Hungarian Air Force Bf.109G-6 - Finished !!!

[Giorgio N]

My first build for this GB will be a 1/72 Hungarian Bf.109G-6 from the Hobbyboss easy kit.

I've always been attracted to the markings carried by Hungarian aircrafts in WW2 and one of the first book I bought on Germany allies during the war was George Punka's title on the Hungarian Air Force published for Squadron Signal. The book cover has a nice drawing of V-871, the same aircraft that is included in the Hobbyboss 1/72 109G-6 (late) box.

I've decided to build a Hungarian aircraft for this GB because I think it would be good to illustrate the involvement of the different allies of Germany on the Eastern Front. A number of different countries fought against the Soviet Union and the outcome of the war had a deep effect on the history of these countries.

Hungary in particular had slowly entered the German sphere of influence and by the late '30s they had become allied with Hitler, despite a number of reservations by the Regent (later deposed and arrested by the Germans). With the start of the war, the country committed a number of troops to the invasion of Russia but these didn't fare too well. The air force was mainly employed to defend the Country's borders from Allied bombing, particularly from the USAAF.

The reason for using the Hobbyboss kits are three: it's a relatively simple build and my goal is to focus more on the camouflage and markings here; it already contains Hungarian markings (not all correct though); I have 4 of these kits in my stash...

Pictures to follow soon !

Edited September 30, 2016 by Giorgio N

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Definitely good to see another Minor Axis power being represented.....If I can get the Zveroboi finished in good time I might just join you, Hungarian AFV camo is very cool and I've got some interesting subjects in the stash.

[Bordfunker]

Looking forward to this.

I'll be doing a Hungarian Fw 190 as my next build for this GB.

Karl

[Giorgio N]

Definitely good to see another Minor Axis power being represented.....If I can get the Zveroboi finished in good time I might just join you, Hungarian AFV camo is very cool and I've got some interesting subjects in the stash.

I'm actually thinking of building at least another aircraft from Germany allies, should add a bit of variety. Don't know much about AFVs used by Hungary, hope you'll manage to build yours as I'm curious to know more

Looking forward to this.

I'll be doing a Hungarian Fw 190 as my next build for this GB.

Karl

Looking forward to this, will be nice to have a few Hungarian aircrafts !

Started the build over the weekend, here are some pictures starting with the box, or better, the bag:

This kit is part of a lot of second hand Hobbyboss kits I bought early this year. Sure, they are not the most detailed around but I like them as they allow decent models to be built quickly to show some interesting camo schemes. And I paid them €5 each, can't complain for that price... None of these kits came with a box, they only had the boxart stapled on a bag containing the parts.

As with all these kits the fuselage and wings are single parts. There's no cockpit, only a seat and control stick moulded as part of the fuselage. The kit features nice recessed panel lines but there are a number of areas where the wear of the mould is evident. The wing features some weird detail on the ailerons, these will have to go. The raised details around the wingtip lights are also to be eliminated for a better looking model.

The other parts are on two sprues, common with other Bf.109G variants. This means that some spare parts will be left after the build. At the same time some details are totally missing. Most important are the aileron balance weights, that are usually quite visible. The trim tabs are also not present at all. The

The clear parts are not bad, a bit thick but well transparent. The canopy is offered in both closed and open configuration

Finally, here are the decals:

These decals are usually good in terms of quality, accuracy however varies a lot. The Hungarian markings are quite good, apart from the stripes for the horizontal tailplanes: these should have the green on the outside, not the red. And there should be striped for the lower surfaces too... not much of a problem, I'll mask and spray the tricolour stripes.

[Learstang]

Nice choice - I like the Hungarian camouflage and the markings, although I believe most of the Hungarian Bf-109s were in normal Luftwaffe colours. I think it's a good idea to represent some of Germany's allies/puppet states that also participated in the GPW. To bad I can't enter my Croatian Junkers W.34 (already built).

Regards,

Jason

[Giorgio N]

The first step in the construction of this kit was something that is generally not required: opening the cockpit !

Now as said before a very basic cockpit is moulded with the fuselage, a solution that is adequate for a kit aimed at younger modellers and beginners. However I was given a resin set for the 109G by a friend and decided to cast some copies of this set. No idea where the set is from, does not look as good as say Aires but it's sure better than what's in the kit...

Now adding a resin cockpit to such a kit in a sense means totally missing the point of the Hobbyboss Easy Kits ! Oh well, I'm not perfect and I like the idea of having a decent cockpit anyway...

Opening the cockpit meant spending some time with a minidrill and different burrs , followed by a lot of sanding. After a couple hours I had this:

Quite crude but the resin sidewalls should cover these areas. A couple of spots on the fuselage were damaged when my minidrill slipped, they'll be sorted with filler

I forgot to take pictures of my resin parts before painting, however here they are... together with some other parts, both plastic and resin, I'll be using on another build in this same GB. All parts have been sprayed in a mix of tamiya paint to reproduce RLM 66... to be honest I think the colour I've sprayed is not the best, looks like 66 would look in real life and may be too dark for a 1/72 scale model. In any case, I'm not respraying...

Edited June 6, 2016 by Giorgio N

[CliffB]

Should make for a very colourful addition to the GB, Giorgio

Cliff

[vppelt68]

To bad I can't enter my Croatian Junkers W.34 (already built).

Regards,

Jason

Jason, as I have all the reasons in the world to believe that Junkers is in the one true 1:72 scale, why don´t you use it in the Vignette GB and build something nice under it? Regards, V-P

[Giorgio N]

Yes, it should add a touch of colour... I've browsed through several profiles and pictures of Hungarian aircrafts and I've chose this one as it carries the full stripes on the tailplanes... others didn't.

Jason, these aircrafts carried standard Luftwaffe camouflage. The stripes were initially carried in full on the tailplanes, later they were reduced in size and finally disappeared completely. The Hungarian markings also became less prominent, with the white cross painted in grey inside the black area. IIRC some late war aircrafts even had low-visibility markings in dark and light grey. Other aircrafts then used standard Luftwaffe crosses. Regarding my subject, I think it's one of the few G6s to have such coloured markings, these were more common on the earlier Fs. However I didn't have an F in the stash..

Yesterday evening I managed to paint some details on the cockpit parts. Not that much can be seen in the very dark grey cockpit, but the various hydraulic/air/fuel lines should give a touch of colour.

[Giorgio N]

After so much time I finally managed to have a very productive weekend, at least productive in modelling terms...

The nature of the HB kit also helped, although this same nature meant trying to add bits that normally would be included in standard kits.

Adding the resin cockpit wasn't too easy as some fettling was needed. To be honest though, I've had to work more for other resin sets on the kits for which they were meant to be used, so I'd call this a success.

The bulges typical of the G6 have also been glued. These required some fettling too, particularly the left one.

While the resin cockpit was setting, I started working on the wings/lower fuselage part. Here I did the following:

- removed the raised detail around the navigation lights and cut these to be replaced by clear plastic

- removed a couple of bumps under the engine cowling (associated with the later AS variants)

- filled the holes for the R6 subvariant guns. My aircraft shouldn't have these... but more later

- repared some sink marks

- sanded the horrible raised details on the ailerons.

At that point I could glue the fuselage and the wing:

Fit was ok but not great, particularly on the lower fuselage. Now the two large gaps are my fault, while grinding away the original cockpit I was a bit overenthusiastic... the gaps at the end of the lower fuselage insert however are all HB's. Some filling and sanding should sort.

I should add that I also modified the exhausts. These are meant to be trapped between top and bottom fuselage parts however such assembly would make painting them difficult. Chopping the connecting bar sorted the problem (sorry, forgot to take a picture, will do later)

[Giorgio N]

When I mentioned the nature of this kit, I meant that these kits are simple to build but are also simplified. Some details are therefore either absent or oversimplified. An example is the DF loop:

The loop was cut from the fairing, the fairing itself was modified in shape and glued on the fuselage top.

The spinner was also glued at this point. I preferred to glue the spinner without prop blades as these would have interfered with the need for altering the spinner profile. As it is it's too wide and too bulbous. I had to rework it a lot and I feel it's still a bit too wide...

A few other details are visible here:

- wingtip lights replaced in clear plastic

- front end of the radiators added

- oil cooler added and modified at the rear ( I still have to scribe the rear door)

- supercharger intake added. This needed the addition of a plate around its base, quite visible in pictures and absent from the kit.

The intake can be better seen in these pictures, where the tailplanes have also been added:

And to close a productive day, I've also cut some brass tube to length to reproduce the machine guns barrels on the cowling:

These still have to be faired in properly at the rear. There some other small details missing, like the trim tabs but I may be soon ready to prime and spray.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Blimey this one is hurtling along too!

Had to scroll back to remind myself that it's a Hobbyboss kit.....You've disguised its humble origins extremely well.

[CliffB]

Some very nice enhancements Giorgio.

Cliff

[Giorgio N]

After a hyatus of several weeks, work has restarted on the HB kit, hoping that I'll be able to complete the model before the end of the GB.

Now where were we... the model was almost ready to receive its canopy but I could not decide between open or closed... the resin detail deserved an open canopy but the fit of the open parts was not great so I've decided to go for a closed canopy.

Even with a closed canoppy two very visible details were missing from the kit: the gunsight and the rear armour. The gunsight was easy, I have some Quickboost sights of the right type and I decided to use the resin part even with a closed canopy. The rear armour though required some scratchbuilding using clear plastic coming from the clear parts sprue. I've decided to go for a late G-6 armour, hope it's correct for this aircraft...

Now on the real 109 the rear armour is attached to the canopy, however it was easier to assemble the part gluing it to the rear cockpit decking.

With the canopy glued in place it was time for some primer... and then filling some areas and sanding again, priming and filling and sanding.. ok, we all know the process here, right ?

Once the primed model looked OKish, I sprayed some light blue-grey from Vallejo, close enough to RLM 76 IMHO.

It was at that point that I realised that I should have painted the yellow eastern front markings first... so it was time to reach for some masking tape and cling film

Tamiya yellow sprayed on the model:

And then remove the masking... and of course some paint has lifted !

At least the undersurfaces aren't too bad...

Now the areas where the paint lifted will have to be touched up. However I also have to spray some white paint where the Hungarian markings are because the decals are not correct. The red bands are toward the aircraft centreline on the real aircraft and the lower surfaces of the tailplanes also are painted, while the HB decals forget this. The spinner also needs to be painted white as should be 1/3 this colour and 2/3 RLM 70. I should have really painted the white and yellow areas first and then spray the 76...

[AaCee26]

The spinner was also glued at this point. I preferred to glue the spinner without prop blades as these would have interfered with the need for altering the spinner profile. As it is it's too wide and too bulbous. I had to rework it a lot and I feel it's still a bit too wide...

Hi Giorgio,

I have also been looking the HobbyBoss spinner and I believe it is too long. Maybe the rear part does the problem? I have a G-10 but anyway it has the same parts. Of course finding a spare Bf 109F/G/K spinner from some other kit would do the trick.

To my surprise these HB 109's seems to be in general pretty accurate.

Cheers,

AaCee

[Giorgio N]

Hi Giorgio,

I have also been looking the HobbyBoss spinner and I believe it is too long. Maybe the rear part does the problem? I have a G-10 but anyway it has the same parts. Of course finding a spare Bf 109F/G/K spinner from some other kit would do the trick.

To my surprise these HB 109's seems to be in general pretty accurate.

Cheers,

AaCee

Looking at it again and comparing with other 109s on the shelf, you are probably right. I may look at cloning the Mastercraft spinner in resin, this is itself a bad quality clone of the hasegawa kit, should be a bit better...

I like the HB 109s, apart from the spinner they look good to me. Mind, I'm not a 109 expert and there sure are a lot of small details totally missing, but they are good canvases for those interested in showing as many camos and markings possible.

I also have the G10 in the stash, the cowling is likely not correct (is symmetrical and shouldn't be) but otherwise seems pretty convincing to me. I may build it for the MTO GB, the Italian ANR used several late 109s in the last year of war.

Painting the tricolour stripes at the moment... and guess what ? I initially painted the red outside on the tailplanes.... had to strip all paint and restart, I hope to have this area completed soon

[Giorgio N]

Some more paint on the model. Finally the stripes on the tailplanes have been completed and in the right order. I've also painted the spinner where I decided to use black instead of RLM 70 after checking a number of pictures of Hungarian Gustavs. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of this aircraft but I have the instructions from an old Aviation USK decal sheet that includes this one. The instructions mention a spinner divided in 1/4 white and 3/4 black, something that does not sound right to me. I believe it's 1/3 and 2/3 as commonly seen on many WW2 Luftwaffe aircrafts and Bf.109 in particular.

Unfortunately the masking required to paint the spinner lifted more paint... I don't know why I'm having these problems, I'm using the same primer, same paints and same tape I always use and rarely had so many problems. Maybe the model was not completely clean and the primer didn't grip properly to greasy areas.

[Giorgio N]

Yesterday evening I was giving up ! After having painted the RLM 75 areas I masked them and added RLM 74 where needed. When I removed the masks, disaster had struck again ! Plenty of areas where the paint had lifted off the primer on the wing, terrible. More annoying as it's the same paint I always use over the same primer using the same tape and I never had these problems. At that point I stripped the wings of paint and gave a coat of Humbrol grey using a brush.

I was ready to announce that I'd have not completed the model in time, then this morning I found that the deadline has been extended... ok, now I can try to complete my model !!!!

[Sgt.Squarehead]

You can do it fella.....It's looking the business and so close to the finish! 

[Giorgio N]

Thanks Sgt ! I can probably do it, but I've been very close to let the model fly off the window again...

Painting has become a nightmare, the wings are decent now but the fuselage spots gave me a lot of trouble, with the airbrush constantly clogging and all other problems. Now I have the two sides quite different from each other but I've arrived at the point where I've decided that the model does not deserve much more, I'll finish this as it is and then will build another better 109 sometime after having recovered from the experience...

Here's where we are now with the paintjob. Some areas still need some touch up as paint crept slightly under some masks and more painted lifted in other spots

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, it's not too bad when seen from a distance, up close is another story. Life is too short though and the deadline for the GB is fast approaching.. I have to say that it's not great but sure it's colourful!

 

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Looks lovely to me! 

[Foxbat]

I think perhaps you're being too hard on yourself. Some decals, a little light weathering and she'll be a good 'un. I know I've put worse on display.

[Giorgio N]

Thanks for the nice words, maybe I'm a bit too demanding, but what annoys me is that I had better results on previous models... these mottled schemes are always a pain, I thought I had mastered the technique but looks like I have to practice more.

 

19 hours ago, Foxbat said:

I think perhaps you're being too hard on yourself. Some decals, a little light weathering and she'll be a good 'un. I know I've put worse on display.

 

That's my approach at the moment: with the decals on I hope that part of the mistakes will disappear. Some weathering will do the rest.

Now as I've accepted the offer of a weekend on a sailing boat my deadline has moved... the model will have to be completed by Friday morning ! Just started applying the first decals, hopefully these will be done by tonight. There are some discrepancies between the HB instruction sheet and an old decal sheet I have for Hungarian 109s, the pictures I have are helping somewhat but there are still doubts on the position of the crosses and codes on the fuselage. At some point I'll just toss a coin and decide to follow one or the other source.

[CliffB]

It's looking very nice from here Giorgio.  Fingers crossed for Friday!

 

Cliff

[Giorgio N]

Thanks Cliff, glad you like it !

Fortunately decals went on without too many problems. The main problem is that some of the markings are likely the wrong size. I believe that the upper wing crosses should be larger while I'm not sure if the fuselage crosses should be slightly smaller. Some of the stencils may also not have been applied to this machine but since I don't have any pictures of "my" aircraft, I've applied them all. When it was time to take the pictures though the camera had no charge left in the battery so the best I can offer are a couple of pictures taken with my mobile. Some of the colours are quite off, in particular the greys look different on the two wings while they are exactly the same on both side

 

 

 

Now all that remains to do is to give a final satin varnish coat, paint a number of small details, add the landing gear and hope that nothing else breaks in the meantime.. the antenna already broke during painting and will need replacing. The DF loop also needs adding.

 

I'm starting to like the finish of this model. Apart from the USAAF natural metal types with all their colours, this is one of the most colourful WW2 fighter I have ever built. It will fit nicely beside my previous Bf.109 built in Swiss markings.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Giorgio N