ME 109 Weathering

[Marvel Onkey]

What does the underside of an ME 109 look like after use?

I'm building a BoB era Airfix Me 109 and struggling to find a contemporary image of the bottom of one in flight.

I'm wondering if they chucked out oil in a distinctive pattern like the Hurricane or Spitfire or if the seals were tighter and the oil mess underneath was limited?

[Troy Smith]

I don't anything leaked like a Merlin

Here's the bf 109 E-0 on a test flight

I started looking through Asisbiz, https://www.asisbiz.com/Bf-109E.html

there are 100's of pics.

but so far only this

You can avoid the weathering problem by showing a plane before a mission, when the gunk has been cleaned off.

[JackG]

The best I can find, how typical though I'm not sure. I think generally, field conditions more than mechanical would dictate the dirtiness of the undersides:

Interesting streak on a still flying E-4. Screen capture from youtube video at about the 4:13 mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzUUlO6ihwE

Some very extreme examples on a captured Emil found on an older Britmodeller thread:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/51725-bf-109e-4n/

regards,

Jack

[Stonar]

I've looked at various 'fliegerdenkmal' and other inverted Bf 109s and generally thaye are surprisingly clean looking, just your normal wear and tear but no excessive staining from leaks. Here's one example:

When they did leak the result could be quite extreme!

Cheers

Steve

Edited November 17, 2015 by Stonar

[Marvel Onkey]

Hmm, perhaps the last one might be just a tiny bit more than I had in mind.

Thanks fellows, some great pictures there- looks like I need do no particular oil staining then (good news).

Thanks for your help

Adrian

[Duncan B]

But it is fun to dirty them up a bit, go on have a go.

Duncan B

[Ceithearn]

The pics are very helpful, thank you. Have been wondering about the landing gear as plan on hanging a bf 109 from fishing line with gear up. Not a lot of online photos show the under side of the plane.

[Brad]

Ouch, that last one must have been grinding the pistons by the time he got it down.

[Abakan]

Ouch, that last one must have been grinding the pistons by the time he got it down.

It actually looks like he flew behind a leaking oil tanker...

[Garry c]

I have noticed a lot of the exhaust staining is asymmetric due to the airflow from the propeller, but I never expected to see the staining only under the right wing.

amazing,

Garry c

[Troy Smith]

I've looked at various 'fliegerdenkmal' and other inverted Bf 109s and generally thaye are surprisingly clean looking, just your normal wear and tear but no excessive staining from leaks. Here's one example:

When they did leak the result could be quite extreme!

Cheers

Steve

I think this might be more the result of an oil leak to the constant speed unit in the propeller, note the streaks on the prop, and the 'black' back plate, plus the entire cowl covered in oil, oil leak tend to be from the back of the engine compartment, not from the front!

Other may know more.

HTH

T

[The original Kit Builder]

Given the difficulty of landing the 109 anyway, he did well to get that down in one piece with all that oil on the screen.

[Stonar]

Given the difficulty of landing the 109 anyway, he did well to get that down in one piece with all that oil on the screen.

Notice that the canopy has been jettisoned. Given that it was not possible to fly this aircraft with the canopy open (obviously) getting rid of it might have been the only way the pilot could quite literally stick his head out to see where he was going

Cheers

Steve

[Jim Kiker]

Hi Marvel and all,

Having looked at many a picture of 109's, as many here have done, I have some observations to pass along in the interests of doing authentic-looking models. The basic paint finish used will not fade very much since it is not exposed to direct sunlight most of the time. Also, the undersides generally will not have darkish, soft stains along all of the panel lines. I see this on a lot of airplane models and for the most part it does not reflect reality.

What then would you see underneath? A degree of staining caused by leaking oil, which picks up and holds dirt and dust, as seen in the pictures already posted. You will also occasionally see dust, drops of mud, and chips from stones thrown up by the main wheels during takeoffs and landings, especially on the flaps and sometimes on the bottoms of the elevators since they hand down below the undersides of the airplane. You may also see minor chipping of the paint along the panels regularly removed for maintenance, such as that large panel underneath the engine.

I commend you on asking about this rather than copying what other modelers are doing, and I look forward to seeing pictures of what you create!

HTH, Jim

[Miggers]

Well said Jim.

Remember the old addage Marvel, "Paint what you see,not what you think you see".