Jump to content

Bf-109 E-3; New Beginning?


Recommended Posts

This is my first build in more than a year.  In December 2015, I lost sensation in both of my hands.  After visiting with many quacks  , I mean doctors, it appears I will have to learn to live with the fact I have no tactile sensation in my hands, other than a constant tingling like they are asleep.  (Goes with my tinnitus from playing with too many things that go boom courtesy of my Uncle Sam).  This kit was an experiment into solving the problem of model building without being able to use your sense of touch.  I picked a fairly easy kit to build the 1/48 Hasegawa BF 109 E-3.  This is a really easy kit to build, goes together well and any problems in the build were most likely cause by me.  I had support and great tips from people who followed the WIP, which is here http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235015251-148-bf-109-e-3-a-new-beginning/&page=2#comment-2667552.  I can’t tell you how much the encouragement and suggestions on how to overcome certain obstacles meant to me.  Now, looking at the pictures, I notice a couple of things, like I knocked off one of the wing guns and forgot I was going to replace them with brass tubing.  Still need to do that.  My weathering seems much too harsh in the pictures, but when you look at the kit from normal viewing distance, it seems about right.  Need to figure out the compromise where it looks good in the pictures and good in real life.  Here are the pictures.

 

RFI%201.jpg

 

RFI%202.jpg

 

RFI%203.jpg

 

RFI%204.jpg

 

RFI%205.jpg

 

RFI%206.jpg

 

RFI%207.jpg

 

RFI%208.jpg

 

RFI%209.jpg

 

RFI%2010.jpg

 

If you guys will still have a septic from the wrong side of the Atlantic, I will continue to post here and keep building mediocre kits for your amusement.  As always, all comments are welcomed.

  • Like 27
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I reckon we can put up with you George, as for amusing us with mediocre kits, there is nothing too mediocre about that effort, maybe a bit too much weathering but then again, I'm not a weatherer. Keep up the good work. :)

Steve.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't really imagine what modelling would be like without any tactile feedback, but that '09 must be a real achievement! Splendid work!

 

If there's a problem with the weathering, I'd say it's less a question of level but perhaps one of cause and effect. Effective weathering appears in logical places: paint fading on upper surfaces, oil and exhaust stains where they have been deposited by airflow, dirt underneath from take offs in dusty or wet conditions, chipping around frequently handled access panels and scuffing where people have trampled while servicing and helping pilots in and out of the plane.

 

Show us more, please!

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you have done one heck of a good job given the issue you are dealing with.

Persistence and patience are great virtues.  They win not only battles but wars.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, allyby said:

Nice work, keep it up, weathering looks good to me!

Thanks for looking.   You are more than kind regarding the weathering as it is a bit rough. Just have to have more practice, right!

10 hours ago, BerndM said:

Congrats to this build, made under difficult health conditions !

 

Thank you. The loss of sensation is what it is and just have to deal with it. Just good to know I can at least attempt to build kits still!

9 hours ago, LostCosmonauts said:

Shame about your health issue but it certainly hasn't stopped you producing a nice model 

Thanks for checking it out and being generous with your comments about the build. 

9 hours ago, stevehnz said:

I reckon we can put up with you George, as for amusing us with mediocre kits, there is nothing too mediocre about that effort, maybe a bit too much weathering but then again, I'm not a weatherer. Keep up the good work. :)

Steve.

Steve, thanks for looking in. I also struggle with the weathering issue as I really think it is harder to present a pristine model, without weathering to hide the little sins of construction. 

6 hours ago, Gerrardandrews said:

Very well made kit, great looking 109, not good being under the weather, I've been ill myself,past few months, and I haven't sat at my bench much.

so hopefully you get well soon 😊

Thanks for your comment and I hope your health has improved to allow you to get back to building. It's good therapy!

5 hours ago, Spitfire31 said:

I can't really imagine what modelling would be like without any tactile feedback, but that '09 must be a real achievement! Splendid work!

 

If there's a problem with the weathering, I'd say it's less a question of level but perhaps one of cause and effect. Effective weathering appears in logical places: paint fading on upper surfaces, oil and exhaust stains where they have been deposited by airflow, dirt underneath from take offs in dusty or wet conditions, chipping around frequently handled access panels and scuffing where people have trampled while servicing and helping pilots in and out of the plane.

 

Show us more, please!

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

I really appreciate your comments Joachim. The weathering is really rough and I'm not entirely happy with it. Just need more practice. 

5 hours ago, Watcher said:

Looking good.

 

Thanks for looking at my feeble attempt and being so kind. 

28 minutes ago, FatFlyHalf said:

I think you have done one heck of a good job given the issue you are dealing with.

Persistence and patience are great virtues.  They win not only battles but wars.

 

Sometimes I don't think it is so much patience or persistence, rather I just am too stubborn to give up something I love and enjoy.  With model kits, that's a good thing. With some of the women in my life . . .

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very sorry to hear about your health issues.  I'm sure most people who have read your thread would find it hard to imagine what that must be like. I know I do.   I hope building this model has been therapeutic for you.  Anyway, notwithstanding your difficulties I think that is a great finished product and I look forward to seeing more of your work..

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Meatbox8 said:

Very sorry to hear about your health issues.  I'm sure most people who have read your thread would find it hard to imagine what that must be like. I know I do.   I hope building this model has been therapeutic for you.  Anyway, notwithstanding your difficulties I think that is a great finished product and I look forward to seeing more of your work..

Thank you for looking at my RFI and the kind comment as to its build.  I'm not sure I would now classify this as a health issue as there is no cure and I will have to deal with numb hands for the rest of my life.  I look at it more as a rehabilitative issue, learning how to do what you once did, only a different way of doing it.  I wish I would have been able to tell you I was a world class model maker before this happened, but at best, I was merely mediocre.  The good news, is I don't have far to go in rehabilitation to become mediocre again!  I started posting again for a few reasons.  One, building kits, even at my level, is something I enjoy and missed doing.  Two, I missed the fellowship that is on this site,  (Now to be politically correct, do I need to change that to "humanship"?  I hate PC!)  And lastly, the people here will go out of their way to help a fellow modeler with any problem they may encounter and usually come up with some pretty nifty solutions.  I knew the collective warped minds on here would be able to find creative, novel and effective techniques to allow me to once again rise to the high level of mediocrity that they have seen from me in the past.  (And those helpful, supportive people also include you sneaky moderators that read everything and go everywhere, keeping this site safe and free from the denizens of evil and destruction!)

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, viscount806x said:

Respect!

Now that's a term that is very rarely associated with me.  Thank you for your kind comment; glad you took the time to stop by.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Julien said:

Sorry to hear about your medical issues, glad to see its not keeping you down and you are back to the plastic. Keep going.

 

Julien

So is it weird I get the image of the moderators as little mini Tron people walking around the internet dressed up as WWII British Officers, with a riding crop in one hand, just peering into each electronic room and either leaving with the comment "Right!  Everything is spit-spot!" or dressing down the room's occupants for being the naughty ones that need to straighten up.

Thanks for your comment Julien and for keeping things spit-spot.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, really sorry to hear about the medical stuff.  I friend of mine has developed numbness in his hands due to some nerve damage caused by (I think) pernicious anaemia.  It's not fun for manual dexterity, that's for sure.  Keep up the good work :thumbsup:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Mike.  Yeah one of the few things I inherited from my father the propensity for shingles outbreaks.  Had outbreaks off and on since 1992.  Didn't ever know one of the side effects of experiencing outbreaks over the long term was the possibility of losing sensation in your hands.  Thanks dad.  How could I stay away from this site for long?  Don't you need another somewhat politically incorrect cretin to monitor for inappropriate postings?  Don't want your life to become dull do you?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, georgeusa said:

So is it weird I get the image of the moderators as little mini Tron people walking around the internet dressed up as WWII British Officers, with a riding crop in one hand, just peering into each electronic room and either leaving with the comment "Right!  Everything is spit-spot!" or dressing down the room's occupants for being the naughty ones that need to straighten up.

Thanks for your comment Julien and for keeping things spit-spot.

 

Not sure if the moderators are as you described, but I bet they'd like to be!

Edited by Meatbox8
typo
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Under the circumstances, I reckon you've built a really good model.

I reckon your finishing and weathering has turned out very well.

Hope you have more projects in mind, regardless of the issues with your hands.

:goodjob:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Georgeusa, i m so sorry to hear about what happened to you :( I hope everything gets better and better over time and meanwhile, you ll continue to build more and more models. You have my biggest respect! And nicely finished 109 ! :)  CHeers

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice work on the Emil. Hope to see some more postings as your health hopefully improves. Speaking as a baby boomer, it's an embuggerance how these creep up on you then bite you on the bum when you least expect them.

 

Pete.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

George, any septic's are more than welcome - if only so we can educate you about the letter "U", and our much better sense of humour (<- oh look, there's one of those U's).

If you've made that with no feeling in your hands, then please excuse me a moment whilst I find a hat to doff to you :clap:.

My elderly mother (70yo) was a dressmaker, but still sews with bad arthritis in both hands - whilst not exactly the same, it gives me an idea of what you're going through.

Keep up the good work Yank!

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...