Black 6 - Finally Finished!

[Johnson]

On 7/15/2021 at 7:55 AM, Michael louey said:

The paint job looks really nice and the colour matches are very good.

Thank you Michael!

On 7/15/2021 at 7:55 AM, Michael louey said:

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

And for that info too. I still have one of them, so I'll have a go at scratching one. But the QB set is so cheap it's hardly worth it. Just need an excuse for a Hannants order .

[Johnson]

With all this heat (by UK standards) I've been hiding inside and getting on with the decals...

 

First off a coat of gloss, Alclad Aqua Gloss which worked pretty well;

 

 

Then a nice relaxing day applying the decals... or so I thought .

Not one of the Balkenkreuz in Dave's Decals was properly registered, and even if they had been, they were all far too small. A hunt in the decal spares brought up some old AeroMaster crosses from the 'Reich Defence Pt IV- Gustavs' set that were OK. But they all had black outlines that needed removing. The ones for the wing tops needed very careful trimming;

 

 

 

They went on OK, and having been trimmed, no silvering to worry about. The black '6' is actually a tad further to the left than it should be, not much, but enough to annoy me. But once on there was no moving it, so there it stays. Sigh. One day I'll make a model without some stupid mistake. 

 

The '6' on the stbd side is in the correct location, not a lot of difference. Just enough to niggle. Obsessive? Me?? 

 

 

I ought to be grateful that the '6' decals were so nicely registered!

 

Next up, a matt coat then all the bits and bobs; exhausts, air filter, u/c. pitot tube, see what the canopy looks like when it's unmasked, always exciting! The engine? I still fancy having the cowls open but it will be a fairly basic OOB engine.

 

Any thoughts, suggestions, criticisms gratefully received!

 

Cheers,

[Col.]

Coming along well Charlie  Your fix for the decal issues is inspiring.

[Johnson]

On 7/20/2021 at 2:00 PM, Col. said:

Your fix for the decal issues is inspiring.

Thanks Col, more desperation than inspiration. Nearly gave up when I saw how bad they were.

 

Concentrating on the 'bits & bobs', hope to get it completed soon and can get another built before the Phantom STGB starts.

 

Cheers,

[Johnson]

This is just about done.

 

All the little bits and bobs stuck on. Some mild weathering, not my forte at all but it definitely needed exhaust staining - Tamiya Weathering Master 'Soot', dry brushed on. And 'Sand' on the tyres, quite appropriate really. A little bit more weathering to do and I'll get some pics and gallery tomorrow or in the next few days.

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

[Col.]

That's looking very nice Charlie

[Johnson]

Thanks Col. I must get some pics in the gallery. So much to do in the summer.

[Johnson]

Finally Done!

 

I've added some more light weathering, but Black 6 was still fairly new when it was abandoned by the Luftwaffe after the battle of El Alamein, so wouldn't have been very weathered as these photo shows when it was captured by the RAAF at Gambut airfield in Libya. The plane was built by Erla and started as an F-3 but finished as a G-2 in Oct 1942. It was then assigned to III/JG 77 and flown from Germany to Libya 21/22 Oct 1942. It was flown in combat by Leutnant Heinz Lüdemann (later killed in combat with P-40s on 10 March 1943) of III/JG 77. After being slightly damaged in combat it was left at Gambut Main on 4 Nov 42 before being discovered by the Australians on 13 Nov 42.

 

 

As found, missing it's canopy.

 

 

I've modelled Black 6 as it might have looked when with JG77.

 

 

 

The FineMolds Bf 109G2 kit is a super little kit, possibly a bit dated now, but really well engineered, reputedly very accurate (a tiny bit short in the nose I read) and went together very well.

 

More pictures in The Gallery.

 

Many thanks to @Col. and everybody who supported and encouraged me. Sorry it was a bit slow!

 

Thanks for looking,

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Very nicely done 109, always love the desert schemes. 

[Carts]

Cracking desert 109

[Ray_W]

Very nice Charlie. I do like the non-beule Gustavs. Nice rendition of the desert scheme. Looks like you nailed it.

 

Ray