Jump to content

Black 6 - Finally Finished!


Recommended Posts

I've wanted to build Bf 109 G-2, W.Nr 10639 - Black 6 since I read Russ Snadden's book in 1993. Naturally I'm re-reading it again :D!

 

Captured by the Australians in 1942 (yes, I agree it should be in 'the Land Down Under') and generally test flown, displayed and mistreated by the RAF until Russ Snadden and his team took it in hand in 1972 and restored it. If you want to know more about the fascinating back story, read:

 

y4mk-T1JGzPpo6RSFkfcYr7JdrGLy29FamdBWDyh

 

I'm lucky to be old enough (?) to have seen it flying in 1997 at Duxford, (Flying Legends in July I think, I didn't write the date on the photo packet);

 

y4mCJ68xiSSZ_iy8M7h5O0YO8laIXPRnMxf-Hnt7

 

y4mt7FMVcY2tjGNlvF68J6Hf_ErVamCB1wZZeQ16

 

y4mehEEtj1cPni6RGkGfskQFssUm8OloO7D1n4Wr

(diorama idea?)

 

I also count myself lucky not to have been there on Sunday October 12th 1997 when it last flew!

 

y4m7N_72qSJf7oV6ay4slEwvc86cunNqJFtBJA0Q

 

So, to work!

 

Another FineMolds offering, which should make life easy;

 

y4mwLKWhoPQxpoRn3yP2MjPLZKbBftguGTxR-tZR

 

Sprues, and some add ons;

y4mJe9SzcIIrh_CafOSLLDGgStAscYsSoQ4SP-Xt

The fuselage will need some tiny alterations as Black 6 was built as a G-2 from an F-3 fuselage.

 

More aftermarket, AND the all important Dave's Decals;

y4mw-Uo6U8phyHT6P4Lr6UjRn_pnRaciYvYWmiL9

(Oops, included the Yahu i/p and Rob Taurus canopy again).

 

Hope to make a start this weekend.

 

Cheers,

 

 

  • Like 15
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice choice of subject. 
 

Im also just about old enough to remember seeing black 6 fly, what a pleasure it was. I’ve just ordered a copy of the book to. 
 

James 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Johnson,

 

Can I assume you're building Black 6 in her original Luftwaffe markings or restored finish? If so you will have a much easier job than dealing with her 'captured RAAF' scheme.

I built Black 6 a few years back but the notes in the post are likely not needed unless you're building the RAAF markings.

 

Whichever scheme you choose, good luck!

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking forward to seeing this happen.

I have had the book since its release and remember being delighted that a 109 was in the air.

 

I however was not delighted with my attempt at a Fine Molds 109F-2.

I had canopy fit issues (possibly my fault), but it has some of my best paint.

i h ave lost interest in finishing it.

It teeters on the edge of the bin.

 

I am sure you can make it live up to its reputation.:popcorn:

Edited by wayne 0
auto correct
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Michael louey said:

Can I assume you're building Black 6 in her original Luftwaffe markings or restored finish? If so you will have a much easier job than dealing with her 'captured RAAF' scheme.

I built Black 6 a few years back but the notes in the post are likely not needed unless you're building the RAAF markings.

 

Hi Michael,

 

I'm planning on modelling Black 6 in her original Luftwaffe markings as found by 3 Sqn RAAF in 1942.

 

But I have another FineMolds G-2 that I'm hoping to make as 'Black 6' when flown by Sqn Ldr Bobby Gibbes of 3 Sqn in the 'In The Wrong Hands' Group Build being organised by @TonyOD, when it happens...

 

 

I've got your excellent build bookmarked and have the H-Models 'Captured Bf 109s in the RAF' decals which look a little better than the Dave's Decals representation of the RAAF applied markings.

 

Cheers,

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, wayne 0 said:

I had canopy fit issues

 

Hi Wayne, thanks for your post, I'll watch out when I get to the canopy that I intend to complicate by having it open. I may have to incorporate, or use, the Rob Taurus canopy.

 

54 minutes ago, wayne 0 said:

i h ave lost interest in finishing it.

It teeters on the edge of the bin.

No! Don't do it! Keep it in a box and get it out at a future date, I'm sure it will be worth saving!

 

All the best,

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A worthy subject choice Charlie not only as part of the 109 story but also due to its own individual history.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

A long time since I posted anything but I have been working a bit each day. There's just too much to do in the summer.

 

The cockpit really is quite minimal;

 

Dscf3556

 

Compare this to the AZ Bf 109 G-2 that John @John Masters is building! I think FineMolds wanted you to buy their 'Detail Up' option, a PE aftermarket add-on sets to enhance the cockpit, but they seem to be unobtainable these days. I have added some oxygen kit detail to the starboard cockpit wall to jazz it up a bit, but don't look too hard, it's neither very accurate nor to scale;

 

Dscf3563

 

The cockpit is painted with Xtracolor RLM 66 and my usual ham-fisted attempt to show some wear. Sorry about the (very nice) Yahu i/p that's rather hanging down, I just put the cockpit tub in there with blue-tac and didn't notice it had drooped when I took the pic.

 

FineMold 109s are renowned for their great engineering and fantastic fit. And it's true, the fuselage, wings and empennage all went together very well;

 

Dscf3575

 

(No, I wont forget to leave a seam along the fuselage spine and bottom!)

 

Dscf3576

 

The engine and oil cooler (I think that's what it is) cowlings fitted perfectly. I may display them open to show off the engine detail

 

But there is a mysterious gap at the wing root. Maybe I did something wrong? I can't see how, it was have the gap or the wing/fuselage join was going to suffer.

 

Dscf3577

 

I'd like to have an open canopy, so the next to do is to try to cut the canopy up... without destroying it in the process.

 

Thanks for looking, back soon.

 

 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Slicing up the canopy went OK... mostly.

 

Two new 10A Swann Morton blades later and it's in three parts. But a bit of stress damage* at the front, cutting through that thickness of brittle plastic takes its toll.

 

Dscf3584

 

The fit of the canopy wasn't perfect either, the canopy is a tiny bit narrow at the front.

 

So, as I'd bought one, I tried cutting out, and cutting up, the Rob Taurus canopy;

 

Another 10A Swann Morton blade and it's also in three parts;

 

Dscf3586

 

The Rob Taurus front part is a better fit than the FineMolds windscreen. And it's clearer and thinner than the FM canopy. At first I couldn't figure out what the 3 little blobs on the black plastic part were for. They're the vents! Very nice. :D

 

* Not just the canopy either! :hypnotised:

 

Cheers,

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice work Charlie. You've added enough extra detail in the cockpit to justify using your opened Rob Taurus canopy. Sorry to see all those fit issues though I'm sure you'll sort them without too much bother.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Col. said:

Nice work Charlie. You've added enough extra detail in the cockpit to justify using your opened Rob Taurus canopy. Sorry to see all those fit issues though I'm sure you'll sort them without too much bother.

 

Thanks for the kind words Col.

 

The fit issues really weren't too bad. As you say, they can be easily sorted. Just a bit surprised after all the good things I'd read about FM kits. But it might have been me, who knows? :shrug:

 

Cheers,

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Despite all the distractions of summer I have been making a bit of progress...

 

The Fine Molds Revi C / 12D gunsight is probably one of the reasons FM Bf 109 kits are considered so good;

 

y4mfhdzwkVxKuKMjwdVHNBTbbsVYLMfGXBPNXJa_

 

The canopy was masked...

 

y4mP2eL5AUi2F2-ixeUcouwJf_FtSAlemEqQlZsQ

 

And painted RLM 66...

 

y4mGWuZo14VflSN1D652qt9mU6L7OQLlurvqkn_e

 

Which brings me up to yesterday when I wasn't having one of my brighter days :unsure:. Daughter #1 was coming round to give her car it's biennial clean at midday and at 11.25 (precisely) I thought 'I've just got time to give the Bf 109 a coat of primer... '

 

Out with the Mr Surfacer, mask, gloves, airbrush etc and on with the primer. Seems very grainy? :hmmm:

 

In my haste I'd grabbed the Mr Surfacer 500 not the 1500!!! :weep:. Pah!

 

I now know that it is possible to remove an entire coat of Mr Surfacer primer :phew: (before the daughter arrived with her grimy car), but it's not recommended. The remnants are still around the canopy where I deemed Mr Color thinner used to remove the primer would be too risky.

 

Today, at a more relaxed pace, things went better;

 

y4mbaZ23xw4dZRmpdeRbGxpAnKOnkXl9Ur6Y2g_d

 

I've given up on primer, I don't think it's needed and I'm sick of the house smelling of Mr Color Leveling Thinner. So white paint on the fuselage, wingtips and spinner and RLM 02 on the landing gear, wheel wells and insides of the engine cowlings. Really looking forward to getting some RLM 78 & 79 but it'll need a couple of days to harden before I can mask the white so maybe time to look at another 109 kit?

 

Cheers,

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tidy progress Charlie and yes that gunsight is a tiny piece of wonderfulness B)

 

18 hours ago, Johnson said:

...it'll need a couple of days to harden before I can mask the white so maybe time to look at another 109 kit?

I like the sound of this plan :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yellow on the nose...

 

y4m-Biteu8ehCCzw2FzdAWJ4FgbFKmV3Aa5Hr4QT

 

Now I can get on with the main colours; RLM 78 Hellblau and RLM 79 Sandgelb.

 

And I have a choice! For years I've been an Xtracolor fan. They work well for me and no messing with a gloss coat. But recently I've been trying the Sovereign Hobbies Colour Coats enamels which were spot on for my recent Spitfire Mk.1a.

 

I've got both colours in both paints, so which to use? Xtracolor  :shrug: or Colour Coats?

 

I don't want to start a Luftwaffe colour debate, this ain't the place and I'm not qualified. But I did recently acquire the Hikoki Lufwaffe colour chart, so a comparison was in order;

 

y4m5PAAXWqDYHy6z9J-KUuzdf4OBe5yjrlcbe8Dc

The photo was taken outside on a cloudy day.

 

Colour Coats are at the top. The Hikoki colours are closer to the Colour Coats, but slightly darker. And I have my own photographic evidence, for what it's worth, but it does agree with the colour photo on the front of the book 'Black 6' and the photos on the web - Bf 109G-2/trop Photo Essay by David "Falcon" Weiss. In his book Black 6 on the restoration of the plane, Russ Snadden refers to using 'paint mixed with reference to original paint chips'. The photos and images on the web agree with the Sovereign Hobbies paint.

 

So Colour Coats it is :D

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Knowing the lengths Jamie goes to produce accurate paint it doesn't surprise me at all when the Colourcoats prove a good match to reference material :) 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Charlie,

 

According to some sources there were two versions on RLM79, one darker than the other! Of course there is also the suggestion that early on they used borrowed Italian paint, but that seems to be going out of favour these days. In any case, either make would seem close enough to me.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Italian paint suggestion was made by Ken Merrick in the 1970s (or perhaps slightly earlier) to describe the initial lighter colours.  He didn't attempt to suggest which of the four Gallo Memeticos had been used, and the Italians didn't have a light blue, but this didn't stop the idea being widely adopted, not everyone realising that it was only a theory, and a bit shaky at that.  30 years later Merrick discovered original German documentation for the earlier version of 78 and 79, and included samples in his work for Classic.  So if by "some sources" you mean "original documentation" you are spot on.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Folks,

 

Been chipping away at this. Got the paint on, pleased with the results. The engine cowlings are just placed for now and will hopefully be a better fit, but I may finish it with the cowlings open, we'll see.

 

y4m3X3Gl8gPTeVAZcJq5YbL1d_hktNQZ9GfKMCQD

 

It will need a coat of gloss for the decals. Experiments with Klear weren't very promising so I'll probably use Alclad Aqua Gloss.

 

y4mtoc_G5xBXUYpxNamBqGW53Rxjl0VbclXolOsh

 

I should never have glued the aileron counter balances on so early. Both got knocked off during the painting and the carpet monster got one of them.

 

My method for masking the individual bars of canopy is complicated and long-winded. Mask, then a coat of RLM 66 followed by RLM 79. Hopefully it will look OK.

 

FineMolds provide a nice drop tank. The real Black 6 sports one as it sits in the RAF museum, but whether it had one in the desert I'm unsure, it didn't have one as found. I'd have thought they might have needed them for the ferry flight from Germany?

 

Back soon, hopefully with some decals! ^_^

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Charlie,

 

Coming along nicely. I have fitted a tank to my desert/Tripoli G-2 but I am leaving it off both of my "Russian Theatre" ones, as I have seen very few pics of them in use - with the JG5 machine it seems they were fitted when on convoy escort duty, and probably for ferry flights as well I guess.

 

Pete

Edited by PeterB
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Carts said:

Your colours look "Bob on"

Thanks Carts, I was pleased with how the masking (thin Blue Tack sausages and paper - I meant to take photos but in the heat of the painting forgot!) and the airbrushing went, but any credit for the colour must go to @Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies and his team.

 

Cheers,

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice progress Charlie,

 

The paint job looks really nice and the colour matches are very good. Shame about the mass balances - they are prime candidates for getting lost so I was really happy when Quickboost produced a set of them.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/QB72561?result-token=DVvTI

 

I've read some modellers scratching these but I personally think getting these right is a bit beyond my capabilities.

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...