Bf 109E-3 or Heinz Bär Discovers that England Is Still an Island

[Torbjorn]

Thought I’d make one of the bad guys as well. Planned to wait till finished with previous entries, but I don’t have patience to watch paint dry, so while the Defiant and Hurricane is going through that I’ll start fiddling with this:

 

 

I only bought this kit because the carpet monster ate an Airfix E-4 canopy and this kit, which contains an extra such, turned out the most cost-effective way of getting a new. But now the bonus kit that came with the canopy comes in handy.

 

I shall build the box-art machine, with factory number 3714 and in which Heinz Bär was shot down by a Spitfire in September. He parachuted into the Channel, swam around for two hours and clung onto a buoy until rescued. For this he got an audience with Göring who asked what Bär was thinking, lying there bathing. Bär reportedly answered something along the lines of ”your speech, where you said England is no longer an island”. Bär had a modest background and had joined the airforce to gain enough experience to become a Lufthansa pilot. He had bad timing and instead ended up flying missions from beginning to the end of the war, never to fly Lufthansa. He shot down 10 planes during the BoB but also got forced down a couple of times himself. Wiki has a bio, from where I got the above.

 

Here’s a sprue shot. One opaque, one clear sans the superfluous canopy:

 

Compared to the Airfix E-4, the details appear finer and the prop has not been on a diet. For those who like resin exhaust pipes it may prove annoying that these are moulded into the fuselage. There are recesses on the outlets so hollowness can be more easily simulated than on the Airfix. I will not use any aftermarket anyway, except swastika decals (I feel that evil Nazi planes without swastikas are missing something, it feels like white-washing history, and German laws do not apply here).

 

Edited July 29, 2020 by Torbjorn

[Graeme H]

Always interested in seeing the ICM kit built, I only have one.

[Valkyrie]

That’s one aggressive carpet monster I thought to eat an entire Airfix 109 E-4, then I read it was just the canopy, even so....

Will watch this one, I have only built Airfix 109s so far and I like this scheme and pilot. 

[Torbjorn]

2 hours ago, Valkyrie said:

That’s one aggressive carpet monster I thought to eat an entire Airfix 109 E-4, then I read it was just the canopy, even so....

Will watch this one, I have only built Airfix 109s so far and I like this scheme and pilot. 

He coughed it up later, but long after I finished the model. The downside of having many drawers and storage boxes.

[Torbjorn]

Cockpit done. This will be out od the box and following instructions. I have not found pictures of the subject, but several profiles - which differ slightly, but more on that later.

 

This colour is what Vallejo calls RLM02, but appears darker than what many seem to call RLM02. The light is bad here ao it appears darker than to the eye. I am not at home with German colours, so I can’t judge.

Belts are tape.

 

The panel has structure, which painted looks ok - certainly better than the flat surface and decal offered by Airfix. I forgot I have AM gunsights and added the kit version... Behind a canopy you’ll barely see it anyway. 

Maybe I should add a wee bit more colour.

Edited July 30, 2020 by Torbjorn

[stevehnz]

I like the ICM Bf109Es, they have nice detail & go together quite well, maybe a bit more fettling that the Airfix or Tamiya kits but well enough. I'll be keen to see how you get on with this. For RLM02 in Vallejo, I think their 70886 is a really good match.

Steve.

[Valkyrie]

RLM 02 is one of those colours that is so difficult, different and divisive! 
I eventually settled on this type of light greeny grey based on lifecolor and Luftwaffe colour chart by Ullmann..

 

[Torbjorn]

Thanks, that looks like a slighlty lighter version of what comes out of my bottle. Topside camo is also 02 in this one, so maybe I will lighten it a bit. The contrast is certainly nice to look at.

[Valkyrie]

20 minutes ago, Torbjorn said:

Thanks, that looks like a slighlty lighter version of what comes out of my bottle. Topside camo is also 02 in this one, so maybe I will lighten it a bit. The contrast is certainly nice to look at.

I do also think it’s just a tiny wee micro tad too light, but as you say the contrast is nice. Think it works better with black basing, this my first use on a 1/48. I think with varnishes and any weathering it will darken it down that tiniest of shade

[Torbjorn]

I’m always surprised how quickly a 109 comes together. In a way reflective of the original. I’m afraid it went faster than my cameraman could keep up with. It’s assembled and primed. The rudder and intake on the port side have been left off for easier painting.

 

 

 

The fit is real good. Although it lacks location pins, the fuselage goes together well and the wings snaps into place without need of filler. The three-piece canopy was another story, requiring sanding of the windshield and middle part, which were higher than the aftermost section. 

Edited August 3, 2020 by Torbjorn

[Torbjorn]

Painted the yellow first. I have a great distaste for this, since all three bottles I’ve tried are lousy as far as coverage goes - at least compared to all other colours I have. It needed three layers, on top of white on top of grey primer. 
 

Followed with RLM65. For this I used Vallejo Model air 71008, with a bit of 71046 to tone it down. Out of the bottle 008 matches profiles and box art and samples (granted, over a monitor) very well, but I find it a bit too vibrant on a model.

 

Edited August 5, 2020 by Torbjorn

[Torbjorn]

Painting done. For reference:

RLM 71: 71.15

02: 71.044

65: 71.008

The 02 and 65 were lightened a wee bit with neutral grey.

 

The blue appears less vivid in real life, and the yellow less lemony: I think it’s my desktop light that does it.

 

 

One tip: check the landing gear - it’s easier to make them fit before painting. Mine did not fit in the fuselage mounting holes.

 

A gloss coat to follow after some touch-ups.

Edited August 10, 2020 by Torbjorn

[jean]

On 7/30/2020 at 1:01 PM, Valkyrie said:

RLM 02 is one of those colours that is so difficult, different and divisive! 
I eventually settled on this type of light greeny grey based on lifecolor and Luftwaffe colour chart by Ullmann..

 

Hi Valkyrie,

 

your build is looking stunning.  Well done!

Re the RLM 02, I am fully in agreement with you. Wars, or at least serious riots could be started on this color!

I am pretty happy with your take, although in my mind's eye I see it a fraction darker. But it has to contain green!

I personally feels that the paint brands that offer a RLM 02 totally light grey are light years off the mark. As I say a healthy riot could ensue!!!

 

Great show!

JR

[Graham Boak]

Why do you say it has to include green? It should be yellowish, as can be seen when it is sprayed lightly.  I entirely agree that the light grey is wrong for fresh paint, but possibly like its similar colour RLM63 and the Zero's colour, it may appear that way as it ages.  Perhaps.

[Torbjorn]

Decals on, including the multitude of tiny stencils. Habe applied somde decal softener, when this has settled I will apply some oils and other post-processing. The red lines are overly prominent, so I will try to tone them down a bit.

 

[Stew Dapple]

Looking very nice mate  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[jean]

On 8/10/2020 at 9:46 PM, Graham Boak said:

Why do you say it has to include green? It should be yellowish, as can be seen when it is sprayed lightly.  I entirely agree that the light grey is wrong for fresh paint, but possibly like its similar colour RLM63 and the Zero's colour, it may appear that way as it ages.  Perhaps.

Hi Graham,

 

my apologies for not having replied to you sooner. Sometimes my English goes AWOL, and I end up talking/writing gibberish. Pretty much what happened in my "description" of RLM 02.

You are absolutely right, of course. It is not supposed to include green. What I meant is that the RLM 02 I relate to has, for the color-blind Frog that I am, a green tinge to the grey.

I just used some old Humbrol Authentic RLM 02 that is plain dark grey (!) to make what I look upon as RLM 02, by adding yellow and white.

And yes, the end result has a green tinge in my opinion...

Eyeball Mark I is my tool. I would not know a Munsell if I tripped on a box full of them...

Cheers.

JR

[Torbjorn]

A bit dirtier now, partly intentional, partly not.

 

 

 

 

Apart from aerial it now only lacks pitot tube, the kit part being gone with the wind from the airbrush (a new will be made) and the propeller, which I stepped on (in repair).

 

edit: and guns in the wings (completely forgotten, but painted and safely stored... somewhere).

 

Edited September 3, 2020 by Torbjorn

[Torbjorn]

And it’s done.

 

The last thing to be added was the aerial. Previously I’ve just glued the wire to it’s fasting points, but I’ve started tying a single overhand knot around the ”sticks” and applying a droplet of CA on it. This seems to have reduced accidental breaks significantly and can barely be seen overpainted. The lead-in wire, half way down, was likewise tied to the wire with an overhand knot.

 

Here’s the result before cutting the ends, which is done with a flush-cutter I picked up in a ladies’ beauty shop - I think it’s intended for eye-lashes or something, but it works beautifully with model ”wire”.

 

The insulators are blobs of PVA.

 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2020 by Torbjorn

[Stew Dapple]

Good job mate  

 

Don't forget to add some pics in the Gallery when you get a minute  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[WhiskySierraKilo]

I bought this ICM kit with Heinz Bar decals, but the boxing was different (Maybe ?  Can't remember).  Anyway, it sat built, painted with incorrect colours, and without decals, on the shelf of doom until yesterday.  I hadn't noticed the disassembled swastika decals - so glad they've been included.  But on my decal sheet the running Mickey Mouse decals both face the left.  Dang.

 

On the other hand, your rendition looks terrific.   Congratulations and thank you for motivating me.

Edited July 17, 2022 by WhiskySierraKilo
Clarification