1/48 Bf 109F-4/Trop - Mediterranean Theater of Operations

[rochie]

Username: Rochie
First name: Karl
Category: Intermediate
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: ICM
Model Type: Bf 109F-4/Trop
Aftermarket addons: decals from spares file

the subject
profile from Osprey's Bf109 aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean

 

[rochie]

i chose this subject as i wanted to do the classic dessert "109" with the white theater markings and half half cammo.

plus it was the only one i had the decals for other than a Marseille crate !

might be a while before i make a start as it is a busy time for me at work.

 

[Wurger]

 

[JKim]

I love this two-toned scheme too... especially the white nose!

 

[le_steph40]

Miam !

 

[rochie]

Thanks guys, I too like the white nose scheme !

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice choice and scheme Karl and a foot in each camp.

 

[Wayne Little]

Look forward to it Karl!

 

[rochie]

so i might get this started this evening as the wife and child are away all week leaving me alone at home !

the kit

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

What to do, what to do?

 

[Airframes]

Heck mate, you've got an aircraft factory on the go !

 

[rochie]

Heck mate, you've got an aircraft factory on the go !

yeah a bit like that !

been working on this over the last few days.

cockpit, quite basic as i normally have it !

fuselage closed up

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Bring it on Karl.

 

[rochie]

ok the ICM kit has seperate engine panels and a complete engine, much like their Spitfire kits.
not wanting to mess with the engine and end up with a bad fitting of all the panels i am going to omitt the engine.

so i started by cleaning up the panels and glueing each side together

i then put them together to form the nose and test fitted it to the fuselage, not bad i think !

i intend to use parts of the engine as backplates for the exhausts, they are glued up now and are setting so pics next time !

 

[rochie]

cheers Vic

 

[T Bolt]

Nice start Karl. I love that paint scheme too and have wanted to do it for some time now. Even have the same kit waiting in the stash. It's definitely high up on my 'to build list' so I'll be looking in to see how it comes together for you.

 

[rochie]

Exhausts

In the nose

Nose section done minus the prop and spinner

 

[rochie]

Nice start Karl. I love that paint scheme too and have wanted to do it for some time now. Even have the same kit waiting in the stash. It's definitely high up on my 'to build list' so I'll be looking in to see how it comes together for you.

cheers Glenn, kit has gone together ok so far, typical ICM kit, no locating pins, fair bit of flash but the plastic is very thin and light making those cowl peices easy to put together !

one note though, i test fitted the lower wing and i have had to cut the bottom of the peice that forms a bulkhead where the engine would attach, it had two little feet on it at the bottom (see pic below)that stopped the wing root upper and lower halves meeting, so i cut a millimetre or so off the bottom and now all fits nice and snug !

 

[Airframes]

Nice work so far Karl, and I seem to remember having to do some similar surgery on this kit too. I think I also had to juggle with the cowlings, to ensure correct alignment of the 'piano hinge' joint along the top.
Watch it when you get to the radio mast though - the kit part is so thin, it bends. I left mine off, and have yet to fit one adapted from another kit, otherwise it would be impossible to fit an antenna wire. Even without the 'wire' the kit mast would be difficult to fit, without the cement melting it !!