LSP_Kevin Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 Time for another quick update. I've been working on the guns, adding all the fiddly PE bits, and generally making a mess of the whole thing. One thing that has helped is the tiny tube of Tamiya-branded CA gel that my wife picked up from the hobby shop for me. Even the tube is engineered to Tamiya's usual standards, with a weird built-in seal for the lid-to-tube interface. It says on the backing card that it's designed for use with PE and die-cast parts, and it's certainly a lot easier to work with than the cheap rubbish I usually buy. Anyway, on to the photos: I also drilled out the end of the muzzles, but you can't see it in the photos. The huge sink marks on the rear face of the ammo boxes won't be seen once they're in situ. Next up, some detail highlighting and then fit them in place. Sure is slow going... Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ara398 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Time for another quick update. I've been working on the guns, adding all the fiddly PE bits, and generally making a mess of the whole thing. [snip]Sure is slow going... Kev I must be going blind! I can't see a damn thing wrong with them... Keep going Kev! Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJ Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Hey, nice guns! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted April 5, 2008 Author Share Posted April 5, 2008 Guns fitted: I've also made a start on the resin instrument panel: It's nice enough, but as you can see, there's very little dial detail compared to the printed instrument film supplied with the Eduard PE version. Once I've found a decent colour photo of the prototype IP, it shouldn't take long to finish off. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 Work continues as I begin to ponder how to get the fuselage together while successfully encompassing all its innards. I've removed the forward part of the upper decking in front of the windscreen, as the Squadron vac canopy includes a corrected version of this area: I've had to substantially thin down the side walls of the cockpit opening to have any hope of getting the resin cockpit to sit flush with its top. Just noticeable in the photo above is the severe splay exhibited by the forward fuselage halves. I'm tempted to cut off the two front sections and glue them together separately, mating them up as a unit with the rear fuselage. Of course, I may just introduce even more fit problems if I do that, so I'm undecided... The holes in the rear fuselage for inserting a support frame are too low as moulded by Hasegawa, so I plugged 'em and drilled new ones: I've made a start on sanding off all the raised surface detail in preparation for rescribing. I've also attempted to eliminate the silly fabric effect on the rudder. I was planning to remove the rudder and display it repositioned, but I think this fuselage has enough challenges in it already! Despite being a (admittedly old) Hasegawa kit, this one feels very much like one of the old Revell kits in terms of fit and detail. I don't know when it was first released, but I suspect the vintage is similar (late '70s?). More soon. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Hello!, I got a late start reading this thread cause I'm so new.(finally get to post for the first time tonight...yeayyy!) Very nice build sir. I read your thread on your Zero build too. Really admire the way you're always pushing your "comfort zone" and learning new techniques constantly! Really enjoying watching this kit go together...thanks for sharing. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 Hi Kev... Despite temptation, I would keep the two halves intact, and use the structural integrity of the parts to offset against the bend when the halves are joined. Otherwise, you may have a tougher time getting the separated nose parts to succesfully mate with the fuselage and stay in situ if they still have that little bit of flare in them. Just my thoughts on the matter, after perusing my mid-nineties released kit that is exhibiting the same kind of bend to the fuselage parts. I think, and maybe some of the older heads on the Boards will be able to confirm, this kit is originally of late 60's/ early 70's vintage. But otherwise, looking good so far mate! Steve. Thanks Steve. On having a second look, you're right about the fuselage. The front of the rear section where it would mate with the removed front section ( ) would effectively be swinging in the breeze, with no positive location or alignment points. So, scratch that one! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 Hello!, I got a late start reading this thread cause I'm so new.(finally get to post for the first time tonight...yeayyy!) Very nice build sir. I read your thread on your Zero build too. Really admire the way you're always pushing your "comfort zone" and learning new techniques constantly! Really enjoying watching this kit go together...thanks for sharing. Russ Thanks Russ, much appreciated! If you want to see me really wrestle with my comfort zone, check out my first build here on LSP last year (my third after returning to the hobby). Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Hah hah! That's classic Kevin! I just got my first REAL scriber last week and I'm going thru that exact scenario right now! Really like how you take the old kits on. Always wanted to do the BF-109E, but never got one. Was a real eye opener seeing how "dimensionally challenged" this one really is. Still want to do one...but I'll wait and see how you compensate with this build. Can't wait to see what operational squadron/colors you'll decide to paint it up with. I'm going to be lurking over your shoulder watching this one go together. Looking sweet! Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Kev, got to agree with what everybody else has said so-far, and that is you are being way to hard on yourself. I think you are making on hell of a good job on this build, enjoying every minute of it. Cheers, Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Mike Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 OK #1 this kit is from the eaerly -mid 70's, I built one in '75-76 #2 Uh kev, you filled in the jacking hole. You're looking for the inset dimple just above the tail wheel opening. You'll also see a slot, which is for the rudder controls. the hole you filled in intended for a pipe to stick thru, which portrudes on both sides. This allows jacks to lift the tail, for gun alignment, and other maintenence type stuff. Leave the fuse intact, just progressivly glue it together. If you mask, and mr surfacer paint the fabric, you should be able to gently sand back the surfacer, and get to a smoother finish on the control surfaces. ........but it's looking good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 OK #1 this kit is from the eaerly -mid 70's, I built one in '75-76#2 Uh kev, you filled in the jacking hole. You're looking for the inset dimple just above the tail wheel opening. You'll also see a slot, which is for the rudder controls. the hole you filled in intended for a pipe to stick thru, which portrudes on both sides. This allows jacks to lift the tail, for gun alignment, and other maintenence type stuff. Leave the fuse intact, just progressivly glue it together. If you mask, and mr surfacer paint the fabric, you should be able to gently sand back the surfacer, and get to a smoother finish on the control surfaces. ........but it's looking good! Thanks Mike. Jacking hole, eh? I guess that's what I was trying to say when I described them as "holes in the rear fuselage for inserting a support frame". Good advice about the control surfaces too. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Mike Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Kev, my mistake! A complete bollocks of translation from aussie to american! You should take Wumm and Matty to task for that, since they were my tutors! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 I've spent most of my modelling time this week rescribing, which for me is a bittersweet task. I don't really enjoy it (who does?), but I like the results, and prefer scribed lines. With some questions lately here and elsewhere about rescribing, I thought I might take this opportunity for a small photo essay on how I go about scribing a hatch - in this case the prominent one on the rear port side of the 109. Firstly, here's the job so far: The vertical panel lines have been scribed and cleaned up by running liquid cement along them. The red box indicates where the hatch needs to be scribed. Here are the tools used in the job: From left to right, they are a fret from Hasegawa's TryTool template #1, a pin chucked in a pin vise, and a traditional hook-nosed scribing tool. I used the scribing tool in the vertical panels, but won't be using it for the hatch - that's where the pin vise comes in. After measuring the hatch at roughly 12mm x 9.5mm, I determined that the largest rounded rectangle template would fit the bill for height, so I drew the required shape onto some scrap plastic card using the template. Since the width of the hatch is wider than the template, I simply move the template along and complete the shape at the right width: Once that's done, I tape the template to the styrene sheet, lining it up with the left edge of the marked hatch, and using the pin vise, lightly scribe the left side of the shape, avoiding the corners on the right side of the template. Once the plastic is cut through, I move the template so it aligns with the right edge, and repeat: Here's the result: Some slight clean up is required, but a few whisks with a rounded file and you're away. You'll notice that this method can also produce useable hatch covers! After cutting the shape away from the larger scrap sheet, the next step is to tape it to the model at the required spot and begin scribing: Here's the result, using the pin vise once again: And after clean up: This was about 10 minutes' work all up, including taking the photos. Bear in mind that the process is quicker again if you can find a ready-made template that fits the bill, and don't have to manufacture your own. Here's a shot from my Dora build of last year, showing the tailwheel inspection hatch, done using this same method. Not a great photo, but it shows that the results can look pretty good under a couple of coats of paint. Hopefully someone out there has found this useful! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Ah hah! Wondered where you were at on this Emil, doing the scribe thing I see. I'm doing the same right now too. I find myself talking to myself like Gollum a lot while I'm doing this. Also composing haikus, muttering, mumbling, and an occasional shriek. I hear it's good therapy? Thanks for posting the pic of the scribe tool, I am going to have to get one of those. The right tool sure makes it go faster! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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