An RAF Me 410 B-2/U2/R2 - Meng 1/48. +++++Finished+++++

[AdrianMF]

Nice work on exhaust stains, getting it all together and spinners. Did you do an increasingly curved piece of tape for the spinner mask or did you align it by eye?

 

Regards,

Adrian

[VT Red Sox Fan]

Mark, just catching up—really liked the wheels and your paint job is amazing!  Best, Erwin

[mark.au]

15 hours ago, AliGauld said:

I resemble that remark.

 

That remark could be a candidate for the modellers' collective noun.

 

12 hours ago, hendie said:

I see Mr Fritag is trying to take over my role as Stator of the Obviance .  I won't complain though cos he saved me a lot of words.  I'll go with exactly what he said, with an extra WOW thrown in for good measure.

 

In addition to your kind contribution, I was mostly honoured by his use of the full spelling, obvs.

 

11 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

Nice work on exhaust stains, getting it all together and spinners. Did you do an increasingly curved piece of tape for the spinner mask or did you align it by eye?

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

I did it by eye using vinyl tape.  I masked the centre with a circle cut of tamiya tape and chamfered the start of the vinyl (which didn't quite work, hence the requirement for a little touch up).  The vinyl tape confirms to the curves very well.

 

10 minutes ago, VT Red Sox Fan said:

Mark, just catching up—really liked the wheels and your paint job is amazing!  Best, Erwin

 

It's funny how little details catch one's eye - I like the wheels too, probably my favourite bit.  

 

By way of ending a chapter, I finished the underside with a coat of clear flat on which to apply some chalk staining and then a final coat of equal parts Windex, Clear Gloss and Clear Flat.  As I rarely take photos of the underside once the model is finished - far too much chance of DSD^TM (Doing Something Dumb) and damaging it, here's the finish pics for the 410's bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next chapter is the uppers.  The final chapter is the radar - another opportunity to procrastinate...

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

[Dunny]

Mark,

 

What a great idea - as a past master of DSD I wholly ascribe to this approach! Said undersides looking lovely,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[bigbadbadge]

Undersides look great Mark.  Good idea re taking the photos now in case of DSD. 

I may try and remember that as have certainly damaged a model or two in the past turning over to photograph it at the end 🙄

Great job

Chris

[AdrianMF]

Looking good! Good idea to turn it over before adding the radar array.

 

That slot for the stand looks a bit too far forward though  

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

 

[Winded Penguin]

Lovely work. The propeller spinners are currently looking like limited edition Murray Mint sweets, made by their special products division👍

[k5054nz]

I love this so much. Each update is pure eye candy.

[AliGauld]

Sorry Mark I thought I'd commented.

The underside is just gorgeous.

Can't wait to see what you do with the rest.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

[mark.au]

@Dunny, @bigbadbadge, @AdrianMF, @Winded Penguin, @k5054nz and @AliGauld, many thanks for the kind comments.

 

Ahhh, we're on the short strokes now, where DSD^TM really comes into play as a distinct possibility with every step.  

 

First of all though, here's where a lazy decision way back at the beginning of the build has come back to bite me in the rear.  I didn't, as the instructions asked, paint the interior framing of the canopy thinking that it would be like 99% of all other models where the exterior framing paint would cover the interior framing.  A close look below will prove otherwise.  To make matters worse, attaching the gunsight with clear-drying glue to the windscreen hasn't worked out as well as hoped.  I should have painted it black before attaching.  Dammit.  

 

 

Short of removing the canopy and windscreen there's nothing now that I can do about those two foibles, unless of course one of the collective has an idea I haven't considered - a scenario for which I am still holding out hope for...  I'm a bit disappointed in the above, but frankly not enough to remove the canopy and windscreen to fix it.  So we move on.

 

The starboard spinner (at least) has some numbers written on it, as well as one of the prop blades.  I thought of a few ways I might replicate this including paint; I considered scoring through the paint with a pin, assorted decals... but settled on very light grey pencil.  After several attempts - the pencil wiped away with a damp cotton bud after each failed attempt - I had this.

 

 

Not bad, and it looks better from normal viewing distance.   A little disappointingly the numbers faded under the sealing coat.  Oh, and please note that the prop isn't permanently mounted yet.

 

By this point I realised that I was fast closing in on the finishing touches, including the PE on the rudder and the trim actuator which I made from wire as the plastic part looked too thick.  The photos below therefore show an almost finished airframe, lacking only the wingtip nav lights and antenna wire (which I've since added using EZLine).  

 

In an impressive display (if I say so myself) of contempt for DSD^TM I also drilled the holes in the nose for the radar mounts, something that would have been far less stressful had I done it earlier, such as before painting, weathering, attaching the wings, fixing the antenna wire; you know, when it would have been waaaaaay easier.

 

 

 

 

The props still need to be mounted properly and I have to complete the wing tip lights.  Then I'm into the kit-within-a-kit which is the radar array.  Not completely sure how that's going to go to be honest, wish me luck.  

 

Cheers.

[AliGauld]

I think that she looks pretty splendid.

The clear glue bit is exacerbated by the unforgiving macro photography but I'm sorry I have no solution to that other than gently prise it off and then reposition after paint.

But given it's position I'm sure that getting it off would be problematic let alone trying to reposition it.

All the best with the radar array though, that will be "interesting".

 

Cheers,

Alistair

[Dunny]

2 hours ago, mark.au said:

Then I'm into the kit-within-a-kit which is the radar array.

Sound the procrastination alarm - AAROOOGAAAH! Lovely detail work on the prop lettering, and I'm sure nobody but you will notice the canopy framing. All looking rather splendid,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[Massimo]

Se looks gorgeous!!!

Nearly there!

Ciao

Massimo 

[Fritag]

6 hours ago, AliGauld said:

I think that she looks pretty splendid.

The clear glue bit is exacerbated by the unforgiving macro photography

 

I agree with both of Alastair's sentiments here.

 

I’m not sure that painting the gunsight black would’ve made it that much different.  Isn’t it  the swirling pattern of the clear glue squished between sight base and glass that’s the issue? And wouldn’t that be there even if the gunsight base had been black?

 

I can’t think of a solution.  I’ve had some success sticking small things to canopies with Future/Klear but don’t know whether that would have worked here anyway.  You could try wicking some Future/klear into the join maybe?  it might unify the look - or it may make matters worse.

 

I revert to Alistair’s second point.  It doesn’t spoil an otherwise simply beautiful model. 

[hendie]

the trouble with our own builds is that we see all the flaws before we see the overall model.  I have to agree with the above comments - despite what you may see as imperfections it's a cracking looking build.

[Winded Penguin]

11 hours ago, mark.au said:

Short of removing the canopy and windscreen there's nothing now that I can do about those two foibles, unless of course one of the collective has an idea I haven't considered - a scenario for which I am still holding out hope for...  I'm a bit disappointed in the above, but frankly not enough to remove the canopy and windscreen to fix it.  So we move on.

 

We who do this thing as a hobby are all on different journeys. The way I personally handle such trauma is to come back to it after a few days.

Somehow, it never feels as important - or even really noticeable - when I do that.

 

I try to remember that when someone looks at the model with fresh eyes, they don't have any history of trauma to go on 😉

 

As I look at the model, how confident would I be in your shoes to 'leave no trace' in making such remedy as would be needed?

Answer for me would be surely 75/25 in favour of a screw up somewhere 😉

 

[bigbadbadge]

Looking great Mark, must admit wouldn't have noticed until you pointed out any flaws.  Writing on prop and spinner looks great too.  I am sure you will conquer the radar array.

Cracking job and certainly looks impressive on its captured markings.

Chris

[mark.au]

22 hours ago, AliGauld said:

The clear glue bit is exacerbated by the unforgiving macro photography

 

True, it's not as noticeable as a flaw from 30cm away.

 

20 hours ago, Dunny said:

I'm sure nobody but you will notice the canopy framing

 

Also true, I'm actually a bit more disappointed in the cause than the effect.  I'll live 🙂 

 

18 hours ago, Massimo said:

Nearly there!

 

Read on! 

 

15 hours ago, Fritag said:

I’ve had some success sticking small things to canopies with Future/Klear but don’t know whether that would have worked here anyway.

 

That might well have worked actually.  Thanks, filed away for Future (see what I did there?) reference.

 

11 hours ago, hendie said:

the trouble with our own builds is that we see all the flaws before we see the overall model

 

Absolutely.  I pointed out the issues to Mrs.Mark and she looked at me like I was nuts.

 

11 hours ago, Winded Penguin said:

Answer for me would be surely 75/25 in favour of a screw up somewhere 😉

 

I think you're being optimistic with those odds...

 

10 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

must admit wouldn't have noticed until you pointed out any flaws

 

Dammit! 🤦‍♂️ 

 

10 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

I am sure you will conquer the radar array.

 

Read on...

 

Contrary to my good friend @Dunny's assertion that I would procrastinate, I was ready for this one to be done some days ago, so I sat at the bench last night to complete the 410.  As has been the case throughout this build, I haven't planned ahead very well and I really didn't know how I was going to mount the radar.  A dig in the box of "useful-one-day stuff" I found some wire which I thought I could use and so I began to fiddle around with different shapes and attachment arrangements.  Eventually, I settled on this for a basic support frame.

 

 

So far, so good.  At this point though, it became apparent that the radar array itself was oversized for what the photos show and that I'd only be using two instead of three.  Representation then, instead of replication.  When I offered up the array it also became apparent that they were a little wide to mount directly on the frame I'd made, so another additional attachment frame was required.  I again fiddled around with various approaches and eventually found this pattern.

 

 

This looked pretty good to me, so I let the CA glue holding it all together set up and painted the radars.  When the paint was dry enough to handle the the radars, I simply glued them on.

 

 

I think it looks pretty good.  As mentioned, it's a representation rather than replication but I don't have the patience nor skills - especially the skills - to build the correct arrays.  After a quick check to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, I sat back and decided that it was in fact, done.

 

Some rough and ready pics before an RFI later, likely over the weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to all for the kind comments and encouragement.  I can absolutely recommend the kit, Meng have done a fine job with this one.

 

Next up for me will be more than one build over in the Salty Sea Dog GB - I have a ship, an SAR helicopter and a modern(ish) carrier jet on the schedule - with an April close date on the GB there's a chance I'll be able to get at least two of them all in.

 

Cheers.

[Dunny]

45 minutes ago, mark.au said:

Contrary to my good friend @Dunny's assertion that I would procrastinate, I was ready for this one to be done some days ago, so I sat at the bench last night to complete the 410.

Mark,

 

I never had any doubt - merely for comedy value! That's a lovely finish of this unusual subject and you must be particularly pleased with the radar - it may be a representation but it looks splendid. Most enjoyable to follow and I look forward to the RFI,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[bigbadbadge]

Ooooooo that's looking great Mark, great job on the Radar array.

Chris

[jackroadkill]

Wow, you've really pulled it out of the bag (and rolled the bag up, doused it in paraffin and sacrificially burned it) with this one, Mark.  What a beauty!

[mark.au]

8 hours ago, Dunny said:

you must be particularly pleased with the radar - it may be a representation but it looks splendid.

 

2 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Ooooooo that's looking great Mark, great job on the Radar array.

Chris

Thanks gents.  Yeah despite not having a plan the radar did work out well.  
 

1 hour ago, jackroadkill said:

Wow, you've really pulled it out of the bag (and rolled the bag up, doused it in paraffin and sacrificially burned it) with this one, Mark.  What a beauty!

 

Thanks! I love the smell of burning bag in the morning evening.

[hendie]

well done Mark. That's a fine job on that radar

[AdrianMF]

Wow - that radar looks fiddly (but immaculate) even in 1/48 scale. I'm just seeing your finished pictures on a proper size screen for the first time and it looks even betterer than it did!

 

On the thing-stuck-to-the-windscreen issue, who says the real one had a "quality automobile" finish there anyway? It doesn't affect the pilot's visibility and cosmetic issues like that may not have been top priority of German manufacturers in the later war years.

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

 

[AliGauld]

Mark that really is particularly fine work.

The whole ensemble is simply stunning.

Fantastic work on the radar array, that just finishes off another high quality and fantastic build.

 

Cheers,

Alistair