A rarity for me....a Bf109 and this time it's a Revell G-10 Erla - Pretty Much Done.

[Juggernut]

I got a huge bargain on this kit at a show in October so since the Bf109G-10 is my favorite 109, I decided I was going to build this guy.  I haven't done anything superlative that would rate photographs of the build but wanted to share a couple "in-the-paint-shop" shots using a new technique (to me) based on Thunnus' recent Fw190D-9 and earlier 109G-10 build.  I used his method of black paint highlighting the panel lines and filling in between with black squiggles.  I took it a little further than I should've and ran the black lines down the rivet lines on one side of the fuselage so I did a quick "balancing" job on the opposite side as well. 

 

I also used his method of color painting by thinning the paint 4 or 5: 1 thinner to paint and went about coloring the RLM 76 areas of the model.  The areas are the power egg, the underside of the wingtips and stabilizer/elevators, ailerons, and flaps.  The wings got the alclad treatment and as usual, I can't get away from an alclad paint job mask without lifting some of the alclad off the model.  I'll have to fix that but luckily it's confined to the left side radiator housing and it's not a very large area.  I may have put too much paint on as I think I covered up the mottling effect a little too much but I now know why John (Thunnus) takes forever and a day to get the paint job done....with paint that thin, it takes 400,000 coats to get opaque color in the area.  I spent about three hours tonight just painting the remaining black squiggles and the 76.  I used a Paasche H airbrush even though I have an Iwata Eclipse.  I guess I'm afraid to use it but I think it'll get some use when I put the colors on the topside, including the mottle.

 

I also used Vallejo Model Air paint for the first time and I'll say it's not that bad for what I've done so far.  The black basing was Tamiya flat black but everything else besides the natural metal wings will be Model Air...  We'll see how it performs when we get to the tiny, tight squiggle mottling.

 

 

 

Notice the representation of the wooden horizontal stabilizer, metal wear strip on the leading edge (several coats of Mr. Surfacer 500 sanded smooth), and associated drain holes...Thanks for those images Damian, I think they came out ok.

 

 

 

The spinner is from Barracudacast and fits beautifully after I removed the casting plug by chucking it in my Sherline lathe and drilled the hole for the prop shaft with an appropriately sized drill bit(s) in the drill fixture for said lathe.  I had to glue the Revell prop shaft to the model because it doesn't sit tight and installing the heavier spinner made an uneven gap between the backplate and the fuselage...problem solved as you can see.

 

 

Edited January 10, 2023 by Juggernut

[Thunnus]

Right on!  I'm doing a Jugg and you are doing a Luftwaffe bird... go figure!  Paint looks really good.  It's a bit tedious to get paint coverage using such thin mixes but the finish turns out really nice.  And I'd rather cover up the pre-shade a little too much than leave a little too much showing. 

[Juggernut]

2 minutes ago, Thunnus said:

Right on!  I'm doing a Jugg and you are doing a Luftwaffe bird... go figure!  Paint looks really good.  It's a bit tedious to get paint coverage using such thin mixes but the finish turns out really nice.  And I'd rather cover up the pre-shade a little too much than leave a little too much showing. 

 

Thanks John, I hope I can do it justice.  About the only aftermarket resin I used on this was the Barracudacast spinner (and blades), wheels (660 X 190) and the seatback since the Revell kit part is hopelessly marred with those cheezy shoulder harnesses.  I did use HGW orlon seatbelts with this and a Quinta Studios cockpit set which, to my surprise, worked very well and stayed glued down tight with just PVA glue! 

[Uncarina]

This a pretty impressive start Tim! I love the prep you’re putting into the final colors. What bird will you be depicting?

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Juggernut]

Hey Tom, thanks! 

 

I'm going to do this bird from JG301:

 

 

 

The Mermet book cover is my inspiration.  BUT! (and that's a big butt). I'm going to change up the accepted camouflage scheme (called out in the EagleCals instructions).  It'll have RLM75/82 camouflage on the wings (with red primer sealing tape on the wingtips) but the fuselage (minus the engine) will be late war 76 (aka RLM 84); the power egg being RLM76.  The fuselage is going to have 82/77 camouflage and the vertical tail above the joint will be RLM 75 with 82 spots.  Last but not least is the RLM04/23 RVG band with RLM 24 (blue) staffel color across the RVG band.  If it comes out the way I envision, it should be an interesting representation of a very late war Erla built Bf109G-10.

 

I've got masks cut for the balkenkreuz but haven't decided whether that hakenkreuz (swastika) is just plain black or if it's got a white outline.  I MAY try and paint the spiral on the spinner but I may just use the Eaglecals decal. 

 

I think the hardest part of the entire camouflage scheme will be the sawtooth leading wing edges.  I bought some blu-tack for that but may resort to just using masking tape and cut it into the wavy pattern.  Free handing those wavy lines is "right out"!

Edited December 7, 2022 by Juggernut

[thierry laurent]

Be very careful... Me 109 are addictive....

[Antonio Argudo]

looking very good so far, I notice there is missing the oil drain hole under the cowling, easy to fix , cheers

[Juggernut]

2 hours ago, Antonio Argudo said:

looking very good so far, I notice there is missing the oil drain hole under the cowling, easy to fix , cheers

 

Indeed, an easy fix.  Is this present on Erla Bf109G-10's as well?

[tucohoward]

Hi Tim, AFIK, the drain hole is on all of them. Very nice work so far. Your choice of scheme sounds really interesting. Looking forward to seeing it. The late war schemes are my favorite.

 

Jay

[Juggernut]

Some minor progress today but not without pitfalls...seems my paint job doesn't like sticking to the model in spots (my kingdom for some low tack masking tape - which I did find by the way, and ordered). Yes, I used the oil on my skin to reduce the masking adhesive but it still pulled some of the paint off, right down to the bare plastic in a couple spots.  My cleaning job before primer was probably insufficient.  Frustrating but not too hard to fix.  Got the RLM 84 on today.  Luckily, I had a bottle of Floquil water-based acrylic I haven't used (ever) so I gave it the opportunity today.  I think it performed well.  I like the color better than the Color of Eagles color RLM84 I have (which I've heard is Vallejo under the old Aeromaster name).    The undersurface black-based mottling is showing through much better than it did with the 76... Either that or I screwed up in reverse.

 

The prop blades are just stuck in their respective holes in the spinner to see what they look like.

 

 

Got a little "dammit" on the wing leading edge where the NMF peeled...again frustrating but not unexpected; I'll fix it tomorrow.

 

 

I think the contrast looks fairly nice but am hoping that Thunnus' wash technique will really make it pop and also blend the colors so they don't have as much contrast as they seem to have right now.

 

 

And last but not least, my interpretation of the "decentralized" production of German aircraft during the late war period.  The wooden stab finished in RLM76 prior to being delivered to the Erla factory where it was put on this aircraft.  It's not real visible but the fairing around the horizontal stab (that there's been so much discussion over) is 84.

 

 

Next up (possibly tomorrow) I start with the 75 and/or 77.  I'll finish this thing yet!

Edited December 9, 2022 by Juggernut

[Uncarina]

I love the color choices! That and the tall tail wheel and rudder will make for an iconic late war bird. 

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Greif8]

Very nice work Tim!  I'll have to try the primer coat technique that you learned from John.

 

Ernest  

 

[LSP_Mike]

Nice. I very much like the sub-contracted parts assembled into an airplane concept. Hard to detect, and harder to replicate. I like your approach.

[Juggernut]

I also posted this on the Research forum so either/or:

 

I think I got a little too "creative" with the 82 camouflage pattern and I'd like to know if this is a "possible" scheme for an Erla 109G-10 or not?  I'm thinking I need to start over and tone the wavy lines down a lot.  Note that the paint job isn't complete...I wanted to get some input before I go out in left field any further.  I'm also not sure I really like the RLM76 or the 82 colors.  Again, they're Vallejo air and I'm thinking the 76 looks more like 65 and the 82 resembles 81 (of which I've heard there are many iterations).  What say you?

 

 

[Thunnus]

Hey Tim... I think it looks great!  If you want a second opinion, the instructions for White 44 on EagleCal's decal sheet says:

 

Uppersurfaces: RLM 74/75

Undersurfaces; RLM 76 Light Blue

Fuselage band: Red and Yellow with Blue horizontal band

Spinner: Black with White spiral; Small upper wing bulges; possibly no antenna mast

 

Fuselage: B5 900mm White outline crosses; H2a 300mm Black Hakenkreuz trimmed with White

Wings: Upper B6 1000mm White outline crosses; Lower B4 900mm Black outline crosses