ZM Bf 109G Hartmann

[GusMac]

7 hours ago, Clunkmeister said:

What are y’all using for masking worms? I know a lot of folks have their way, mine is plasticine, but I’m curious about y’all now. 

I'm a recent convert to Ammo's Masking Putty which is very easy to work with and leaves no residue. Not sure if it's one where he rebrands other products but it is a hit with me.

[Peterpools]

Thanks Gus, I'll check it out.

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks John

The more I look at the cammo color demarcation lines, I'm pretty sure the color blend and separation does look good. 

[GazzaS]

Peter,

     Very nice paintwork. 

 

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Gaz, much appreciated.

[BlrwestSiR]

Great paint job Peter. The camo looks great to me. 

[DocRob]

Camo looks great Peter, I think the way you separated colors on the wings is close to the 10cm zig-zagged contour mentioned in Martin's drawing.

Cheers Rob

[DocRob]

On 4/17/2023 at 2:13 PM, Martinnfb said:

10cm overspray , everything till the very end of the war was running on RLM orders. Differences were given by the manufactured Erla,  MTT-Regensburg or the  Wiener-Neustadt (WNF) and visible mostly on the fuselage. Subcontractors played major role as well, that's why you can observe a slight differences for instance in tail sections or cowlings etc.

Very interesting and stored for later, Thanks Martin

Cheers Rob

[Peterpools]

Thanks Carl

The more I go back and look at it, the blend in the cammo is better then I originally thought.

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Rob

I guess I should have waited a day or two, then gone back and looked and the cammo, which came out much better then I originally thought. I think if I used worms or paper, the blend would have been a lot less and more mask like.

 

[Bill_S]

It sure looks the part, Peter. Nice paint job!

[Peterpools]

Thanks Bill, much aprreciated.

 

[Peterpools]

ON HOLD

I’m not a happy camper as the saying goes. I started decaling with the undersides of the wings and the decals were perfect – printed by Cartograf. But turning to the top of the wings and especially the fuselage side crosses, I was totally disappointed with the decals. The upper wing crosses would have way too much carrier film in the clear center and tried as best as I could, I couldn’t cut out the carrier film and apply the insignia correctly.

The fuselage crosses would be an adventure I never experienced in all my years of modeling. The center of each cross is clear carrier film and needs to be PAINTED RLM74. Why they couldn’t print the decals with the center color is beyond me or at least include a second portion of the decal with a correctly sized color strip for double decaling. I’ve never seen a set of decals requiring painting the center section.

ZM can include loads of never to be seen detail parts and something as simple as this is overlooked. Did I missing something?

I bit the bullet and purchased a set of DN Masks which will solve the upper wing carrier film issue for me and of course, the side fuselage decal issue as well. Until the masks arrive, I’m on hold, as I want to leave as much room as possible for the decal masks. 

It’s always something and quite possibly other builders wouldn’t have an issue with this, I just can’t see jumping through hoops and either pre-painting under the fuselage decals and getting it perfect or masking on top, even after a gloss seal cote – just too risky for me.

  

 

[JohnB]

Undersides look good!

[Peterpools]

Thanks John

While I'm waiting, I started tinkering with the ZM Skyraider, and it's one of their earliest kits and nothing like the 109 in quality and clean molding. Of course, it was your build that got me thinking about adding the Skyraider to the collection. Hopefully, going with folded wings.

 

[JohnB]

47 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Thanks John

While I'm waiting, I started tinkering with the ZM Skyraider, and it's one of their earliest kits and nothing like the 109 in quality and clean molding. Of course, it was your build that got me thinking about adding the Skyraider to the collection. Hopefully, going with folded wings.

 

Now you are talkin"!!!! It won't be nearly the PITA as the '109. I look forward to following along.

[Peterpools]

Thanks John

Been working on the front office for most of the day and getting everything ready for the Quinta set as well. Even though the Skyraider is one of ZM's earlier kits and the molding isn't as crisp, so far, the instructions are a lot easier to follow and no issues with part orientation.

 

 

[GazzaS]

The underwing decals were the only ones I used from the kit excluding interior decals.   But yeah...   all of that carrier film...   no thanks.

[Peterpools]

Gaz

Right with you. I'm sure I could have gotten the carrier film to disappear but my normal way of working with decals with a lot of carrier film, is to always remove it before application. In this case, my plan failed (my bad). But what really got my goat was the fuselage crosses where the central color was neither printed on the decal nor provided as a second decal (done all the time by everyone on large roundels). Just seems ridiculous. If I hadn't spent so much time on the spinner spiral, I would have absolutely gone the route you and John did and bough AM decals for a different aircraft. I guess buying masks wasn't the smarted of moves considering the cost and the wait (still hasn't been shipped yet) but at least I'll finally get my feet wet using them. 

In the end, I just can't understand ZM's thinking and going overboard with the hidden details. It's even called out in the instructions as to what color to paint. My guess it was missed when the decals were designed and the instructions hadn't been finished yet, so they added the note there. For what the kit cost and their reputation, add an additional decal to the kit, as there already is one for the gauges.  Bad QC in my book.

 

[Landlubber Mike]

Looking good Peter!!  Looks like you've sorted out those odd issues.  I have a few Z-M kits on the shelf, now I'm not so sure I'm as looking forward to them as I once was.

[Peterpools]

Thanks Mike

I would build at least one to see how you feel about all the issue that seem to keep coming up for me. While I'm waiting for my mask set (I'm guessing a good few weeks), I started the ZM Skyraider - now I'm really a glutton for punishment. I only had their Skyraider and the F4-E in the stash and wanted to build the Skyraider, so as good a time as any. One of their older kits, very much different and easier to follow instructions (who says old isn't better at times?), molding is nowhere as crisp and precise as the 109, every part has mold lines and a load of molding grease. So far, I've spent over three hours cleaning up only a mere 25 parts of mold line, edges, gluing surfaces and washing every part in Dawn. The parts are the basic cockpit, fuselage (four-part shell and ribs) tailhook and tail wheel parts. Unlike the 109, I'm not adding a single interior detail part, nor painting the interior or using any pin washes, which would be a total waste of time: the isn't even an inspection panel or any means to see any of the interior, so why bother! 

 

[GazzaS]

8 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Gaz

Right with you. I'm sure I could have gotten the carrier film to disappear but my normal way of working with decals with a lot of carrier film, is to always remove it before application. In this case, my plan failed (my bad). But what really got my goat was the fuselage crosses where the central color was neither printed on the decal nor provided as a second decal (done all the time by everyone on large roundels). Just seems ridiculous. If I hadn't spent so much time on the spinner spiral, I would have absolutely gone the route you and John did and bough AM decals for a different aircraft. I guess buying masks wasn't the smarted of moves considering the cost and the wait (still hasn't been shipped yet) but at least I'll finally get my feet wet using them. 

In the end, I just can't understand ZM's thinking and going overboard with the hidden details. It's even called out in the instructions as to what color to paint. My guess it was missed when the decals were designed and the instructions hadn't been finished yet, so they added the note there. For what the kit cost and their reputation, add an additional decal to the kit, as there already is one for the gauges.  Bad QC in my book.

 

I ended up using the re-usable 1 Man Army Masks, which cover even the stencils.  Really, Peter...   a great way to go.  I only had to redo one of them cuz I was way off center.

[Peterpools]

Gaz

Haven't tried them yet but from your build and what I've seen on some of the channels I follow, I absolutely will give them a try. 

[DocRob]

I can only copy Gary, 1ManArmy masks are the best you can get. Stenciling with masks is bit tedious, but doing it with decals is as well with the added risk of silvering. 
Along the stencils, you get basic markings, normally for the decal versions of the kit, they are made for. It's a pity, that you can't see, what's included in the sets, though.

Cheers Rob

[Peterpools]

Rob

Absolutely going to be using them in full on my Lancaster build later this summer. The juices are starting to slowly flow. and gather steam.