Messerschmitt Me-109K - Finished

[Dpgsbody55]

Approaching the home straight now with the decal and varnish phase done, and I'm starting to see how this model will look once it's done.  First picture shows the model immediately after gloss varnish and it's made the brown violet even more stark.  Regarding the undersides, I'm only varnishing the painted areas as I'm leaving the lacquer metal surfaces alone.  I'm happy with them as they are and I think varnishes will only ruin the bare metal look.

 

 

There's lots of decals to go on this, but that includes the stencils which are very fiddly.  Hopefully, I've got it looking right.

 

 

 

 

They're everywhere .  I found that using any decal adhesive made the stencils stick too fast, and since they're very thin, they don't always sit straight.  Thankfully the pic of the top radiator flap is twice the size of the real thing.

 

 

And there's three to go on each of the undercarriage legs.

 

 

After waiting a day, I sprayed the flat varnish coats.  It's toned down the brown violet only a little.

 

 

 

With the masking removed from the lower side.  One of my first jobs in final assembly will be to paint the bullet casing ejector chutes in flat black.  That will have to be done before I can think about the undercarriage installation.

 

 

And here we have it posed with the prop and partially finished canopy dropped in place.  The prop is still removable as this will make adding the exhausts and machine guns easier.  All masking is removed too.

 

 

So now on to final assembly, of which there is quite bit.  I've painted the undercarriage legs, partially painted the wheels,but not yet put them together.  Ditto the tail wheel.  Then there's the exhausts to finish painting and then install, exhaust stains before that, guns to paint, radiators, flaps and undercarriage, wing lights, and I still have to build up and paint the pilot's headrest.  So lots to do, adding in the stuff I've forgotten to mention too, then lastly aerials and rigging.  So perhaps another weeks work, but I hope it will be less.  I have another project in mind for this GB.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[dennismcc]

That is quite a startling paint scheme, very late war and very impressive.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Greif8]

That late war camo scheme is very eye-catching Michael - well done!  The underside looks really very good with the different colors.

 

Ernest

[Dpgsbody55]

23 hours ago, dennismcc said:

That is quite a startling paint scheme, very late war and very impressive.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

9 hours ago, Greif8 said:

That late war camo scheme is very eye-catching Michael - well done!  The underside looks really very good with the different colors.

 

Ernest

 

Thanks Dennis and Ernest.  A late war Luftwaffe camo is one I've wanted to have a crack at having seen the efforts of others here.  They can be so complex and varied.  Painting is also complex  but I'm happy (ish) with the results.  The model edges closer to completion and is looking better with each step.  I hope to have this finished and the last pictures posted soon.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[Gazzas]

Looks great, Michael.  

[Dpgsbody55]

Final assembly started with the tail area.  The tail wheel was partially painted, so this was finished and assembled onto the tail wheel leg.  While the paint dried, I put the gear doors in place which I think is easier than attaching them after the tail wheel and leg.  The tail wheel needs care in gluing into place as the leg mounts very deep into the fuselage.  Get it wrong and it flops about.  Readers may also note the werke number I've gone with which is semi fictitious.  The actual werke number is unknown on this plane but is believed to be in the 335 block of numbers.  I just cut two sets of three digits from the decal sheet and went with them.  No placement of a werke number is given in the instruction book for this machine, so I went with a picture I found on the interwebs which may or may not be correct for this machine.  Maybe, or maybe not a  moment.  Others I have seen (later, of course) have it solely on the rudder.

 

 

Next to be finished were the exhausts and machine guns, but before I did them, I added a lot of exhaust stain to the fuselage as this machine was heavily stained according to the pictures supplied in the instructions.  The exhaust shields were painted when the rest of the model was painted, so the exhaust stubs were painted now and weathered then attached.  Again, care is needed as the fitment is very precise.  The gun barrels were drilled out, painted in gunmetal and glued into place.

 

 

 

Next I painted up the gun casing ejector chutes in flat black, then added some oil stains from the engine cowl and cordite stains from the casing chutes.  Then the main wheels went on.  I'd previously painted the legs, wheels and doors so these needed assembly before adding.  Dirt stains were added to the wheels and doors before mounting which is a job that Kotare make very simple.  They just slide sideways into slots in the inner u/c wells and you can't mix them up.

 

 

First time on it's own three feet.  The prop has been weathered and added for the final time here, too.  Note also the outer gear doors are on.

 

 

Then the radiators and flaps went on while the radiators and flaps were drying in place.  These had also been painted when the model was being painted.  I'm posing my model with flaps down and these need a little help to stay in place as the glue dries, hence the tape.

 

 

A bit more dirt was added, thrown up by the main wheels on take off and landing, onto the radiators and rudder.  Note that the underwing decals are wrong for this model, but the decals used, decals 13, were the first I put on.  One went on well, but the other was destroyed during application, so I used the alternate decals.  Of course, after they dried and I'd calmed down after the frustration of trying to fix decals 13, I realised I should have cut the white parts off and I'd have then replicated decals 13.  Another  moment on my part.

 

 

The last major kit assembly to go on was the canopy hood.  The head armour comes in two parts and needed painting and assembly.  Both parts have armour glass so these needed to be masked off before painting.  Once dry, the parts were very carefully glued and allowed to dry.  The 0.4mm wire is only there to supply spacing between the canopy glass and armour.  The canopy release has also been added.

 

 

Before adding the canopy, I glued a piece of E Z line to the canopy.  After the canopy had dried in place (tape was added to set it in the proper place), I was able to attach the other end of the line to the cockpit.

 

 

The last two parts to go on were the Morane mast on the lower edge of the wing , as well as another aerial behind the cockpit right side, low on the fuselage.

 

 

The rear aerial mentioned above is only visible in the next picture by the shadow it is casting.

 

 

The last detail added was the aerial wire from the back of the cockpit to the tail fin and the wire connecting to the fuselage, again done using EZ Line.

 

 

And so this model is finished.  It represents a late production K-4 flown by Stab III/JG52 Commander Adolf Borchers in the period from April to May 1945.  It was found Nemecky Brod in modern day Slovakia post war.  Adolf Borchers was born in February 1913 and joined the Luftwaffe in 1937.  He first saw action with the Condor Legion in Spain and was serving with JG 51 when Poland was invaded.  He was creited with his first victory in the Battle of France.  Later shot down but fished out of the English Channel during the Battle of Britain, he continued to serve with JG 51 during the invasion of Russia until 1944 when he was made group commander of I/JG 52.  He was commander of III/JG 52 in February 1945 and had been credited with 132 victories by the time her surrendered to American forces after which he was handed over to the Soviets.  He was released from captivity in 1950 and died at the age of 83 in February 1996.

 

Here's a few more pictures of the finished model.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts on this model.  This is Kotare's second all new kit and in my opinion it is noticeably better than the Spitfire.  It seems easier to build and the parts fit is better still.  So now I'm really looking forward to their Hurricane when that comes out .  It has been a joy to build, and although the paint scheme I chose was complex, I'm very pleased with the results,  moments aside.  I've also learned a couple of new techniques, which is always a bonus.  It will be interesting to see if Kotare do a revised late war 109 before they release their Emil.  I still wish Kotare provided engines for nutcases like me who prefer to see such things, but that is my only complaint and I'm very pleased to see Kotare do their variations of popular WW2 fighters.  

 

So on to the next model, whatever that may be.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[geedubelyer]

Nice job Michael , well done 

It is a complex colour scheme and that's for sure. 

I am a little surprised that someone in the aftermarket hasn't provided engine packages for Kötare's products yet but I suspect that will come. It might even make another revenue stream for Kötare if they struggle for things to do in the future 

 

So, what's next in the queue?

[Gazzas]

Well done, Michael!  Looks a treat.

[williamj]

Super job on this Michael, love a late war K with late war colors.

[Martinnfb]

Another one in the books. Well done.  
Cheers

Martin

[Dpgsbody55]

10 hours ago, geedubelyer said:

Nice job Michael , well done 

It is a complex colour scheme and that's for sure. 

I am a little surprised that someone in the aftermarket hasn't provided engine packages for Kötare's products yet but I suspect that will come. It might even make another revenue stream for Kötare if they struggle for things to do in the future 

 

So, what's next in the queue?

 

Thanks Guy.  Yes, it is a complex paint scheme.  The model took me forty six days to complete, but only eighteen days to build up to the paint stage!!  Mark Robson stated that he didn't want to muck about with engines as he likes to get to the paint and decal stage quickly, and this model is certainly evidence of that.  As to my choice of colour scheme, I've looked enviously at other people doing late schemes and wanted to join their ranks and aside from the disappointingly dark brown violet, I'm very happy with my results.  The good news is that there's plenty of variation to do another late war 109 as well.  I seriously doubt Kotare would do an engine, but I'm sure it would be good if they did, and just as sure that I'd build one.  It would make a nice display on a stand next to this model.  I also doubt that Kotare are ever likely to want for project possibilities too.  Their P-47 will need to have a visible engine, so I'm looking forward to see how they tackle that.

 

Next in the queue is either another early Spitfire, or a Revell Hurricane, or another 109, in this case an F model, which I don't have on my display.  I have an E, various G's and now a K, so an F is a missing link.  I'll make up my mind today, but expect to see the Spitfire and Hurricane this year.

 

7 hours ago, Gazzas said:

Well done, Michael!  Looks a treat.

 

Thanks Gary.  It's nice to have a late model K on the shelf of done.  I'm hoping that Kotare will do another late war G, given the parts in the box not for use with this K variant.

 

7 hours ago, williamj said:

Super job on this Michael, love a late war K with late war colors.

 

Thanks.  Yes, me too.  It makes a change from the usual RLM 74/75/76 jobs.  They're a challenge, but worth the effort.  I think I'm finally learning to be patient with my model building.  It's only taken six decades...  

 

3 hours ago, Martinnfb said:

Another one in the books. Well done.  
Cheers

Martin

 

Thanks Martin.  First one completed for the year, and I've already equalled last year's total output .

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[Greif8]

Very nice work Michael.  You did a great job on a complex late war camo scheme and it turned out great!  

 

Ernest

[mattlow]

Very nice K. As you say things like quality of finish and paint intensity could vary down to mixing and application. Also  many of the  stencils were themselves decals so could be put on a bit off straight, even stencils could be held up and slipped a little before paint was applied... so they had some of the same problems as we do..

 

For a K with an engine, I am sure ZM has one in the pipeline...

Matt

[Chippyminton]

Lovely model, Matt. I have this kit in my stash and it will get built later this year, using the selfsame scheme as yours. I'm going to stand mine on a mirror I think - the 'patchwork quilt' paintjob on the undersides is just too good not to be seen. For anyone on the fence - Hannants have this kit on special offer at just £70 including postage;

 

https://www.hannants.co.uk/search/index.php?product_category_id=&product_division_id=&manufacturer_id=363095&code=&product_type_id=&scale_id=&keyword_search=&setPerPage=25&currency_id=0

 

[dennismcc]

Nice build and finish, hope mine builds up as nice as yours, I resisted for a while but now have a Kotare K4 kit to build, the Hannants offer was too good to resist.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis