WIP Revell Bf109G6, Eric Hartmann I./JG53, February 1945

[rkranias]

A "cart before the horse" project as I posted finished pics before the WIP pics.  I started this build in late August, there were no After-Market items available so I missed out on the Eduard and Alley Cat upgrades.  There will be some custom fitting of available AM as I proceeded.  I was able to connect with some AM stuff such as land gear and canopy masks from Eduard.

 

So far my biggest angst is the way the parts are called out in the instructions.  Only part number is given and it would be most helpful if the sprue letter was included in the part call out.  Lots of time looking, cross ref, etc.

 

Some enhancements to pedals and future work on the gun cover to come.  Detail is really nice and I like the effort on Revell's part to add some fine detail for the pit.  Will break out the primer and RLM 66.

 

 

The Eduard SA/IP G10 is identical to the G6 with exception of a center consol.  Careful measure, it'll fit.  I'm going in!

 

Sanding finished.

 

Enhanced the pit with some additional wiring.

 

Fine tuned the gun cover.  Hope to get some paint laid down tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

IP done.  Eduard PE applied to IP.  Center console on IP will be removed.  Geeze!  Those frackin bezels!  Over a dozen!  Will apply either Future or Still Water in IP dials.  Needs a few more PE placements, details picked out, weathering/wash and HGW belts.  Waiting for, QB Revi 16, QB stick.

 

Love HGW belts, just a PITA to cut out.

[rkranias]

Buttoning up the pit.

I used the fuselage as a jig the front & rear bulkheads and seat glued and nested.

 

Glue is cured and Fuel Line added.

 

Sidewalls ready for glue and place in fuselage.

 

 

Fuselage closed and being used a jig for sidewalls of pit.

[Wingco57]

Rick,

Nice sheen in the pit.

Cees

[benjaminsummerfield]

Full of win

[rkranias]

Using Quick Boost 109 exhausts will require some surgery as these are to fit the Hasegawa Bf109. 

With a little work QB exhausts will fit.  Carefully remove the kit exhaust mount.

 

Sanding complete, now on to the cowling panel.

 

Carefully scrape/shave (like scraping a seam) the top and bottom openings to make room for the QB Exhaust.  Not much is needed, just a little smoothing.

 

Test fit looks good.

 

Cowling side panels added before fuselage fit.

 

After fuselage buttoned up balance of cowling mount braces are removed.  Test fit showed these braces helped with challenging fit.

 

Nose cut out to allow exhaust insert after paint.  Top panel added and beules installed.  Removing the cowling braces allowed a nice fit and will keep filling, sanding at a minimum.

[rkranias]

 

Rear bulkhead of the Erla Hood is flush with fuselage.  See pic above - thank you Matt.  I want canopy displayed open so a little surgery is needed. 

Extra windscreen taped on and pit opening masked to protect during surgery.

 

Carefully cut at base of rear bulkhead and remove bulkhead.  Then...

 

using .05mm styrene card I traced shape of bulkhead.  After sanding fuselage where new bulkhead would nest to accommodate the thickness of the styrene card I glued the new bulkhead in place.

 

After glue cure I trimmed and sanded flush to fuselage.  Battery cover and canopy opening rods will be added later.

 

Cockpit sidewall and rear bulkhead seams filled with Mr Dissolved Putty, I love this stuff!  Care not to damage pit is critical.

 

Wings and tail are next then sand and scribe.

 

[rkranias]

Wing assembly is done before fit on to wing spar/fuselage.  This allow me to make sure all seams lined up.  The wheel wells is a multi-part highly detailed affair.  I actually used the locator points inside the wing as a jig to get the wheel well detail parts set really nice.  Test fit to be sure you hit all areas with paint (RLM02), especially near the landing gear strut/wing root area.

Nice wheel well detail.  Multipart wing assembly required care.  I built up my wings to get nice tight fit before attaching to fuselage.  Once wings attached to fuselage I carefully ran tape wing tip to wing tip over fuselage top to assure dihedral.

 

Heavy stabilizer detail sanded down and trim tabs removed and replaced with plastic card.

 

 

Quick Boost Revi mount had to be extended using plastic channel, brass rod and CA glue to make room for armored windscreen.

 

NOTE: Instructions call for armour windscreen to be placed outside.  The G6's had armour windscreen placed inside.  You will have to adjust (extend) the Revi sight to accommodate the armour windscreen.

 

All primed up.  Prop boss painted RLM 70.  WIndscreen fit well.  FYI, windscreen got a shot of black before gray primer.  Pre shade next.

 

Undersides ready for pre-shade.

 

Stabilizer trim tabs need slight tidy up work and we're good to go with pre-shade.

[rkranias]

Pre shade done.  Hopefully will show through the camo and winter wash.  This will be my first attempt at a winter wash the possibility of a fail does exist.

 

RLM 04 Yellow added for fuselage band, chin and Hungarian theater "V" on lower port wing.  After a 72 hr cure will mask off yellow and begin the camo fun.

 

 

 

Chin ID Yellow and fuselage band masked.  This is my first attempt at mottle, well...am happy this is getting a winter wash.  Decals are EagleCals #36-32 The Blond Knight, Eric Hartmann and used throughout this build.

Some skill-sets learned and need improving, have future Luftwaffe builds on deck, yikes!

 

Underside detail, Hungarian Theater band masked and painted.  Liquid mask the Balkenkreuz (upper and fuselage) and Hooked Cross then give her a nice winter wash.

 

Winter wash complete: 4:6 (Tamiya Flat White FX-2:Thinner) painted each panel separately, about 3 passes.  Next step will be gloss, apply Tulip, Heart and Chevron decals then another gloss.  Weathering...am anxious to see results when I apply the Flory's wash on topsides.

 

Cowling chin, fuselage band and Hungarian Theater painted RLM 04 Vallejo Model AIr 71.078 Gold Yellow.  Liquid mask was used on Balkenkreuz (wings, fuselage) and Hooked Cross.

 

 

 

 

[rkranias]

Winter wash on Prop Boss.  Blades added with a little help from my UMM-USA PropMaster.  Gloss varnish the prop boss, tulip, chevron and heart area, then some weathering fun with Florys.

 

 

Prop test fit, I'm happy.  Over-spray on prop blades near the boss is intentional.  Have a feeling I will need to keep a pic of Hartmann's plane handy.

 

[rkranias]

Made new hinges on the Erla Hood using scrap Photo Etch pieces. 

 

Aerial lines attached on tail and fuselage.  These will be last thing I do on this.

 

Eduards Brass Bf109G6 legs came out just in time.  Beautiful detail on the legs and covers.  EZ install is basic plug in.

 

Exhaust detail.  Yeah, the radiator scoop is hideous.  It was a field repair, yeah...that's the ticket.

 

Overall top view.  MiG pigments added on exhaust, tail wheel and gun ports.  Some light silver prisma color pencil near cockpit tub.

 

More MiG pigments on tyres, wings and tail wheel area.  Will finish laynard, grab bars on windscreen and mount aerial wires

[rkranias]

Finished!

 

Go to Finished Work for final pics.  Revell Bf109G6, Eric Hartmann I./JG53, February 1945.

[wadoux]

Fine !

Gérard .

[JonathanReed]

Beautiful!