Bf 109 Tail Strut Fitting

[Marvel Onkey]

Hello All

 

I'm struggling with one aspect of Airfix's new tool Bf 109 E-4- fitting the tail strut between the tail and the fuselage- I've made two of these now and both times I've managed to break the little struts, usually while I'm trying to attach them.

 

Anyone have any tips for how to fit them and keep them in one piece?

 

 

Thanks

[Antb]

20 hours ago, Marvel Onkey said:

Hello All

 

I'm struggling with one aspect of Airfix's new tool Bf 109 E-4- fitting the tail strut between the tail and the fuselage- I've made two of these now and both times I've managed to break the little struts, usually while I'm trying to attach them.

 

Anyone have any tips for how to fit them and keep them in one piece?

 

 

Thanks

 

Hi Marvel 

 

I built one not long back and have to admit didn't have any issues with the tail struts. 

 

The way I did this was to attach the end to the fuselage first with a little glue and when it was tacky and holding to the fuselage then moved the other end into the stabiliser using tweezers and a little more glue. Does that make sense? I'm hoping so. 

 

Seemed to work and I had no issues 

[Vinnie]

21 hours ago, Marvel Onkey said:

Hello All

 

I'm struggling with one aspect of Airfix's new tool Bf 109 E-4- fitting the tail strut between the tail and the fuselage- I've made two of these now and both times I've managed to break the little struts, usually while I'm trying to attach them.

 

Anyone have any tips for how to fit them and keep them in one piece?

 

 

Thanks

 

Unlike Antb, I had all sorts of issues with this kit. Mainly my own doing I should add. If you get the struts off the sprue without breaking them you're halfway there. Second time around I adopted a similar process. A dab of glue at both fixing points, wait till it goes tacky, fit the strut to the wing and then gently move the other end to the fuselage. Good luck.

[Marvel Onkey]

Thank you, I have another in my stash- third time lucky!

[yarvelling]

Are we talking about the 1/72 109E here?  If so, I can sympathise, and empathise... I made a start on one of these a short while ago, and gave up in frustration!  Using modelling side-cutter snips, the control column came away in two pieces, and just getting the fuselage sides off resulted in large chunks being cut from the front in error as the sprue-gates are so thick there... on reflection, I should have used a blade and carefully cut, but, I though the cutters would do a better job!  These new tool Airfix kits can be wonderful, but the sprue/runner attachment points leave me scratching my head at times - so many, and SO thick too...??!!!

The main aerial mast broke into two or three pieces as I tried to snip just one end carefully away too, as I like to remove as many attachment points prior to a priming paint - especially on pieces that'll be saved for last (get them painted and ready to attach after all main assembly, painting, and sticking of transfers.... not with this one though!   )  Maybe I'll get round to trying it again at some point....  shame, 'cause other 72nd scale planes in this range are incredibly easy well behaved - I love the Hurricane in this scale....even better in 1/48 - as is the BF109E....

[Marvel Onkey]

Yes, BF109E is the offending article.

 

Second attempt at the kit I managed to get just about everything off the sprues okay, but for the tiny bits it is indeed a bit of challenge when the sprue gates are bigger than the part they are attached to. Getting those tiny bits then attached to the plane has caused quite a lot of cursing...

 

It's surprising and frustrating- I've made the new Spitfire twice, and the new Mustang and they've gone together really sweetly...but then neither of them has struts between the tail plane and the fuselage for me to snap!

[DennisTheBear]

With the smaller parts (control column, tailplane braces, and so on) I cut the sprue attachments off as close to the sprue frame as possible, leaving a shortened thick section attached to the part. I then use a sharp blade to cut the part from the sprue segment, allowing you to hold down the part with even pressure (also stops the part spranging off into the inter-dimensional carpet monster). Hope the description makes sense.

 

DennisTheBear

[neilh]

May help, although not the 1/72nd kit but for the 1/48th Bf-109e, the struts were fractionally too long. I sanded the mating faces down at both ends which took the tension out of the fit between the 90 degree angle.  I think if the much smaller 1/72 kit has the same issue the tension would be enough to snap the part.  Even in 1/48th th softer " blue" plastic used on some Airfix kits, especially those with the thicker attachment points ( they are getting better with experience I think), the parts can snap easily. I use a very fine razor saw ( the JLC one- see " little Cars/modelling tools on this site) to remove the thicker attachment points. These saws are as thin as a razor blade and reduce any stress on the part. Still takes planning which attachment point or part of the sprue can tension or stress the part and remove in the best order to avoid snapping.

[DaveCromie]

I haven't built the 109 but from building other Airfix kits in their new plastic I have found that supporting the component in question with a large blob of blutac while using a razor saw or heated scalpel blade to remove the part with some of the sprue at each end (which can then be trimmed closer to the part without the stress of the whole sprue frame being attached) has worked for me. Apologies for the terrible sentence structure but my brain is too tired to do proper English!

 

Cheers

 

DC