Heller Bf109 B1 1/72

[Duncan B]

Here is an oldie but goodie, the Heller Bf109 B/C in 1/72. I will be building this one alongside the V1 so I have something a little more mainstream to potter with when the limited run issues of the V1 start to get to me. It'll be done as a Jg88 aircraft, another first for me.

The kit features a reasonable cockpit for it's age so I don't intend doing anything with it other than a set of tamiya tape seat belts maybe. I'll rescribe the front end but will just smooth off the raised detail on the aft fuselage as the early B's in Spain had the seems puttied smooth from aft of the cockpit.

20 minutes later!!

Duncan B

[Duncan B]

Little progress to report, I decided to do a quick rescribe on the kit which hasn't been that quick!. I've drilled out the exhausts and removed the moulded in nose guns (Thanks Doug!) to be replaced with Master's turned brass barrels from the stash. I'll add some photos later.

Duncan B

Edited November 24, 2012 by Duncan B

[stoohoo]

Good progress Duncan, look forward to seeing how the rescribings turned out, I have only done it once before and I dont think theres ever a way of doing it quickly

agree with you on the pit detail - dont look half bad for a kit of its age!

Cheers, Stu

[Duncan B]

This one has gone a lot slower than I expected, not through any real fault with the kit more down to my OCD. I did a bit of research, always a dangerous thing for a quick build, and found that the surface detail is a mix of Bf109B, Bf109D and fantasy. This then stalled me while I figured out what to do next. I will go ahead and make it as a B model from JG88 as intended but there will be a bit more work required than I originally thought.

I will need to:

cut off the exhaust stubs and drill out the appropriate exhausts (I had drilled out the exisiting ones earlier)

rescribe the slats on the wings to extend them (I had rescribed them as the shorter, later type earlier)

scribe the oxygen and electrical connections on the stbd side

scribe the fuel filler on the port side

I've already started to rescribe some panel lines as you can see below:

those vents behind the exhausts should be one above the other on the D model but are correct for the B

The top vent is too high but it'll have to do, some of the early A's didn't have them at all.

Aft fuselage panel lines removed as photos show that the early 109's in Spain had them filled and painted over so they were smooth. I've drilled the holes in the aft fuselage for the jacking supports and have opened up the hole in the fin for the connecting rod of the tailplane, those little things can make a big difference to how the model looks I think.

Today I'll complete the rescribing and try to get the wings in place (maybe), I'll add a piece of plastic card to cover the joint visible in the aft cockpit and scribe the small door onto it too as that joint is too bad to leave.

Duncan B

Edited November 27, 2012 by Duncan B

[phat trev]

One of my fave' kits ever! even though its old its moulding is nice. good looking build of a good looking aircraft.

[Duncan B]

One of my fave' kits ever! even though its old its moulding is nice. good looking build of a good looking aircraft.

It is a nice kit, I also have Jumo engined Bf109's from Avis and although they are a lot newer they do not come close to the crispness of the Heller moulds. It's about time someone produced a full set of the early Bf109's in 1/72 and 1/48 in a mainstream package, even a resin conversion would do (are you listening yet Ally?).

Duncan B

[Duncan B]

Here is the latest progress, which will be the last for a few weeks (I'm off to work tomorrow so will be away from the modelling bench).

The wing is now fitted, it went together without any problems. I have almost finished the re-scribing work and have replaced the moulded in stub exhausts for a phot etched panel that has the correct shaped exhausts for a B model. There is a bit more filling required here and there but nothing too drastic considering the age of the kit. The only thing that bothers me is the extreme front of the nose when viewed from side on, it doesn't seem to have the correct profile (this is the same with the Sword Bf109D by the way), I think there should be more of a concave shape just above where the joint for the Prop is. I'll see how it looks with the spinner in place and might do something about it.

See you all again soon, happy modelling.

Duncan B

[Peter Lloyd]

Nice nice nice. Good work Duncan. The exhausts are always something that has to be attended to on older kits and the etch appears very promising.

[Duncan B]

I feel really bad about not having updated this one but work has kept me away from modelling since the last post.

So a brief update for now and photos to follow when I get home in a few days time.

The kit is virtually complete with a few coats of primer on waiting for the top coat of RLM 63 for the Jg88 colour scheme. It went together without too much drama although one of the struts for the tail plane was missing from the box. I had another kit in the stash so went to rob from that one only to find that the strut I needed was broken! I'm going to use after market main wheels as the kit ones are a bit soft on detail and the decals will be replaced by some from the spares box as time has not been kind to the originals.

So it'll be a mad dash to get it completed before the deadline but its a straightforward colour scheme (if I ignore the question of what actual colour were the Jg88 aircraft painted) but hopefully I'll make it over the finish line in time.

Duncan B