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Hi everyone – here is my latest completion, the 1/48 Eduard Messerschmitt Bf-109E-1 Weekend Edition, built with the addition of the Eduard etched fret for this kit. This one was built to accompany the Hurricane I finished back in January (here - Normally I'm a WW1 aircraft builder, so I don’t know too much about Bf-109s... I am sure there are plenty of errors! The model is painted in the markings of a machine of 1/JG26, France, 1940. This scheme seemed a little more interesting due to the green spinner and possible lack of white infills to the fuselage markings. The decals came from an old Aeromaster sheet from 1994 (which I have had in the stash for at least 20 years), which, sadly, silvered a bit (not surprising for decals that are nearly 30 years old..!). The national markings and aircraft number "1" were sprayed using home made masks. The paints used for the finish were all SMS acrylic lacquers (my new favourite paint), but the RLM02 and RLM71 were ‘reddened’ up a little bit, as they were a bit too ‘green’ for my taste. Here's some pics: Overall, this is an excellent kit which goes together nicely (so nicely in fact that I am tempted to start another one!). Apologies for the poor photography (my camera is also pushing 20 years old…). Thanks to all for looking! Cheers, Brad

I started this kit some years ago but home and work life have kept me too busy to do much. I'm not a particularly skilled either so when I have had time at the bench progress has been very slow. Inspired by the excellent work showcased here by others, I figured it was time to reveal my efforts and hopefully pick up a tip or two along the way. I'm very much a large scale fan (all of the kits in my stash being 1/24 scale), and I want it to represent an aircraft of the fifth staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26... more about this later. Obviously, this is the kit I'm using: Sadly I didn't get pictures of the early work... but here is my start on the cockpit: I recognise that something will have to be done about the wheel wells... but I have cut out the flaps so that I can set them in a part down position. Being somewhat enthusiastic to test out my new razor saw, I realised that I hadn't quite thought through exactly how I was going to deal with these once I'd cut them off! It is a bigger gap than I'd imagined it would be 🤨. And as for these awful exhausts... they definitely have to go.

So with a week to go I thought I'd set out my placeholder... I'll be building (and hopefully finishing this time) the Eduard Bf109E-3 in 1/32 using the markings for Black 11+- of 5/JG3 based at Brombos in early August 1940 which are part of the Kagero Battle of Britain Part 2 set and which were very kindly sent to me by @Silver Fox and for which I would like to record my gratitude: thank you Andy Trying to dig out the history of this aircraft and the pilot has produced very little apart from a few pictures on Asisbiz, so any further information about either would be gratefully received, but in short Black 11 was one of the aircraft assigned to the schwarm led by Unteroffizier Josef Heinzeller and I believe that all four aircraft received the stylised profile of the dog 'Schnauzl' in the cowling, 'Schnauzl' being Heinzeller's nickname for both his childhood dog and, apparently, his wife. What a charmer. Similarly I have been able to find out little about Unteroffizier Fritz Mias beyond the fact that he existed, his first kill was a Potez 631 or 637 on 17th June 1940 near Lecaude and he was himself shot down in 'Black 8' on 19th June 1940 in what may have been a 'friendly fire' incident whilst escorting Stukas to Cherbourg - the plane was a write-off but Mias returned safely to his base the next day. The Kagero markings for Black 11 show two kill markings, but I have not been able to find any record of the second kill, or indeed anything else about Fritz Mias. Incidentally the same markings were provided as one of the options included with the Dragon 1/32 Bf109E-3. The Eduard kit is, as far as I know, pretty well thought of, with no glaringly obvious problems reported in the reviews I have read apart from the fact that as the DB601 engine is more-or-less scaled to size rather than to fit under the cowling, you have to decide early on if you want the engine on display or the cowling fitted, as you can't have both. I'll have my cowling fitted, thanks Here's the box for this particular edition of the kit, it is the Profipack version that I picked up for around half the current price: Instructions: Clear parts: Wings and fuselage sprues: Control surfaces etc.: Various cockpit, engine and undercarriage parts: Etched parts and masks: ... and decals: That's what comes in the box - I've also got a... well, a raft of aftemarket stuff, to follow... Cheers, Stew

Hi all, second attempt to upload photos of second lock down build. Cockpit opened with razor saw, seat belts Tamiya tape and offcut PE, which while rough close up are better than the Tamiya decals, I think. Working on Arma Hobby Hurricane which completes my 172 BoB set and have a stash of 1/48 Eduard late model spit, Revell Hunter 1/72 to be built as FR10 and a Phoenix 1/72 T38 grasshopper (ancient Vacform and definitely one for later....). How is it stash grows faster than kits. anyway here it is and criticism welcomed.

Hi All, second completion since rejoining during lock down. Now working on Arma Hobby 172 Hurricane Mk1 and that will complete my BoB set. Some decal and paint finish issues, but learning all the time, Seat belts Tamiya tape and off cut PE, rough but better than decal, canopy opened with Razor saw. Stash now includes 1/72 Hunter F6 to be built as FR10, Vacform T38 grasshopper (waiting a while on that one!) and an Eduard 1/48 late model spit. Also have a hankering for a F104......

Hello all; I normally stick to Allied air forces but this paint scheme has been a bucket list for a while and I finally had a go at it. The full story of the multiple approaches and repaint can be found on my site. As usual, comment and corrections welcome. Cheers; Mark.

In May of 1942, JG 27 had a 4th Staffel attached to it's third group to perform exclusively in the fighter-bomber (Jabo) role. Depending on the source, I find the aircraft listed either as the 109-E4B or E7B? This unit only lasted about 3-4 months when III.Gruppe relinquished it's control, and it became part of JaboGruppe Afrika. Any ideas of how these aircraft might have been marked up? I'm thinking it was typical Luftwaffe tropical scheme, with aircraft number possibly in blue (Staffel colour) on the engine cowl, and the wavy style Gruppe marking also in blue. Gruppe emblem (shield graphic linked below), would be in front and below the cockpit window. Not sure about a bomb symbol. Thoughts from the members? regards, Jack

Hi all, Is it really five years since we last did this? Wow! Hopefully there will be time and energy for at least a couple of builds, but this one was my birthday present back in February that was bought by my wife specifically for this GB. We live quite near the southernmost areas of the Battle, and the Solent is quite a key part of family life, so when Airfix came out with its recent Dogfight Double of the new tool Spit Mk.Ia and Bf109e in the markings of the ill-fated combatants John Dundas and Helmut Wick, it seemed like the right thing to get it. Of course the fatal encounter between the two took place after the end of the Battle, but both aircraft depicted saw service throughout so I hope I'm safe on that front! Here is the box and sprues: The one thing I will be adding is Propblur propeller blades - the rest will be my attempt at making them to an acceptable standard!

So I am calling this done. It is the Airfix 1/72 Messerschmitt 109E-7 Trop (A02062) built in the hope of representing white 8, the mount of Ofw Franz Dorr of 7./JG 5 at Petsamo, March 1942. This build held a few firsts for me. First attempt at a wash. First use of some Tamiya weathering set. First go at fitting antennae (used stretched sprue), though I think I need to add the strand that joins the fuselage mid way between the rudder and the antennae mast. Ailerons dropped exactly11 degrees to match the dropped flaps (are you looking Joachim), and a crappy attempt at painting an opening at the front of the exhaust manifold covers. Next (new) build I will make holes. Pics were taken on i phone, with not great light. I will get camera shots sometime on future builds. The real reason that the Germans were unable to stay put on the Northern front was the constant harassment attacks by giant ant colonies bred by mad Russian scientists.