Jeff T

Hi all,
 
This is the 1/32 Hasegawa Bf 109 G-6 done in the Night Fighter scheme of Yellow 17 from Eaglecal Decals.
 
On this build I used the MDC Cockpit, with an Eduard Look Instrument Panel, Master Models Gun Barrels and Pitot, Montex Masks for the Crosses and Barracudacast Wheels and Exhausts.
 
This build is dedicated to Jerry Crandall.
 
All comments and critiques welcome,
 
Thanks for looking,
Jeff.
 
 
 

 

 



 



 



 

 

 

 

 

 


 

That's a damn shame. When a project relies on a particular decal like this, I usually start with it. Then, if it goes pear-shaped, I've got a chance to regroup and change direction, without having committed ever further to that specific scheme.
 
Kev

Superglue! if you use that stuff it can play havoc with the nose and throat lining. I changed to "foam safe" superglue / CA which has fewer vapours and haven't suffered since. 
 
May be worth investigating. 
 

This is just gorgeous work!!!
 
Beautiful Denis!
 
Cheer's,
Jeff.

Brilliant John!
 
That turned out superb, beautifully done all round.
 
Cheer's
Jeff.

Thanks Tom, Ernest, Jeff and Hubert for your messages.
 
Yeah, even though 1/35 scale isn’t super common, BM makes some really well-done kits, sharp, accurate, true to the real thing, and easy to put together.
A really nice surprise.
I rubbed the cross gently with a soft cloth to get rid of all the little bits of black and white paint that showed up when I took off the two masks.
 

 
Then I worked on the rudder, which was already painted white, but it was missing the 11 victory marks: 10 black vertical bars and one red.
Each vertical bar is topped with a small circle.
After doing the math, the row of 10 victory bars is 8mm long, and each bar is 3mm high and 0.37mm wide!
For obvious reasons, I didn’t even try to do the tiny circles on top of each bar.
The Cameo just can’t handle that kind of precision and it tears the Oramask.
So I had to get creative!
I made each bar a bit taller than planned so I could include the “small circle” at the top.
Then I put a 0.37mm wide mask strip near the end of each bar to split it in two, that way it gives the illusion of a circle, even though it’s actually a square.
That’s the best trick I could come up with!
Now, time for some photos, they’ll explain things better than I ever could!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Beautiful work Denis!!!
 
Looking excellent.
 
Cheer's,
Jeff.

Beautiful work Denis!!!
 
Looking excellent.
 
Cheer's,
Jeff.

I cut the outer swastika mask using the Cameo and put it in place.
I decided not to glue the horizontal stabs and the rudder yet, so I could more easily position these tricky masks.
I added vertical and horizontal guides on the mask with the Cameo to help line it up just right.
Then I sprayed on some undiluted MRP black.
 

 
After that, I put on the inner mask to protect the black paint.
To make it easier to position that mask, I used some soapy water—it helps the mask slide into place nicely.
You have to center it perfectly inside the first mask so the white border around the black cross comes out nice and even on both sides.
The soapy water really helps with that.
Once everything’s perfectly aligned, I dab off the water, let it dry for a bit, then go ahead and spray on the MRP white.
 

 

 

 

 

After doing the wings with barely raised masks (like 0.25mm), I went with a different approach for the fuselage.
I wanted a much softer blend between the RLM76 and the RLM74/75, so I raised the masks using some fairly thick foam double-sided tape (around 2mm).
The MRP paint is thinned down to 33% to better control my BB’ing effects.
 

 

 

 

 

I just got myself a stand that’s super handy for painting and handling my model.
 

 
Starting with RLM 75, following the camo pattern typical of WNF-built Bf 109 Gs.
 

 
Then comes the RLM 74, and don’t forget a mask for the little 'squiggles' along the leading edge.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Now it’s time for the white wing crosses, done with masks.
Tomorrow I’ll tackle the upper fuselage camo.
 

 

 

I totally forgot to explain the role of the frisket: the frisket goes on top of the mask.
That way, when you handle the frisket, the mask doesn't get bent out of shape because it's stuck to the frisket.
If you try to handle the mask without the frisket, I’ve noticed that even when I'm super careful, the mask still tends to stretch one way or another.
And once it's stuck onto the model, it doesn't keep its original shape at all.
It's warped, and that messes up the final result.  

The mask to protect the white paint is on.
The black is a 50/50 mix of Tyre Rubber and black primer, to avoid getting a black that’s too ‘pure’ and unrealistic.
And here’s the result :
 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding John!!!
 
The finish is superb.
 
Cheer's,
Jeff.

Outstanding John!!!
 
The finish is superb.
 
Cheer's,
Jeff.

This is my latest completion... an all-resin kit by Halberd Model in Ukraine. This was an out-of-box build since this specialty kit has no aftermarket parts available for it. Luckily, Halberd has made a very complete and good-fitting kit so no AM is necessary to get a good result.
 
The full build log can be found here:
 













 














 






 

HI all 

Just uploaded Episode 3 of the build to my YouTube channel:
 
Cheers!
 

Just a personal aversion of mine, I do not care for having national markings applied to an aircraft that was not designed, produced and operated in that country. 
 I realize that particularly after the war many nations operated aircraft that other countries produced.
 
 Anyone else share this opinion?
 

The only thing that makes it "American" are the stars and bars that were painted over the German crosses. The German crosses are on the sheet. Some sources claim that this aicraft wore "yellow 5" when it was in German marlkings. "Yellow 5" is included on the sheet. Do not use stars. Use crosses. Add "yellow 5" from the sheet. Voila! German "original scheme". 
Radu 

Nice discussion here and really looking forward to get the hands on the two preordered kits 🙂
Seeing  the decals I'm a bit dissapointed though..So many "german" options to choose from, so why add a "US" marking, that would be so easy to do yourself and wonder how many would choose that option frankly? 😉
 
Could the swastikas be "separated" in a simplier way, like in two sections..this seam a bit overdone.
Also having the sharp edge dots on the fin as decals? can cause difficult to match that colour as you have to add those first to be able to see the "final" colour when applied, also takes up space on the sheet, but I really like the wnr numbers, here you can make your own. 😉
 
Some of you may know I have done 3D of noses to update Revell but also Trumpteter, I have recently done some updates and looked more into the side fairing variantions between Mtt Reg, Wnf/Diana etc. 
 
I will show some progress shots of my 1/32  later in the "in progress"
 
Cheers Gunnar
 

Thank you Javlin, Ernest and Hugues for your messages.
 
You're right, Hugues, and I hadn't realized that BM's decal sheet didn't offer any technical decals.
So I ordered a decal sheet from Peddinghaus-Decals:
 

 
I glued the wings to the fuselage and as I feared (there's no spar running through the 2 wings and the fuselage) the wing/fuselage dihedral = 0°!
What's more, there was quite a gap between the right wing and its connection to the fuselage.
So I put some tape between the 2 wings and the fuselage to get the right dihedral and avoid the right wing/fuselage “gap”:
 

 

 
I checked that the holes I'd filled with CA had disappeared on the right and left (location of the antenna wire in the fuselage for the 109 G-2s).
I also had to put some putty in the right wing/fuselage joint and the engine cowl.
 

 

 

 

 
The 2 ailerons are glued, the 2 landing flaps are in place but not glued:
 

Thank you Ernest and Mal for your messages.
 

 
We're off!
Well, 1/35 is a little smaller than 1/32 (thanks Cne Obvious!), but the BM kit is truly magnificent.
Rivet line, structural line, detail, precision, it's all top-notch.
 
I start with the cockpit, which I upgraded with an AM set from Eduard N° 33331.
The BM IP is very precise, but unfortunately no decal for the instruments is supplied...
 


I brightened up MRP's RLM 66 to bring some light, and added a few odds and ends to enhance the details (oxygen tubing and electrical wiring).
The IP supplied by Eduard is already painted, so it's just a matter of assembling it to get something convincing.
The pilot seat harnesses come from another Eduard set, which is really good at marketing!
 


I didn't use the Eduard rudder pedals, which have to be folded like Origami, but I kept the ones from the BM kit, which are very nice.
I'll be able to close the ½ fuselages together.
 

 

 

 

 
l

I'm more concerned about the impact this will have on Kotare's viability, if access to the US market is all-but denied them. Individual direct orders won't make up for bulk sales through the usual distribution channels. I seriously hope I'm seriously wrong with these concerns.
 
Kev