of touching up bits and the pilot to do and that is it.

Conclusions. I have said all along that this is a great kit, nothing at all has changed my mind about that. The scope for more detail is there and I would not be suprised to see some 3rd party stuff come out for this and its new brother, the 109 Tropical up to E-7.

Any gripes? Well, I have to be honest and say yes. I don't like the decals. They are not bad decals, in fact they are quite good but they do not respond very well to Microsol so I could not get that 'painted on look'. So, they are not bad, I have just worked with better. Build wise, it fits together so tightly, some parts would hardly need glue. In the case of the exhaust strip, it is too tight and needs sanding so fit it before you paint it (trust me, I know....)

Paints used have been Xtracrylix all through except for the cockpit interior, I use Tamiya Field Blue for my German cockpits. Revell Anthracite was used for the propeller and the tyres. All in all a fun build which could be fairly quick to do and a pleasant result. Biggest mistake? Has to be fitting the rack for the external tank which is obviously intended for its newer incarnation, next biggest was not bringing the spine paint line further down.

I have deliberately left it looking dirty as per the pics that Steve (Stona) has, once again, come up with to help with the build.

Anyway, some interim pics, I will take proper ones when pilot is done and the finishing touches have been done.

Thanks for following this OOB Review/Build.

[Guest]

Ahh, OK, could you use the rack you mounted to carry one of the bombs instead?

[Guest]

Not really Mike, there is a couple (I think) of bomb racks with the kit. I suppose you could sling a bomb on the rack but I know it is wrong and I think Airfix were a bit remiss to put the option in as it only goes upto an E-4 and, as Steve pointed out and Airfix say with their new kit, the E-7 is the first to have the external tank. I just cannot, given the fact that Airfix promote this on the new kit, work out why it was in the box for this version. A lot of people would want to do the E-4 of Adolf Galland and the instructions say that the external tank should be fitted to that version when clearly (now, not before as I wouldn't have had a clue) it is wrong.

[Guest]

Fair enough, I just thought it might be a useable workaround to save the erroneous addon, this is the model i'll be painting when I get round to doing this one and to be frank I would have just followed the instructions too and wouldn't have been aware.

[Gern]

Smashing job there Graham - both on the kit and the review!

Next question is of course - will you be buying any more Airfix?

Gern