Kotare Bf 109K-4 with AIMS decals

[denders]

A couple of photos before closing up the cockpit area.

And with the cockpit area closed up.

Then mounting the IP, drilling several small holes, and then closing up the fuselage.

 

[denders]

Cockpit all closed up.

I'm not sure anyone has shown what is in the front end.

The fuselage closed up really easily. Glue next.

 

[denders]

Well, the wings are ready to go together.

And the wings joined to the fuselage.

And the oil coolers, flaps, and ailerons. I chose not to have the oil cooler flaps open.

And yup, the horizontal stabilizer isn't horizontal when the wings are level. I realized it way too late to do anything about it. I'm wondering if it started when I put the tail wheel mount in early so I could paint it inside the fuselage. Wondering if the way to have done it would have been to put it into the fuselage loose when I closed up the fuselage and then add some glue to it. It is noted in the directions that when placing the rudder push rod the rudder will be offset just a bit to starboard on purpose. Ah well.  Off to the paint booth for fun with paint and masking.

 

[denders]

I've painted the areas on the lower wings that will remain aluminum and masked them before applying RLM 76.

RLM 76 painted.

There are areas of the lower fuselage which John has questioned whether they might be old RLM65 stocks were used. MRP 181 is labeled as "BlauGrun Late war RLM 76 variant". I think that looks good so I'm going to use it. I did test it on the fuselage aft of the wings. I just need to mask things before I paint all the areas with that color.

[denders]

Okay, the paint I've chosen for RLM 77 is MRP 402 "Light Gray Ukraine AF Su-25 digital camo". It's close. To my eyes, it's slightly light and slightly blue. I'm thinking that I'll let it dry overnight and then look through MRP's grays again for the sake of research. MRP does not have an RLM 77 in the lacquer line which is what I prefer. The color swatch is from the Monogram book on German colors.

For anyone who owns a copy of that book, Page 43 is interesting.

[denders]

Masked for RLM 75 Grauviolett.

Unmasked.

Masked for the RLM 81 braunviolett rudder, then unmasked.

Next is masking for the RLM 71 Dunkelgrun spots.

I've scanned profiles and created masks for various colors. The green spots will be masked too.

I'm not sure about the Werk no., it's not fully readable on John's profile and I don't think I have any resources for having the correct Werk no. What I have is 3351xx.

 

[denders]

Green spots on the rudder and the paint over of a previous number on the fuselage with RLM 71 Dunkelgrun.

[Martinnfb]

Nice progress. 

[BlrwestSiR]

I'm with Martin, some very nice progress on the paint.