1/32 Eduard BF109-E4- A change of pace

[Drift]

You are doing very well. That resin engine is the bomb.

[Antb]

3 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

Do you apply the Flory wash on the airframe by flicking it from a brush?

The engine is coming along splendidly.

 

John

Hi John, looks like it doesn't it! But no, used a wide ish paint brush and slathered it on. To be technical 😁

 

It pools in places which gives that effect. 

 

3 hours ago, Adam Poultney said:

Beautiful aircraft, my favourite from the second world war. Don't tempt me to buy one, Emils are the best!

Ta Adam. I won't tempt you with anything.... ahem.... 

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/hgw-models-103201-bf-109e-7-trop--1210031

 

2 hours ago, Drift said:

You are doing very well. That resin engine is the bomb.

Thanks very much. It's not too shabby is it. Should be fun to get it to fit 🤔

[Thom216]

Despite the decal issues, it's looking good. Very nice on the engine as well.

[Antb]

1 hour ago, Thom216 said:

Despite the decal issues, it's looking good. Very nice on the engine as well.

Yeh the carrier film on the stencils is awful in places tbh. I'm going to have to give it some thought as to how to tackle them 

 

I'll take a few photos of them later so you can see what I mean 

[Antb]

Good evening folks, 

Had an hour this evening but got a tad frustrated and fearing I was going to ruin things I've taken a break for tonight. 

 

I completed the wiring on the other side of the engine and removed the engine "fixings" (technical term again) from their blocks cleaned them up and painted them RLM02. I had to widen the holes where they meet the fuselage a little to make them fit. 

 

The right hand side bracket fits like a dream the left hand side not so much. It appears too long and has a bend in it. 

 

Dry fitting everything in its not that noticeable so should be able to get away with it. As for the lower supports, I've nonidea how I'm going to add them in. The engine should really have been done before joining the fuselage but all is not lost. I'll figure something out when I pick it up again. 

 

The photos below were taken prior to a thin black oil wash on the wiring to tone it down a bit. 

 

So here's the dry fit. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm hoping I've removed enough from the bottom inside of the fuselage to accommodate the level for the exhausts. It looks about right? 

[Thom216]

Well worth the wait, as that look great! Can't see any woopsies from here!

[Crimea River]

Engine and weathering look great. Exhaust fit could be tricky but you can handle it.

 

Andy

[Antb]

6 hours ago, Crimea River said:

Engine and weathering look great. Exhaust fit could be tricky but you can handle it.

 

Andy

Thanks Andy. 

 

Only had an hour this evening, got a few more pipes on the engine, attached the engine cradle using super glue, plus the "spars" that also attach to the engine block. 

 

Again, dry fitted and doesn't look too bad. The engine needs a little push to sit properly, although I have sanded a bit out of the inner nose to try to get it to sit better. 

 

Couple more bits of PE to add then it's on with the exhausts. Be interesting to see how they fit as there's not much space for them to fit in. 

 

 

Looks a bit clean so needs weathering but I'll do that once the engine is in proper. 

 

Oh, I've also touched up the areas where the paint had worn through. You would never know 🤣

[MeteOzkar]

Impressive 🥇

[Antb]

21 hours ago, MeteOzkar said:

Impressive 🥇

Thanks very much. 

 

I'm struggling with motivation at the moment, only had half an hour tonight and packed up. I just feel like the builds stalling and progress isn't being made (although I know it is, but still)

 

So, what have I done this evening. Well I did this. 

 

 

Yep. Split the seam. D'oh!! Glues drying on that then I'll use some super glue run over sand down and 're paint. 

 

The engine is more or less done now with just the exhaust stacks needing to be fitted. Which brings me on nicely, I've had a play around and I've honestly absolutely no idea how on earth I'm going to get them in. 

 

There's hardly any room for stack 1 and 2 to go in and the cowling seems to sit too far away from the actual engine (this could be due to the warpage). 

 

I need to give this some serious thought. I suspected this would happen but hoped it wouldn't. 

 

Heres some pics. 

 

 

 

 

 

And I started working on this. Looks lovely doesn't it. Flimsy as and so many parts to be removed. Not only that it doesn't even fit on the cowling properly again showing the warpage has caused a problem. 

 

You know when you wish you had never started something.... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sturmovik]

2 hours ago, Antb said:

I'm struggling with motivation at the moment

Leave and then come back to it, or build something less complex, but don't do as I did, that kept building a model even with lost enthusiasm.

[Thom216]

I've reached the same spot on a few builds. Put a lot of work into one aspect of it and I burned right through the mojo. Same thing happened to the Do335 that I'm back to working on right now. Give it a short break if you need to, we'll wait somewhat patiently.🙃

[Antb]

On 04/10/2019 at 00:13, Sturmovik said:

Leave and then come back to it, or build something less complex, but don't do as I did, that kept building a model even with lost enthusiasm.

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I'm a strange bod in that I can't handle more than 1 build at any one time. I like to get a build done before starting another. I'm a bit weird like that 🤣

 

I haven't had a lot of time since my last update but I have done a bit more as I am not far from the end but what's left is time consuming. 

 

I think the engine is sapping my enthusiasm so I had a crack at the wheels. Nice and easy I thought can't be too difficult. Well, bit trickier the  I thought. 

 

The wheels come with the centre's needing to be cut out. Set about doing that which wasn't difficult, cleaned up the hubs and put into the wheels. The hubs were too small. Now, it wasn't anything that I did as the clean up when removing the middle of the wheels couldn't be overdone neither could the sanding of the attachment point for the hub. So must be a design thing. 

 

 

And the other side 

 

 

Nothing for it but open the PPP. Slapped on. 

 

 

Cleaned up, masks applied which were too big!! And painted. Tyres tamiya rubber black and gloss black hubs 

 

 

Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination and a little disappointing. It has to be whatever I'm doing because I can't be this unlucky. 

 

Anyway, these were weathered using a flory sand wash to try and simulate some dust. 

 

 

Gear legs built painted and weathered along with the door covers. 

 

 

 

Feeling like progress was being made I started to attach the legs to the plane. Problem. 

 

The legs don't have the right angle and the wheels aren't even level with each other. 🤬🤬

 

Wish something would go right so that needs work. 

 

Something that did go right is I added further mottling to the fuselage sides. It was looking a little bare. 

 

Oh and I've got the engine sitting alright now. So that's all good. Still need to work out getting the exhausts fitted though. 

 

 

 

 

[Thom216]

[Antb]

Cheers @Thom216

 

A brief, but not so brief, update tonight. Brief because there's not much to show but not so brief because the build has taken a huge step forward. 

 

Probably best told in pictures rather than words. So here goes 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I haven't glued the actual wheels on they're just slotted on so I can remove them if ever needed. 

 

I'm not convinced the fuselage isn't warped still at the front. It could just be the angle though I suppose. 

 

Getting there slowly 

[Antb]

Hi everyone, 

 

An early morning update after making some really good progress last night. I seem to have worked through my lack of mojo and am now seeing light at the end of the tunnel. 

 

With the engine and wheel done it was time to get the guns made and painted so I could get the engine fitted proper. 

 

The profimodeller gun barrels are unbelievably good. 

 

Here's the kit guns and the aftermarket barrels. 

 

 

Really simple to get the barrels fitted. Chop off the kit ones, drill a hole in the kit gun and insert the brass. The barrels didn't take much lining up with which was nice. 

 

 

 

 

With these painted it was time to install the engine and the guns. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noticed this has appeared too, no idea why but this needs fixing 

 

 

Not much left now 

 

Working on the prop. The spinner and the back plate don't fit together well at all. 

 

Then the canopy wore needs sorting and the seatbelt and I think we're about there. 

 

Fingers crossed done for this weekend. 

[Crimea River]

Looking good Ant. Those brass barrels are really something. The popped wing root seam should be an east fix too.

[Stew Dapple]

Agreed, those barrels are a vast improvement; overall it's looking really nice now  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Antb]

Thanks chaps. 

 

A really busy and frustrating evening last night which means the end is in sight! 

 

First up was the prop. This was painted rlm70 the nose and the back plate painted rlm04 and stuck together. Not a great fit so filler applied. 

 

 

 

Then it was onto the seatbelts. Whoever thought these were a good idea?? Took more time to work out the instructions as to what pieces went where as it's a guessing game. The instructions that came with the belts were really helpful in placement of belts etc. 

 

 

And the picture to work from 

 

 

Easy right? 

 

Anyway, a few hours later, and not having lost a piece of etch we arrived at this. 

 

 

 

Too clean so a light flory dark dirt sorted things out 

 

 

I'll add another update later. Times flying this morning! 

 

Ciao for now 

[Biggles87]

Good job on the belts, they are hard work but worth it in the end.

After destroying most of the buckles and fittings on my first set I discovered that it’s easier to thread the belts through before removing them from the fret.

 

John

 

[Antb]

9 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

Good job on the belts, they are hard work but worth it in the end.

After destroying most of the buckles and fittings on my first set I discovered that it’s easier to thread the belts through before removing them from the fret.

 

John

 

Thanks John, appreciate the comments. They are really fiddly but I agree they do look good in the end. 

 

Have to admit I didn't think about threading when the buckles were on the fret 🤣

 

More photos of progress. She will be getting a flat coat tonight and apart from the cowling, exhausts and canopy were done! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Thom216]

Those belts are outstanding, and look well worth the work. This build is looking as great as ever.

[Antb]

58 minutes ago, Thom216 said:

Those belts are outstanding, and look well worth the work. This build is looking as great as ever.

Thanks as always thom 

[Antb]

Hi guys 

 

After a whole month I'm pleased to report that the Emil is done. Ish 😂

 

I haven't added the exhaust stacks because they were, quite frankly, An absolute pain in the backside to get in and try as I might I just couldn't get them in. 

 

In hindsight I should have added the engine before closing the fuselage up but I didn't know I was going for a brassin engine... I'm putting this down to experience but to be honest I think it looks ok without them. 

 

Suppose I can get away with the story that it's undergoing maintenance and they've taken them off... 

 

In any event, you can see more detail of the engine without them in place and I kind of like it. 

 

I also haven't done anything with the resin cowling either. I might paint it up and have it on display at some point along with the other panels but for now it's not a priority and I can live with it not being done. 

 

Bit if a strange inclusion with the engine I think, particularly given the nature of the detail in the engine. But it is what it is. 

 

I'll pop a quick image up in a little while and hopefully with some decent light I'll get some proper shots up in RFI in a day or two. 

 

I'd like to thank everyone for their encouragement and for all the "likes" throughout the build. It helps massively and it's nice to know people find my humble modelling of interest. 

 

Thanks again folks! 

 

Until later.... 

[Antb]

EDIT forgot to mention, I have no aerial wire yet so I haven't done that either!