Nikola Topalov

Hi Antonio. Thank you, I am glad that you like it so far. As for the seat, it was a tricky question for me as well so I searched around for some answers. It looks like the early F4s had the same seat as the F2s. Hasegawa only shows this option in the instructions, although you get both seat types in the kit. Here is a picture of Marseille with clearly a high backrest seat sticking out behind him:

Some more office work:

Thank you Mike! Much appreciated. The first picture is what I especially needed. Best, Nikola

Hi Thierry. Thanks for your reply. Appreciated. Ah s&%t, now I am even more confused, haha. The Hase seat doesn't have that extra part at the back to put the belts through. The just tell to bend the decals around the top. These are some of the example 1/32 seats that I found:

Hi gents, Does anyone know or have a reference photo of how the seat belts where attached on the early type (high backrest) seat on a Bf109 F4? I have everything ready but just don't have a clue how to fit it correctly as the instructions don't show it. The kit is Hasegawa 1/32 and the belts are Eduard. Thanks in advance! Best, Nikola

Some progress with the office:

Trim wheels in place. It actually is more to scale than the original part as the ''chains'' are closer in scale to the ones on the fuselage wall. And of course, I found the original part the day after fitting the scratch built one. Sorry for bad photos. Best, Nikola

Painted and ready for installment. Next I will have to make the chain from a wire probably. That'll be a bit tricky, but interesting.

Who knows really... From what I've seen it seems like the one with the red rudder didn't have the victory tally number and the laurel wreath, as well as the white wing tips. Will have to do some more research definitely since I am not sure now, haha. Best, Nikola

Well gents, since I don't have a lot of free time I thought that it would be very nice to create some more unnecessary work by mysteriously losing one of the elevator trim wheels! So, I had to make one. It is not perfect but it will do as it will barely be seen once the cockpit is closed within the fuselage. On the other hand, this mishap gave me a chance to hone my skills and make a more correct elevator trim wheel mechanism by making the chain from wire thus it being closer to scale than the original from the kit. I am also sure that after I finish all this the part will somehow show up from somewhere. Best, Nikola The lost part (C40): Finished wheel: And the process:

Very nice model, well done. Since I am currently building the same bird I have one question about the markings - It seems that Hasegawa shows that the option with the red rudder can't go with the white wing tips. Did you do a fifth scheme that is not in the kit? I ask because I like the red rudder and white wing tips very much. Best, Nikola

Got it! Keep the left eye closed during the process.

Any tips?

Thanks for the reply Sasha. Maybe I wasn't clear with my question - I was asking about the effect of slight tyre "deflation" to simulate the weight of the aircraft. It seems challenging due to the fact that the wheels are at an angle so getting that correct angle when sanding the bottom part of the tyres will be fun. Best, Nikola

Forgot to ask - any tips on how to "weight" tyres on Bf109 since they are at an angle? I am currently building an F-4 hence the question. Thanks in advance. Best, Nikola