**** DONE: GB-36 1/72 BF 109E-4 - Axis Manufactured Aircraft of WWII

[parsifal]

Username: Parsifal
First name: Michael
Category: Intermediate
Scale: 1/72
Manufacturer: Airfix
Model Type: Messerschmidtt BF109E4
Addons: none

With my Mitsubishis Raiden now finished (posting final photos in the next day or so) I wanted to take a shot at my first LW aircraft. Nothing too ambitious.......

according to the kit information, this is the aircraft flown my Oberleutnant Franz von Werra Gruppen Adjutant I/JG 3 flying out of Samer France, in august 1940.

The kit has fairly positive reviews but is criticised because it has only one decaling scheme., To me that's pretty minor. it has some tricky preshading to do, and the colours are tricky as well. Detailing is nice for the externals, but quite sparse for the internals. I have yet to make a decision on what to do with the interior.

Photos will be posted separately........

 

[Crimea_River]

Good stuff Michael. I think there's lots of info about this aircraft on this site and elsewhere and the camo should be pretty straight forward. If I recall, the only debate is whether or not the nose was white.

 

[Airframes]

Yep, I have a few good pics of this aircraft after it belly-landed, just shout if you need them.
As Andy mentioned, there is some debate as to whether the cowling was white or not, and some years ago (probably getting towards 50 years ago now !), there were some references to the cowling, and the saddle cowling over the guns, being from another aircraft.
It's difficult to be absolutely sure about the cowling colour, but there's a very good chance that, given the date of von Werra's forced landing, it was white, as the unit was still using this I.D. colour at the time, rather than the more usual yellow which replaced the white.

 

[parsifal]

with regard to the spinner I did find this contemporary shot. note the missing cowling, suggesting a strong likelihood that at some stage, a replacement cowling, any cowling might have been placed for publicity reasons...

The spinner is clearly visible here with that distinctive black/white pattern. The kit instructions show the prop as a black green finish, which I think is accurate. I note that Prop brackets (is that what they are called????) sticking out of the spinner are metallic in my opinion. the round thingy behind the spinner partially visible because a part of the spinner cone has broken away appears black or dull metallic, similar to the exposed engine details.

The skin cowl underneath the engine forward of the exhaust stacks appears to be a dirty or dull white to me , which is what airfix says as well (actually they specify Humbrol 31 (slate grey), which they describe in brackets to be RLM 02 (grau)). I note that the cowl forward of the wing leading edge is a distinctly lighter shade than the fuselage aft. A blotchy indistinct shading effect is evident in the box art, which i tend to think is simulating normal operational grime, Some sources have the underside cowling element as yellow, But I am doubtful of that . Especially given the timing of the loss in august.

The oil staining is also quite evident along the lower fuselage, especially near the cockpit. I don't know if that staining would have developed slowly, or if it was a result of the seizing engine after the aircraft was shot up on its final mission . I'm inclined to finish this aircraft before it was damaged, which raises a point of debate for me ....how much oil staining, if any should I be considering for this aircraft, before it sustained damage.. If I do apply oil staining, I think I will use some form of dry acrylic brushed or dusted in some way onto the area aft of the stacks....

Here is another shot of the completed model, where the builder has interpreted the aircraft without too much staining ....

I'm inclined to think this version is slightly optimizing the appearance of the a/c, and is in need of some weathering of some sort, but I'm not convinced that the level of staining is quite the same for the undamaged aircraft as it was once it had fallen out of the sky

A detail worth noting for a novice like me in a country where seeing this a/c type in the flesh is a very rare event, I note the L/G fairings are inboard of the wheels.

Note in the second shot also that the modeller has applied a rather complex antennae array. Airfix show the array to be a simple line from tail to cockpit post . I might try and clarify this detail at some point.

 

[parsifal]

Yep, I have a few good pics of this aircraft after it belly-landed, just shout if you need them.
As Andy mentioned, there is some debate as to whether the cowling was white or not, and some years ago (probably getting towards 50 years ago now !), there were some references to the cowling, and the saddle cowling over the guns, being from another aircraft.
It's difficult to be absolutely sure about the cowling colour, but there's a very good chance that, given the date of von Werra's forced landing, it was white, as the unit was still using this I.D. colour at the time, rather than the more usual yellow which replaced the white.

Yes please. perhaps just post them here so others can see them as well. or send them to me via email if you would prefer....

 

[Airframes]

Here are the photos.
The rudder is undoubtedly white, but compare the tones of the white spinner segment, with the tone of the cowling, and you can see why there's a question as to whether or not it's white also. Personally, I think it's RLM 65, but also note the difference in the demarcation of the upper colours, compared to that on the 'saddle' cowling over the guns, which has lead, in the past, to the comments regarding a replacement cowling (by the unit, not after the forced landing).
The aircraft force-landed on 5th September, and another aircraft from JG3, coincidentally force landed at exactly the same time, a few miles distant. This aircraft had the white rudder and wing tips, but did not have a white, or part white cowling.
However, it is possible that only the lower cowling may have been painted in white, washable, distemper-type paint on von Werra's aircraft, but this is not mentioned in the RAF crash report, which noted that the rudder and wing tips were white, and the camouflage "all blue".

The spinner back-plate appears to be in RLM 02, and the blades will be RLM 70. Note that the spinner is intact in the photo you posted - what appears to be a black 'spot' is in fact reflection on the black paint, and showing more contrast through the dust and dirt. Visible through the prop blade aperture is the front face of the back plate, which is perforated, and would be in RLM 02.

The prop pitch cylinders (the 'brackets' you mentioned) were shiny, bare metal.

The engine is overall semi-gloss black, with the engine bearers in RLM 02. The lighter shade at the base of the engine is most likely dust and dirt, accumulated during the forced landing, and afterwards in the salvage yard.

Note that the underside colour (RLM 65) wraps around the wing leading edge on the main planes, but not on the tail planes. Note also the lack of head armour in the canopy.

The staining on the fuselage sides is almost certain to be as a result of engine damage, and caused by smoke and oil vapour - in the photo taken in the salvage yard, it can be seen that the staining has been cleaned off the unit badge. Before the combat leading to the forced landing, the aircraft would have been clean and relatively stain free, but probably had some light exhaust staining.
The undercarriage covers are inboard, as the gear retracts from wing root outboard.
The antenna wire arrangement shown on the model is correct. The lead-in wire from the main wire entered the fuselage via a porcelain conductor point, white in colour, which protruded slightly above the 'skin' of the fuselage.

Note that the modeller has added a central frame to the canopy (seen next to the model). this is incorrect - there was no central frame, the side glazing being in two parts, with the front section able to slide open aft, rather like the older types of Land Rover. Also, the exhausts were not silver, and the silver area above is also incorrect. This is the ignition lead group, where the wires themselves might have been a metallic, sheathed type.

 

[Crimea_River]

As for the "oil staining" the only source of oil in the inverted DB is from crankcase vents, the oil cooler and various leaks all located on the underside of the aircraft. There is an oil tank filler located on the port side just behind the spinner which would probably have some spill stains. Otherwise, the only staining you'd get on the upper fuselage is normal exhaust smoke (which could vary in colour from grey to brown to black depending on the fuel mixture settings) and some gun muzzle smoke stains on the upper cowl which I often see overdone. Arguably, there could be some oily grime around the engine cowl fasteners and where the ground crew most often had to manipulate things but, and this is my take, this could depend on the the frequency of scrambles and on how harried the black men would have been at the time. During more quiet times, they may have spent more time cleaning the aircraft.

As for the aerial wire, I agree with Terry but I note that in looking at the model picture, you may be mistaking what looks like a second wire running longitudinally with what is actually a shadow of the one line that does so. Terry is right that there is an intermediate wire running from the aerial down to an insulator on the fuselage. Here's a couple of detail pics.

 

[parsifal]

Amazing knowledge guys. All I have to do now is get the theory onto the plastic......how hard can that be!!!!

 

[Wurger]

Two shots more...

 

[Airframes]

Good ones Wojtek.
Looking closely at the first pic, and having re-examined the pics I posted, I revise my opinion regarding the spinner back-plate.
It appears to be black after all, but covered in dust from the belly landing in the hop field - note the difference in shade compared to the interior, which would be RLM 02.
In the same shot above, it's now easy to see how some might think the lower cowling is white. The exposure of the negative, or the print, has 'blown out' the highlights, giving a much lighter appearance to the lower cowling - note the appearance in the first two pics I posted. Also, as the main (upper) cowling is almost certainly a replacement cowling from another aircraft (note the demarcation of the upper / side colours), that would probably explain how the cowling looks lighter, or actually brighter, compared to the area aft of this cowling.

 

[Wurger]

And the next ones ... the second one shows the spinner back plate and the dust on it quite nice, IMHO.

 

[JKim]

I used an Eduard kit to portray Von Werra's Emil a few years back.

**** DONE: 1/48 Bf 109E-4 Von Werra - Defense of Britain/Atlantic.

 

[parsifal]

I used an Eduard kit to portray Von Werra's Emil a few years back.

**** DONE: 1/48 Bf 109E-4 Von Werra - Defense of Britain/Atlantic.

Thanks john. Hope I can do as well, but unlikely..

Several of the period shots you posted in that thread are very interesting

This one for example. Note the spinner....perhaps an earlier version of the camo scheme.....

The uniform colour of the "white" colour on the fuselage as said by Terry is quite evident here.


Wurgers photos are, as always, very useful. In your build thread I found this, posted by the professor....

 

[Wayne Little]

Good choice Michael....

 

[fubar57]

I like this. Is the cockpit interior still RLM02 at this stage?

 

[Airframes]

Yes, in general, it would be RLM02 at this stage, but reference pics of a particular subject should be consulted, as RLM 66 started to appear in the second half of 1940. The von Werra '109 had the cockpit in RLM 02, as can be seen in the pics posted previously.

 

[parsifal]

Well ive applied a simple grey to the interior, which I now think is a mistake, though in my opinion not a huge mistake. Ive since found the Tamiya conversion table, which I think is a reasonable conversion to the various RLM colour specs.

RLM 02:- XF22:1 + XF49:1
RLM 65:- XF23:1 + XF2:1
RLM 70: XF27
RLM 71:- XF62:1 + XF49:1
RLM 74:- XF24:3 + XF27:2
RLM 75:- XF24:5 + XF50:1
RLM 76:- XF2:7 + XF23:1 + XF66:2
RLM 79:- XF59:3 + XF64:1
RLM 80:- XF58
RLM 81:- XF51:1 + XF64:2
RLM 82:- XF5 or XF5:1 + XF2:1 or XF5:1 +XF3:1 (Bright Green)
RLM 83:- XF61 or XF24:1 + XF51:1 (Dark Green)

Trouble is, Ive alreay applied my interior colour scheme, and it looks pretty good IMO. I don't know that its worth the trouble to go back and re-do what Ive already done. Wouldn't mind some critical advice at this point.....

Still have some detail to make and add, esp on the port side. I intend to add a throttle control and Trim wheel at least, but I will have to make what I add, and not too much detail this time.

But is the grey that ive applied so bad as to warrant this element being re-done? I'm inclined to think its good enough for a first try.....


Anyway. some other progress shots....

Engine detail has been sprayed black (very thin) and dry brushed. Very basic at this point. I was toying with the idea of keeping the the engine cover
.a removable element as the dry fits show the fit to be exceptionally good.

ive also had a shot at the spinner and prop. Prop is unfinished as Ive yet to dry brush it. Spinner I'm not completely happy with, Hard to get the black and white segmentation right and still look neat and segments even......

 

[Airframes]

I'd just stick with the grey in the cockpit - it's close enough to pass in this scale.

 

[JKim]

I've been using Tamiya XF-22 straight up for RLM 02, usually over a black base. I agree with Terry... I think the grey you shot is good enough.

 

[Crimea_River]

Ummmmmm. What's up with the mottles?