1/48 Eduard Bf 109E-7 Trop, Libya, June 1941

[thepureness]

you have to love the looks of a 109 in tropic markings, looking forward to the painting stage

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back,

The last couple of weeks have been a bit of a mish mash. I have done a lot of little things but not much to show for it.  I started on the MLG bays, cementing the kit pieces into the upper wing section and adding the PE. The PE instructions are a little ambiguous as far as the two strengthening strips on the inside. They show to just add the PE over the top of the moulded detail but looking at the cut outs on the wheel bay pieces, this would mean they interfere with the fit. My recommendation would be to sand the moulded detail off, fit the two inserts and then using the cut outs, slide the PE pieces into position and fix them in place. I say this as I didn't do it that way and had to remove the moulded detail after I had cemented the inserts. In the end you get something that should look like this:

 

 

 

 

The wing uppers have also been fixed in place here. What I have also done, but not yet photographed, is attach all the trailing edge pieces as well. I wanted the flaps level and Eduard has cast them with a downwards angle by default, so I had to remove the tabs from the front and just cement them in place with TXT. Essentially the construction of the wings is complete as I have also painted the MLG bays and radiator inner surfaces RLM 02 as well as the lower wing interior upper surface "just in case":

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,

 

 

[Calum]

Finally got over the beer-fest  then :-)   Still looking good. 

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back,

 

More small progress, I have added the PE mesh pieces and radiator covers after removing the rear flaps of same in preparation of the PE replacements:

 

 

 

I found the rear pieces to be about two rows too tall so they were shortened appropriately. The forward PE mesh fit well:

 

 

I have removed the Fine Molds harnesses from their sprues, cleaned them up, test fitted the upper harnesses and attached the lower belts in place using TXT. These now need to be carefully shaped with a heat source and then painted:

 

 

I have started detail painting the cockpit sidewalls. The oil cooler innards was masked and undercoated the areas that will eventually be yellow around the nose area and with Tamiya Flat White as well as the theatre recognition strip around fuselage which will be masked as it remains white:

 

 

 

Regards,

[modelling minion]

Very nice work.

Coming along nicely.

 

Craig.

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back and thanks for the comments.

 

I progressed a little, working on the details on the cockpit sidewalls, floor and seat harnesses to apply base colours. Next is gloss coat, washes and some Airscale placards:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was going to bend them first then paint but I got carried away and now they have their base colours on. I am experimenting on some scrap to get the method down of bending without melting. I may wait until after the gloss coat to provide a little protection. Anyway, the resin sections of the MG17's have been painted. The blued sections need a little touch up in the cooling jackets:

 

 

 

Those previously white sections have had their coats of Aeromaster RLM04 including the PE air filter. The oversized rudder linkage attachment points were also removed and the PE replacements prepped:

 

 

 

 

 

I am in a quandary as to the actual construction of the filter under the meshed areas. Eduard have given a solid piece with the two end pieces standing proud and the PE wraps around to form the exterior of three sides. Should I remove the majority of the solid plastic, leaving just the back face, effectively leaving the area under the mesh hollow? I shall have to have a closer look through my references but at first glance they provide no answer.

 

Regards,

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back. The Finemolds harnesses performed well but not entirely as I had hoped. Being ABS plastic, directed heat in the form of a carefully applied heat gun tends to cause them to contract a little. It makes them pliable but they lose that nice detail. Radiant heat from a soldering iron is just hard to not let other parts such as the seat take injury. My first plan was to have only one shoulder harness folded back upon itself and the other resting outside on the fuselage. It soon became obvious that would not fly so both went up onto the rear deck:

 

 

Work on the cockpit continues with Airscale LW cockpit placards, AK Neutral Grey wash and some highlights. The E-7 was the first of the Bf 109 lineage to have the fuel observation line running through the cockpit as it was the first to be plumbed for the 300l external fuel tank. The line became standard on the subsequent F, G and K series. The aircraft used the fuel from the external tank first and when dry, as observed by the pilot in the clear empty section of the tubing, it could be jettisoned. Damn clever those Germans! It isn't included in the kit so I made my own from clear stretched sprue, painted yellow and some BMF for the joins:

 

 

 

 

 

I have removed some of the forward edgedetail on the port cockpit panel as it fouled the forward join:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elsewhere I have removed the plastic detail from the external fuel tank in preparation for the PE replacement and removed the forward half moon edge of the engine bay assembly. I was however a little over vigorous on the port side so that will need fixing:

 

 

 

 

The MLG internal covers have also been painted and set in place along with the external tank mounting hardware:

 

 

 

Next up is finishing the cockpit construction with flat coat and installation of the PE instrument panels. Once that is done and the cockpit assembly installed, I intend to attach the completed wing assembly to the fuselage. This should allow me to paint the undersides and fuselage sides in RLM78.

 

Regards,

 

[modelling minion]

Wow! That is excellent work on the cockpit, very nice indeed.

 

Craig.

[PlaStix]

Very impressive modelling as always Kent! 

Kind regards,

Stix

[rob85]

You can really see how your investment in AM is really making a difference in the detail, your work is looking mighty fine!

 

 Rob 

[Kahunaminor]

Thanks Stix and Rob,

 

Instrument panels. The PE panels from the E-7 kit are different to those in the Brassin cockpit set, being about a millimetre too wide for the resin they are to be attached to. You can just see the difference on the right side of the first picture with the E-7 underneath the Brassin:

 

 

 

The Brassin set does not have the additional panel for bomb/ fuel tank release. Minor surgery to graft from one to the other:

 

 

Various handles and bits added. Revi C12 from MDC had a lead wire power cable installed and plumbed to the appropriate port on the upper panel:

 

 

 

 

 

All laid out for inspection. Flat coat and then installations come next:

 

 

Regards,

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back,

 

A  few days ago, I completed the cockpit assembly as per instruction and fitted it through the lower opening into position within the fuselage. I had progressed to the point where the cockpit and gun deck assemblies were installed:

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I thought, that's that and got ready to move forward.

BUT.....You know sometimes the longer you try and ignore something, the more it plays on your mind until eventually it becomes the most prominent thing on your mind? Yeah those gaps around the cockpit tub. Thankfully the properties of CA allowed me to take the tub itself out. I then realigned the sidewalls to close the gaps. Not entirely successful, so I glued some 0.5 styrene strips to close the gaps on each side of the rear deck, followed by some 0.5 x 1mm strips along the top. I will sand these back flush but already happier:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some 0.5 x 1mm along the gun bay sides will need sanding but should address the gaps too. I may need a spacer to widen the lower fuselage to wing join as at the moment dry fitting has a small gap or it may be solved with dihedral:

 

 

 

 

 

So, it would appear I had fallen foul of the alignment gods. Next time I will probably change the assembly so the sidewalls are attached to the fuselage sides first, something I couldn't do this time as the fuselage halves were joined. Or possibly I may take more time in my alignment of the resin tub parts because looking back, they were out of kilter slightly prior to my attempt to install.

 

Stay tuned!

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back,

 

Remedial work on the cockpit coatings continued. The areas were sanded down and repainted RLM 02. I could then fit the fuselage gun deck into position:

 

 

 

 

 

There are still some minor touch ups to follow up on. I then cemented the lower sections of the wing assembly to the fuselage and let them set overnight. This morning I joined the upper wings to the fuselage, one at a time and allowing time for the seams to set up befo.re continuing to the second wing. I then taped the wings to set dihedral and allow the joints to set up properly:

 

 

 

 

 

It looks a bit severe in this head on shot but after removing the tape, the wings have settled to a better angle:

 

 

 

I have also masked the lower engine and white theatre recognition band on the fuselage in preparation for further painting. I intend (at this stage) to complete the remainder of the build and then come back and do the engine as a final assembly:

 

 

 

Whilst waiting for the wings to settle, I attached the PE harness to the external fuel tank. I had to enlarge and square off the fuselage attachment point for the PE to allow the PE and tank to sit correctly:

 

 

 

Regards,

[vppelt68]

 But aren´t there some cockpit side sill parts in the PE set too, to cover that gap? It´s better anyway to have that built solid, so well done! V-P

[Kahunaminor]

8 hours ago, vppelt68 said:

 But aren´t there some cockpit side sill parts in the PE set too, to cover that gap? It´s better anyway to have that built solid, so well done! V-P

 

Thanks V-P,

I read your post and immediately thought "had I missed something ?". So I went and checked and there is PE sills in any of the PE sets. I think it was purely me rushing and ignoring a misalignment issue earlier on.

 

Regards,

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back,

 

It has been almost a month since the last post but not really much to show for it. The cockpit has been finished and the fore and aft canopies attached, having been partially masked and sprayed RLM 02 beforehand. The Revi gunsight has been attached an initially fouled the front canopy. A small adjustment downwards of the sight and some material removed from the front canopy underside and all is good:

 

 

 

I have also increased the slat fixing points by opening them up to their full length. This is more correct and I can now temporarily fix the slats for painting, removing and repositioning them later:

 

 

The tail wheel broke but it is a blessing, as I have drilled the oleo and inserted a metal pin, with mounting drilled to accept it later:

 

 

Hopefully some paint soon.

 

Regards,

[Kahunaminor]

Progress at last! MM RLM 78 on the undersides and various bits and pieces. The wheel bays and radiators were masked with damp tissue and tape:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The RLM 78 extends high up the fuselage sides. The slats have been temporarily attached for painting and will be removed and repositioned at a later time:

 

 

 

MLG have had thin wire to replace the oversized Eduard pieces, BMF tapes to secure them and painted RLM 02:

 

 

A start on the engine and wheels with Tamiya gloss black.

 

 

Next the RLM 79 followed by the RLM 80 splotches and some more plastic sticking!

 

Regards,

[Kahunaminor]

Welcome back,

 

After a couple of stinking hot days with no chance to hit the bench, I got down adding a little more paint. Aeromaster Warbirds RLM 79 masked, sprayed and uncovered!:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rudder and cowling are just sat in place:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tail wheel pinned and masked with liquid and tape:

 

 

 

I can see from the pictures there is a little remedial work on the lower front canopy to fuselage join (particularly the port side) and some re riveting to be tidied up on the starboard side. Next is the RLM 80 splotches followed by gloss coat, decals etc. I hope to have the main construction and painting, decaling etc. finished early next week, before continuing on with the engine area as a final assembly.

 

Regards,

 

 

[PlaStix]

Lovely progress! It all looks to be coming together nicely. 

Kind regards,

Stix

[Biggles87]

Ditto

 

John

[Kahunaminor]

Thanks lads,

 

I have added the RLM 80 splotches using Aeromaster Warbirds enamels, well thinned and sprayed. I am really happy with the hirizontal stabilises and wings, the fuselage is a bit out of kilter. I think I got a bit tired and rushed it. However, it will do for this run:

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,

[Kahunaminor]

Two steps forward, one step back. The MLG and tail wheel are on:

 

 

 

 

The fuselage camouflage wasn't sitting right with me so I resprayed and masked the RLM 78 and 79. I alluded to using tape to mask the markings. These pieces are more of a "rough guide" just to give me a reference when I re-shoot the RLM 80:

 

 

 

The prop is completed as are the MLG wheels. The slats have been repositioned to their final resting places:

 

 

 

 

 

I have also also repaired the tail antenna mast which was damaged somewhere along the way:

 

 

 

Once I am happy with the RLM 80, everything including sub assemblies will get a gloss coat for decals and washes. This outburst of OCD probably means I will miss the end date for the GB, as I honestly don't see much benchtime in the next 48 hours, being Christmas and all. Probably the only real hope I have is if the mods declare an extension.  🙏 We shall see!

 

Regards,

 

[Calum]

Looking good Kent. have a good Christmas mate

[Kahunaminor]

2 hours ago, Calum said:

Looking good Kent. have a good Christmas mate

 

Thanks mate, 

I will try and finish it but doubtful. 

 

Same to you you and your family. 🍻 

 

 

[iSteve]

Really enjoyed reading your build Kent. I've had my eye on this particular kit for some time and finally pulled the trigger yesterday. The E-7 trop is my favourite 109. Will be using your build as a guide for mine. Well done!