Mystery 109 Build; Revealed!

[PhilB]

Looks great.(understatement)

I was going to mention the writing on the prop, looks like a signature. Someone who knows something about 109s might be able to enlighten?

 

Thanks for the kind words Keith.

I am sure one of the experten will know about this and maybe even the build date of Wnr 18046.

 

Shweeeeeet! Looks really great. I do so love Radu's belts. After using them on my Mk XIV, I dont think Ill be using anything else from now on.

All these sweet Luftwaffe front office pics makes me think I def need a AM cockpit and some of Radu's belts for my Planet Models FW 190 V18/U1 Kanguru......

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence mate!

Yup, with you on Radu's belts, really good stuff. I dry brushed them with a little dark colour from the Tamiya weathering palettes to bring out the detail.

Doesn't show on the photo though.

Hmmm engine next!!!!!!

 

Phil

[big matt]

Man that cockpit looks great!

 

I have seen a few pics with Wrk Nmr. marked on the props and flying surfaces. The explanation I read was that they were assembled in theatre following shipment and that assured matched parts on planes. Another possible scenario might be a major repair. Hopefully someone can give you the manufacture date on your bird.

 

Keep up the great work.

[David E Brown]

Phil,

 

Regarding chalk markings on prop blades, an old Luftwafe pilot told me years ago that the ground crews would always make notes on the props as reminders of work required, completed, etc. Certainly the writing of an aircraft's serial / werk number on the props was common to all airforces - as photographs confirm - to ensure that the original prop went back to its aircraft when removed for whatever reason and then put back.

 

Cheers,

 

David

[mattlow]

Phil

 

Love the 'pit. The chalks work really well in my view and I'm keen to try them when I get something ready for paint - always strikes me that they're both more controllable and reversible than washes..?

 

Looking forward to seeing the engine get the same treatment.

 

Matt

[PhilB]

Man that cockpit looks great!

I have seen a few pics with Wrk Nmr. marked on the props and flying surfaces. The explanation I read was that they were assembled in theatre following shipment and that assured matched parts on planes. Another possible scenario might be a major repair. Hopefully someone can give you the manufacture date on your bird.

Thanks Matt, that would explain it. I am just really curious to see how old this bird was before it expired!

 

Regarding chalk markings on prop blades, an old Luftwafe pilot told me years ago that the ground crews would always make notes on the props as reminders of work required, completed, etc. Certainly the writing of an aircraft's serial / werk number on the props was common to all airforces - as photographs confirm - to ensure that the original prop went back to its aircraft when removed for whatever reason and then put back.

 

Thanks David.

Just struck me when I saw the photo in the Squadron book.

 

Love the 'pit. The chalks work really well in my view and I'm keen to try them when I get something ready for paint - always strikes me that they're both more controllable and reversible than washes..?

 

Thanks for the kind words Matt!

I got a set of "Earthtones" at a local artshop. About 10 sticks going from white through yellow and browns to black.

I rub them on a piece of cardboard and mix with a drybrush. The only problem as you know is that a sealing coat will tend to make a light finish vanish.

But they are good for cockpits where there shouldn't be any need for sealing,

As you say you can remove it and blend them on the model with a dry cotton bud. I also use a "Kenair" air duster (on Amazon in the photographic section) to blast it off

and start again if its not right.

 

Phil

[Azgaron]

Great looking pit Phil! Very nice work!

 

Cheers,

 

Håkan

[PhilB]

Great looking pit Phil! Very nice work!

Thanks Håkan!

 

Well here's the next riveting part of this saga!

Fixed the cockpit in the fuselage and it was a pretty good snug fit.

I fixed it by dropping thick ca in the gap between the sides of the cockpit and fuselage and dropping in some Rocket Powder so its pretty well stuck.

I thought I'd get the lower wing centre section with the spars dry fitted prior to getting the wings on.

Having researched this kit I will be fitting the upper wings to the fuse first then offering up the whole lower wing to get a good fit as all the experts suggest.

The aftermarket cockpit sits a bit deeper than the kit one so there was an initial fit problem at the rear so I had to sand down the rear "lugs":

 

 

Once this was done there was a good fit at the rear.

Then the front:

 

 

Hmmm, here we go again!!

It was obvious I needed to remove some of the bottom of the resin firewall.

I decided against removing the kit plastic as it would have compromised the engine alignment.

By taking it off the resin the mountings for the engine are still in the same place.

(Its OK I know what I mean and its all part of a cunning plan!)

This area will be hidden by the engine and will be full of oil so there are no "beauty" issues.

 

 

As you can see its only taped up at the moment, with a bit more pressure the gaps close nice and snug.

The little baggie of broken off bits that have to be put back on later is getting bigger everyday!!!!

I have already realised that the engine mountings on the fuse are not to my liking.

You have four small pins of brittle resin holding the whole of the front on.

Looks like I will be getting out the brass and steel rods!

I am also looking at using a large steel or brass rod to mount the engine to the firewall where the cannon goes through, but more of that later.

 

Phil

[PhilB]

A bit more progress which I hope you will find enthralling!

If you don't you can look at the pictures anyway!

May I first apologise to those of you who have built this kit before and have seen this previously..

I haven't, so I followed what seemed to be the established method for putting on the wings instead of following the instructions.

 

First I built the lower wing using thin ca to tack the lower wings to the centre fuselage from the inside thus avoiding any glue marks:

I then used thick ca on the inside for the final fixing which gave a nice result without any need for sanding or filling:

 

 

The black paint has been done now as it will be a real pig to do once its all in place.

I have removed the mounting lugs for the gear as its gear up on this one and having done some initial test fitting its going to be fun (Not!)

 

 

The established advice is to glue the tops of the wings to the fuse first,

but being pretty hamfisted I wanted some support to help get a good tight fit so I taped the lower wing section in place.

I then tacked the upper wings in place with small beads of thin ca. this allowed me to make sure I got a flush fit as I tacked around the join.

I then used thicker ca on the inside of the join and only had a couple of small ca marks to clean up on the visible surface:

 

 

 

 

Its a very good fit requiring no filler.

I then fixed the lower wing permanently in place:

 

 

I will need a bit of filler on the wing root fairing but that is due to the problems I had in the previous post.

The leading edge slats will be in the closed position on this build and initial fitting looks like they were moulded for an open position so out with the card strips!!!

I have also been working on the flaps and rear stabilisers.

The rear stabs are slightly dropped in the photo so it was out with the saw and scriber to separate them:

 

 

Finally and in keeping with what appears to be a new trend started by Nick Mayhew on his new 190 WIP, here is a picture of a flower in my garden!

Its an Echinacea which are in full bloom at the moment and looking lovely!.

I managed to include the large Bumble Bee which according to physical laws shouldn't be able to fly but no one appears to have told him that.

 

 

More soon.

 

Phil

[geedubelyer]

Hi Phil, good to see the progress you're making on this build. Just back from hols in the med so it's been a treat to catch up with what you've been up to.

 

The cockpit tub looks particularly good. Very neat detail paintwork.

 

It looks like you've been as busy as,.....well.......a bee

 

 

 

[PhilB]

Just back from hols in the med so it's been a treat to catch up with what you've been up to.

It looks like you've been as busy as,.....well.......a bee

Well I wondered where you have been!

So its back to dull food, weather and beer!

Thanks for the kind words.

I'm trying to be busy but the Little Princess is on school holidays so modellin' time is limited.

Doesn't help that I'm doing almost the opposite to a lot of Mr Hasegawa's intentions!

Gear up, cooling flaps closed and slight flaps down...............

 

Oh well its all part of life's rich tapestry!

 

Phil

[Out2gtcha]

NICE. Fit problems aside (never had THOSE before ) it looks like youve got it all under control. Hell with the gear up and the likely hood of anyone seeing the underside, you can concentrate on the stuff that makes this build stand out like the engine bay...

 

Keep em coming

 

Brian

[PhilB]

Hell with the gear up and the likely hood of anyone seeing the underside, you can concentrate on the stuff that makes this build stand out like the engine bay...

 

You said it mate!!!

Exactly my attitude. Its the engine bay, oily bits and the scheme that are the best bits(hopefully) of this one!

[mattlow]

Phil.

 

Excellent work on the wings - VERY tidy work. Like the idea of running a support through the central cannon route. Interested to see how that turns out.

 

Matt

[dodgem37]

Phil,

Is your bird going to have round well openings or no? I know it depends on many factors, but I think that by the time G-6's rolled around they had squared openings.

There are more knowledgeable Luftwaffe folk about so maybe they can chime in. In addition, there is a rivetted strip that runs from the wing bolt cover to the top/bottom seam line.

 

This rivetted strip continues around and onto the top and stops at the next panel line, just before the cannon ammo feed ('D' shaped) hatch.

 

I don't know if you know this, but I thought I would mention it in case you didn't, and, in case you wanted to put it on.

 

Keep up the really good work. She's looking mighty fine.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mark

[PhilB]

Is your bird going to have round well openings or no? I know it depends on many factors, but I think that by the time G-6's rolled around they had squared openings.

There are more knowledgeable Luftwaffe folk about so maybe they can chime in. In addition, there is a rivetted strip that runs from the wing bolt cover to the top/bottom seam line.

This rivetted strip continues around and onto the top and stops at the next panel line, just before the cannon ammo feed ('D' shaped) hatch.

 

Matt, thanks for the kind words.

I thought the cannon barrel idea was probably best as it allows for a strong support in a hidden area.

I'm still thinking about it.

 

Hi Mark,

Yes you are absolutely right about the wheel wells. I had a look at the plans in the SAMI datafile for the 109 F-K series and they confirm this.

Luckily that nice Mr Hasegawa has put "panel" lines in so I'll get out the knife later and square them off.

On the kit the strips are moulded on the lower wing so I'll have to run the scriber and riveter over the upper wing to get them right.

I was looking at the scanned-in original photo to determine what if anything is left of the rack for the external tank.

Looks like the mountings have been ripped off as this is the area that would have taken most of the damage.

He made a bloody good landing as the counterweights are still on the ailerons.

Here's a cropped pic of that area:

 

 

Its difficult to tell if what can be seen is in the area of the rack or background but one thing I did notice is that the wing fairing is gone!

Trouble is everytime I start zooming around I notice something new!

It looks very neat in that there is no apparent torn skin.

I'm wondering if this has been removed by RAF blokes having a look round?

I cannot see how the "impact" would have neatly removed the upper fairing.

Hmmm...

I am also wondering what the "Box" on the ground with all the wiring is.

Trouble is we don't know when this photo was taken ie how long after the landing and how much the RAF fellas had removed or dismantled stuff.

 

Thanks for the kind words and advice.

 

Phil