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Another Airfix Bf110.... Calling it done


Airgunner

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I wasn't going to do a WIP for this build, as it is meant to be a quick and easy mojo restorer after a particularly onerous car build for a friend. But after a hint from Ced, I thought I'd stick a couple of pictures up I'd taken for reference.

 

The build will represent the aircraft (S9+AB) of Walter Rubensdorffer commander of Erprobungsgruppe 210 when he was lost with his bordfunker Ludwig Kretzer on 15th August 1940 during a raid on Croyon (target was meant to be Kenley but misidentified). As no photos of this aircraft are extant, I am working from a couple of profiles I have found so some artistic licence will be applied.

 

Cockpit built and a couple of extra decals to add interest have been added from the spares box. Not much will be seen through the heavy canopy so I've not bothered with weathering and washes etc.

 

8E33AA13-4997-4EA7-A7EC-4B4D6F5FA591_zps

 

As is habit, I have finished the props first as I like to get at least one thing done. I have gone for blue spinners with 1/3rd white, as the aircraft code letter would have probably been blue. As said, artistic licence. One point for a future build, the prop blades are wrong, being the later paddle types, but as I have no spares, nor the desire to modify these, they will have to do.

 

64F014E6-3BC2-496A-A34D-FC0AAEBE1621_zps

 

So here she is, all buttoned up and in a coat of primer, polished with 8000 grit micromesh waiting for a pre-shade and then some paint. I experienced some of the fit issues that Ced did, I left the rear of the cockpit floor loose, only glueing the front bulkhead after trial and error dry fitting. Also I wondered what the heck that big lug was on the front of the lower wing, it looks like it's supposed to be there but clearly isn't so off it came. Other than that, I did have some issues getting the tail unit to fit, requiring much filing and fettling, but I got there in the end. Other than that, the fit has been excellent.

 

E75C19BC-1B5D-4C47-BB12-E7CFD41F327D_zps

 

Other than this, the canopy has been masked and painted, and all the odds, sods and dangley bits assembled and primed. I'll try and get some paint on it tomorrow, and post up some more progress pics.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Steve

Edited by Airgunner
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Great detail in the cockpit Steve - nice job.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who had some fit issues, and I'll watch out for the tail unit - thanks for the warning :)

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For a kit that has a reputation of being somewhat rough around the edges, I think it is looking rather nice after all the TLC you have lavished upon it.

The paint job so far is brilliant and the pre-shading has yielded great results.

Excellent job! What paint scheme are you going to use?

 

JR

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Thanks guys for the comments..

 

Jean, I am doing S9+AB with a camo of RLM71 over RLM02. Undersides are RLM65 and there will be mottle on the fuselage sides.

 

A little update...

 

An hours masking to just to spray on a coat of RLM02...

 

97A9777E-2011-4779-B7AB-DEE611B24375_zps

 

Interesting huh? In other news, all the bits, bobs und der bomben have had a coat of Klear ready for decals.

 

More soon (hopefully more interesting too..)

 

Thanks for looking

 

Steve

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Another half an hour of masking gave me this, all ready for the RLM71...

 

0700767D-A23C-46B9-929E-6432AD93BF45_zps

 

The good thing about masking, if there is one, is you get  to unwrap it all after you're done...

 

BC9215E9-2752-4C65-8071-69A6589DCF57_zps

 

After all was revealed, it was time for some subtle RLM02/71 mottling...

 

810074F9-5AD2-42FC-9A74-73C739BE6497_zps

 

I then couldn't resist putting a few decals on, just to try and breathe a little life into the build. It's here I encountered my first problem. The decal sheet I was going to use for the codes is knackered and the letters fell apart at the first sight of water. The only letter that was any good was the A, but that is green, not blue. Being a Stab. flight aircraft, green is an appropriate code colour, so I went with it.

 

E8764E65-7FBE-4A33-975D-7C9AEF1977E0_zps

 

The other issue this threw up is that the spinners are now the wrong colour, though easily rectified...

 

E13A1F4E-8D52-4511-A199-E8E38C5A158D_zps

 

So, off to Hannants website to see if I can source some alternative code letters, in the meantime, I'll get all the stencils on, complete all the other dangly bits, and get what weathering done I can.

 

More soon, thanks for looking

 

Steve

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Thanks all for the comments, much appreciated.

 

A small update today, as I am mostly boss-eyed from applying nearly all the stencils. I though the USAF like a stencil or five dozen, but clearly the man in charge there is of German extraction, there's loads on this thing and most are tiny..

 

12A15C16-B3A9-44EE-9FD1-EC2FB177929D_zps 

 

Before my eyes went squiffy, I made up the towel rail antenna that is conspicuous by it's absence, I am also going to modify the DF loop as it looks too thick to my eye, and add the missing underside UHF aerial, all hopefully tomorrow.

 

7AAB2247-649F-4E24-93A6-9D34FB94A881_zps

 

Thanks for looking..

 

Steve

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I'm looking forward to seeing this done. ErpBGr 210 & its successors were intering units, I've got John Vasco's "Bombsights over England" & his "The Sting of the Luftwaffe" on its way so you could say I'm more than slightly interested. I like what I see of what you've done so far. :)

Steve.

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Lovely paintwork :clap2:!

 

Did you freehand the mottle? It's very effective.

 

Seeing this, Ced's and other builds of this kit here on BM, it's really winning  me over. My stash is already so huge it has its own gravitational force, yet surely one little Bf 110 could be put on the Christmas list :hmmm:?

 

All the best

TonyT

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Guys, thanks again for the kind comments, all helps in keeping the mojo intact!

 

11 hours ago, TonyTiger66 said:

Lovely paintwork :clap2:!

 

Did you freehand the mottle? It's very effective.

 

 

 

Hi Tony, yes, the mottle was feehanded, super-thinned paint and just enough pressure to get it through the airbrush. It takes a while and a bit of practice, but is worth it in the end.

 

Just a tiny one photo update today. Got all the stenciling done, including the microscopic frame number decals. Why, Willi, why? You may have made fine looking aeronautical flying contraptions, but with those silly little numbers did you spare no thought for the humble modeler?

 

F88C7F59-D911-4A5F-843D-DFD91D8CA1D5_zps

 

As of now, it is all sitting under another coat of Klear awaiting some oil washes and filters. I'm going to leave it to fully harden for a couple of days, so I'll hopefully complete all the other bits and bobs (und der bomben) whilst my eyes unboss themselves.

 

Thanks for looking, more hopefully soon(ish).

 

Steve

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Thanks for that, I was on a wild goose chase then, not that its been wasted, I've found a couple of sheets with the bombsight over England, an LPS one & a Prinscale one (Zerstorer Aces No. 1) I've got the LPS one & will probably get the Printscale one, its got a stack of SKG210 & ZG1 aircraft on it, but I'm afraid I plan to use both of them in time. maybe worth a shout out to see if anyone had those from one of the sheets & doesn't plan to use it.

Steve.

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