Bf110G-4 (early)

[mozart]

2 hours ago, Cheetah11 said:

 

Hi Max

Just a heads up on the engine cowling. On the G-4 I built the cowlings were scratch build. Using photos, upscaling the Revell 1/48 and the Cutting Edge  cowlings as well as looking at the 1/32 Me 109 G cowling they all gave a length 3mm longer than the Dragon part on which I think the conversion is based. It is not a big deal and I think not all that noticeable, just something I found on my build. I had no idea I was going to do a 1/32 kit when visiting Hendon in 2004, so measuring it was the last thing on my mind. 

Cheers

Nick

Thanks Nick, not sure what to make of that really…..3mm is quite significant but altering one element would throw everything else out too? Think I’ll live with the kit/AIMS ones. 

[mozart]

These beauties arrived today:

 

 

Too busy for modelling today unfortunately but hope to grab a few minutes tomorrow.

[IainM]

Wow! Those look phenomenal!

[mozart]

Last progress post from me until this time next week at the earliest, off to Cornwall with some mates playing golf!  

 

My attention over the past two days, when I've been able to get to the bench, is on the supercharger intake.  The upper and power wing halves are glued together but the port wing needs the landing light and intake, and both the clear wingtips adding before I can think of a primer coat etc etc .

 

 

 

Rough work on the surrounds using Apoxie Sculpt.  When fully hardened, a little more refinement:

 

 

Getting there though.  Lovely stuff to work with, Apoxie Sculpt, very versatile and flexible at various stages in the hardening process.

[Cheetah11]

 

Hi Max

I think the supercharger intake you are looking for is part N-11. Both the trop and normal intakes are on sprue N.

Cheers

Nick

[mozart]

14 hours ago, Cheetah11 said:

 

Hi Max

I think the supercharger intake you are looking for is part N-11. Both the trop and normal intakes are on sprue N.

Cheers

Nick

Thanks for that Nick, I’ve checked and you’re absolutely right! Very foolish of me to miss that, I need to consider my options now. 

[mozart]

Mini-update!  Work on the wings: the supercharger intake (the kit one) and landing light fitted, plus the AIMS wingtips.  The nav lights were drilled out and coloured prior to wing tip fitting.  I've also done a base coat in places of enamel silver; I plan to chip these areas using the "hair spray" technique....when it works I think it's very effective:

 

 

The empennage is still work in progress; I cut off the elevators had have posed them slightly dropped.  The fin/rudders are not glued in place, it will be easier to mask and paint the swastikas flat on my bench so that's coming up shortly:

 

 

And finally, the crew.  The Z-M figures are pretty good, I've used a softened mix of Apoxie Sculpt to fill in joins and I'm looking forward to seeing how well (or not!) they fit in the seats and cockpit.

 

 

More soon.

Edited April 4, 2022 by mozart

[mozart]

I started building up the panels on the nacelle this afternoon......to get this far took a couple of hours!  The difficulty is that each panel fit depends on the correct position of the others, if one is out, they're all likely to be out.  So getting the overall fit means shaving small amounts off in several places.  I want this all to be as clean as possible so the panels are being held in place by substantial plastic card tabs inside, just as well I'm not planning to fit the engines!

 

 

 

I did a quick untrimmed trial fit of the main nacelle cover, I think with a little work it will fit well. 

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by mozart

[Iain]

Lovely work Max!

 

Iain

[monthebiff]

Very nice work Max, those engine nacelles really do need some thought and care in getting them together with everything mating nicely together. Looks like you are well on your way!

 

Regards. Andy 

[mozart]

10 hours ago, Iain said:

Lovely work Max!

 

Iain

Thanks Iain. Time spent on Dragon Bf110 kits is always rewarding in my opinion; it’s a really good kit of a beautiful aeroplane! 
 

9 hours ago, monthebiff said:

Very nice work Max, those engine nacelles really do need some thought and care in getting them together with everything mating nicely together. Looks like you are well on your way!

 

Regards. Andy 

You’d think, as this is the third one that I’ve made, and the second involving an AIMS conversion, that it would be a breeze, wouldn’t you Andy!? But you and I know that’s just not so…..always be prepared for the curved ball! 

[mozart]

Hmmm, not a lot to show for today's work, but thinking and planning ahead (essential) has led to some solutions!  I'm working towards an acceptable fit for the main cowl - it was way out when I started but I'm getting there:

 

 

The intake had to come off to facilitate sanding!  Still some way to go, especially at the front end:

 

 

This mismatch of upper and lower cowls is an acknowledged error by PJ, he was sent the wrong information about the diameter by "a museum".  The lower diameter is correct when measured against the spinner so the upper needs a spacer/spreader.

 

I've also been pondering how to show the engine gauge dials; AIMS suggests using the kit "windows" in a reversed position to simulate the later triangular window, but fortunately I've got a couple of spare gauges from an earlier build, so the plan is to fix them inside the cowl shortly, mask, then after all the painting is done, glaze with Micro-Klear.

 

 

 

Hey-ho....happy days! 

Edited April 5, 2022 by mozart

[monthebiff]

22 minutes ago, mozart said:

Hmmm, not a lot to show for today's work, but thinking and planning ahead (essential) has led to some solutions!  I'm working towards an acceptable fit for the main cowl - it was way out when I started but I'm getting there:

 

 

The intake had to come off to facilitate sanding!  Still some way to go, especially at the front end:

 

 

This mismatch of upper and lower cowls is an acknowledged error by PJ, he was sent the wrong information about the diameter by "a museum".  The lower diameter is correct when measured against the spinner so the upper needs a spacer/spreader.

 

I've also been pondering how to show the engine gauge dials; AIMS suggests using the kit "windows" in a reversed position to simulate the later triangular window, but fortunately I've got a couple of spare gauges from an earlier build, so the plan is to fix them inside the cowl shortly, mask, then after all the painting is done, glaze with Micro-Klear.

 

 

 

Hey-ho....happy days! 

Liking your gauge fix Max, works a treat!

 

Regards. Andy 

[MikeMaben]

For future use ...

 

[mozart]

The not terribly elegant but nonetheless effective way of mounting the engine gauges inside the nacelle:

 

 

Just resting in place:

 

 

I'm planning to do the join in two stages, rear cowl arch first, then the front section.  I'm hoping not to have to run any glue along the side edges, though I'll probably put some reinforcing strips inside once all is set.