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1/48 Eduard Bf 109G-5 Maj. Walter Dahl, December 1943


Kahunaminor

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Slow progress as I have had other things on my plate. This weekend just gone by was the NSW Scale Model Show and expo my club hosts. Over 350 entries in 43 categories, vendor tables and the ever funky swap and sell. We judge gold, silver and bronze in the categories and I came home with two gold and two silver so a happy camper.

 

I had planned to have this finished for the show but that was always a loose plan. Anyway back to the action. I am working at closing up the fuselage shortly and as it is a monotone colour scheme, I thought I might try my hand at John's black marbling basework. The wings are now together and ready to be attached. I followed John's lead in using the plastic kit pieces rather that the PE, as not much will be seen at all. The faces of the oil cooler and radiators were painted in XF84 Dark Iron and then highlighted with Tamiya Weathering set “gun metalâ€. Not any of which will really be seen:

 

D1_EF2_A75-33_E0-4_DC3-975_C-0_C19_D5_E8

 

 

The wings are now set to be installed, however before that takes place I have to install the resin exhaust plates in their positions in the cowling. Hence why everything is still open down the front end. I had previously sprayed them RLM02 and now just picked out the actual engine areas in XF84 dark iron:

 

C078496_C-3273-4_ED8-_A465-4_B4_BDD24_B0

 

Once these are installed, I can install the gun trough piece. I decided to use a spare pair of Master Barrel MG131 tips I had laying around. These are longer than the kit pieces which meant a fixing the trough inserts into the underside of the upper cowl and then drilling out the rear of the trough inserts and aligning them so they will sit properly once permanently installed:

 

32_AAC9_E9-_AFFF-47_EC-_BCE9-25_DEF16_F6

 

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CBA526_D3-9_F75-4_BBC-9564-_B35041_A6_A2

 

F52_AB46_A-42_EF-4_D30-_A2_EA-_B0_AA1_F3

 

12_D65870-625_D-4_DEE-_AF93-_E8834_ACF80

 

I will smooth out the rough edges from drilling and filing but the fit seems good. It was then time to dry fit all the components and see what I was left with. Everything lined up well but I was left with a wing/fuselage gap. I could see the underside needed a little adjustment so I cut and installed a sprue spreader just behind the yet to be installed exhaust positions. Once this had set, another dry fit saw a much better result:

 

536_AE7_DA-_DC6_E-4_FFE-_A019-_FE7999_CE

 

7_F74_B383-_DEE9-4_CC7-_AC43-5684_C5_D6_

 

A4_BFE16_D-8871-483_F-_A3_C4-51_F1_A0235

 

0262_BB1_B-_F0_A2-4_BE3-_B598-_CD9_A8_CE

 

03_BA7_A3_B-0_C73-47_F3-_B6_C4-_E9_A0_B8

 

Once actually glued and cleaned up, I am confident of a good result. The canopy masks have also been applied so once I tidy up the cockpit sills with some putty and a new coat of RLM66, I should be ready to start sealing it all up.

 

Regards,

Edited by Kahunaminor
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Welcome back,

The exhaust backings are in. To prevent the dreaded “falling inside the sealed fuselage after a bit too much pressure syndromeâ€, I added some more sprue supports:

 

B553_EBFB-58_F4-4252-_B53_C-37_D376_A150

 

35_FBF015-8_B07-4545-8513-97_F10880_BF29

 

62_F5_BA7_A-507_E-41_D7-_A704-_D620_EF7_

 

The sealing up the wings, at this stage the wing/fuselage joins are not glued. The lower wing/cowling/fuselage joins seem good and that wierd angular join Eduard puts in will be okay. The oil cooler went in well:

 

DC4D7138-4BE3-47D2-A638-812CD28DDCA4.jpg

 

BFF255_E7-3_F54-4_CA7-869_D-3724989_EA10

 

F05D9842-3C00-49DD-BBCC-BAAB0529D816.jpg

 

0_F5_DE6_E9-5475-4_A45-9_A3_A-72_F6_C0_D

 

I added some drilled out styrene to the MG cowling so the MG131 barrels can be inserted into a positive slot. MG cowling attached and a swipe of a sanding stick should fix that starboard side overhang:

 

2_C2_A7_AC5-6_D4_E-4_B0_B-851_F-28_F89_D

 

3_B21_CFFF-05_CF-45_FE-_A2_BD-69_F98702_

 

9_A77_F7_D9-6938-4_F1_E-90_F9-_FE0_D3_FE

 

F075652_D-4994-40_F4-_B62_A-98_BD6142_A6

 

The PE storage hatch went on and the cockpit sides were repainted. A little too much pressure applied to the fuselage caused the cockpit to dislodge and drop about 0.1mm at the rear and with it all sealed up I will remain so. Oh well, the joy of modelling:

 

FCF52069-67_DA-4_A46-_B871-39_D9_D0_A483

 

Thanks for looking in and regards,

Edited by Kahunaminor
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Thanks guys,

I appreciate your words of encouragement. I may have been a bit premature with writing off the cockpit as stable. It appears the entire floor/back assembly has come adrift and dropped. It will now need some remedial work. The sidewalls are firmly attached so I will drill through from underneath and gingerly push the floor back into position and hit it with some more CA. :headslap:

This is the problem:

 

C58_B045_F-9389-44_BB-83_F5-2_A348_B7_BE

 

I will drill a suitable hole through this panel which had to be rescribed anyway:

 

58_C1_ED3_A-21_AC-44_F3-_A709-_BA2311_A4

 

Regards,

Edited by Kahunaminor
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Fix in progress. 2mm hole drilled in underside, Mk. IA toothpick inserted and gentle pressure on errant decking. Back into place and CA applied liberally to area behind storage area. Rear cockpit replaced. 2mm styrene rod into the hole which will be cut and sanded flush once dry:

 

6_E12471_A-276_B-4_EC3-8_DFB-_A8_DEB5_E5

 

1_DA8_DC6_A-634_A-408_A-_B6_F6-_EC73_FB7

 

A678_D2_F6-_BF17-456_C-8_E55-3203_D1_FDC

 

4_C28_F316-18_F1-42_A3-_AF39-_AC02802788

 

Regards,

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Some progress. The rear cockpit area has been repaired and resprayed RLM66. The canopy interiors have also been masked and sprayed with RLM66 allowing me to fit almost all the final cockpit pieces before fixing the front and rear canopies to their respective positions. I did accidentally leave out the fuel observation tube and the two side lights but they can still be inserted with ease (I hope). I had to sand down the rear end of the rear canopy to get a better fit of the central canopy piece. Happy with that, just some minor beautification and blending:

 

4D38CF7A-C5CD-4C30-AD8D-CF160BAE5D0F.jpg

 

1_A61_E899-0297-4445-_B481-4_C9_ECBBBF22

 

1_D4_B31_A4-5_CF6-4611-95_CC-37_A4792367

 

A061_B02_B-85_BC-45_A7-_AC5_D-6_B56_B29_

 

The gun pods have been attached to their positions under the wings and the wings set using tape to address the minor gap at fuselage wing joint. Hopefully after 24 hrs that should hold it all. The left over 66 was used to check my seam work on the fuselage joins and engine area. The beauty of photography is it slows you to check your work, exposing flaws like the port wing leading edge seam:

 

5497_BAF9-_AEE3-49_A4-_B4_DC-1079515759_

 

94_F57010-56_B7-4_AD2-_BB9_E-9403_E79_D3

 

50614DC4-CCB7-455D-A865-D4E30B3EABB6.jpg

 

755370ED-64F2-4BD1-A135-0BF32CE9EDDF.jpg

 

9342_FEC2-3_EE6-435_F-_B022-1_B56494_DEB

 

C2DE9683-6E17-47FF-B972-0B0A92256FDB.jpg

 

Thanks for stopping by and regards,

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Welcome back,

 

My absence has not been for naught. I have made incremental but important progress. First off the MLG has been updated with brake lines, a base coat of RLM02, some highlights with lightened 02 and the resin wheels prepped for painting:

 

1_F85_BE84-_AF27-468_D-_A099-_D881_C2658

 

14D4CD40-6CFB-495E-AF85-422710F1C542.jpg

 

The PE wheel covers were also built up and the lightened 02 added as highlights:

 

56F90279-6422-4267-BAAB-1829EE943118.jpg

 

I then turned my attention to preparing fuselage for primer. Perfect Plastic Putty was applied to those areas that needed it. I added a drop of water to thin it slightly and found it worked well into those areas. The central canopy was temporarily attached with Micro Liquitape to protect all the innards. But not before dropping it and breaking the antenna point on the tail and the pitot tube! The radiator rear faces and exhaust openings were masked with Tamiya tape. Damp tissue was folded into the wheel openings to protect the finished work there and Mk. II shortened toothpicks were inserted into the MLG attachment points to hold the whole thing off the ground whilst the primer dried. The slats interiors were masked and the slats pushed through the tape:

 

22EF3459-4CE8-4DBE-9B8A-8AF2E553A586.jpg

 

AEF645_E0-155_E-4_D06-91_BB-_FF46_FF3_A7

 

D8298E49-19BD-42BE-A282-2D443440F4CC.jpg

 

DC8C05A5-048C-4BF0-9A01-383C452EB5A6.jpg

 

03_B8_D2_AF-_BE10-402_B-_AE0_F-0_DD61_D3

 

A final walk around for FOD, cleaning some debris from rivet holes and panel lines. I intend to rescribe post priming as it is an easier job to determine on the lighter colour. Happy with that and a longer Mk.I toothpick was inserted into the prop hole and we were ready for priming!

 

4BE948AF-BC8C-4DFA-B16F-FB3606243480.jpg

 

I will let it sit for 24 hours but there are some obvious areas that will need attention:

 

112_B595_B-_A43_E-4_CA7-91_BF-_C0_E2_C3_

 

21_D75382-_F461-4_E42-_AFCD-2_EBF2020197

 

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F838C013-3BCA-412E-8F60-40A676231B9F.jpg

 

Regards and thanks for looking

Edited by Kahunaminor
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Thanks Gaz,

 

Spinner and wheel hubs painted Tamiya X1 Black. The spinner spiral starts with a complete circle around the gun opening. I punched a 5mm hole in Tamiya tape, then took the punched out disc and centered it over the 4mm hole and punched it out, leaving a clean 1mm ring. Carefully placed it around the cannon opening. Next is the spiral and masks for the hubs:

 

94_D89_DDC-6_DFC-42_B3-9_E8_F-314230_D83

 

DB3_C5710-_D9_F3-4_EA4-_A05_E-_A6538_AF7

 

471_E5636-_F7_B3-445_E-9_E40-537_A836_BC

 

Regards

Edited by Kahunaminor
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  • 2 weeks later...

Welcome back,

 

I have not been idle whilst absent from the board and have forged ahead. Firstly the wheels have been finished, the tyres painted RLM 66 and awaiting a gloss coat, as has the overall base colour of RLM 76 and the RLM 70 for the propeller blades:

 

2_F0_E7194-4084-4_CE3-9_B6_C-_F5_C0_F356

 

B853_F6_D7-20_A0-4_A21-9730-_B1_D4_E9_EC

 

I reworked the masking on the spinner to tidy up the swirl using strips of Tamiya curved tape cut to 1mm. The spinner backplate was first painted white and then had a third masked and the remaining two thirds done in RLM 70. The cannon opening had a touch of Tamiya Gun Metal:

 

FE33F64F-2FCD-4C3E-B5C5-8ABE0C86D94A.jpg

 

DC06A1C7-82C8-4798-AE88-1BCBC1FB0B80.jpg

 

A couple of days elapsed to allow the RLM76 to properly dry and I masked the areas for the black on the fuselage and wing seams. The air intake on the port side was left off to make painting easier:

 

04_CF9585-_EC91-4_D0_A-_A627-1_AEBB4240_

 

2229827_F-_BE1_F-428_B-_A34_C-05_ECEC84_

 

Once removed I had the result I wanted:

 

1196_B328-42_C6-4_F0_A-88_AB-81824_E1_C6

 

36_CAC932-_EB24-4_ED2-_BF95-677_A2_E8_D6

 

C382_B6_E1-8_F89-4413-_B5_EB-6_A32042_A3

 

I then could not resist a quick look with the spinner and rudder temporarily attached:

 

996_A0_D77-8_B2_C-4_F52-9_D9_E-_AC85_CEA

 

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046F2499-5C0A-4893-9827-3D7A91D0AAAE.jpg

 

Regards,

Edited by Kahunaminor
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First decals. Some decals such as the power jack and oxygen fill points will need to go under the painted double chevron markings. So they need to go on and have a clear coat to protect them from the masking:

 

CD9_C096_C-6209-4222-_A726-_C2_F1_B31_AB

 

Whilst I was here, I added some decals to the MLG , wheel hubs, flap angle indicators, drop tank and rudder which won't be affected by masking. I also added the JG 3 badges to the cowling:

 

A715_FEDC-_B335-4_EBB-9015-486_C3627_B3_

 

5_FB874_B7-5_C14-443_A-84_E0-2_B23_E21_C

 

74_DC4977-76_F5-44_DC-_AB08-7_A5_F7_EC0_

 

7_E451_D25-093_C-4047-_B466-_C79_B7_D9_E

 

8_C9_E982_B-_C826-4_ED5-818_A-1_BE0_EEA3

 

FC0_F2_D02-336_B-49_D5-_B35_D-976_C70_E7

 

While I await these to properly dry and the protective coat to set before I add the masked markings, I will busy myself with work on the peripheries such as weathering of the exhaust, wheels etc.

 

Regards,

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