Avia from the ASHES

[Ali62]

Here is my latest completed model....the reason for the title is that it was started something like 20 years ago....when I lived in South Africa. How it managed to survive many clean outs, throw out sessions, and four house moves and one across the sea to Scotland, I do not know. Even more impressive as it was about 60-70% complete for all that time and many of the smaller parts were either still on sprues or rattling around in a box.

This is the Hobby Craft kit, and believe me it has many short comings and inaccuracies and that was one of the main reasons I think that I stopped building it, as I became more aware of them. Also a major fact was I was never happy on the colour that i chose back at the time to paint it with. Recently I saw a set of Israeli paints offered by Hataka, and this contains a colour that they call Reed Green, supposed to be for the Avia, I purchased the set as the other Israeli colours will be useful for some future projects as well. In short to be honest it comes up very similar in colour to other RLM02 paints I have so my advice is JUST use RLM02. Although I hasten to add that the verdict still seems to be out on what colour was really used on the real aircraft.

You will see the first two pictures are where the model was about 3 weeks ago, and it had been in that state for around 20 years. It had decals on from the old Aeromaster sheet, and I was sorry to loose that particular markings, but I removed those and then once repainted I added decals from the kit decals and some others from the same Aeromaster sheet.

I decided just to get it finished warts and all, and I did not want to try and fix the major kit errors as I knew then  would never finish it at all and there was a good chance it would have landed in the bin........or in a PILE of ASHES.

One of the major errors is the style of under chin radiator (many Avia's did not have any) but the ones that did had a totally different style to the original Bf 109 ones, there are even more issues but never mind about those.

 

I applied washes and sprayed on some filters from the TRUE-EARTH range, I am really starting to enjoy their products more and more, for those that do not know the TRUE-EARTH products take a look at their website, you will be impressed. They are a little more expensive but I think they are worth it.  http://www.true-earth.com/

 

The Israeli Avia S-199's have always interested me and always thought how ironic it was that the new Jewish state operated essentially a German aircraft.

 

Ali

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

                                                                                                                  

 

 

 

 

[celt]

Fantastic rescue,well worth the effort involved,well tidy.

[stevehnz]

That has turned out a really nice build. What a survivior & I'd say now, what a keeper.

Steve.

[Ali62]

Thanks for the comments, glad you like it

[Mark4700]

Fantastic job of turning it around. And a superb finish. 

[Bangor Lad]

Great build. Glad you didn't rush it 

Dave

[tonyot]

Thats a beauty Ali,..... I`ve always had a fascination for these Israeli Mules and their camouflage and markings and have one of the 1/72nd KP Models kit in the stash myself, although I doubt whether mine will look so nice as yours.

Cheers

           Tony 

[Knight_Flyer]

Very neat build.  I think the color looks close enough, did a bit of research some time ago as I have a S-199 kit in stash.

[CockneyCol]

Stunning job there, very impressed, keep 'em coming!