A Natter and piloted V1 ##Finished##

[JOCKNEY]

 

Another resident from the, "I'd forgotten I had that" section of the stash !

 

 

 

Heres the instructions as you can see, not a lot of parts in each kit, and both in the one box, result.

 

 

 

So the V1 or Fi103 Reichenburg VI to give it it's Sunday name, have been nearly completed by a previous owner and painted a sort of metallic grey, according to the painting guide this is completely wrong so I'm planning a refurb of this one.

 

 

Meanwhile the Natter or Ba 349A is unstarted, see below

 

 

Any painting tip on these would be appreciated even better if you have built the one before, please share a picture.

 

Cheers Pat

 

 

 

 

[JeroenS]

Now those are some strange looking aircraft! The V1 is not looking particularly special like this, I assume you're taking it apart and stripping it completely? I'm sure something more can be done with it than this. Good luck. 

[TonyOD]

This is one Heller kit that I can't find it in me to aspire to own, and for that precise reason I'll be following with interest!

[JOCKNEY]

Made a start, interior gets a coat of RLM 02 along with the seat and rear bulkhead

 

 

I've managed to get the V1 apart, has anyone got any tips for removing the paint from the outside ?

 

 

Cheers Pat 

[dad's lad]

I have this kit but have always been surprised by how much smaller the V-1 is compared to the one in the Frog Spitfire XIV kit which looks far beefier and more likely to be able to carry a man (or in the case of the real Reichenberg, a woman).

[TimJ]

Nice to see these tiddlers in the GB as they're not a kit that you see too often. I don't know what kind of paint is on your Fi103 but I find that Mr Muscle oven cleaner is pretty good at stripping enamel paint. Acrylics, on the other hand.....

 

I'm thinking of entering mine in the KUTA GB as they're well over 25% complete and as I started them 25 years ago it's probably time to get them finished,.

Edited November 10, 2020 by TimJ

[PeterB]

Hi Pat,

 

Mr Muscle does work pretty well on enamel but watch how you use it as it stinks and is best applied in a sink where you can't damage anything. It works best if you put it in a sealed plastic bag and leave it overnight I find. As to external colour schemes, in theory you are talking late war RLM 80/81/82 uppers and RLM 76 unders I suppose, but as they never became operational then maybe just RLM02 or something like that, The mottle patterns on the box top are not bad either.

 

Pete 

[dogsbody]

I missed this when first posted. I've got the Encore re-pop of this kit.

 

 

 

 

Chris

[klr]

I have very fond memories of building this double kit during my University days, when I was in 1st or 2nd year. I probably bought it on the way home one dark evening*. It was in a Heller-Humbrol box, which should give you a good idea of the year (think The Hand of God, or Chernobyl).

 

*I used to walk to and from the University most days, four miles each way. As it so happened, my usual route took me past the various department stores, newsagents and book/stationery stores that also sold kits.

[Rabbit Leader]

As a fellow GB mod, I might have to pull you up on a bit of a technicality here Pat... That Natter looks to be over the 25% rule even though all parts are still attached to the sprue! Interesting to hear the Heller and Frog V1’s differ in size, so someone got their’s not quite right. Looking forward to seeing these kits finished in no time. 

Cheers.. Dave 

[dogsbody]

As the Missus and two daughters are watching three 1-hour TV shows ( one firefighters, one doctor and one dancy ), I've taken this time to go through all my V-1 kits and do a comparison.

From left to right: Encore?Heller; MAC; FROG/Revell; Italeri/Dragon

 

 

 

 

Chris

[SafetyDad]

There's a LOT of variation in size and shape there Chris!

I'll have a peek through some references to see if I can help

 

SD

[JOCKNEY]

So thanks to a tip from @bentwaters81tfw I used brown Dettol to remove the paint

 

 

I know what it looks like, but it isn't that, nor Irn Bru or a single malt, heaven forbid !

 

I had considered using oven cleaner, but the risk of being caught by Mrs Jockney and thereby getting additional domestic duties was too bigger risk to take !

 

After leaving to soak overnight in a sandwich bag, a quick rub with a cheap and nasty toothbrush ( no not Mrs Jockneys although the temptation was almost overwhelming ! ) 

 

 

Results in this

 

 

Good as new 

 

Cheers Pat

[JOCKNEY]

Staying away for a couple of nights while connecting a new windfarms up in Wick, so brought this one with me to avoid the temptation of the bar in the evenings.

 

Fitted out the cockpit and installed homemade harness

 

 

The unusual thing about this kit is the wing is fitted from the inside of both fuselage halves, which would have been very embarrassing if you didn't look at the instructions.

 

 

Fuselage halves together, but filling required 

 

 

 

As these aircraft were painted with whatever paint was available I will be going for something a bit different for the colours.

 

Cheers Pat

[JeroenS]

6 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

so brought this one with to avoid the temptation of the bar in the evenings.

How sensible, who whould have thought 

 

 

[TonyW]

The pilots reunion dinners after the war were poorly attended for some reason...

[Johnson]

On 11/23/2020 at 11:16 PM, JOCKNEY said:

I will be going for something a bit different for the colours

Cant wait!!! 

 

Not orange, surely! (that was a Ta 152 I think)

[Wez]

A seat harness, I wonder, would anything so elaborate be required for a one way mission, perhaps tying Fritz to the seat with a bit o string or staple gunning Otto's trousers to the seat would have sufficed?  Waste not want not and all that!

[Johnson]

7 minutes ago, Wez said:

perhaps tying Fritz to the seat with a bit o string or staple gunning Otto's trousers to the seat would have sufficed? 

 

With the 3G launch and what was going to happen next, I think Otto would be firmly stuck to the seat 

[JOCKNEY]

Sorry to disappoint Charlie aka @Johnson but not Orange but RLM82 over RLM02 with squiggles 

 

 

I thought it was looking a bit drab so as I've looking at other painting guides for these decided to adopt an idea I had seen elsewhere and paint recoverable launch rockets red.

 

 

Clear parts for both kits have been given the Klear treatment.

 

Canopy fit is a shocker, so I'm toying with the idea of leaving it open.

 

Cheers Pat

 

[Johnson]

That looks really great Pat!

 

 I had intended to paint mine just dark green, but I was thinking it would probably be a bit boring. Your choice has convinced me. I’ll have to do something similar but different .

 

Cheers

[JOCKNEY]

17 hours ago, Johnson said:

That looks really great Pat!

 

 I had intended to paint mine just dark green, but I was thinking it would probably be a bit boring. Your choice has convinced me. I’ll have to do something similar but different .

 

Cheers

 

Charlie, you squiggle away in any colour you fancy mate, no one has a copyright on a paint job, least of all me !

 

Any thoughts on the V1 paint job ?

 

Cheers Pat

[Johnson]

'morning Pat,

 

12 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Any thoughts on the V1 paint job ?

 

I quick look round the web of period photos show that they were pretty varied, though almost certainly some sort of late war Luftwaffe paint combination and slmilar to the ordinary V1 flying bombs. RLM 76 Lichtblau and RLM 83 Dunkelgrun sprayed in varying amounts of blotches and squiggles on the top of the 'fuselage'. The tops of the wings tended to be solid colour but even then there were variations. The warhead at the front was often totally different in shade and application than the rest of the body which looks quite interesting, a bit like the fuselage and engines of late war long nosed Focke Wulfs, and for the same reason.

 

There are some good period photos on these sites;

 

https://www.lashendenairwarfaremuseum.co.uk/5.html

 

The Fi 103 displayed at the Farnborough display in 1945 is nice with all those dark squiggles and different warhead, but I do wonder if the squiggles might have been applied after it was captured?

 

This is a good site with some nice pics but I wouldn't trust the ones with swastikas on the tails. A good photo of the i/p - in a different location to where Heller would have us put it.

 

https://www.militaryimages.net/media/fieselerfi103-reichenberg-1.102354/

 

more...

 

http://www.bunkervliegtuigarcheo.com/en/reichenberg-survivors/

 

A few stencils would liven the model up. I'm going to have a look through the completed German kits box collection.

 

Cheers,

 

 

[JOCKNEY]

Long overdue a visit so here's some progress 

 

 

The V1 is putting up a battle, having to be clamped to give any chance of a descent fit between top and bottom.

 

More progress on the Natter, however

 

 

 

 

Need to get its transport trolley painted, then it's done 

 

Meanwhile it's back to the Simoun for yet more yellow !

 

Cheers Pat

[John Masters]

Looks great Pat!  

 

By the way...I think it was you who had built the hi-tech spray booth for your Caudron...I have upgraded mine from a naff box with peeling tape to this fine example of DIY engineering...😁