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I already have two projects (Hawker Hurricanes around the World and Last Legs Ponies) underway, both of which are providing plenty of modelling fun, but here I am initiating another one! This project involves modelling BF 109Gs (or their derivative versions, such as Spain's HA-1112 and Czechoslovakia's S-199) in service with the "smaller" air forces (i.e., not Germany or Italy). Some of these will be minor Axis (e.g., Hungary) and others are post-war or neutral operators (e.g., Switzerland). Partly why I am introducing this now even as I have other models as WIPs is that BF 109Gs are more complicated than I would have expected! I'm going to need some help in understanding all the nuances of canopies, tail heights, wheels, antennas, etc. I don't always mind being inaccurate, but I like to at least understand what would be accurate--then I can decide how to proceed. Here are the ones I think I have more-or-less nailed down (although even with these I'm not always sure which tail wheel or antenna to use) and the kits I intend to build from. in no particular order: Finland Slovakia Spain Czechoslovakia Croatia (with decals from Lift Here) Hungary (with decals from Lift Here as well) Israel (this kit is so old [1977!] I'm not sure it's buildable, but we'll try! (with decals from Tally Ho!) That leaves Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Romania. I have kits and decals to do these, but I need some Britmodeller help on questions around these...more to come!

I am excited for this GB! There are several subjects I may want to build as part of it, but first up will be a representative from my "Minor Gustavs" project, a 1/72 HA-1112 from Special Hobby. Should be able to build this OOB. The Minor Gustavs project involves modelling BF 109Gs (or their derivative versions, such as Spain's HA-1112) in service with the "smaller" air forces (i.e., not Germany or Italy). Some of these are minor Axis (e.g., Hungary) and others are post-war or neutral operators (e.g., Switzerland). Here are the first six Minor Gustavs I've built, representatives from Romania, Finland, Slovakia, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Croatia. I think a nice blue HA-1112 will make a great addition!

My Minor Gustavs project is modeling Bf 109Gs or derivate versions in service with the "smaller" air forces (i.e., not Germany or Italy). To date I have modeled Slovakia (Airfix G-6); Czechoslovakia (KP S-199); Finland (Airfix G-6); and Romania (Hobby Boss G-6 converted to Ga-6 thanks to RB Productions resin). Several of my remaining subjects would qualify for this GB (Croatia, Spain, Yugoslavia), and I've decided I will do a Yugoslav G-10, using the 1/72 Revell kit . . . . . . and Exito decals. Exito gives you a nice poster which is now hanging above my modeling desk. I'm excited for this GB and look forward to seeing the other builds too!

This is the fourth of my "Minor Gustavs" project, a 1/72 Bf 109G-6 in Slovakian markings, built from the Airfix kit with AZ decals, and a lot of "loaner" AZ pieces (UC, drop tank, etc.). I opted to arm her with rockets; I have no evidence that these Slovakian Gustavs ever carried rockets, but I had the parts and decided to use them. I've brushed the camo with Tamiya paints, using a wet Q-tip for the mottling. I also took a few family photos--the other Gustavs are Czechoslovakia (KP Avia S-199); Romania (Hobby Boss Ga-6); and Finland (Airfix G-6). Here's the link to the project WIP if of interest:

This is the third instalment in my "Minor Gustavs" project, a 1/72 Airfix Bf 109G-6. The Airfix kit leaves a lot to be desired, so I supplemented with a couple peripheral parts from an AZ kit (trop filter, rear wheel). I modified the ETC rack from a Hobby Boss kit to serve as a mount for the stand. I enjoyed this one quite a bit and while it lacks the detail of other 1/72 G-6 kits and looks a bit on the "toyish" side, I'm happy enough with the result. Here she is with the other two Gustavs I've completed so far, Romania (Hobby Boss G-6 built as Ga-6) and Czechoslovakia (KP Avia S-199): Eight more to go! You can read about my Minor Gustavs project here: And RFI for Romania is here: and for Czechoslovakia here:

I finished this some time ago, but realize I never did an RFI. This is a 1/72 Czechoslovakian Avia S-199 built from the KP "Diana" kit. I built this as part of my "Minor Gustavs" project, modeling Bf 109Gs and derivatives (which the S-199 is) in service with smaller air forces. It's a nice kit, although the new S-199 from Eduard no doubt relegates this to the "also ran" category. Decals were poor-ish quality, but with some work came out alright. Was planning to build it entirely OOB, but the kit was missing one of the MGs for the cowling, so I swapped out an AZ spare that included the upper cowling and the MGs built in; otherwise, she's OOB. I sprayed the camo with a Tamiya rattle can. The yellow spinner is a bit of a question mark, but I decided to go that route in the absence of anything definitive suggesting otherwise, because I'm a big fan of bright colours! And here's "Diana" with her sister Gustav from Romania (a Ga-6 from the Hobby Boss G-6 kit with Resin MG bulges and decals from RB).

I was surprised in counting up how many models I've completed this year that it was 15! Granted, many were actually started in 2021, but still well over one per month is a better rate of completion than I expected. Mostly 2022 was focused on carrying on with my "Hawker Hurricanes around the World" project which I began in 2021 (I built 10 Hurricanes that year!). My Hawker Hurricane additions for 2022 include seven from "phase 2" of my project, which is modeling versions in service with Allied or non-aligned air forces. Kingdom of Yugoslavia (Airfix Mk I) Ireland (Arma Mk I) Republic of Yugoslavia (AZ Mk IV) Turkey (Mistercraft Mk IIc) Netherlands (ML-KNIL) (Arma Mk IIb) India (Smer Mk IIc) Portugal (Arma Mk IIc) I also completed my first Hurricane from "phase 3," those in Axis service. In this case, a captured Japanese version (Arma Mk IIb) which I built as part of the Japanese GB. And then I added a "civilian interlude" Hurricane as part of the Prototypes, Racers, Research, Record breakers, Special schemes megaGB, Hawker's own post-war G-AMAU in the markings it wore for the 1950s King Cup Race. This was a fun one! So those were my nine Hurricanes. I began my "Last Legs Ponies" project early in 2022, modeling American fighters that ended their services lives in Caribbean air forces. So far I have completed two P-51Ds, the first from Costa Rica (Airfix); the second from Dominican Republic (Tamiya); and then I added a Nicaragua Air Force P-38 Lightning (Hobby Boss P-38L) as part of the P-38 GB. Here they are all together. I began my "Minor Gustavs" project in March 2022, in which I am modeling Bf 109Gs (or derivatives) in service with "minor" air forces. I have completed two so far: a Ga-6 in postwar Romanian service (Hobby Boss G-6) and a "Diana" Avia S-199 (KP) in Czech markings. Finally, I joined the unofficial "Photo Reconnaissance Spitfire GB" in December 2022 to complete this Swedish S. 31 (Airfix Spitfire PR XIX), completely OOB and done in just over three weeks (crazy fast by my standards!).

I have begun a project I am calling "the Minor Gustavs," attempting to model Bf 109Gs that served in the air forces of "smaller" countries (i.e., not Germany and Italy). I wanted a quick way to get into this, and a "surprise" day off from work gave me the opportunity to challenge myself with a "blitz" build of HobbyBoss's "easy assembly" Bf109 G-6 "late" kit. I wanted to see if I could complete it in 24 hours, and that did not happen. But, she was all done in 66 hours, and anyway I had a blast! In the spirit of keeping it quick, I built this as a Romanian Ga-6 (main difference being teardrop MG blisters) with a single Russian blue colour (Tamiya XF-23), using decals from an out-of-print RB sheet I managed to procure from a hobby shop in California. I cut off the kit rear wheel and used a spare from an AZ kit, and RB provided resin for the unique blisters, but otherwise this is all OOB. This is the WIP thread, if interested: