1/48 Bf-109 E-3, A New Beginning

[georgeusa]

“Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends.  We're so glad you could attend!  Come inside! Come inside!” For myself and my favorite all time musical group, 2016 was not a good year.  To Keith Emerson and Greg Lake RIP.  Your gift of music was outstanding.

I have been absent from this fine forum for about a year now (other than occasionally lurking about and being jealous of fantastic builds that happen here every day).  December 2015 I woke up with shooting pains throughout my body coupled with numbness in my extremities.  Being the ever-diligent person I am and realizing that just ignoring it would not make it go away, (Not that I would ever try that, heaven forbid!) I began a wonderful odyssey of various health professionals poking, prodding, inserting, inspecting and failing to detect why I now had no feeling in my hands.  The general pain shooting throughout my body had ceased, but there was absolutely no feeling in my hands.  The best I can describe it is they feel as if they are constantly asleep.  Anyway, going through a bunch of medical people that suggested everything from diabetes, (nope), carpel tunnel (nope), neuropathy (nope), cancer (not again) to me just being mental I came away with a wonderful diagnosis of we don’t know why you have no feeling in your hands, but we don’t think it is endangering your health.  Yeah, didn’t make sense to me either.  The best guess for my condition is narrowed to two causes, neither of which, I understand, is curable. 

The first, and my favorite, is I was exposed to some unknown chemical in Southeast Asia from either the U. S. forces or the communist forces and it is just now showing up.  Now I did go into some very interesting areas where I shouldn’t have been, and into jungles that shouldn’t have anything sprayed in them but there was, and I was not privy to what was used, how it was to affect humans, as my chances of surviving the war were minimal.  My cheery little group had 100% plus casualty rate. (Never could understand how that could be, except most of us got wounded at least once and foolishly kept returning to fight.  Option one then is some unknown chemical has resided in my body for about 45 years and is just now starting to run rampant, cheery huh?

The second option and what I really think is more likely is I have had shingles since 1990 when they were triggered by some cancer treatments.  Just was told that sometimes as a side effect, you just loose feeling in your extremities, usually your hands.  The cure, same as for shingles, just learn to live with it.

And, for the last year my brothers in plastic, I have been learning to use my hands without having any feeling in them.  You take for granted how much the sense of touch comes into play on a day by day basis.  How tightly do you hold a Styrofoam cup?  (Okay, I know I shouldn’t be using them, but some places still sell drinks that way!)  Most people can feel the cup sidewalls beginning to give in by touch and then just maintain that pressure.   By trial and error and many drink mishaps, I learned just how much to think to hold the cup so I didn’t either drop it or squish it. Same for holding eating utensils, cracking eggs (that was a fun lesson, the kitchen was a mess), holding glass bottles over tile floors. The amusing one that still gives me fits is how hard to grip pills when I take them out of a bottle to keep them from falling out of my hand.

In regards to modeling, “Hi!  My name is George.  I am just learning how to assemble plastic kits.  Bear with me!”  So, from a rather massive stash (more on that later) I chose a relatively easy build to begin the trek back to putting plastic pieces together.  The kit is 1/48 Hasegawa Bf 109 E-3.  This will not only be a WIP for the 109, but probably, an interesting lesson on how much touch is used in model construction.  I really am a newbie.  I went to my trusty Photobucket account and can’t sign in.  When I did sign in, it wouldn’t let me into my library or download pictures.  Once that was sorted out, then I try to upload to Britmodeller and everything has changed with the new software version.  ARGGGGHHHHHH.  Okay, blood pressure back to normal so here goes.  The kit looks very nice.  Here is the box cover art and the plastic innards.

It has some photo etch and a nice selection of decal choices.

The first job is the cockpit.  The selection of parts is nice.

The seat has some basic seat belt detail, not great, but for me and this build adequate

And the instrument panel is nothing to write home about, but for this build, some dry brushing will be enough as the canopy will be closed.  Any resemblance to the actual panel instruments and the kit detail representation is strictly coincidental!

I now will try to see how well I can botch a kit that should go together by itself.  Wish me luck.  As always, all comments are welcome.

[Parabat]

An excellent choice sir! May I recommend the box art version, White 1? A great looking scheme with the high demarcation and no mottle. 

And welcome back to modelling, hope the return brings some feeling back to your hands.

[georgeusa]

Parabat,

I am going with the scheme you mentioned specifically for the reasons you list. Right now am cleaning up the cockpit bits and gluing together for my first attempt at painting. 

[georgeusa]

Parabat,

I am going with the scheme you mentioned specifically for the reasons you list. Right now am cleaning up the cockpit bits and gluing together for my first attempt at painting. 

[woody37]

Hi George,

 

sorry to to hear about the issues you've been having, glad to see you back around, look forwards to your 109

[Pete in Lincs]

George!

(That should come across like 'NORM!' did on Cheers)

Great to have you back again, you have been sorely missed.

 

This will be interesting then, I'll keep an eye out for your posts

and will do whatever I can to help. (Given the distance of separation!)

 

Hopefully, if this condition arrived, it may just depart again?

 

[georgeusa]

Pete,

Good to hear from you. I am glad to be back trying my hand at a pathetic attempt to match the wonders everyone else here does, including yourself. I would like to hope my loss of sense of touch is temporary, but I don't think it will be. Hasn't gotten any better for the last year. One doctor pointed out the fact I was growing older and that is a factor.  I love that astute diagnosis. He did look a bit perplexed when I asked him isn't the alternative to growing older slightly worse and more permanent in its limitations?  Oh well, I know I'm getting older as I had difficulty turning over a round bale today. Seems as if they were so much lighter about 30 years ago. I will have an update later tonight, your wee hours of the morning. Thanks for looking in again. 

[hendie]

hi George, glad to see you return and so sorry to hear about your misfortunes.

My friend had almost the same issue about 3 years ago. Like you, he had shingles, however, his hands also closed up and he couldn't move his fingers at all, and he was like that for many, many months.  I can't remember the exact diagnosis, but they did eventually sort it out and his hands returned to normal, but not without several months of physio.

 

Here's hoping that things take a turn for the better

 

 

[Bandsaw Steve]

Good choice of kit. This was my second ever 1/48 model. Built it in 1992 and it was a revelation. Previously I had mostly built 1/72 matchbox kits and I couldn't believe what was in this box- how well it fitted and how clean and detailed the moulds. It's old now, but I bet it's still good. Enjoy 

[georgeusa]

A really abysmal update.  I really am out of practice as doing a WIP.  I was concentrating so hard on trying to get the bits and pieces together for the cockpit that I forgot to take pictures of the build process.  So, the fuselage halves were slapped together.  Realizing I should learn from my mistakes, I thought I would do better on the wing portion of the build.  So, I took a picture of the wing parts to be assembled . . .

 

And then promptly failed to take a single picture of that build process too.  But, hey, it is a Hasegawa kit, one that goes together well and fits without problems, right?  Wrong.  If you are fumble fingered enough, like me, you get these wonderful gaps.

 

Now I don’t know if this is typical of this kit, or it is just my rusty building skills manifesting itself, but I had gaps; I had steps; I had fit issues.  The fuselage went together well for the most part.  I have never been one to be able to say I put the model together without a lick of putty.  Even in my best building mode, I needed filler along the fuselage joins.  This was not different.  But on the underside, either I just royally messed up or this kit does not have the typical Hasegawa fit.  There are a number of issues on the bottom that need to be cleaned up.  So, my next task is to fill the gaps and eliminate the steps prior to any paint being applied.

For those modelers, like myself, learning how to build without any feeling in their hands, here are a few of the lessons I learned.  Surprisingly, in a good way, tweezers are your friend.  I discovered when I tried just using my hands to install the small cockpit parts, the sense of touch is relied upon to a great degree.  Since I have none now, there really isn’t anything to rely on.  However, with tweezers, there is more focus on manipulating them with your eyes and mind rather than relying on your sense of touch.  That was very enlightening and I think I shall be using tweezers more.  It is a good thing as I have probably 20 different types but normally only use one!  I think the others will see the light of day.  The amusing lesson I learned, who would have thought the sense of touch comes so much into play in shaking paint bottles!  I picked out my favorite German interior gray paint (I know, I’m a colonial heathen and use g-r-a-y instead of g-r-e-y).  Since it hadn’t been used in over a year, thought I might give it a good shake to mix it up prior to application.  As I am shaking it up, and doing a fine job I might add, I am looking at the parts to mentally go over what needs the gray and what items need further colors.  I go to set down the paint bottle and it is not in my hand.  Suddenly, I have become a magician and amazed myself with the disappearing paint bottle.  Now, like everyone else on this fine forum, I am used to getting on my hands and knees to search for the crucial, teeny, tiny, little part that has fallen to the floor which is essential to the completion of my model.  I am not used to getting on my hands and knees to search for a missing full size paint bottle.  It seems as I was shaking and not paying attention to my hands, I didn’t hold the paint bottle tight enough and it flew into the next room.  You would also think I would have learned from this process.  Nope, I did the same thing with the red, the white and the silver tins.  Who knew shaking paint was such a precise manipulation.  What we take for granted.  Finally, my last lesson is not to hold the plastic too tight.  I almost cracked the fuselage halves when joining as I wasn’t paying attention to the amount of pressure I was exerting when gluing them together.  Well that is all for today as far as updates go.  My next step is to sand and fill, fill and sand; and get the kit ready for paint.  As always, all comments are welcome.

[georgeusa]

Hendie,

Thanks for looking in.  My hands have not curled up, rather each morning I spend the first 40 minutes working them into making a fist and forcing the fingers to move. Unless it is really cold, I don't have to do anything else in regards to using them as normal; except for that pesky lack of any feeling in them.  I am in the process of going through your massive builds. Quite impressive. 

 

Reconcilor,

I'm having a few fit issues that are probably my fault. Thanks for lookin in. 

[Parabat]

Sorry to hear that fit issues are compounding your experience. I found mine to be a pretty good fit generally, so hopefully things improve. Might be a good call to do a lot of dry fitting and test before gluing. Good luck!

[The Spadgent]

Hi George.

Sorry to hear about your hands, that's terrible. I started here on BM last spring, probably the same time you had a break. Great starting back build, I'm doing the BIG Airfix 109e at the moment so its always good to see another one coming along.

you're off to a cracking start.

 

John.

Edited January 15, 2017 by The Spadgent

[Bandsaw Steve]

Remember, my good impressions of this kit were relative to everything I had built before and the molds are old so not up to modern standards. I've just had a look at my old one and can confirm that filler was used in the same spots you have it so I think you are doing fine. 

[AdrianMF]

Sorry to hear you are having such problems George. It's good to have you back in the saddle though, and we don't mind dodging the odd paint bottle!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Biggles87]

Hi George,

So sorry to hear about your problems, but also pleased to see you back with us on BM.

I built one of these several years ago and do remember that the wing underside fit was not the best.

I hope that the return to modelling proves to be therapeutic.

Best wishes 

 

John

 

[Pete in Lincs]

George,

Looks good to me so far,

Don't fret, you're doing fine.

 

Just a thought on shaking the bottles,

Wrap them in a cloth, it may make it easier

for you to 'sense' they are there, and, in the

event of a launch, provide a soft landing.

[georgeusa]

A small paint update.  I sanded and filled the gaps along the top wing joins, the engine cover join and the bottom wing to fuselage join.  It was interesting as I learned sanding sticks are my new best friend.  In the past, when I had feeling in my hands, I would predominantly use just sanding paper sheets for most sanding duties.  It takes a bit more concentration than I have to make sure four fingers are applying the same pressure along an area that needs sanding.  I kept getting a ripple effect along the area I needed to sand.  It takes much less concentration to use a sanding stick or sanding block as pressure is evenly distributed along its length.  For tight places, I took old toothbrush handles, cut the ends to different shapes and widths and then glued sand paper strips to the ends.  After trial and error, I have worked out a somewhat satisfactory way to sand seams.  (My preference, however, would have someone else do this for me as I had to fill and sand, look it over and then fill and sand again.  Just haven’t found that one person with a sanding fetish to step up for me!)

After the first coat of primer, a bit more work sanding work was needed at the aft wing to fuselage join.

Touched up the places that needed touching up.  On the wise advice of Parabat, I am going with the box cover art scheme as it seems less complicated.  That, and even when I did have feeling in my hands I was totally rubbish when it comes to mottling.  So, the entire airframe got a covering of blue.  I figured the blue would act like primer to check for any more places that needed some final work on the top portion of the kit.

Once the blue was on, it was time to mask off for the grey portions of the upper camo scheme.

The grey was applied and allowed to dry and the masking for the light green application was done.  (I know these technical paint terms are highly complex and hard to follow, but bear with me.  The paints are close to some sort of RLM equivalent, plus there will be some weathering that will change the initial hues.)

And then the lighter green was sprayed.

I still need to mask off for the darker green that seems to just on the wing roots close to the fuselage.  Spraying seems to be easier than I thought it would be as, for me, there is more input and control from the visual aspect of spraying than the sense of touch in manipulating the trigger.  Anyway, that is where the kit stands now.  As always, all comments are welcome.

[Pete in Lincs]

Looks good to me, George.

[Max Headroom]

Welcome back! You can't go wrong with a Tamiya kit and you'll soon have it done.

 

I'll add my good wishes for your future health. I always enjoy your posts and am glad you're back. If you're going to quote song lyrics, let's go with Hotel California by the Eagles "You can check out but never leave"! 👍

 

Trevor

 

 

[Bandsaw Steve]

Looking for someone with a 'sanding fetish' ?  Have you seen my Mig 15 build? I sometimes think it's nothing but sanding, and for some wierd reason l like it. I don't want to imagine what a psychologist would say!😜

[The Spadgent]

Brilliant! Page one and you've overtaken me already.  great work, that camo looks very smooth.   excelent stuff.

 

John.

[hendie]

looks darned fine to me.

[georgeusa]

On 1/14/2017 at 8:18 PM, Reconcilor said:

Remember, my good impressions of this kit were relative to everything I had built before and the molds are old so not up to modern standards. I've just had a look at my old one and can confirm that filler was used in the same spots you have it so I think you are doing fine. 

It's good to know it is not entirely me. However, I know it's partly my fault 'cause I alsways need filler!

On 1/14/2017 at 9:38 PM, AdrianMF said:

we don't mind dodging the odd paint bottle!

 

Regards,

Adrian

Yeah, but those Humbrol tins are killer!

On 1/15/2017 at 0:56 AM, Biggles87 said:

Hi George,

So sorry to hear about your problems, but also pleased to see you back with us on BM.

I built one of these several years ago and do remember that the wing underside fit was not the best.

I hope that the return to modelling proves to be therapeutic.

Best wishes 

 

John

 

Thanks John. If by "therapeutic" you mean dealing with plastic frustration, then it is working!  Thanks for the

encouragement. 

On 1/15/2017 at 1:56 AM, Pete in Lincs said:

Just a thought on shaking the bottles,

Wrap them in a cloth, it may make it easier

for you to 'sense' they are there, and, in the

event of a launch, provide a soft landing.

That is definitely a great suggestion. Thanks. 

4 hours ago, Max Headroom said:

Welcome back! You can't go wrong with a Tamiya kit and you'll soon have it done.

 

I'll add my good wishes for your future health. I always enjoy your posts and am glad you're back. If you're going to quote song lyrics, let's go with Hotel California by the Eagles "You can check out but never leave"! 👍

 

Trevor

 

 

Trevor, it's a Hasegawa kit, but the fit is similar. Saw the reunited Eagles in Dallas a few years ago with Henley, Frey, Walsh, Leadon and Schmidt. It was a fantastic concert and they sounded magnificent. However, ELP is still my all time favorite band. 

3 hours ago, Reconcilor said:

Looking for someone with a 'sanding fetish' ?  Have you seen my Mig 15 build? I sometimes think it's nothing but sanding, and for some wierd reason l like it. I don't want to imagine what a psychologist would say!😜

It's a shame you are so far from me as I would let you sand to your heart's content!

3 hours ago, The Spadgent said:

Brilliant! Page one and you've overtaken me already.  great work, that camo looks very smooth.   excelent stuff.

 

John.

John, I just got through catching up with your very impressive 109 build. It is amazing. Way out of my league, more into the Hendie stratosphere. 

 

And speaking of Hendie, I am still making my way through the copter and Pullman builds and am awestruck so far. Still haven't finished either but am enjoying the ride. 

[John Laidlaw]

Very good to see you back, George! The business with the hands sounds crappy, and I sincerely hope that the brain decides to re-route things for you. In the mean time, you're doing some sharp work here, and I shall follow along if you don't mind.