Yankymodeler Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) Original posting in 'Ready for Inspection. Just wanted to contribute to this Group build. A final push and I've managed to complete the Messrs! This build took me quite a bit longer than I expected, but they are some of the more satisfying models I've completed. After the last update, I noticed I had missed a number of small details such as fresh air vents just under the windshield, fairings and tubing for the windshield cleaning system (at least I think that's what the small tubes along the base and sides of the windsceen are for!), and small vents emerging from the engine cowling. Of course after shaping the small bits from styrene, it took a couple of iterations of touchup painting to fair them into the existing paintwork. The tubes on the windshield were an adventure! The first attempt was made using strands of electrical wire, formed and attached using a thing bead of epoxy. After masking and painting the wire looked too big and the epoxy formed a fillet along the wire. After removing the wire, sanding the canopy frames smooth and polishing the perspex again, I tried again using thinner wire and attaching them with a thin smear of epoxy. The results were not too bad until I masked, painted again, and rushed the highlight/wash stage and got a gloppy mess for my trouble! Once again sanding, polishing and painting the frames got the canopy back to acceptable and there it was going to stay without any blasted tubes!!! After the final detailing of the model, I just couldn't ignore the missing tubes that are so prominent and give the aircraft such a distinctive look. It was a late night session (so therefore I was not thinking very clearly!) when I made a final attempt, but this time using Future as an adhesive. Being very thin, the Future did not form a fillet. Carefully masking (I had gotten very good at masking late model Me-109 windshields by this time!) and painting, along with a sealing coat of Future to prepare for the highlighting/wash stage, provided sufficient attachment for the details yet kept them reasonably crisp. Red 5, the one I'm keeping, received moderate weathering as these aircraft were worked hard for filming 'Battle of Britain' and by the end were looking pretty tired. Red 14 is ready for delivery to my good friend and project instigator (he supplys me with kits and ideas ) was kept fairly clean as he prefers a more idealized presentation for his collection. Although hard to see in the photographs, there is light exhaust and oil leaks present on the cowling. Both aircraft survive today. Red 5, (C.4K-169) spent time in the USA enduring a number of mishaps and has recently been brought to Germany and is flying, still powered by Rolls-Royce (or Packard if you'll excuse the heresy) registered as D-FMVS. Red 14, (C.4K-75) was rebuilt with a Daimler engine as an early Me-109G and is now famous as Red 7, registered as D-FWME. Falcon's Messerschmitt Bf 109 Hangar, (http://www.bf-109.com/web.php?lang=en&auth=e&name=index) is a good source of information. Enjoy the pictures. Next project is a pair of BoB movie Spitfires and Hurricanes. I plan on using the Hasagawa kits, I hope being able to mix and match the proper kit parts rather than scratch build or modify everything will dramatically reduce the build time! Eric The windshield cleaning tubes though not perfect, give the impression of the system so prominent on the real a/c Early in the filming the idea of using flash bulbs for cannon flashes was tried, this was eventually dropped. To reinforce the 'movie star' idea, flash bulbs were simulated by inserting a small section of fiber optic into the end of the wing cannon. Edited January 15, 2011 by Yankymodeler 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Eric, I MISSED this and I dont know why or how but I did... Anyhoo, this is FANTASTIC, SUPERB workmanship...KUDOS... seems like you had an adventure building them ......... But give it to you you did SO well and they are BEAUTIFUL... HOUSTON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidelvy Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 I also missed this. They are lovely models and it would be nice to see them next to some Spitfire and Hurricane "film stars", so good luck with that project. In a way it is a shame one of the aircraft had its Merlin removed an a DB engine substituted. What the owner had was an original aircraft (so far as any warbird can be) and now they have something which is more akin to a replica. I understand it as I suppose people want to see something that looks like a "proper" 109 flying and can always look for something original in a museum. But it's a bit like going out with a girl because you like her sister. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankymodeler Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) Thanks guys! I wasn't sure this post would even be seen the group build being so long completed! There is a WIP post probably many pages buried! The Spits n Hurris BoB build is underway also WIP in case you're interested: BoB Spits and Hurris davidelvy, I have actually planned to build 2 'modern' Messerschmitts on one which will be 'Red 7/D-FWME' and go to my friend who has Hispano Red 14! Kind of a then and now display. Eric Here is a link to the WIP post for the Messrs in case anyone is interested: WIP Messers Edited July 4, 2011 by Yankymodeler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankymodeler Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 UPDATE 4July2011: Here is the completed Hurricane and Spitfire build RFI http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...ic=71243&hl The CASA 2.111's and Spit Mk XIV are under way also. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...ic=72279&hl Comments still most welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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