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Dougs' Me Bf 109B


Doug Rogers

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Thanks for your input Ed. Been thinking about it today a bit, (while I've been awake that is, I'm on a run of night shifts at the moment), and strictly speaking I should go with the pics I have, specifically of 6-10, which show that at the time of the pictures, there were no cooling slots. So I think I'll go with that. I know some of the cowling panel lines in the kit are apparently inaccurate (although I have no clue which ones) with the B version, but I honestly don't think I'm going to go as far as filling and rescribing those.

I think I will;

fill in the cooling slots on the cowling

extend the wing slats along to the second panel line from the wing root

make some MG muzzles to install in the cowling gun troughs as these should be visible.

I'm frantically trying to finish my AZ Models Firefly for the Naval Forces GB at the moment though, so I probably wont begin this build in earnest until the end of the month, when I get back from the Lake District.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi all, got a bit more done today. I've done some detail work on the radiator face and the support frame work inside the radiator opening. The kit just showed a flat plastic surface which just wouldn't have done

005-4.jpg

And here mocked up in the opening, along with some mesh to depict the radiator grille. It's funny how you view things differently when you're a modeller, isn't it. We were just throwing our old kettle out, when I noticed the filter mesh sitting in the bottom of it. ''I know what that'll do for'', I thought, cut a bit out and hey presto, one Me109B radiator grille. With a bit of careful painting, should look OK hopefully.

Here it is mocked up in position

009-4.jpg

I can get on with some construction now, should be more to see Tuesday, Wednesday next week, got work Sat, Sun and Monday!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Update time, she's starting to come together a bit now,cockpit in and fuselage buttoned up.

Extras I've added so far;

Added a pair of cocking handles on the instrument panel from 0.25mm brass wire

Added the circular handle on the joystick, also from 0.25mm wire

Installed the brass prop shaft and sleeve

Added extra detail, mesh and strenthening struts to the radiator housing

Filed out the inside of the cowling airscoop to give it a slightly thinner profile

Added brake lines to the main undercarriage legs

installed the swivelling tail wheel

Recribed the wing slats to the right length and depth

003-6.jpg

006-6.jpg

004-4.jpg

007-6.jpg

'Contact!'

009-5.jpg

Hope to maybe finish next week if I can get the canopy masked off in time.

I had cut the canopy into it's three sections to do it in the open position, but the kit cockpit is a bit disappointing, so I've pinched the canopy from my 109C kit to use instead and I'll get an AM pit for that.

Wiedersehen!

Edited by Doug Rogers
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No worries Mike, not sure what the limit is on photobucket anyway, number of images or timewise. I don't think it's a bad little kit actually, it goes together quite well with a bit of fettling and some TLC, cockpit lets down a bit, but I understand you can get a resin one.

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No worries Mike, not sure what the limit is on photobucket anyway, number of images or timewise. I don't think it's a bad little kit actually, it goes together quite well with a bit of fettling and some TLC, cockpit lets down a bit, but I understand you can get a resin one.

You can? not heard of that before. Must investigate. It looks a nice kit in the box, barring inaccuracies... Mine looked much better once my short-shot wing was replaced though ;)

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OK, got a bit more done today;

Bit more detailing in the cockpit area, pretty much ready to get the canopy on

003-7-1.jpg

Used some 5A fusewire to make some brake lines, wheels mocked up in position, not glued yet. Also made up a canopy strap and a couple of hand holds for the forward canopy frame, you can just about see them.

007-7.jpg

Here it is after a coat of paint, starting to look a bit more like it.

011-3.jpg

Landing flaps glued in place.

014-3.jpg

That's about it for this week, more on Monday. :thumbsup2:

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Not sure yet Mike, I'm always a bit nervous about the weathering bit. I guess flying in the Spanish weather these aircraft got quite tired looking, quite quickly, so I may go for some understated panel lining, and quite a lot of dust, maybe a bit of chipping here and there. Bit of oil on the undersides, exhaust staining down the sides and I reckon I'll leave it at that.

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How's about a bit of sun bleaching? Mind you, it could quite equally be a new bird straight from the factory, just into combat, so it doesn't have to be filthy & knackered :)

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Yep, good call. Maybe a thin panel wash in a lighter grey. I've sort of based it on the box art pic, which I reckon is based on this pic;

6101ok0.jpg

009.jpg

Which I think was quite early in the campaign as they hadn't done the field mods on the cowling cooling slots, despite them being shown on the box art.

We'll see anyway, I'll go as far as I'm comfortable with without making it look like it needs scrapping. :winkgrin:

Edited by Doug Rogers
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  • 4 weeks later...

Well, as our American friends would say, I'm gonna stick a fork in this and call it done! Quite pleased how it turned out;

002-8.jpg

010-3.jpg

More pics in the gallery, hope you like it.

Edited by Doug Rogers
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Thanks guys, nice underrated kit I reckon, when you starting yours Mike?

That's a very good question Doug.... I'm mid-master at the moment, and have 2 armour kits on the go by accident, so not just yet methinks. The Mark IV Tank is in the paint booth as we speak though, so I might have some spare cycles on my modelling processor soon ;)

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Wow that is sweet Doug!

well done :thumbsup:

if you haven't already done so, would be really grateful if you would pop some pics in the gallery :D

Already done mate. :thumbsup2:

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