PART 4: A Quiver of Bulgarian Arrows - Filling the Gap (1/48 Eduard Bf-109 G2)

[Ray_W]

I am going to break my golden rule and have more than one kit on go at the one time - a P.24B in the High Wing GB and a new addition to this STGB.  I think you will agree it is worth it.

 

I have a gap in my line up of Bulgarian Bf-109’s and that is the G2 variant. The Bulgarian G2’s did the heavy lifting seeing the most combat during the Allied bombing raids on Bulgaria from the Summer of 1943 to the Spring of 1944. Fortunately or unfortunately I happened upon Eduard’s 1/48 G2, I could not resist, so purchased the kit.

 

My chosen subject is “Green 1”. Here is a profile from Dénes Bernád’s excellent book “Bulgarian Fighter Colours 1919-1948 Vol.2” from MMP Books.

 

 

Kora Decals also include this subject so I placed an order. 

 

 

This will be a speed build to finish in time. The PZL being pushed aside for the moment. The challenge will be receiving the Kora decals, which may just miss the closing of the gallery. No matter. I’ll carry on and finish the WIP here and post the pics and my story will be complete. UPDATE: The Kora Decals are shipped. 

 

Let’s start and fill that gap in that Bulgarian line-up.  

 

 

Ray

[coneheadff]

Hi Ray,

I know you mentioned it somewhere before, but I can't find it. 

What is the best reference and/or reading material about the Bulgarien air force?

I was born in Sofia, but left Bulgaria in 76 and the contact with the family is more than seldom. 

Cheers 

Alex 

[Ray_W]

9 minutes ago, coneheadff said:

What is the best reference and/or reading material about the Bulgarien air force?

 

Hi Alex,

 

The three titles I have been using are:

 

 

 

 

All still available and all worthwhile. These have met my needs to date. There may be more that @Ventsislav Gramatski could recommend.

 

I purchased the MMP Books online direct from http://mmpbooks.com/ and Nedialkov's book from HobbyCult here in Sofia http://www.hobbycult.com/.

 

Also worth going onto https://www.lostbulgaria.com/ and working you way through the photo archive. Very interesting stuff.

 

Ray

[coneheadff]

Thanks a lot Ray!!!

 

How is live nowadays in Sofia? Haven't been there since at least 2010, but maybe even longer.

 

Alex

[Ray_W]

10 minutes ago, coneheadff said:

How is live nowadays in Sofia?

 

Very comfortable, I think you would notice a big difference. I have been here regularly since 2011. I have spent a lot of time throughout Eastern Europe and have come to like Sofia a great deal. It is a phenomenal place to be for this hobby. I like the LHS's - just like the good ol' days. Well stocked. Latest kits. Good Supplies. Friendly service. Reasonable prices. Home is still back in Australia but, if you can't get back due to COVID restrictions, it remains a pleasant place to be.

[Col.]

Good to see you completing the story on Bulgarian 109 service here Ray and I'm sure we're in for another treat watching you work on this one

[Ray_W]

So we're into another Bf-109 build using the lovely Eduard kit.

 

A few extra details added in the cockpit. I will glue the PE rudder pedals last, just before painting. I am in the habit of damaging these.

 

 

I purchased the Eduard SPACE set. Mainly for the instrument panel. I will still do my preferred and paint the sidewall detail. First time use of 3D printed decals.

 

 

One good thing I like about these kits is that I can blaze ahead gluing what I can without the need for pre-painting. 

 

 

The wings are a lovely fit so they can be largely finished before joining to the fuselage.  You can see I have removed the solid plastic wing tip navigation lights ready to install my own from shaped clear sprue. 

 

 

The rest is parts preparation.

 

 

 

Ray 

[franky boy]

Nice work Ray. 
 

As you say above this build will complete your set very nicely. 
 

James 

[Ray_W]

Finished the cockpit.

 

The paints used are Gunze Mr Color RLM 66 and then a targetted brown or black enamel wash, just panel lines, ribbing and details. I try to avoid any post clean up. Any other colours are picked using Vallejo Model Color.

 

 

I went back to my old chipping method for 1/48 cockpits using a silver and a graphite pencil.

 

 

The SPACE 3D Decal Instrument Panel went together nicely using Eduard' instructions with tepid water and Mr Mark Setter. I did tone the whites down with some dark grey wash applied carefully between the dial faces. 

 

 

And the completed results are satisfying. Nice Eduard PE harness out of the SPACE set,

 

 

 

 

It's now time to close up that fuselage.

 

Pleasingly the decals arrived. Great service from LF Models. I plan to do the top profile of Stoyan Stoyanov's "Green 1". A nice complement to the Bulgarian E3 I built at the start of the STGB, which was also Stoyanov's aircraft.

 

 

I will make a couple of changes. Looking at the photo evidence, Stoyanov's aircraft appears to have yellow elevators and a 1/3 white spinner somewhat like "Green 28". This type of spinner marking seems more typical of the Bulgarian G2's, besides, easier masking!

 

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

I finished the black on the spinner and then discovered it had the same casting defect as my previous G6 build. Plastic is thinned as you can see at 4 and 7 O'Clock resulting in the spinner cap sitting in from the spinner backplate.

 

 

The plastic is not pushed in so I built it up with some CA/talc.

 

 

Sanded, Repaired and ready for painting.

 

 

I still have my template from the G14 build so used it again doing the same with a double thickness of insulation tape to locate it in position. I then over tape the template to hold it in place and scribe with a needle. The latter is not shown.

 

 

Next hand cut some canopy masks and masked the interior and painted the interior canopy framing on the main canopy and partially painted areas in the windscreen and rear section. 

 

 

Here is the windscreen and rear section with internal masks removed ready to glue in place. I do like the W&N Art Masking Solution. It is paintable and great for infill and tricky shapes. I find it much more controllable than the thicker types like Mr Masking Sol. Be careful though, I do not dip my canopies in Future/Klear and have no issue with this W&N product, but, it does have an ammonia smell which may indicate that it could damage your nicely dipped canopy. 

 

 

 I again replaced the solid tip wing tip nav lights with shaped clear sprue.

 

 

I made some exhaust shrouds from brass shim.

 

 

Joint checking. The light grey is Mr Finishing Surfacer 1500 on the usual suspects. I will scribe the longitudinal rear fuselage seams.

 

 

 

Gunsight, canopies, final check and tidy up and we are ready for some paint.

 

Ray

[franky boy]

Nice work Ray

 

That problem with the mis mould on the spinner seems to be an ongoing problem for Eduard 109’s. My F-2 that I’m currently building has it as do both of the G-6’s in the stash. It’s not a big issue to fix as you’ve demonstrated. 

 

James

[Ray_W]

2 hours ago, franky boy said:

That problem with the mis mould on the spinner seems to be an ongoing problem for Eduard 109’s.

 

Hi James,

 

Interestingly, I checked the first G-6 I built in this STGB thinking I may of missed it. Thankfully, it does not have this problem. This was was from the more recent G-14 set. I wondered if they corrected the issue. I will be interested to take a look at my couple of Friedrich's I have back home in Australia.

 

Ray

[Jasper dog]

I'd missed your start on this one, nice to see the production line is still runnning, a 4th! 

 

Cockpit looks great and I do like the look of those 3D printed decals. Now that I might have purchased a "few" more eduard 109s I'll have to check the spinners...

 

Looking good already.

 

Atb

Darryl 

 

[Ray_W]

That turned out to be a productive modelling weekend. Undercoat on and yellows and whites just about ready for masking.

 

 

Again the whites squares will be masked the right size for the Kora Decals to prevent any show through.

 

 

I also put a white undercoat under the yellow areas since hidden.

 

 

Invariably there is something that still needs some work.  That seam needs knocking back a touch.

 

 

Undercarriage is coming together. Assemble, finish the brake lines and they will be ready. The kit wheels are quite nice OOB.

 

 

All paints are Gunze lacquers. 

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

That's the bulk of the painting done:

 

 

 

Gave it what I call a "dirty mottle" typical of the Bulgarian aircraft.

 

 

 

We will let that cure overnight and then a GX100 gloss coat.

 

Ray

[modelling minion]

Just caught up with this Ray, didn't realise that you had started a fourth!

Everything is up to your usual very high standard, including the very nice paint job.

You make these Eduard 109's look easy.

[Ray_W]

48 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

didn't realise that you had started a fourth

 

Hi Craig,

 

You may recall my joke about doing a G2. Well I found one, so it has to be done. This will complete the Bf-109 single seat versions in Bulgarian service.

 

You can tell I like the type. I must admit though that I am getting Dark Green, Ocean Grey, Medium Sea Grey withdrawal symptoms. Here it is September and not one of those schemes this year. The Eduard's Mk. Vb in the Eagle's Call boxing is calling me. I need a gap somewhere to slot it in.

 

Progress on this one is good. Decals are done.

 

 

I had a little drama with the Kora decals on the wing uppers. I changed to Micro Set and it gave no adjustment. The decals locked down immediately on hitting the surface. I was able move them into position after some difficulty floating them, The decals did not break but they do stretch. You will note the slightly wavy border.  It is not really noticeable, unless you know what you are looking for, yet irritating when I had the solution to the problem.

 

 

I swapped back to Tamiya Decal Adhesive (Softener Type) under the decals and they behaved very nicely. Fuselage sides and underneath were done this way.

 

 

 

I'll encapsulate the decals in a coat of GX-100 and then onto some detail painting and weathering.

 

The Bulgarian G2's had some stenciling in Cyrillic characters - now that's a challenge coming up. 

 

Ray.

 

 

[modelling minion]

Despite the issues you had at the start you have done a great job on getting the decals on Ray, they have settled into the details very nicely.

[franky boy]

Looking very nice Ray, those decals have gone down well in the end. 
 

James 

[Ray_W]

I started this GB with no intent to build four and yet here it is completing my journey of Bf-109's in Bulgarian Service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gap is now filled so we can show the complete series:

 

Bf-109 E3 Spring 1941

 

Bf-109 G2 Summer 1943

 

Bf-109 G6 Autumn 1944

 

Bf-109 G6 1946-1947

 

Thanks again to the hosts for this most enjoyable GB and everyone else for following along.

 

Gallery images can be found here:

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235094093-messerschmitt-bf-109-stgb-gallery/&do=findComment&comment=4182705

 

See you on another build shortly.

 

Ray

 

 

[coneheadff]

All four are beauties Ray!!

 

By the way...I received the first two books you advised and they are greaaaaat!!! Thanks again!

 

Alex

[Ray_W]

8 hours ago, coneheadff said:

By the way...I received the first two books you advised and they are greaaaaat!!!

 

Hi Alex, 

Glad you like them. Certainly gave me some inspiration to build the 109 series. Next up is to finish the P.24B.

Ray

[modelling minion]

Another excellent result Ray and she completes your Bulgarian 109 line up very nicely.

[Ray_W]

46 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

Another excellent result Ray and she completes your Bulgarian 109 line up very nicely.

 

Thanks Craig, a very enjoyable GB. 

[Jasper dog]

Excellent!

Really great job, I do like the general grubbiness of the underside and the wash picking out the rivet detail.

Exhausts stubs look particularly good too!

 

Quite the collection, wish I could manage four in the time it takes me to do one!

 

Great work

Darryl