The Minor Gustavs: Bf 109Gs in Smaller Air Force Service

[Sturmovik]

The 109s, from A to K, have a panel line in the fuselage area where AZ tells you to sand. Maybe they wanted to write "scribe" instead of fill?

 

Also, why mold rectangular radiators and then tell you to sand off a millimiter? Seems quite odd.

 

Anyways, I'm sure the local 109 expert will tell us more.

 

3 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

I like yellow,

Then yellow it shall be painted!

[opus999]

I wasn't aware that Czechoslovakia flew 109's.  I'm interested to see this one come together.  I'm also interested to see what you think about KP models.  I have never done one, but have a couple in the stash.

 

That cockpit looks nice!

[Sturmovik]

5 hours ago, opus999 said:

wasn't aware that Czechoslovakia flew 109's.

The Avia factory was the manufacturer of the Avia S-199, the Czechoslovak 109 paired with a DB 603 engine from the He 111s.

 

Edit: Jumo 211.

Edited May 1, 2022 by Sturmovik

[opus999]

29 minutes ago, Sturmovik said:

The Avia factory was the manufacturer of the Avia S-199, the Czechoslovak 109 paired with a DB 603 engine from the He 111s.

Oh, I remember hearing that somewhere now.  Also, I seem to remember reading that Eduard was releasing a 1/72 S-199 soon?  

[Sturmovik]

1 hour ago, opus999 said:

Eduard was releasing a 1/72 S-199 soon?  

Here you go!

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235069873-eduard-bf-109-in-172nd-scale/page/4/#comments

[Shorty84]

2 hours ago, Sturmovik said:

The Avia factory was the manufacturer of the Avia S-199, the Czechoslovak 109 paired with a DB 603 engine from the He 111s.

Minor correction, it was the Jumo 211 engine they had to use after the depot full of DB605s burnt down.

[Jochen Barett]

22 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

+++

Before I install it into the fuselage, I am trying to figure out what it wants me to do with what I assume are canopy rails... I think it is telling me to sand them off? But on both sides?--I'm confused by "Left side" and "Starboard side." Help?

+++

Avia added those rails (on both sides) for the "sliding" blown "Malcolm" hood.

 

When using the "folding"/"tilting" Erla hood they were not there "yet" (absent on both sides).

[opus999]

1 hour ago, Sturmovik said:

Here you go!

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235069873-eduard-bf-109-in-172nd-scale/page/4/#comments

Yep!  That was the one.  I'm glad my memory's not failing!  

[ModelingEdmontonian]

On 4/30/2022 at 7:45 PM, Sturmovik said:

Also, why mold rectangular radiators and then tell you to sand off a millimiter? Seems quite odd.

Who knows, there's a few things like that on this one... makes it interesting, I suppose!

On 4/30/2022 at 7:45 PM, Sturmovik said:

Then yellow it shall be painted!

Haha, hoping for some defensible rationale for yellow beyond "I like it" 😉

22 hours ago, opus999 said:

That cockpit looks nice!

Thanks  I think a modeller could do something quite nice with what KP has provided--I've just kept it simple. Here it all is with some panel liner and a bit of dry brushing.

 

 

22 hours ago, opus999 said:

I'm also interested to see what you think about KP models.  I have never done one, but have a couple in the stash.

I referred to it as AZ, but you're right, it's KP.

 

 

Two out of the three main sprues are identical to the AZ Bf 109G sprues, and the instructions are same style, etc. (in other words: pretty much an AZ kit, I would say). Lots of pieces (maybe too many), and plenty of detail, no flash, but also no locator pins and such... I think a skilled modeller could do a really nice job with this; for me, I'm finding it challenging. Also, sadly, I'm missing one of the fuselage MGs on the third sprue 

 

 

22 hours ago, Sturmovik said:

The Avia factory was the manufacturer of the Avia S-199, the Czechoslovak 109 paired with a DB 603 engine from the He 111s.

 

Edit: Jumo 211.

And, my understanding, is that the Avia S-199 is based on the Bf 109G specifically, hence within the Gustav family and its inclusion in this project!

 

21 hours ago, opus999 said:

Also, I seem to remember reading that Eduard was releasing a 1/72 S-199 soon?  

19 hours ago, Sturmovik said:

Here you go!

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235069873-eduard-bf-109-in-172nd-scale/page/4/#comments

Sort of wish I had waited for the Eduard one, because it looks pretty great! But, the KP maybe offers more learning opportunities. I am referencing the lovely Eduard instructions constantly however to try to clarify what's going on! The KP instructions really leave something to be desired, particular regarding all the options.

 

19 hours ago, Jochen Barett said:

Avia added those rails (on both sides) for the "sliding" blown "Malcolm" hood.

 

When using the "folding"/"tilting" Erla hood they were not there "yet" (absent on both sides).

Perfect, thanks @Jochen Barett, this clarifies it. So, rails removed.

 

And, with that issue resolved, I buttoned up the fuselage. 

 

[Jochen Barett]

2 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

+++

 

+++ So, rails removed.

And, with that issue resolved, I buttoned up the fuselage.

 

👍

 

Do consider scribing panel lines where the rails are gone, "according to the box art".

 

While thriving for excellence and talking about panel lines ... there is a panel line along the "spine" of the 109's fuselage (due to the way it was constructed) and the panel right in front of the windscreen is lacking this seem (but had two holes covered with springloaded "trapdoors" that would fold away to the inside).

The engine cover has a piano hinge requiring a straight line along the top and "some sort of representation" (not every kit manufacturer got this right, maybe worth checking).

[ModelingEdmontonian]

In terms of the engine cover, KP has a piece unique to the Avia that does not have the machine guns molded on (all the other kits I have include the MGs in the comparable piece [except the Hobby Boss "easy build" which didn't include MGs at all!]).

 

 

Really the MGs as separate parts is a feature, I think, allowing you to paint them separately. However, one of the MGs is missing.

 

 

How do I know all the other kits include the MGs molded into the engine cover? Because I checked to see if I had any spare MGs, of course! So, now I'm thinking of using a spare AZ G-6 engine cover:

 

 

The fit is good, and with a little putty should be ok, I think. I will need to sand off the little bulge, but otherwise this looks to be a good solution.

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I have used some gunmetal on cannons, some internals, etc.

 

 

Rudder, upper wings, various underside parts (so many parts for this kit!) are all attached now (photo to follow)... lots of filler needed on the wing roots, which seems a universal experience with this kit from what I've seen around the interweb... otherwise, mostly things are fitting nicely.

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I filled Czechoslovakia's wing roots and a few other spots that needed putty. It really is a nice model in many ways, but has so much going on considering how small it is! Horizontal stabilizers are attached, MG bulges, etc. Then I started drilling holes for pitot tube, antenna, and whatever that long tube is that sticks out from the underside of the port wing.

 

 

I need to get the underwing guns mounted and then it should be ready for primer. Might end up being pretty fast from there given the single colour camo scheme.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Interesting, I didn't know about this project my apologies for not saying anything until now ? 

[Troy Smith]

On 20/05/2022 at 18:31, ModelingEdmontonian said:

I filled Czechoslovakia's wing roots and a few other spots that needed putty.

straight even gaps are easier to fill with plastic sheet,  find right width, add to gap, and when glue set, trim with a sharp blade.  Done carefully should need no sanding,

Done with superglue you can do the job in minutes. if you don't have any plastic sheet, look at food packaging, as long as it will glue,  it will work. 

 

I'll have to catch up with the thread fully later.   

[ModelingEdmontonian]

On 5/21/2022 at 4:15 PM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Interesting, I didn't know about this project my apologies for not saying anything until now ? 

No need to apologize, but happy to have you along!

 

On 5/22/2022 at 6:56 AM, Troy Smith said:

straight even gaps are easier to fill with plastic sheet,  find right width, add to gap, and when glue set, trim with a sharp blade.  Done carefully should need no sanding,

Done with superglue you can do the job in minutes. if you don't have any plastic sheet, look at food packaging, as long as it will glue,  it will work. 

I don't have plastic sheet, but this is a technique high on my list to learn, because it would seem ideal for some of the gaps I've dealt with. Love the food packaging suggestion--modeling supply companies must hate you, Troy! Always with the cheap, practical ideas... In this case I used super glue to mostly fill the gaps, then putty over top. I've found if I fill with super glue right to the top I struggle to get an even finish, whereas the putty sands back easily. Anyway, seam/gap management is definitely one of my "needs improvement" skills.

 

Back to Czechoslovakia, I realized I could pop the canopy on before spraying primer. This is not my usual approach, because I hate masking, but I have a set of masks from my AZ kit that I could use on the canopy, so I installed the "glass."

 

 

Meanwhile, by the way, this is what she's looking like underneath, still without the cannons and their pods installed. Oh, and the masks (top right) and rear wheel (bottom left) are sitting there patiently as well.

 

 

These are vinyl masks (I think), which I haven't worked with before. I've stuck them on, but gosh I'm nervous to start spraying. The mask piece over the large, upper canopy pane is where I am particular not confident, since it doesn't seem to want to hold down (you can see it pulling up on the starboard side). I might have to slip some liquid mask underneath. Also the mask pieces for the side panes weren't quite the right size, so I had to use a second piece for complete coverage. Here she is after I've applied some RLM 66 for the inside of the frame.

 

[Johnson]

23 minutes ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

These are vinyl masks (I think), which I haven't worked with before. I've stuck them on, but gosh I'm nervous to start spraying. The mask piece over the large, upper canopy pane is where I am particular not confident, since it doesn't seem to want to hold down

 

I'm not a fan of vinyl masks, mostly for the reason you mention. But I saw a tip on someone else's build, and that's to use a hairdryer to soften the mask which helps it conform to awkward shapes, might work?

 

The other tip I picked up here on BM is to use stretched sprue to fill gaps. Heat and stretch the sprue till you get the correct thickness (the same or slightly larger than the gap) takes bit of trial and error. Then cut the sprue and run it along/into the gap, feed in a bit of Tamiya Extra Thin cement and leave to dry. It can then be rubbed down. Other poly cement will probably be OK. For big gaps or where it's 'structural' (like a big gap on the the wing fuselage join) strips of plastic card would be better.

 

Troy is right, superglue is very useful for gaps, especially mixed with a little talcum powder (others use flour, but I haven't tried it).

 

Best of luck!

[Dave Fleming]

Those AZ/KP (Same company these days)  Bf109s are nice kits (I have a box full) but with some quirks - the radiator one is weird, it's the same on all the kits, I superglued them in then used a hard sanding stick to flatten them off. The instructions can be a bit confusing too, wrong colours or parts on some. I found cockpit fit could be a bit iffy too

[ModelingEdmontonian]

My Revell G-10 came in the mail yesterday, so I now have the kits for all eleven of my minor Gustavs. I took a family photo.

 

 

Now I can start breaking down some of these boxes and clear my shelf a little...

 

I also received the decals for the Yugoslavia G-10 ("white 45"). They aren't joking when they describe the set including "high quality posters"--this package is huge! 

 

 

I haven't opened it yet, but here are downloads of the relevant "posters."

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

I built the sister #44 a couple of year's ago. If you follow the link back to the RFI it will have other links to info about Yugoslavian postwar Messerschmitt’s. Incredibly my bird actually still exist’s in the U.S. in a museum. 
 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235066557-orao/

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235062946-it’s-a-“yugo”-take-2/

 

Edited May 25, 2022 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Lewis95]

Looks great so far

[opus999]

That Yugoslav one is going to be neat! The posters are a nice bonus... wow!

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I applied some liquid mask over top/under/around the vinyl masks on Czechoslovakia's (KP S-199) canopy and proceed to install the gun pods underneath the wings.

 

 

I can slide the guns into the pods for painting and then slide them out once the camouflage is done. I'm using green from a Tamiya rattle can.

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I've applied a layer of Pledge before I move on to painting the wheel wells and this blue that the S-199s apparently had in what-must-not-be-random-but-seem-to-be-random-spots...

 

 

You can see the eight or so little blue "spots" I am talking about on the forward fuselage (including the air intake) here (not sure why I can't successfully rotate this picture, my apologies....).

 

 

Meanwhile, I'm preparing the props for (left to right): Finland (Airfix G-6), Czechoslovakia (KP S-199), and Slovakia (Airfix G-6). Yes, I opted for yellow on the S-199 because it was my favourite colour out of what I considered possible (yellow, white, or same green as camo). I attempted to drill out the MGs on the Airfix props, and I think with a touch of panel liner they will look at least a bit better than as originally molded by Airfix.

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I got the Czechoslovakia (KP S-199) wheel wells painted and nearly done the inside of the UC doors with RLM 66 (Tamiya XF-24). I am actually using the doors from Airfix because they are molded with the legs on them and for Czechoslovakia they are both the same colour (more or less). This way I can save the separate pieces for Slovakia where the legs and door colours are different (in other words I'm trying to make my painting life easier).