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- #121
Crimea_River
Marshal
Appreciate that thanks Dave.
**** DONE: GB-49 1/48 Bf109K-4 - Favourite A/C of WWII
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Nice
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- #124
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks guys. I'm going to ask a question that likely does not have a certain answer but here goes anyway:
It's common knowledge that these late way LW planes had subassemblies built at various dispersed shops. Does anyone know if the main wing root fairings were pre-painted? If so, what colour? Rather, were they painted at the main assembly plant after the wings were put on? The wings and fuselage would have been prepainted and so what would they have done with the fairings on that case? My personal thought is that it would make sense if these parts were pre-painted to save steps.
Studies of photos are not conclusive as this area often had exhaust stains.
It's common knowledge that these late way LW planes had subassemblies built at various dispersed shops. Does anyone know if the main wing root fairings were pre-painted? If so, what colour? Rather, were they painted at the main assembly plant after the wings were put on? The wings and fuselage would have been prepainted and so what would they have done with the fairings on that case? My personal thought is that it would make sense if these parts were pre-painted to save steps.
Studies of photos are not conclusive as this area often had exhaust stains.
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- #125
Crimea_River
Marshal
Hopefully the above question will generate some thoughts. I'm especially interested in hearing from anyone who has the JaPo Bf109K Camouflage and Markings book.
In the meantime, I decided to tackle the spinner spiral. I had scrubbed off the previous attempt and this time painted the whole spinner white. I then tried making the spiral using very thin strips of Tamiya vinyl bendy tape, first creating one side of the corkscrew, then the other, and then running another piece of tape over the gap. I ran the strips and adjusted them several times until I got something that looked like it would work, albeit rather thick:
The trickiest part was at the very tip and for this I used three punches to make concentric circular curves on a piece of tape. Here's the residue after punching:
That little piece that was lifted away formed the very tight part of the spiral at the cannon muzzle and then the rest of the bendy tape was curved to intersect it at the right angle. After spraying the spinner in RLM 70 and stripping the tape, here's what was revealed:
I just need to make a tiny adjustment at the nose where the white is just a tad too thick at the 5 oclock position in the above photo but, other than that, I'm pretty stoked at how it turned out. The picture exposure makes the green look too light but it's fine in person.
Next I finished off the scratch work in the well wells by applying strips of tape and thin styrene. I'm going to add some rivets using a needle and then paint all this in RLM 66 .
Thanks again for looking.
In the meantime, I decided to tackle the spinner spiral. I had scrubbed off the previous attempt and this time painted the whole spinner white. I then tried making the spiral using very thin strips of Tamiya vinyl bendy tape, first creating one side of the corkscrew, then the other, and then running another piece of tape over the gap. I ran the strips and adjusted them several times until I got something that looked like it would work, albeit rather thick:
The trickiest part was at the very tip and for this I used three punches to make concentric circular curves on a piece of tape. Here's the residue after punching:
That little piece that was lifted away formed the very tight part of the spiral at the cannon muzzle and then the rest of the bendy tape was curved to intersect it at the right angle. After spraying the spinner in RLM 70 and stripping the tape, here's what was revealed:
I just need to make a tiny adjustment at the nose where the white is just a tad too thick at the 5 oclock position in the above photo but, other than that, I'm pretty stoked at how it turned out. The picture exposure makes the green look too light but it's fine in person.
Next I finished off the scratch work in the well wells by applying strips of tape and thin styrene. I'm going to add some rivets using a needle and then paint all this in RLM 66 .
Thanks again for looking.
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 40,052
- Mar 26, 2007
That is some nice work. I think i have some books that might answer your question above. Get back to you if i find it.
Jock Tamson
Staff Sergeant
Lovely work Andy, that spinner looks great 
Spinner does look good
Nice work on the Spiral Andy.
Had a quick look in the Japo 109K book but didn't see anything about that fairing, most images profiles etc, show this area painted the same as the adjacent wing section.
Had a quick look in the Japo 109K book but didn't see anything about that fairing, most images profiles etc, show this area painted the same as the adjacent wing section.
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
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- Mar 26, 2007
CAnt find the fairing but have a pictures of tail piece that are all painted and ready to go on an airframe.
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- #132
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks everyone.
Thanks Wayne. It does seem odd to me though that the final assembly steps of a whole bunch of pre-painted sub-assemblies would also involve painting a small part like this. The wing and tail plane fairings would be the only parts needing paint after assembly is complete which seems to me a bothersome step in what must be, by this time, a desperate production rate.
By "tail piece", do you mean the tail plane fairing or the vertical stabilizer? I've seen pics of the latter but would be very interested to see pics of the fairings, if that's what you have.
Thanks Wayne. It does seem odd to me though that the final assembly steps of a whole bunch of pre-painted sub-assemblies would also involve painting a small part like this. The wing and tail plane fairings would be the only parts needing paint after assembly is complete which seems to me a bothersome step in what must be, by this time, a desperate production rate.
By "tail piece", do you mean the tail plane fairing or the vertical stabilizer? I've seen pics of the latter but would be very interested to see pics of the fairings, if that's what you have.
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 40,052
- Mar 26, 2007
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 40,052
- Mar 26, 2007
k1 mock up
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- #135
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks for those and yes, I've seen them. I posted this question over at Britmodeller and one of the responders posted this excellent pic showing the plywood fairings painted with what looks to me to like red primer and a topcoat of the wing camo colour. What's interesting to me is that it looks like there is a sharp demarcation between the top of the fairing and the fuselage surface which could indicate that the fairing was painted before installing it on the aircraft.
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- #137
Crimea_River
Marshal
The flaps have that annoying moulded step at the top that makes fro a good fit with the flaps up. However, I'll pose these partly down and so I filled the step with card. There were also sink marks that I filled with primer and sanded down.
Wheel wells are done and painted. Apologies for the one shaky pic. The wing leading edges are not yet smoothed so don't yell at me.
Finally, I painted the prop blades, giving them a worn back edge (left and right blade) and both faces a bit of a subtle salt weathering.
Thanks for looking in.
Wheel wells are done and painted. Apologies for the one shaky pic. The wing leading edges are not yet smoothed so don't yell at me.
Finally, I painted the prop blades, giving them a worn back edge (left and right blade) and both faces a bit of a subtle salt weathering.
Thanks for looking in.
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Looks good so far Andy!
