AIRFIX 1/48 Bf109F

[fubar57]

Thanks Guys. The fit of the wings is good on the top, not so good on the bottom. Going to put some plastic card in the gaps to cut down on the putty.

In the background is another of my unfinished builds that I'm trying to finish, a P-47N. I have a photo of it carrying what looks like P-38 wing tanks which were painted Neutral Gray. According to the site the photo is on, these were napalm bombs.(Gotta find the site and the photo, again)

Geo

 

[Wurger]

Geo, have you check on the wing dihedral? Following the way you are using for attaching wings may cause that the dihedral can be incorrect.

 

[fubar57]

Kinda, sorta looks OK(The tail is aligned with the black border on the left side of the instruction sheet). I know the 3 view is an -E but did the dihedral change from different version?

Geo

EDIT:Then again, it could be a -D

 

[Wurger]

Yep.. looking good. However these wing tip seems to go a little bit down.

Here you are a couple drawings for F variant....

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Wojtek, from what I can see in your drawings, the left wing tip is inline with the center of the cowling intake, maybe a bit higher.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

Yep. But in the case , the wing dihedral is the angle between horizontal line perpendicular to vertical symmetry line of the fuselage and the main wing datum for airfoils.

 

[fubar57]

Okie Dokie, what I've seen is a dihedral of 6.5° and with the Mk.1 eyeball, I make mine about 5°ish. I measured the wingtip height on a flat surface and got about 12mm+/- on both sides. Close enough for me. Thanks for keeping me in line.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

OK.

 

[fubar57]

With all the fiddling around to achieve the correct dihedral some gaps opened on the top side but it's not like I haven't used putty before.

The cowl is in two pieces. Is this to allow other versions or Airfix having a laugh at my expense? As there is no engine and there are no other versions, I don't know why the cowls couldn't have been molded to their respective fuselage halves. Having said that, I failed to glue the pieces to their respected halves before I glued the fuselage together More mud.

Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

You can handle that Geo.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Andy. Top side done. Bottom later. Still trying to figure out the best way to tackle the cowling.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

OK.....getting ready to think about paints. I don't have RLM78, but I do have RLM65 so I pop over to Urban's Color Reference Charts and I find that both colors contain the same two FS numbers.

I know FS numbers mean nothing to RLM but is anyone gonna hang me if I substitute 65 for 78 or should I just do it and blame it on your CPU's color recognition.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

Bottom is done and judging by the photos, a little more cleanup is required. While I was cleaning up the putty with nail polish remover, i recalled a thread about using it as paint remover, so I tested it on the slopped over paint by the wheel well and voila, il est allé. This paint is from a very old bottle of PollyScale. You'll notice the remover also contains Vitamin E to help fight off viruses and invading bacteria in your models.

Tail feathers and then paint, woot woot!!!

Geo

 

[Wurger]

Sorry I made you more confused George. But these FS 35352/35414 seems to be rather the equivalents for RLM65 only. The RLM65 was a kind of greenish colour while the RLM78 Azurblau was the paint of quite intensive bluish tinge. Its equivalant is the FS 35450. Here both of samples.

 

[fubar57]

I thought that odd as well Wojtek and do not have RLM78 Oh well, I'll do the top side colors first until I get some, possibly Monday. Becoming way too proficient in the art of applying putty, Just a dab on the port side to finish the front. Waiting for the paint to dry and pondering how to mud up the rear of the cowling without destroying to many panel lines.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

I thought that odd as well Wojtek and do not have RLM78
Geo

Please remind me what kind of paints you use?

 

[fubar57]

These are what I have now.....

I'm going to Vancouver on Saturday and will check the hobby stores there. I have Vallejo Model Color #961 and #67, Testors #1508, and Modelmaster Acryl #4788 as the paint I'm looking for,

Geo

 

[Wurger]

The Vallejo Sky Blue 961, 67 and the Testors 1508 seem to be a good base to start with. It is possible to make a mixture for the RLM78 if you can't find any proper one.

My reference says: RLM78 Azurblau - Humbrol 47, Gunze H418, Testors enamel 2087 what is the ModelMasterII RLM78 known as Hellblau.
It appears that the Model Master 4788 Hellblau RLM 78 Acryl is nothing more but the acrylic equivalent of the Testors/ModelMaster enamel 2087. So either the 2087 enamel or the 4788 acrylic paint you need.

 

[fubar57]

Thank you Wojtek. Though Humbrol 47 would be the easiest paint for me to get, do I trust the contents? Anyhoo...trying to be as diplomatic as possible with a solution on how to putty the rear of the cowling and in the end, the trowel came out.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

The best colour would be the Testors/ModelMaster 2087 because it is colour of the Authentic series. The Humbrol 47 is gloss and seems to be a little bit too light.
But if the tinge of the enamel is like in the pic below it can be used.