Beany's Blitz - Home Bargains Airfix Bf-109 E7/Trop *DONE*

[beany]

I applied another coat of the Himmelblau but this time mixed it with some Aqua Matt White and it gave a much more pleasing result. I scraped the seams on the fuselage and then touched up the Sandbraun afterwards. Because the acrylics are going off so relatively quickly I went straight on to applying the Olive Grun mottling. I didn't have any RLM80 so went with some Xtracrylix RLM83 instead which I think looks very similar.


I've also given the pilot a face, hands and Mae West. Red has been applied to the spinner but I'm not happy with it so will have to wait for it too dry before adding some Gloss White to straighten the edges up.

[iggie]

Cracking work

[jssel]

Love that scheme. One of my favorites.

[beany]

Another hour flys by! Main body has been put together with a very hairy moment when I didn't think I'd get Fritz into the cockpit opening. I applied a lot of pressure and let's just say Fritz won't be having any children soon!
Attached the tailplane supports, then splashed a coat of Klear over the whole lot.
Much touching up and improving to do yet but we are getting there.




So, with time on my hands while the Klear dries, I dug out a photo frame and began to try to reproduce the background from the excellent box art, laying a coat of scrubbed on Revell 5 Matt White and then variously using the Himmelblau and Sandbraun that I had used on the plane, blending together using the wet on wet technique. You can only get so far then you start taking off paint so I drew the line here and will carry on when this dries. The frame itself is just pine which has previously been painted in bright blue kiddies acrylic poster paint, but will need another coat or two so I will add a photo of that later.




Time for my tea*/dinner*/supper* now (UK residents only - delete as appropriate according to you regional upbringing/social standing).

Cheers
Al.

[fredk]

Thats looking grand

Coming on nicely.
Does not the Airfix instructions indicate to leave off the rudder pedals if fitting Fritz?

No, they definitely go in but on looking again I may have mounted them at too steep and angle - it looks like they should be laid back more as I discovered, but Fritz would still be a very tight fit!

Airfix must have changed the instructions. I looked out an old sheet from the E3 starter set and in stage 3 it says to cut off the pedals [but keep the centre bar] if putting Fritz in.

[jssel]

Looking really great

[beany]

I re-started after watching the cricket highlights at about 8pm - decals on. I'm not bothering with all the microscopic little stencils although I applaud Airfix for including them for those who are so inclined.


The white fuselage band has to be painted on but I tried to do it without masking as I didn't want to chance damaging the newly placed decals. As a result, the white band looks awful, but may improve with further applications of white.


To be honest I've had about enough for one day but will need an early start as I only have until 8.45 in the morning to complete the 24 hour build (I don't believe in the 12 + 12 idea, that isn't a proper Blitzbau ).

I still have the cockpit canopy to paint and place, the tail wheel, and the bits and bobs that go under the wings.

Cheers
Al.

[fredk]

You are getting so close to finishing it.
You can do it

[DazDaMan]

Great work!

[IronMan129]

Top work Al!
I bought this along with about 20 others so I am watching this closely .

Also it's nice to see the old notebook still being put to.good use!

[PaulBradley]

Nice!

[beany]

Mornin' all! Starting the clock just after 6.30am

I did a little bit before retiring last night, including crudely hand painting the canopy parts and fashioning an antenna out of a bit of clear plastic as the kit one broke in two on the sprue. I also looked out my Hannants Xtradecal sheet of Swastikas - a 109 don't look right without one on the tail IMHO.
I painted the guns and tail wheel ready to affix in the morning.

Jobs for the day:-
Fix bits mentioned above. Cheat with a piece of white paper label to make the fuselage band look better.
Cut and fix prop blur.
Attach fuel tank and cut a slot for the stand I have decided to use temporarily.


I omitted the headrest plate in the end as it was causing too many problems in getting the canopy to sit properly.

That's job done I reckon, with over an hour in hand. I'll do some touching up with paint and add a bit of weathering after I've had some breakfast and then take some more photos for the Completions thread.








Joined by a younger friend, the venerable old tool Airfix 109-G (missing it's radio antenna I notice which I shall rectify this morning )


Thanks to those who supported my build - not the most entertaining build thread I grant you but I'm afraid I always take these things far to seriously; my wife always says I'm too competitive!

Cheers
Al.

[fredk]

Whoo-hooo!
Well done that man
Take a bow
Here, have a portrait of Queen Victoria

[beany]

As promised, work now continues on the frame and back scene. I have painted the background and cheated by scanning and printing the box artwork and cutting out and pasting the three aircraft images onto my background. The frame has been given a quick coat of Vallejo Vermillion - because that is what I had to hand!


I have mad a square hoop in the end of a brass rod to fit into the same slot the Airfix stand goes into - the loop shape is necessary to stop the plane falling to either side once mounted. The wire is then pushed through a hole drilled in the backdrop and then bent sharply upwards and taped into place - again to keep the mounted plane in a rigid upright position.


I have applied some light weathering around the exhausts on the aircraft with chalk pastels to make it look something light the box artwork.
Final, final shots to follow once the frame is dry and everything is mounted. This is a photo-frame with a hinged stand at the back but I may add a couple of small screws and some wire so I can hang it like a picture when finished.

Cheers
Al the Arty

[iggie]

Great work all round; looking forward to seeing the box-art come to life!