Fifer54 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 "This machine will never make a fighter!" are the recorded words of Ernst Udet on his first sight of the Messerschmitt Bf109a, the first prototype later known as Bf109V1. My choice of subject for this GB is that same Bf109V1, and I'll be building from this kit by MPM: It's one of their early efforts, and the instructions include a warning about the nature of short-run kits, and helpful advice. There is a single sprue, with moderate flash round most components, as can be seen: There's an etched fret for cockpit details (and the aileron mass balances!) with a film piece for the IP and a vacformed cockpit canopy: Just one set of decals are provided, although 2 colour schemes are given, an early Grau63 with dark blue undersides, and overall Grau63, claimed to be the aircraft's scheme when tested at the Erprobungsstelle Rechlin. I'll probably use this overall grey scheme. The instruction sheet consists of 2 A4 sheets, folded to make an 8-page A5 booklet. Written sections are in 4 languages (Czech, English, German & French), and include a potted history, advice on dealing with short-run kits, a sprue map,construction diagrams in 6 stages, 2 pages of colour & markings info, and a list of the ranges of MPM, Condor and Co-operativa. It's a little different, I've not seen the 109V1 modelled before, I haven't much experience with short-run, or with etch, but all the short-run stuff I've built has been MPM- the Mil Mi-1, and the Kingcobra. I've just noticed in the range list that MPM have 1/72 Bf109T and Bf109H kits. I'll have to seek those out . . .(not for this GB!) Roll on Saturday, and the start of this GB! 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Looks like a very interesting subject - I've not seen one built either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyZ Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 Short-run fun! I'd like to see this great subject take shape. Cheers Jimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 1/72, yes? Is this is the prototype with the Kestrel engine? Looking forward to it whatever the scale & engine. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted May 4, 2017 Author Share Posted May 4, 2017 5 hours ago, stevehnz said: 1/72, yes? Is this is the prototype with the Kestrel engine? Looking forward to it whatever the scale & engine. Steve. Correct, Steve, 1/72, and it is the one with the Rolls-Royce Kestrel V, fitted because the intended Junkers Jumo 210 wasn't available. A similar engine was fitted to to Heinkel's He112V1 for the same reason, the Heinkel being the principal rival for the Luftwaffe contract. The smaller, lighter Bf109 proved to be 17mph faster than the Heinkel, and recorded 290mph as its maximum speed, although the He112 had an appreciably lighter wing loading and superior ground handling qualities. However, the superior flight characteristics of the Bf109 eventually won through . . . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 Nice seeing the prototype being built. Interesting that the first and the last produced 109s used British engines. Cheers, Peter 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted May 5, 2017 Author Share Posted May 5, 2017 9 hours ago, Basilisk said: Nice seeing the prototype being built. Interesting that the first and the last produced 109s used British engines. Cheers, Peter Yes, kinda like the wheel turning full circle . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted May 15, 2017 Author Share Posted May 15, 2017 In traditional style, construction begins with the cockpit! Most of the kit's PE goes into the 'pit, and the first job really is to prepare the film negatives for the IP dials. So, white paint on the back, cut them out and we have: and I'm now awaiting an opportunity to visit the LMS for some paint. MPM's instructions give RLM 66 for the interior and IP etc. It seems kinda early for that, but given that the prototype actually belonged to the Bayrische Flugzeug Werke, and not the RLM, its possible, and without evidence to the contrary, I'll go with that. Work is getting in the way of modelling ATM, but I've 4 days off from tomorrow . . . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Looks like a kit for brave modellers, happy modelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeusa Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 All I can say is test fit everything and be prepared to sand some surfaces to make the fit better. Haven't seen a build of the 109 prototype so this will be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted May 19, 2017 Author Share Posted May 19, 2017 Thanks, Bernd & George! I've done a couple of MPM's short-run kits before, so I'm prepared for some fitting and fettling, and, as predicted, it is necessary. Bernd, I don't know about brave, but I'm careless and impatient which shows in my models (the Ed Wood of plastic kits?) Construction has begun. I've abandoned the PE for the IP, I could not get all those layers properly lined up with CA glue to fix them!, so the normal plastic one was used instead! Much of the other PE has jumped off the bench several times and has now been eaten by my carpet monster, but the seat harness does enhance the 'pit! In other news, the fuselage has been closed up. The two halves fitted quite nicely, with only a little sanding and polishing needed to even up the join lines. The wing comes in one piece, which just needs a tidy up and flash removal. I'm sure you can imagine what comes next from the photo . . . I'm back at work tomorrow, and I'm also building a F-101B Voodoo for a Century series GB elsewhere, so there may be a few days before any more progress is reported. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted May 26, 2017 Author Share Posted May 26, 2017 Some progress has been made on this, and the airframe is actually almost ready for paint, just the canopy to add then It's (shudders with fear) time to fire up the (gulp) airbrush There, I've said it. it's a single colour on the whole aircraft, so there's really no excuse, no reason not to spray it except my own fear of messing it up . . . I hope that next time you see it, it'll be a lovely smooth RLM Grey 63 . . . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 I do struggle with the airbrush, probably because I don't use it enough. and don't practise with it. I'm just too careless and impatient. So after panicking over paint thickness and high pressure on the A/B, I managed to get a (very wet) coat of Humbrol 40 "Gloss Pale Grey" (which is MPM's callout for the colour scheme) onto the model. She now looks like this: As can be seen, another coat is needed: that will be another day . . . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 After a second coat and a touch-up with the hairy stick (oo-er, Missus!), she looks like this: The next photos will probably be the finished model! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 Finished! More pix in the gallery soon! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 I just read all the way through this MMGaz . I'm a big fan of the early Bf-109, of Prototypes and 1/72, so it just ticked all my boxes . It looks superb; the gloss colour looks very like that evident in period photographs of the aircraft. Great thread! TonyT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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