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Airfix 48th - Spitfire Mk.I & Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4


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Speaking as someone with five kits on the go, I say go for it! Which squadron are you goijng for? If I get time(!) I might attempt my new Airfix Hurricane in 238 sqn marks - not a squadron one sees represented, if ever!

Probably because very few photos. I've know of two. A port side shot of P3462, VK-G, flown by PIt Off C T Davis, Middle Wallop, September 1940 in Osprey Hurricane Aces, and a shot of a damaged tail in a Battle of Britain book, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-Britain-Dowding-First-Victory/dp/1407221310 not described as such, but enough to see the codes read on the starboard VK-x ....useful detail as the code order was not fixed.

this turned up in an image search, https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/0c/bf/2e/0cbf2e3198a3d7d9f64e35594b55ed74.jpg

but from the light spinner and mud I'd say after November 1940.

Hope not thread clutter Dan.

Stunning paint jobs on the builds as well!

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Thank you all.

Close of play for the day and more progress to report... Markings are for the most part on. Just a few more tiny stencils to go, same with the spit, then it'll be another light glossing of Klear, dark wash for the panel lines and final matt coat. Before all the detail painting and a light weathering.

I managed to get the other three 109's together too.

Thinking on how best to display them I've got a couple of pieces of american black walnut which I've just brushed with pale french polish, I think a simple 5mm rod of perspex into the balance point of each and drilled so they're centered on the wood will work and will show them off nicely :) the dogfight idea is out for now, I'm saving it for a pair in 1/72 so there can be a little distance between them. I'd also like to use Kalisti's idea of the scenic base with fields below, perhaps even the white cliffs... Hell, I think that idea is well and truly in! There's what two months left?! :wicked:

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Ordered another Messer and Spit in 1/72 and have a couple screenshots from google earth of the cliffs... Ambitious but do-able I reckon :D

Funny really that little over a week ago I proclaimed to never build another airfix kit again! Since started 4 and have two on order! Madness!

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That is madness but we'll all have those moments! Your work is excellent and the back story is an amazing one... Thanks for sharing.

Your have your own production line! I say add some little figures and leave it as a dio??

Rob

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Cheers Rob. It's a production line alright! Going well though, the hobby train ain't slowin' :)

Right, bit of deja vu going on here... Less than 24 hours after ordering and these two have just turned up...

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Wow they're small! I have a whole new respect for you 72nd guys!! Never actually made of WWII aircraft in this scale and only ever done two jets... Just given the messer a once over and it's just a scaled down version of the 48th one. Nice!

Does anyone know if decals are available for Werra's 109 in 48th? Really digging the non mottled scheme with white nose.

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Thank you both :)

Troy I've saved those decals in my cart, I'll buy when I add a few more bits to bulk out the order. Quite the escape artist von Werra, I've just watched the excellent 1957 film 'the one that got away' almost unbelievable he tried to pull off being a downed Dutch pilot and make off in a Hurricane!

My Spitfire is progressing nicely, I've this morning given a dark dirt wash and matt coat. And tested the mounting to the base, it's fortunate I made it in-flight because I completely forgot to add the lower identification lamp and the hole is where the balance point is so I attached the perspex rod there. Also I used the wrong mast! And forgot the bar in the rear part of the canopy! So it's riddled with errors but even so I'm glad I saved it from the bin!

Just some chipping, stains and attachment of all the little bits like pitot and aerial wire and it's done. I'll likely finish the 109 next then concentrate on my 1/72 pairing. I've found it was Squadron Leader Basil Gerald "Stapme" Stapleton DFC who shot down Werra. And that his 603 squadron machine carried the code XT-L, and there's a short account of how it went down

During the same patrol in which Rusty lost his life, I managed to shoot down a Messerschmitt 109 which, unlike my first attack, was possible to confirm. During my dive from altitude I spotted a Spitfire at about 6,000 feet diving vertically, half inverted, towards the ground, its tail shot away. I then spotted a lone 109 in the same airspace as an RAF pilot descending by parachute. I latched onto the German and pursued him at low-level over the Kent countryside. As I fired short bursts he attempted to shake me off but I could see my tracer striking his aircraft and I closed in. I remember at one stage being concerned that there was a village in my line of fire. He had nowhere to go but down and eventually force-landed in a field. I flew low over the site. The German was soon apprehended, initially by the unarmed cook from the local searchlight battery![citation needed]

A short time after the war when Stapleton learned that the pilot was Oberleutnant Franz von Werra, whose exploits were made famous in the book and film The One That Got Away, as the only German pilot PoW to escape captivity (from Canada) during World War II and return to Germany. On 7 September the Luftwaffe changed tactics and began bombing British cities. On that day, Stapleton was shot down himself:

I've thrown out an appeal for help in the wanted section for the decals for XT-L, they're found in Airfix A50143 Aircraft of the Aces 1:72 Scale Plastic Model Gift Set, which is definitely good to know..

Hopefully I can pull this off!!

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Thanks Ozzy, it was in the bin! Glad I got it back out :)

Not much progress to report other than Airfix is again testing my patience... The 72nd spit is banana shaped and liked fitting together less than its bigger brother... It is together but it ain't pretty.

I'll post pictures once all the filler and thumb prints have been smoothed away.

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Thanks again chaps :)

Now... Ever feel like bringing down a hammer fist on any of your builds? I do... With almost every one I make! These two little 72nd ones especially, oh how they have tried my patience. I'll not go on and whinge about them, I'll just say this... They were hard work!

At last they're almost fully together! Now to the enjoyable bit... The painting

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I just checked for the transfers Dan as I thought I had them.... But I don't, I thought They were on my extradecal sheet but I think it's another sheet that has them.

Great work though! Still motoring! And the angle of the two on that base is just perfect...

Rob

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Thanks again :)

I just checked for the transfers Dan as I thought I had them.... But I don't, I thought They were on my extradecal sheet but I think it's another sheet that has them.

Great work though! Still motoring! And the angle of the two on that base is just perfect...

Rob

Cheers Rob, as far as I can tell they're only available on that Airfix sheet... I have contacted Airfix for the sheet but they want £6, I'm not buying it on principle! How they can expect £6 for a sheet of decals I don't know when the kit itself only cost that much! Maybe I'm being a bit cheap IDK... If I had made the models themselves perfectly I might stump up the cash but again they're far from well made so I think I'll leave it and go with the kit supplied and imagine he had a tangle with 610 squadron at some point in time before the day he met Stapme and was shot down.

That looks great Dan. What are you going to do with the base? Regards Greg

For the base I plan on shamelessly copying Kalisti's idea of a satelite image from google earth... I bought a single sheet of decal paper for a couple quid and will print out the scene and apply it over a bit of textured filler. I'll then make it a bit more 3D with some clump foliage to represent trees and such. Since it's not entirely accurate I may now stick with the idea of the white cliffs of Dover, half sea, half land.

Playing around with Google earth last night I got this image to use.

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And a bit mor playing about I went back in time to 1940 Biggin Hill and found a very interesting shot... What looks to be 4 Hurricanes parked and ready.

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On with the models and I think I have a new favorite primer... Mr hobby 1500... Sprays wonderfully using automotive cellulose thinner and levels very well indeed. I primed this morning and have just given them both a quick and rough pre-shade which I'll no doubt obliterate with the top coat! :D

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