Eduard Bf 109F-4

[Peterpools]

Chris

Isn't that the way - all that work and almost nothing can be seen.

Just love the saying; well, we know it's n there - but the older we get, remember that is close to an impossibility.

Have to admit, that's a first for me with the landing gear tunnel being too thick and preventing the wing from closing correctly. Same on Eduard for zero QC on that one.

How long the counterbalances will stay on - maybe a day at most - born to be broken off for sure.

 

 

 

[HubertB]

You could have thinned the lips of the radiator intakes. That would make it more realistic anyway  .

As for the gear trunks, you could thin them from the top, to keep as much of the depth as possible.

Nice progress anyway.

Hubert

[CANicoll]

Hubert - I did both, mostly thinning from the top.  Very strange tho.  

[Peterpools]

Just never saw that before on an Eduard kit. maybe the kit was a re-release from another manufacturer rather then one of their design.

[CANicoll]

Beats me.  I have not seen that before either...  The rest of the fit of the kit seems to be good.  At least it was a simple fix.

[CANicoll]

The next question regards color:  MRP's version of RLM 78 for the underside color is a LOT bluer than the Eduard call-out.  However, current pictures of the Bf 109s show a much bluer underside from what Eduard calls out.  Not that all museums are the most accurate for reproductions.  Thoughts?  Printing issue?

Here are some of the underside bits I just painted.

[Peterpools]

Chris

I tend to knock myself out these days as well about colors and every manufacture has their own interpretation. For the most part, I'm a huge user and believer in MRP paints and always tend to use their paints and colors. Once in a blue moon I do deviate and use AK, as I feel the color is a better match. 

I wouldn't put my money on Eduards color callout sheet or a restoration as who really knows. For the most part, if I'm happy with the color and effect, that's the path I go on.

 

 

[CANicoll]

Peter, thanks for this.  I like the color on the Eduard sheet, but am pretty happy with the blue so I'm going with that.  If for no other reason than I have it.

[Peterpools]

Chris

Same here and fully agree. I have a wall full of paints because I'm always looking for a specific and when the bottle arrives, it still doesn't look right. These days, I try to go with what I have and if it is close, that's good enough for me.

 

[CANicoll]

Definitely helps maintain sanity (and the budget...).  

[Martinnfb]

Here is a nice article shedding some light to the deviation of RML 78 shade

https://emmasplanes.com/index.php/paints/rlm-colors/

[CANicoll]

47 minutes ago, Martinnfb said:

Here is a nice article shedding some light to the deviation of RML 78 shade

https://emmasplanes.com/index.php/paints/rlm-colors/

Martin,  Excellent!  Thank you.  You are an amazing source of great information.  I really do appreciate it.

So there really are two RLM 78 colors, 1941 and 1942: Somewhere after November 1941, RLM 78 was changed to a slightly lighter shade, while RLM 79 was changed to a darker, browner shade both for the tropical regions. Apparently, this 'desert pallet' was also used on the Eastern Front.

Eduard may be looking at the 1941 color, while I'm looking at the MRP version which is much closer to the 1942 RLM 78.  MRP may be a BIT too bright so I may look at toning it down just a bit with some white, or maybe some light gray...Time to break out the paint mule...

Looking at the article, I am impressed at the huge range of AK Interactive colors - they tick every box!

Further down the article are these two color pictures which are immensely helpful:

RLM 78 Early:

And this one, RLM 78 Late:

Edited September 6, 2024 by CANicoll
Update

[CANicoll]

Not a lot to show for the work so far.  Concentrating on getting ready for the camo paint.  Lots of fuselage seams to take care of - the bane of my existence.  Ugh.  Still working on those. 

Slight problem with the cockpit glass - which I didn't notice until priming (of course): to fit all of the pieces closed up (for painting), the rear piece gets pushed up too high.  Will have to gently try and pry that loose, then sand it down some.  The framing has some really nice rivet detail so don't want to lose that.  I'm planning on displaying the cockpit open so may instead just thing down the corners of the framing enough to get the center section to open to the side.

Installed the gunsight before the windscreen.  The reflector glass is THICK! 

Spent a bit of time on some detail pieces,  

Bit of wear in the center of the armor plate pad:

Best as I can tell from period photographs, the wheel hubs look to be gloss black so went with that.  Chrome paint on the oleos - soon to get some weathering.

 

[Landlubber Mike]

Looking great Chris!  Annoying about the rear canopy piece, but sounds like you have a good solution in mind.

[KevinM]

Looking pretty good Chris I may be wrong because Hasegawa did also calling out the O2 regulator as RLM66 but boy I see alot of them in the full baby blue like and there accompanying lines?I did not both accentuating my radiators figuring with dropped flaps..now the oil cooler with get a touch-up. Keep on rock'in you're on a roll to cross as #1.

[CANicoll]

Thanks Mike and Kevin, Making the builds certainly makes one have to think creatively!

I'm going to keep the blue and work on some pre-shading tomorrow.  Don't think I'll make #1 though - I spend the evening with a friend in the ER.  Fortunately they are ok, but having to spend the night.  Then I'm taking off for a short vacation, Tuesday-Saturday.  But I won't be last!!! 

[BlrwestSiR]

Chris, your 109 is just humming along.

Looking forward to the camo. 

[CANicoll]

Thanks Carl!  Going to work on the rear canopy glass and the pre-shading this afternoon.  Knowing me, I'll at least get the wing painted blue to see how the shading is going...

[Peterpools]

Chris

Nice work on the 109 color issues ... just amazing how much time needs to be devoted to paints, sorting out all the variations and changes that took place.

I've stalled a bit on my Sa'ar as there are so many fit issues to deal with and thought I just might start my second planned build while I sorted things out for the GB: The Meng 1/35 IAI AH-64 Saraf - talk about figuring out the colors, as the color callouts are for Meng's new paint line (?) and the color schematics are so hard to follow.

 

[CANicoll]

Keeping with the SandBox theme, I wanted to see what shading would look like if the 'ground/dirt' was more sand than European soil...  

These lines are black and RAF Middlestone (MRP-121) on my paint mule.  Not exactly a white primer background but close enough.

And after spraying with RLM 78.

I think I like the underside with the Middlestone better than the usual black pre-shading.  Thoughts?

[KevinM]

How about a dark brown?I used Testors rubber on the B-25 with decent results

[CANicoll]

Took Kevin's suggestion and used RAF Dark Earth instead of Middlestone on the bottom:

Took several light coats and then a few overall heavier coats for the effect.  Patience is key, as well as just letting the paint dry for a while to looking away to let the eyes adjust.  All told, this took about 20 - 25 minutes to spray the blue.

And closer up:

My seam work still leaves a lot to be desired, but I like the effect overall.  Will also see about a brown/tan wash on the rest of the rivets on the bottom.  Relly like these MRP paints - they cover well but at the same time, are translucent on light coats.  Really nice to spray if you have the proper paint booth set up with efficient exhaust, and of course, a good respirator.

[CANicoll]

On 9/5/2024 at 1:32 AM, Peterpools said:

Chris

Isn't that the way - all that work and almost nothing can be seen.

Just love the saying; well, we know it's n there - but the older we get, remember that is close to an impossibility.

Have to admit, that's a first for me with the landing gear tunnel being too thick and preventing the wing from closing correctly. Same on Eduard for zero QC on that one.

How long the counterbalances will stay on - maybe a day at most - born to be broken off for sure.

 

 

 

Counter balancers are still there!   

[BlrwestSiR]

The paintwork on the underside looks great. The shading isn't too stark and gives it that sandy sort of dirt that I think you were aiming for. 

[KevinM]

I think syill a bit stark for me but florys could tame it down/blend