PART 2: A Quiver of Bulgarian Arrows - Late Gustav (1/48 Eduard Bf-109 G14 -> G6) ***FINISHED***

[Ray_W]

Complementing my Bulgarian E-3 will be a Bulgarian Bf-109 G-6. The plan is to do White 7 also conveniently provided by Kora Decals .

 

 

White 7 is shown as in Spring 1945 so, in effect, this dual build will provide a start and end of Bf-109’s in wartime Bulgarian service. The aircraft has white wing tips and fuselage band typical of Bulgarian aircraft after switching to the Allied side in Autumn 1944.

 

I have always had an interest in modelling this particular aircraft largely due to the following evocative image.

 

 

Note standard height fin and Erla Haube canopy. The latter another reason I was drawn to this subject. Finish is standard RLM74, RLM75 and RLM76. Always a mean and purposeful look for a 109.

 

For this build I have the Eduard G-14 Profipack kit, which should include most parts needed for this G-6 aircraft. I will use the Kora decals sheet with some resin replacement wheels and exhausts.

 

 

 

Plan is to build both aircraft in parallel. Looking forward to the start date.

 

Reference: The other excellent MMP Book on Bulgarian Fighter Colours 1919-1948 Vol. 2 by Dénes Bernád

 

Ray

[modelling minion]

Another great choice Ray and very interesting to cover the early and late WWII service of the Bulgarian 109's.

In your research into the subject have you come across any pictures of 109's in the communist era in Bulgaria as I believe they continued in service after WWII until possibly as late as 1950 which would make for an interesting model.

[Ray_W]

1 minute ago, modelling minion said:

In your research into the subject have you come across any pictures of 109's in the communist era

 

Yes there are a number of images in Bernád's book covering these post-war aircraft repainted in Soviet colors with the OF-markings of white and red roundel with green bar. See White 30 at the bottom of the Aero Supplement cover.

 

 

I also have images in Dimitar Nedialkov's "The History of Bulgarian Air Power". 

 

Given sufficient time in this GB, I do plan a third subject from the post war era in the grey and squiggle pattern.

 

Ray

[modelling minion]

Thanks for that Ray, if you get the time a 109 in the OF markings would be great.

[Col.]

Not only a second interesting and unusual scheme but the promise of a third? You are spoiling us Ray  

[Ray_W]

Thanks Craig @modelling minion and @Col. I have pulled the trigger and will do a third in the post-war OF markings. The required base kit (Eduard 1/48 G-6) was too easy to come by. 🙄  Looks like we now have "A Trio of Bulgarian Arrows". Soon I will have the whole quiver. Maybe have to change the title to "A Quiver of Bulgarian Arrows".

 

White 30 as above seems a good option with the tall fin. I will have to hand cut the stencils for these markings and paint. Reasonably simple. The resulting Republican markings should be interesting.

 

 

A triple build. Why not! 

 

And now I refuse, 🦶🦶 I am not doing a fourth no matter how nice your words. Mmmmm, even though I have been studying the Bulgarian dual control trainer the UMe-109. Said to be a local Gustav mod and not a G-12. Tempting, very tempting. 🤔 

 

Counting down - 3 days to go. 

 

Ray

[modelling minion]

Excellent!

Now if only some survived long enough to wear red stars then that would make a nice fourth model! 🤔😉

[Ray_W]

9 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

Now if only some survived long enough to wear red stars then that would make a nice fourth model! 

Hi Craig,

Well they did. Some were transferred to Yugoslavia post-war and had the Soviet star applied. Thankfully, I have not seen an image of a Bf-109 in Bulgarian service with the Soviet star. Phew, I'm off the hook. Now if I look early war you have the Tsarist roundel for a short time before the black cross. However, I'll save the Tsarist roundel for my PZL P.24B build in the high-wing GB following the 109's. 

Ray

[modelling minion]

9 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

Some were transferred to Yugoslavia post-war and had the Soviet star applied.

Indeed they were, I built a model of one a couple of years ago;

 

I like the Bulgarian Tsarist markings though I imagine they weren't the quickest to apply!

[Ray_W]

11 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

I built a model of one a couple of years ago

 

Very nice build. The chocolate and grey camo is interesting. 

 

Dénes Bernád includes images of the Bulgarian Bf-109 trainer version, the UStrela, in the Yugoslav markings. Both training accidents. One parked nicely tipped up on its nose balancing on the prop and the other sadly a crumpled fatal. 

 

[Col.]

Feel free to build as many different 109 as you wish here Ray. We'll happily watch  

[Ray_W]

3 minutes ago, Col. said:

Feel free to build as many different 109 as you wish

Hi Col,

 

Thanks for that. I think the 3 will round out my Bulgarian complement. But, given sufficient time, another subject may sneak in. I now have an interest in DB 605 D subjects. 

 

Ray

[Col.]

These GB are certainly a breeding ground for new addictions areas of interest

[SafetyDad]

You've picked a very unusual and interesting markings niche here for 109s - really out of the ordinary. I though I was pretty well versed in late war Bf 109s and their marking permutations, but these roundels are new to me. 

 

Great stuff 

 

SD

[Ray_W]

1 hour ago, SafetyDad said:

You've picked a very unusual and interesting markings niche here for 109s

 

The fun of 109's. Oh so many schemes.

 

[Ray_W]

Part 2 is underway. First task was to determine what variant of Bf-109 is to be portrayed and this is without knowing a Werk Nummer.

 

We have a couple of images of the aircraft. Both similar. The clearest one is the following, plastered in my arrows and comments that I will explain. I am very happy to hear your counter views or agreement.

 

 

 A couple of additional clarifications.

 

1. The scheme looks like the typical MTT Regensburg paint job, possibly altered by the Bulgarians or during refurbishment. Hard to tell. Could be the typically well defined Erla mottle gone over locally with more obscure mottling. There is no visible over painting of Luftwaffe Balkenkreuz. Sadly, no over wing image is available where this repaint is often more visible. There does appear to be an overpainted fuselage band faintly visible ahead of the Bulgarian white band. Or, is this just a different reflection on that fuselage segment? Note that the white was added after the Bulgarians swapped to the Allied side in Autumn 1944. I am working on the basis that this airframe was part of the Bulgarian G-6 order placed with Germany and supplied in 1944 and not a post war trophy aircraft. 

 

2. The image appears to show a single high starboard side MW50 filler point and yet no obvious forward battery position as located in the sloped rear bulkhead behind the pilot. Is that the corner of it we can see in the image? It is in the right location.  I will do a little more research to see if I can see evidence of the revised battery installation on any other Bulgarian aircraft and make a call - visible battery housing or no visible battery housing. With the MW50 filler port I am tending for visible battery housing even if the Bulgarians did not use Water/Methanol injection. Possibly with no MW installation but still retaining the revised forward battery sloping bulkhead. These aircraft were doing CAP and ground attack against fleeing German forces. Possibly the additional MW performance was not required. 

 

3. The gun troughs seem to show the forward seam that the Erla gun trough did not have. 

 

4. The G-5 type air compressor fairing is visible as seen on Erla G-6's but also occasionally visible on other factory machines. I am still happy with the scheme being MTT Regensburg. 

 

So having all the necessary parts in the Eduard G-14 boxing to build this machine it was time for some bench work. Next - my dry fitting regime. As usual no filler is the number one goal.

 

I added some location tabs so I can easily assemble and disassemble to check fit. 

 

 

And started checking. Do this well and the kit will fall together. For example straight away a gap at the wing root.

 

 

Start hunting - moulding issue, dimensionally incorrect or the simple stuff like a small bit of flash or casting nub, Alternatively, does the dihedral need to adjust by lifting and closing the gap?  I find with the Eduard kits that the panel lines part-to-part are usually very accurate and make a good guide as to what needs to move. In this case even simpler. The step at the LE slat tell you what needs to happen. Top wing half needs to slide in.

 

 

This is being stopped by the wing tip joint. That edge needs to be cleaned up square and allow the wing root join to close. This kit does have a degree of minor flash that needs to be removed. 

 

 

Now this seems obvious with the close up photography. With the naked eye it is less so. Easy to start gluing parts together and end up with problems later. It is why I am such an advocate for this preliminary process.

 

I will now keep playing around, cleaning joins and the like. 

 

Ray

 

 

 

 

 

[Col.]

Good research and preparation work Ray. That will pay off throughout this project.

[Ray_W]

3 hours ago, Col. said:

Good research and preparation work

 

Best I can glean at the moment. Any input welcome. I am certainly not a mid to late war Bf-109 expert.

 

Ray

[modelling minion]

Have to agree with Col, you certainly seem to have done your homework on what you need to accurately build the aircraft in the picture which will result in a very accurate model.

Your prep work is paying off already too, something that I need to do more of rather than get carried away and start gluing things together.

[Niknak]

Hi Ray, a couple of books that may help you identify your bf 109 are. Messerschmitt bf 109 f, g, k series by prien &  rodeike. And messerschmitt bf 109 recognition manual by Marco fernandez sommerau. They are old books but still can be picked up second hand. Nick

[Ray_W]

2 hours ago, Niknak said:

prien &  rodeike

 

Hi Nick, 

 

Thanks for the suggestion. Uselessly I have Prien and a couple of other 109 titles back in Australia. Nothing with me in Bulgaria. I am reasonably clear on the Bulgarian model being a G-6. No G-14's were delivered in the batch that I am assuming this aircraft was supplied in. It does seem to have the MW50 filler point although I will go with no MW50 installation and use the plain rear cockpit bulkhead.  I will not fill the MW50 filler cap assuming the fuselage did have this feature. This is good as I can leave the Eduard G-14 fuselage half as is. 

 

I am still researching MTT Reg., Erla and WNF 1944 schemes so I can make a decision on the scheme.

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

Finally able to spend some time at the bench and completed the cockpit.

 

 

I added a couple of things like the starboard side junction boxes between the IP and firewall. Not much is seen so I think the approximation is OK. Also, some additional piping for the pilot oxygen system and the throttle cable control tubes/lines on the port wall. 

 

Most of the PE stayed on the fret as the sidewall moulding detail is excellent. Paints up very nicely and, in my view, gives a more realistic representation anyway.  

 

One thing not supplied by Eduard is the cooling system control selector and the starboard radiator shut-off. Very clear in the cockpit images of the Finnish G-6 as posted on 109 Lair. Here is a close up of the controls I refer to.

 

 

I decided to fabricate something and include them as they are a noticeable feature. Is this accurate for my G-6? I am not certain. Like all matters Bf-109 - so many variables, variants and versions. But, it'll do.

 

 

 

I like the Eduard PE IP's. In this case I did not use my usual wash as the vinyl is quite matt. Looks very passable with the naked eye. The photo has accentuated the colour variation with the sidewall. It does look OK within the closed up fuselage halve. Probably leave as is. 

 

 

Other bits and pieces coming along. 

 

 

Next, I'll zip up the fuselage halves and add some wings.

 

Ray

[Steve 1602]

The cockpit is a work of art Ray. It looks fantastic.

 

Steve

[Retired Bob]

That's looking very smart indeed Ray, the Eduard ProfiPacks kits really do give you just about all you need to make a stunning model. 

[Ray_W]

Thanks Steve @Steve 1602 and Bob @Retired Bob I am happy with the result be it that the close-ups are punishing.

 

I could not help myself. I did use some black Tamiya panel liner to fill the space between the instruments and better match the rest of the cockpit. Looks like it is just about ready for Stoyan Stoyanov to climb in and take it for a test flight.

 

 

Eduard conveniently provide a PE stencil to redo the hand grabs on the nose. All good except I set up mine slightly to port and scribed accordingly. Darn, refilled (CA/Talc) and rescribed. The white is the filled incorrect position. Obvious by the centre line join.

 

The wing root joins closed up nicely.

 

 

It's a vice less build. Making good progress now. The white is some undercoat to check the usual suspects.

 

 

Ray