1/48 Eduard Bf109E-3 JG53 November, 1939

[Ozzy]

Nice going, I second your request on how to put a video on a thread as I've also been trying to upload one.

[Mottlemaster]

First 109 iv seen with female genitalia . When you get the video sorted can you show us how the male does his thing. (probably involves the drop tank ).

[PlaStix]

Great idea for connecting the aircraft to the support and good progress overall. Very well done. 

Kind regards,

Stix

[Kahunaminor]

Thanks guys,

Breaking new ground here for me but pleased with the results so far. Hopefully I will get a run on this weekend. 

 

Regards,

[Calum]

Like what you're doing here Kent. Look forward to seeing more

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back,

The pilot has had his base colours added as per the Osprey book:

 

 

 

 

The engine has been painted and the install of the cockpit, gun deck and firewall into the port side has been completed:

 

 

The rear end MG 17 are included as you can see them through the two openings in the gun cover:

 

 

 

The wiring is a bit long so I have cut a hole in the firewall and it will be looped through and back to the mounting point. The firewall needed a notch cut to accommodate the plug but it all fits pretty well:

 

 

Next up is the finishing of the interior before closing up the fuselage.

 

Regards,

 

 

 

[Joss]

Looking very nice!

Just to warn you the cowling won't fit on with the engine intact or machine gun in place I had to cut mine down quite abit...

You can see it over on my build,

 

Regards

Joss

[Kahunaminor]

7 hours ago, Joss said:

Looking very nice!

Just to warn you the cowling won't fit on with the engine intact or machine gun in place I had to cut mine down quite abit...

You can see it over on my build,

 

Regards

Joss

Yeah thanks Joss,

 

I was aware of it and have sanded the offending parts down so I get a nice snug fit. They tell you at about page 15 of the instructions what and how to remove to fit the cowl and gun cover. At least in later editions they do but maybe not in the original E-1 instructions?

 

Regards,

[BIG X]

...fantasic build - keep it up!!!

[Joss]

On 03/07/2017 at 07:41, Kahunaminor said:

Yeah thanks Joss,

 

I was aware of it and have sanded the offending parts down so I get a nice snug fit. They tell you at about page 15 of the instructions what and how to remove to fit the cowl and gun cover. At least in later editions they do but maybe not in the original E-1 instructions?

 

Regards,

Ah that's interesting to know its abit all over the place in the originals. But glad you've got it under control and she is look fantastic!

All the best 

Joss

[Kahunaminor]

Thanks gents,

 

Kids are on school holidays so a great chunk of my time is now devoted to keeping them entertained for 14 days, hence not much progress. I have glosscoated the cockpit and those areas that were to receive a wash with AK Interactive Neutral Grey:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some touch ups and highlights to go before the Ultra Matte. I then fit the upper IP in place and had to dry fit the fuselage:

 

 

I moved the hole for the motor attachment further back towards the COG. What's that old saying, measure twice cut once? The first hole was filled with some styrene rod, cut off and sanded back to flush:

 

 

The stand also progressed as well. I cut a 150mm piece of square brass tubing and then filed two sides to give me a cutout to insert the female electrical connector as it was the exact same width. Nestling it into the brass on two sides gives me better support. I applied some heat shrink material to shield the connections inside the brass rod:

 

 

 

 

Hopefully I will get the pilot inserted and the fuselage together before the week's out.

 

Regards,

 

 

 

[Mottlemaster]

Hope you worked out COG with electric motor in .

[Kahunaminor]

On 11/07/2017 at 8:14 PM, Mottlemaster said:

Hope you worked out COG with electric motor in .

 

I think I have it this time!

 

And we have progress! Ultra Matte Varnish applied followed by some actual construction! I glued some styrene strip fore and aft of the connector location. Once the connector is installed, I will attach more strip across the top of the connector and over the strip to secure it in place....forever!

 

 

 

Some work to be done on the lower surface of the oil cooler and lower engine cowl to remove a couple of hairline seams:

 

 

I started at the tail and progressively worked my way forward, securing the fuselage halves and ensuring the cockpit tub, gun deck and oil cooler were correctly aligned and snug:

 

 

 

 

The gun deck cover was secured in place:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once this has set up, I plan to dry fit the motor but secure the connector and lower wing assembly into place permanently. This will allow me to fine tune the motor position before the exhausts and cowls are placed. Hopefully next update it will have wings.

 

Regards,

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back,

 

It has wings! Starting with wing root joins, I glued the upper wings section by section working out to the wing tips. The leading edges will require some clean up but the dihedral looks good:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The slats had the underside mounting tabs removed and cut flush and the slats were then fixed into position:

 

 

The underside is in need of some minor attention but nothing too onerous:

 

 

 

The engine is still free but a test of the cowl suggests a positive outcome:

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and regards,

[Mottlemaster]

Good progress .

 

how about adding a drop of crystal clear to the google glass of the pilot as it would show up well against the mat of the pilot >

[galgos]

That all looks like a pretty precise fit Kent, though not of course without pre-thought and preparation! 

Max 

[Ozzy]

Coming along nicely, your driver looks happy in the cockpit.

[Kahunaminor]

Work on the stand has progressed:

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has a slight upward attitude to match the position of the control column (planned of course! 😗).

 

Regards,

 

[galgos]

...and the control surfaces I hope Kent!

Max

 

[Kahunaminor]

It lives! My creature has life! The stand is complete. An offcut piece of pine, drilled and dremelled to provide wiring and battery. A couple of coats of left over wood oil to protect the finish. A piece of round 6mm tube was inserted into the base of the square brass and soldered to make it easier to drill out the mount. I will not get any awards for neatness on the wiring but it works. Some self adhesive pads to raise the base to allow the battery to sit a little proud (with all the excess wires underneath):

 

 

 

 

 

Then the moment of truth......

 

It is here somewhere!

 

Regards,

 

 

 

 

[Ozzy]

Looking good Kent.

[Mottlemaster]

You will be able to turn your aircon down with your new Luftwaffe desk fan in action

 

 

[Kahunaminor]

I've added the radiators to the underside and puttied some seams:

 

 

The engine has been set in place and the cowling firmly attached. I had been worried about the engine position for the exhausts, but looking at it this morning, they will fit and you would never see if they were exactly over the exhaust ports on the engine. A test fit of the spinner back plate and all good:

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back,

Working on the MLG and bays. The tyres need to be sanded down at an angle to fit. Test fitting showed the doors, being the exact same size as the openings, would leave a nasty lip so material was carefully scraped away from the wing openings until the doors align within the openings:

 

 

 

 

The MLG have been reduced to just the straightened wheel mounts as all the rest was a problem:

 

 

The fore and aft canopies were fitted first and this meant the fore and aft ends of the central canopy were gradually sanded away so as to fit:

 

 

 

A small gap was filled with Gator's Grip to address a gap in the port front end. It will dry clear and be almost invisible from the inside unlike using putty which would leave a white residue showing on the interior:

 

 

 

The gunsight, armour head plate and canopy hold open strap were attached before the canopy was then masked and sealed forever. The small inlet on the starboard cowling behind the engine crank was drilled out and the plastic air filter cover for expediency:

 

 

Work on the prop:

 

 

Engine test run: 

 

http://s219.photobucket.com/user/kahunaminor/media/Eduard Bf 109E-1/D47627FC-F038-44D3-9D3D-5A1A9A949CF6_zpszkfqw728.mp4.html

 

Hopefully onto painting the undersides and a finish by the weekend maybe.

 

Regards,

[Kahunaminor]

With the grace of the 7 day extension granted by Enzo, I continued on with the work. The various openings were masked with damp tissue and the Aeromaster RLM 65 was sprayed on the undersides. Once this has had an opportunity to dry for a few hours, I will mask off the lower surfaces in preparation for the topside colours. I plan on an overall coat of RLM 02, mask that then finishing with the RLM 70/71 before markings and decals:

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,