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* Bf109E-3 +++FINISHED+++


rowmk9

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Hi all,

My plan to enter a French Leo 451 has stalled as I have to find suitable replacement decals (not too many sheets out there!). So rather than get all glum about it, I'm going to enter something that is ready to go right now - my Airfix 109 kit with some Sky Models Decals I had hanging around.

Box shot:

p1060099p.jpg

The scheme chosen:

p1060097.jpg

Posting shots of the sprues is rather superfluous, considering Mike the BM Boss has already reviewed the kit and taken some lovely pictures of the bare plastic. See HERE for the kit review.

Oberstleutnant Carl-August Schumacher was an interesting man and the small amount I know of him made me choose his aircraft to model. He was not a young and dashing fighter pilot, although his rank - equivalent to Lieutenant-Colonel - may have given that away. He was instead, a former Navy officer who had fought in the Battle of Jutland in 1916 as a Fähnrich (candidate officer), but he had transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1934. In the winter of 1939/40, he was commander of JG 1 and in this capacity he participated in the air battles against RAF bomber formations during the 'Phoney War'. He also took his unit into battle during the the invasion of the Netherlands. He survived the war but his exploits after the Blitzkrieg had less to do with flying aircraft than commanding (i.e flying a desk).

His most famous action has to be on December 18th 1939, when he commanded his unit in what became known as 'The Battle of the Heligoland Bight'. This battle pitched unescorted Wellington bombers against 109's and 110's with predictable results. Of the 22 Wellingtons sent out on the mission to bomb shipping in the waters off the German coast, 12 were shot down, and of the survivors only 3 were left undamaged. This battle was one of the factors behind the RAF decision to switch to night-time operations. Schumacher himself claimed one Wellington shot down.

The scheme as depicted in the Sky Models decal sheet says Spring 1940, so is likely more in keeping with Schumacher's exploits prior to and during the Battle of the Netherlands. I'm not sure if it would be accurate for Dec 18th 1939, but either way, its an eligable scheme and a fairly attractive one.

Edited by rowmk9
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I've made a start on the kit, I'll post piccys tomorrow or saturday. I have a quick question first though.

The instrument panel on the E-3, RLM02, RLM66 or Black?

I know the rest of the cockpit is RLM02 but I just wanted to check for the instrument panel.

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I've made a start on the kit, I'll post piccys tomorrow or saturday. I have a quick question first though.

The instrument panel on the E-3, RLM02, RLM66 or Black?

I know the rest of the cockpit is RLM02 but I just wanted to check for the instrument panel.

Personally, I would go with a medium grey

bf109.jpg

Edited by Mentalguru
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Some early E-1s had 02 instrument panels but the norm for late E-1s was the same as for the E-3 and E-4: Black-Grey 66.

However, that being said, there is pictorial evidence of 02 panels installed in some E-4s and E-7s.

As these were pre-painted before installation odds are that during production of the E-3/E-4 if they had run out of a supply of 66 finished panels but had some in 02, it is unlikely that production would have stopped and the 02 panel would have been fitted.

HTH

Dave

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Thanks Guys, some top info :)

I've gone for RLM66 but drybrushed the panel with a medium grey (Citadel Codex Grey) to hightlight it.

Here's some progress pics of the interior. Lifecolor RLM02 was used, along with citadel acrylices for the smaller details. As you can see, the build is completely OOB, nothing added. I've even left the ejecter pin marks in place as I'm planning to have the canopy closed to display the lines of the aircraft when parked up, but we will see. Being my first time with the kit I just want to see what it's like straight from the box.

p1060100.jpg

p1060103.jpg

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Thanks Guys, some top info :)

I've gone for RLM66 but drybrushed the panel with a medium grey (Citadel Codex Grey) to hightlight it.

Here's some progress pics of the interior. Lifecolor RLM02 was used, along with citadel acrylices for the smaller details. As you can see, the build is completely OOB, nothing added. I've even left the ejecter pin marks in place as I'm planning to have the canopy closed to display the lines of the aircraft when parked up, but we will see. Being my first time with the kit I just want to see what it's like straight from the box.

This looks about right Roland. Ive been looking at 109 interiors a lot lately and the grey used for the floor and sidewalls has a decidedly greenish tint. RLM02, in other words.

The IP and framing seem to have a darker grey, RLM66-ish.

I think you've nailed it.

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Cheers Mish! Yes it is a very nice kit, I'm enjoying it alot.

Here's a pic of how Schumi's 109 looks right now. A bit of filling and sanding will follow and then things like canopies and pre-shading will be happening.

p1060115u.jpg

After examining a number of 109 photographs in Heinz Nowarra's Bf109 reference book, I've settled on a upwards deflection on the elevators. Seems to me that some parked up Messerschmitts had the control surfaces set into this position, rather than left all droopy. Similarly, the leading edge slats have been closed as the majority of parked 109's I've seen in the book are shown as such.

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Thanks Erwin, I've some more progress today.

The aircraft had its canopy added and masked off (minus the mid section that I'll do later). It was then preshaded with flat black and the topside camo was painted on. I used blu-tac sausages to form the demarcation between the camo. Some people may not like it, but judging from the reference pictures I've seen, there is a distinct blend between the two colours and not a straight line (as would have resulted from masking tape). I used Lifecolor paints for the camo, I'm quite happy with the shades produced.

anyway, pics! (I apologise for the poor quality of the pics in advance)

Preshaded

p1060131.jpg

Topside camo

p1060134s.jpg

Blu-tac sausages in place to mask off the topside camo (some masking tape was added to the top to cover it completely before spraying)

p1060138g.jpg

masking removed and the scheme comes to life.

p1060139a.jpg

a little bit closer in.

p1060140h.jpg

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Some more progress today.

The undercarriage is on along with the majority of the decals. Naturally the decals went down after the model had been varnished. Instead of Klear I went for Zero Paints pre-thinned clearcoat. Lovely stuff, and in my opinion it is better than Klear, but its pricey in comparison. Maybe I'll save it for the special models :P

anyway, here's how Schumacher's mount looks like now (I'm sorry for the camera flash, its dark in here at night!)

p1060148a.jpg

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The matt patch forward of the canopy is where I tried an airfix decal and it silvered terribly, and i scratched the paintwork removing it. I'll sort it out soon though. Not a massive amount left to do.

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Thanks for the kind comments guys. Muller - you're right, it really started looking the part once the balkenkreuz's went on.

Anyway, I've actually finshed it, but being night time it is not worth taking proper pictures yet, that will have to wait for Saturday or Sunday.

However, here's a sneek peek

p1060159x.jpg

The model was given a promodeller wash (but this was largely removed as I wanted it cleanish, so just enough to accentuate panel lines). In a similar manner, the panel lines were carefully picked out with a very heavily thinned down Tamiya X-19 Smoke. A touch of XF-64 Red Brown and XF-1 Flat Black was added into the thinned X-19 to create the exhuast stains, which I tried to keep restrained seeing as the aircraft would have been kept in excellent condition (it was the CO's kite after all).

I left the canopy open because I mucked up the framing alignment when masking, so this way it hides that mistake :D

More and better pics to follow this weekend.

Edited by rowmk9
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Ok, here is Carl Schumacher's aircraft, finished and with some better (though not perfect) pics. Thanks to everyone who has commented kindly on my model. It is not perfect or as good as some of the beautiful work that goes on around this site, but I'm fairly happy with how it has turned out.

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p1060172.jpg

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And I simply couldn't resist. Here's a pic of the Bf109E-3 next to a Bf109G-14 that I have in my collection. It shows the evolution of the 109 from the first year of war to the last. There were earlier and later variants, but these do illustrate the development fairly well, along with the changing fortunes of the Luftwaffe. Don't worry Blitzkrieg mods, This pic wont go in the main gallery :P

p1060211.jpg

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