Bf109F-4/Z Trop, 3./JG27, Hans Joachim Marseille, N. Africa, Feb. 1942

[PhilB]

I've seen your exacting standards before Mark in your previous builds.

just amazes me you can keep up this level of attention!!!

 

[dodgem37]

Modelling has slowed down a bit while working out the tropical filter. It's taken a couple of evolutions to get it worked out in the open position.

 

After all was said and done I could have just vac formed the clam shell, removed it from the kit part, and glued the vac in the open position but I thought the kit part screen detail was too subdued, so I made a new one. It's not perfect compared to the drawings but close enough without a magnifier.

 

In addition, the tail wheel well detail broke off so I had to repair that. Also, I've decided to take a page from Alan Trois' (AlaninAustria) book on making instument panels as seen in his Kanonenvogel build. Post #s 53, 54, 68:

http://forum.largesc...?showtopic=8548

 

The IP is again soaking in oven cleaner and I'm awaiting the arrival of Luftwaffe instrument dials from Airscale Decals before I break down the instrument panel and start anew.

 

Thank you, Peter.

 

Me too, Phil!

 

Sincerely,

Mark

[Jim Starling]

That cockpit and the interior tail assembly leave me speechless, Mark.

 

Fantastic, unequaled attention to detail.

[dodgem37]

Thank you, Jim.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

[dodgem37]

I have finally reached the picture taking department.

 

Yellow Ochre represents sand build-up. Aluminum represents paint sand-blasted areas.

 

Same thing. Still working on the tailwheel. Scored decal film from around sidewall.

 

Vac-formed clamshell doors from kit parts. The kit offers 2 filters. A short and a long one. The build uses the long one. I glued the short one together, vacced the door end, trimmed it out, separated them, and glued on the ridge. In reality the ridge is an outward flair that captures the other door underneath itself when closed.

 

Drilled and sanded tube to accept full length inner tube. Measured diameter with a strip of tape, cut .010 sheet to match and wrapped outer tube with it. Finished clam shell end in the round. Located .010 x .020 strip to rear end of filter body. Measured new diameter with tape, cut double sided adhesive film to size and laid it diagonally on nylon mesh, cut to size, laid rear edge against .010 x .020 strip and lightly burnished down. Located framing. All to fit the clam shell diameter.

 

Lots of trapped dust. Oh well. Paynes Grey for shadows, Yellow Ochre for sand build-up. Barely noticeable, but dry brushed with aluminum to represent worn-off paint areas. Afrika Sand as rudder straps.

 

A couple of AeroScale cockpit placards for show. Light sand build-up in the seat with some wear.

 

You may be able to see a placard on each rudder pedal. Drybrushed with aluminum to represent wear.

 

Once the weathering was done I went over the yellow and silver. The solid color contrasts against the Paynes Grey muted ground and accents these details. A light scrubbing should remove the filaments.

 

Got a sudden chore to do.

 

Thanks for looking in.

Sincerely,

Mark

[LSP_Kevin]

Great work as always Mark! Your extra details look marvelous under a coat of paint.

 

Kev

[dodgem37]

Thank you very much, Kevin. I wondered if it would.

 

The F-4 doesn't have a lot of sidewall placards but I added a few anyway. I adhered the twisted wire used to make the trim wheel chain with clear silicon sealant because it kept popping off.

 

Paynes Grey shading, RLM 02 highlights and values, aluminum fasteners and wear.

 

I located the fuel line for show. Masked off the circuit breaker panel and drybrushed the paper insert locations with white. I lost some fastener detail when I was removing some molded-in detail so the aluminum just blobbed.

 

Brass Oxygen Regulator handle as a change.

 

Still have to locate the circuit breaker wiring and fuel line before closing it up.

 

Thanks for looking in.

Sincerely,

Mark

[Guest Peterpools]

Mark

I'm taking five to catch my breath! What an incredible front office. The details jumps out at the viewer yet you never lose sight of the entire cockpit. Weathering is as natural and as real as it gets for both the cockpit and the tailwheel assembly. Super work on the trop air filter as well. Aces on the update. :thumbsup:

Peter

[Budman]

I really enjoy cockpits and yours is top shelf!!

[Martinnfb]

So clean, neat and precise, Bravo!

M.

[dodgem37]

'The details jumps out at the viewer . . .'

Thank you, Peter. 'Weathering' is still a work-in-progress for me. It seems I'm forevering thinking about how I can find the sweet spot to make weathering stand out.

 

I've found that by applying Paynes Grey I'm able to mute and deepen the ground. Then a bit of RLM 02 as a midtone because it too is grey and has a better color relationship with RLM 66 than white.

 

I use aluminum on the sidewalls as a highlight for wear.

 

The thin wash of Yellow Ochre for sand (for the most part) represents the minor build-up that fell off of shoes and clothing.

 

After that I re-paint the details, so their value is fully saturated, come to the foreground, and contrasts with the muted ground and mid-value colors. So my intent is to try and have multiple layers of values: deep, mid, and light. As an aside, I paint most details with a sharpened round wooden toothpick. I put a drop or two of thinner in the paint cap and use that as the pallette. The thinner is a key for a smooth flow of paint. Especially yellow.

 

'Weathering is as natural and as real as it gets for both the cockpit and the tailwheel assembly'

Thank you. I was concerned about how to approach this area. I tried to have the sand build up in corners and crevaces with a thin layer on the flat surfaces, with minor sand-blasting.

 

'Super work on the trop air filter as well.'

Thank you very much. The air filter was evolutionary and something I almost gave up on. The first attempt I drilled and sanded a larger tube (which coincides with the diameter of the kit part) until the next-step-down tube would fit inside then cut out the air filter part, leaving the ribs. I thought I would insert a 'filter'. But the ribbing was too deep and out of scale.

 

So I drilled and sanded another tube and vac-formed the clamshell. Because the clamshell is an outside face vac it is .010 large in diameter (thickness of the plastic) than the kit part so I needed to add .010 sheet around the tube. The new filter is a .020 larger in diameter than the kit part. Since I know it's diameter is larger than the kit part I'm letting it grow on me. I'll see how I feel later. Currently I working on the support arms. I'm hoping I can convince myself that the extra detail outweighs the perceived over-size. For all I know the kit part may be too small in diameter and what I did may be correct.

 

'I really enjoy cockpits and yours is top shelf!!'

Thank you ever so much, Bud. I like cockpits too. I know there is a lot of work that is done to the outside of the aircraft, but the cockpit just seems to me to be the center of attention.

 

'So clean, neat and precise, Bravo!'

Thank you, Martin. It's just my nature. I'm sure that statement comes as no surprise. Phil mentioned my attention to detail, which has had me thinking about the subject this week. The best explanation I can offer is the following: Some people can't see the forest for the trees. I can't see the forest for the leaves (and then some). It's just my nature.

 

Thank you for looking in and especially taking the time to comment.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

[AceofClubs]

Dodgem37, exellentissimo piece of work. Outstanding superdetails. IMHO, I'd add some more sand and dust on lower cockpit and rear wheel station as SOA operated in desert semiprepared aerfields. So dust, dust and dust anymore.

Great work my friend. I'm looking for to see the camo "in situ"

Ciao Filippo

[Guest Peterpools]

Mark

Thank you for all the information and techniques. Sure will come in handy.

Peter

[dodgem37]

Thank you, Filippo. I can't add any more sand (Yellow Ochre oil paint) as I've closed her up. In addition, I want the weathering to enhance the model, not dominate it.

 

But I can put some dust in it with paint brushes. But truthfully, I question the use of dust. The reason so is because I've spent time driving and hiking in the Jordanian and Israeli deserts and although I recall plenty of sand build-up, I don't recall getting all that dusty.

 

You are welcome, Peter. Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

[Wolf Buddee]

Fantastic work as always Mark. Your attention to detail, the fidelity in which you create it, and your painting skills bring this model to life. It looks very much the complicated, multi-piece, bit of machinery that it actually was. Absolutely wonderful. Great inspiration too. I need to get down to the work bench to get a bit more done on the Spitfire!

 

 

Cheers,

Wolf