Kotare teaser - it's a Bf 109K!

[CRAZY IVAN5]

Well, that's the end of that.

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Mark_C said:

 

Does it matter?  Nobody is obliged to click on a thread.  I come here to read and discuss, and I do not find a little thread drift something that must be extirpated.

Agreed! Some of LSP's greatest threads have been discussions that took on a life of their own. 

[D Bellis]

3 hours ago, Gazzas said:

I hear there is no 1/32 F4F wildcat out there that doesn't require major surgery.

I'd love to see whatever evidence you might have of that. 

 

D

[cbk57]

1 hour ago, Rick Griewski said:

Models:  Are we done with this thread?  Folks, Please look at the title.  The announcement has been made. We have reached the wish list phase of thread death.  Please send email to Kotare.  

I did that very thing, pointing out to them that Tamiya has a history of doing partnerships with Italeri and Ebbro, as such perhaps Tamiya would let them use the existing R-2800 for planes using that engine and save them some engineering and tooling.  Some of you may not be aware but Tamiya has supplied Engine and other parts for Ebbro's line of 1/20 formula one cars.  They shared most the parts for the Lotus 29(might be slight off, successor to 25 by Ebbro) and have supplied Ford DFVs and transaxles for Ebbro kits.

Edited January 20, 2024 by cbk57

[Gazzas]

2 hours ago, D Bellis said:

I'd love to see whatever evidence you might have of that. 

 

D

 

Just memories of WIP threads gone by.  I really don't feel obliged to search.

 

Edited January 20, 2024 by Gazzas

[MikeC]

9 hours ago, mozart said:

I think Kotare should talk seriously to Anthony Galbraith and use his experience, skills and knowledge to produce a British Phantom, sorry I go by names not numbers so I can’t quote one!  I suppose it’s an F- something or other. 

 

9 hours ago, Out2gtcha said:

 

 

I think your right about them producing a Brit Phantom Max! (FGR something.... actually FGR.2/F-4M)

 

Phantom FG Mk 1 = F-4K

Phantom FGR Mk 2 = F-4M

 

And YES PLEASE!

[Pup7309]

Just remember they are trying to make a profit to stay in business and do more esotic projects down the line- which at this stage will be as left field as a Ju87b or maybe, just maybe a bf110 or Lysander. I predict they won’t do anything bigger than a ww2 fighter for now and stay within the ww2 wheelhouse. 
 

Edited January 20, 2024 by Pup7309

[Tony T]

15 hours ago, MikeC said:

 

 

Phantom FG Mk 1 = F-4K

Phantom FGR Mk 2 = F-4M

 

And YES PLEASE!

 

Oh yeah baby!

 

We should be so lucky.

 

I don't think we're ever going to see a mainstream kit of a Spey Toom in 1:32. I've long since resigned myself to 1:48 in that heady department. I do try and stay realistic.

 

Tony 

[CRAZY IVAN5]

On 1/17/2024 at 6:41 PM, Archimedes said:

Well, goodness - it IS a Bf109 K4! 

 

 

Wow!
 

Kind regards,

Paul

Isn't the K supposed to have a retractable tail wheel ? If so shouldn't it have the tailwheel well [ say that 3 times real fast] doors open? Maybe I'm just losing what's left of my mind [ not that there's much left mind you]. I'm sure they'll "tune it up" in the future given their habit of doing thorough research, I ain't gonna sweat it.

[Juggernut]

Yes, the tail wheel was designed to be retractable but I’ve read that more often than not, it was fixed in the down position and the doors closed.  
 

There is also a photo of a short tail wheel on the 109K-4.  Not sure if that was a specific production characteristic of Erla. or MTT (or a specific production block) but that one was not retractable.

 

There were also outer gear door covers that I’ve read were often removed as well.  Those are shown on the CAD images.

Edited January 21, 2024 by Juggernut

[Archimedes]

1 hour ago, CRAZY IVAN5 said:

Isn't the K supposed to have a retractable tail wheel ? If so shouldn't it have the tailwheel well [ say that 3 times real fast] doors open? Maybe I'm just losing what's left of my mind [ not that there's much left mind you]. I'm sure they'll "tune it up" in the future given their habit of doing thorough research, I ain't gonna sweat it.

This photo which is allegedly of wrecked Werknummer 334148 shows the doors open but maybe they were meant to be shut when on the ground with the wheel down?

 

I have just one book on late war Bf109s so I am no Lynn Ritger! This next one is (I think) of Werknummer 330138 and is shown intact with the rear wheel gear doors shut (If indeed it IS a K4 (The Experten will know….)

 

 

Kotare’s Bf109 K4 is a kit I’ll buy in a year because it is by Kotare rather than because it is a Bf109 K4.  I am however on the lookout for some decently colourful markings for it.

 

Kind regards,

Paul 

[Juggernut]

The relocated (one fuselage frame back) DF antenna is a dead giveaway that the aircraft is a Bf109K-4.

[CRAZY IVAN5]

Ah, -109 production, what a mess. Ya gotta love it! I always thought B-24 production was confusing. I'll just build mine using a specific airframe and go from there[ like always]

[fastterry]

I'm pretty sure that the tailwheel doors were supposed to shut after the tailwheel was locked down but like all of these gadgets they were subject to failures and in this case probably poor manufacturing standards at this stage in the war. To save the hassle they obviously locked the tailwheel down, it was good enough for the G-10 so it must be ok. I've seen photos of Yaks, P-40's and a Ki-44 with retracted tailwheels but open doors so not that unusual.

 

TRF

[discus]

On 1/20/2024 at 9:54 AM, Pup7309 said:

Just remember they are trying to make a profit to stay in business and do more esotic projects down the line- which at this stage will be as left field as a Ju87b or maybe, just maybe a bf110 or Lysander. I predict they won’t do anything bigger than a ww2 fighter for now and stay within the ww2 wheelhouse. 
 

 

Indeed, there is already so much to do with WW2 fighters, I think they can easily stick to this theme for ages and some planes are pretty good money printers. And many have been fairly mistreated by the likes of Trumpeter or other kit manufacteurs. Other are simply not up the nowadays standard.

 

The other day, someone pointed out that we don't have a proper Hawker Typhoon kit in 1/32 (1/24 Airfix may be too big for some of us, me included). Although this may not be a garanteed money printer this was a pretty significant aircraft in the allied forces.

Late Corsair variants have been blatently ignored in recent productions, same for the P-51 B/C...

 

I was disappointed to see yet another 109 but I understand the K variant has no decent kit so far.

So it's probably a good move from Kotare: people who desperatly wanted a decent 109K will be (hopefully) satisfied and for the others "less knowledgeable people, they'll be happy because it's a modern 109 kit).

There is however one risk (hence the hopefully between brackets in the previous sentence) : it's a 109 and there is no room for errors or misunterpretation from Kotare.

Every "self appointed Expertens" and rivet counter wil spend the next month disecting any 3D rendering, test shot and picture and will decide that the kit is bull***t because rivet n° 72 somewhere where nobody will see it is not exacly where it should be....