Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 (Zoukei-Mura 1:32)

[kevin]

Those look great, we'll done. I hear ya about the eyes, me too. Besides that, how hard were they to put together? A real pain in the a$$, or not to bad?

 

[Edbert]

Those look great, we'll done. I hear ya about the eyes, me too. Besides that, how hard were they to put together? A real pain in the a$$, or not to bad?

Not terrible. I think 1/32 is why it wasn't a nightmare, took a few breaks and wore the magnifiers. Used super-pointy (tech term) tweezers and an old airbrush needle to thread them through buckles.

 

[TimM63]

Super-pointy (technical term) tweezers and magnifiers are a must have.

 

[Edbert]

I made progress!

Engine is about 90% done, cockpit about 60%.



I need to do more work on the engine before taking pictures. Overall I am happy with the cockpit, I mixed some yellow with my gold as recommended here (looks like I added some gold to my yellow but nevermind that), but when I was trying to decide how to add spice with colored warheads on those 30mm Mk.108 rounds...I realized I was about to cover them up.




You might notice above that the RLM66 is a bit thin on the two dashboards, I'll try to shoot them another dose tonight so they can cure over the next 24h.

Here's more detail of the unfinished bits, the entire top section is dry-fitted, but that is a testimony to the fit of this kit.




While the instructions are clear, arguably the best I've ever seen, it is easy to make mistakes. Note the two different parts for the only two aircraft in the box. The G-14 and the "White one" or U4 variant.



Speaking of instructions, I intend to work tomorrow on the instrument panel, and only that.

 

[Edbert]

Dashboard or instrument panel time.

I was really leaning towards the decals behind the clear plastic method, seems logical that it would look more like the real thing. But in reality, I decided on the other approach after applying just a few decals.

Problems with using the clear part versus the opaque:

• This one I blame on the manufacturer, but the decals had the adhesive on the wrong side
• As a result getting them aligned perfectly was nearly impossible, at least extremely fiddly
• The thickness of the thin clear plastic makes the gauge faces dark and too recessed

This is what I mean about the printing being on the wrong side, the high-resolution printed side is up as in normal decals. But these are required to go behind the clear, so they would NOT stick, I spent 20 minutes working on one pod of 4 dials, using micro-set and micro-sol as adhesive. I set it down carefully to dry and it looks like it slipped a bit. It could also be caused by the deep recess, but depending on the angle of viewing they look like they are skewed to one side or the other. The thick (according to scale, it is really thin) plastic also made the gauges look darker. It will be hard to see inside the cockpit and underneath the hood anyway.



I think the visibility of the gauges when applied on top of an opaque/painted surface are just so much better, that alone decides it for me.



This is after applying a blob of gloss to each face, still need to chrome some screws that will probably not be visible. Along with a reminder how small this is to begin with, 1/32 sounds large, but theBf109 was a small aircraft.

 

[mark2]

A nice result there, looks good.

 

[Edbert]

I'm so tempted to try this, thought it was wiring but looking closer it appears to be fluid lines. probably under pressure. I know the vapor filters and some rubber bits needs to be painted black even if I decide to not do the plumbing. The problem is, I'm past the point where I committed to having raised cowlings, so there's no going home.

 

[Edbert]

The picture is from the "Walk Around" series of book from Squadron-Signal, it shows a LOT of variants though. All were "Gustav" but in the majority of the pictures the coolant tanks were silver, seems the G14 and later G10 (wait wut?) used RLM02...usually.

 

[Dminor9]

Dashboard or instrument panel time.

I was really leaning towards the decals behind the clear plastic method, seems logical that it would look more like the real thing. But in reality, I decided on the other approach after applying just a few decals.

Problems with using the clear part versus the opaque:

• This one I blame on the manufacturer, but the decals had the adhesive on the wrong side
• As a result getting them aligned perfectly was nearly impossible, at least extremely fiddly
• The thickness of the thin clear plastic makes the gauge faces dark and too recessed

This is what I mean about the printing being on the wrong side, the high-resolution printed side is up as in normal decals. But these are required to go behind the clear, so they would NOT stick, I spent 20 minutes working on one pod of 4 dials, using micro-set and micro-sol as adhesive. I set it down carefully to dry and it looks like it slipped a bit. It could also be caused by the deep recess, but depending on the angle of viewing they look like they are skewed to one side or the other. The thick (according to scale, it is really thin) plastic also made the gauges look darker. It will be hard to see inside the cockpit and underneath the hood anyway.

View attachment 129259

I think the visibility of the gauges when applied on top of an opaque/painted surface are just so much better, that alone decides it for me.

View attachment 129258

This is after applying a blob of gloss to each face, still need to chrome some screws that will probably not be visible. Along with a reminder how small this is to begin with, 1/32 sounds large, but theBf109 was a small aircraft.

View attachment 129260

You did a crazy excellent job on the instrument panels. I don't think I could do all those individual tiny decals. I think it looks great!

 

[Jakko]

You mean the red and black hoses? They look like some kind of fluid lines, but even after looking through some real Bf 109 handbooks online I can't find what they're for. Most of those were not for a G, so maybe they weren't present on other variants? The E doesn't seem to have had the triangular tank under the engine support or the tear-drop shaped one inside it either, for example.

 

[plastickjunkie]

At my age, with failing eyesight, I have no time to spend fighting with fit, more than what should always be expected. If that means spending more money, so be it, but this kit cost less than or no more than the 1/32 Corsair and 1/48 F-4B from Tamiya.

I'm hoping this complexity with so many details and the large assembly manual will help me slow down.

My decision for now is...do I use my old RLM colors in enamel with the acrylic wash?

View attachment 126882

That was the best paint I've used in all of my years modeling. They airbrush extremely well and are fantastic. Unfortunately they have been discontinued for some knucklehead reason.

 

[Andy the Sheep]

Edbert, after a fast email exchange with a friend of mine who's a real Me 109 fan I have what could be the answer to your doubt about those red and black lines.
They are the 2 ways ducts to the supplementary oil tank the Gustavs had behind the spinner. They were originally rubber (black) or metal. The colours in the pic you published are a consequence of the modern tubes used in refitting the engine.

Some pics here below


Andrea

 

[Edbert]

Dminor, thanks man!

Jakko, yes those red/black lines in the photograph. I believe this is a picture of a Museum restoration and I think they take some liberties with materials and coloration. The red parts appear to be part of a loom to prevent chafing of the actual (black) hoses. The photograph is from a "Walk Around" book by Squadron, I've trusted them for decades, but exceptions exist.

PlasticJunkie, total agreement, in addition to the quality of the paint I appreciated them having RLM and FS #s on the bottle! I think it was Rust-Oleum that purchased Testors then killed the brand off. I don't understand that at all. I mean, if you do not want to continue to make the stuff fine, sell it don't just kill it.

Andrea, WOW, thanks for the backup, and your friend. I think you are correct, not only the red part is inaccurate but also the conduit surrounding the lines. I'm going to have a go at creating a few and see what it looks like. Looking at detailed pictures resulted in me changing the colors on the last part of the plug wires too. Zoukei Mura says to paint them silver, so I did, but most pictures show a light tan/bronze muted color on the last part by the plugs. I think it was a sort of heat shield but that is just a guess.

 

[Pantherman]

Edbert, after a fast email exchange with a friend of mine who's a real Me 109 fan I have what could be the answer to your doubt about those red and black lines.
They are the 2 ways ducts to the supplementary oil tank the Gustavs had behind the spinner. They were originally rubber (black) or metal. The colours in the pic you published are a consequence of the modern tubes used in refitting the engine.

Some pics here below
View attachment 129750View attachment 129751View attachment 129752

Andrea

Cool, excellent info. Pantherman