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Can't believe I'm doing this, but hey.... 1/72 Bf109E


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There are three things pertinent to this GB that I've never done before:

 

1 - Participated in a Blitzenbuild. 

2 - Painted in acrylics. 

3 - Successfully used the hairspray method.

 

So, with those facts in mind, I seem to have convinced myself that now is the ideal time to right those wrongs.  I have to say, though, 24 hours?  You're sadists!  I'm going to have to opt for the 24 hours over three days option or there's no way I'll get anywhere near finished.  Also, I'm an enamels man, so it makes sense that I go for my first build with acrylics when there's plenty of time to experiment, learn from my mistakes etc, right?  And mucking about with hair products is obviously the way to go...

 

I've decided to use one of my many Airfix Bf109E-3 starter kits (thanks Lidl) as the basis for this one, but I'm going to Build it as Helmut Wick's E-4 (I think I've got a canopy around here somewhere that I can use, for example) as I have some decals for it.  Alright, it's not a complicated kit at all but time is something I'm quite short of at the moment.  There may be a bit of creativity applied in a place or two when it comes to things like cockpit interior colours etc, as my stock of acrylics is very small and also limited to various naff Humbrol pots that have come free with kits.  What could possibly go wrong?

 

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Let the build commence.....

 

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44 minutes ago, jackroadkill said:

What could possibly go wrong?

 

Nothing of course! 🙂

 

Make sure you clear coat before spraying the hairspray, and it'll be fine. You don't need much of it, just like a clear coat really. Airbrushing the top layer is preferable because I have found that brushing will activate the hairpspray's chipping too soon. When all is dry (don't wait too long), add a bit of water (not too much at a time) and gently start picking away at the paint with a small stiff brush. Take it easy if you want small chippings, the paint may come off easily. You could also use a somewhat sharpened cocktail stick. 

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14 minutes ago, JeroenS said:

Airbrushing the top layer is preferable

Ah, if only I had an airbrush!

 

I've done 48 minutes of building so far and have achieved, well, nothing, really. 

 

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6 minutes ago, jackroadkill said:

I've done 48 minutes of building so far and have achieved, well, nothing, really. 

If you're having fun then it's all good, see Blitz Build rule #1 🙂 

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I was going to say something humorous and apt here but am instead going to ask how the holy hell it's taken me three hours and 22 minutes to get this miserable amount of progress done.  When I was a kid it would have been on my ceiling for two and a half hours and I'd have been outside figuring out how to make panji traps by now.

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1 hour ago, AdrianMF said:

The flesh tones seem very realistic, but the weathering might be a bit overdone...

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

As much as I wish I could disagree, there's definitely too much weathering going on here!

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2 hours ago, Valkyrie said:

There’s nothing wrong with that it’s good camouflage scheme like they wore, decals on that and you’ll wonder what you were worrying about. Keep going 

 

I think I've managed to rescue it....  Pics tomorrow.

 

 

1 hour ago, AdrianMF said:

Looks good to me! You still have the three day option!

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

I'm really hoping I can get the decals and weathering done after work tomorrow!

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Finished!

 

It took ten hours, my desk is a wreckage of epic proportions, by sanity is shredded and I should be in bed because I've work in the morning.

 

What did I learn?

 

I learned that I hate hate hate brush painting Humbrol's cruddy acrylics.  I learned that I hate 1/72 (I'm assured it's the gentleman's scale but my language has been anything but gentlemanly throughout the build), and I've learned that finishing at the 11th hour is sometimes okay.  Mig's panel line washes again saved the day.

 

Here's a sneak preview:

 

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1 minute ago, Valkyrie said:

That’s impressive, excellent 

Thanks for saying that - at more than one point it looked like it was going in the bin but I think I just about managed to salvage something halfway decent from the wreckage.

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No way, it turned out fab! Well done. I love the blitz builds because you have to press on and not stand back to check too long and you soon realise at the end....you know, that’s not half bad actually. Good job

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Looks great!

 

10 hours ago, jackroadkill said:

I hate hate hate brush painting Humbrol's cruddy acrylics

Hmmm, that's exactly what I do for a relaxing hobby...

 

Brilliant result, multicolour scheme, lots of tiny decals, a bit of drama - I'd be well pleased with that. Nice one.

 

Regards,

Adrian

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11 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

Looks great!

 

Hmmm, that's exactly what I do for a relaxing hobby...

 

Brilliant result, multicolour scheme, lots of tiny decals, a bit of drama - I'd be well pleased with that. Nice one.

 

Regards,

Adrian

Cheers Adrian.  I must say that all joking aside I did really like how fast the acrylics dried as compared to enamels. 

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