**** DONE: GB-50 1:48 Messerschmitt Me509 - Zombie Build

[Ralph Haus]

Put some in the spinner.

If I thought this would be a problem I would have put something in the front tire! I guess I could always use gold or platinum? I emptied out a dove round (7-1/2 shot size) and poured the beads into the nose area. Poured as much as would fit into the spinner and the total weight is about .40 oz. Factoring in the prop (not much) it may be just enough. However, if this is submitted as a bird in take off mode, you will know why!

 

[Airframes]

Always a trial. getting nose weight sorted on some models - on this one, with the CoG location in relation to the undercart, it really is a problem.
Hope you get it sorted Ralph.

 

[Ralph Haus]

Standing on its own three legs! The shot added to the front areas as well as some lead pieces behind the pilot seat have done the trick. It is just barley balanced as shown, but with the prop added and a few more pellets, a slight breeze will not sit it on its A.

 

[fubar57]

Well done

 

[Crimea_River]

I agree. Looks good.

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[Ralph Haus]

Looks good so far. The swastika in a white circle is a pre-war insignia so....

A clarification. I'm starting the paint stage. Bottom will be RLM 65, kind of keeping with tradition. The rest white aluminum. Except the canopy and front fusalage RLM 74 or 75. However I do want that splash of red on the tail. This is where the swasticka will be placed. White circle? My understanding is the German flag 1938-1945 had a white circle. Was this for the flag only and not applied to aircraft war time? I could not find any examples of white circle with sswasticka that had date associations. I always yield to your expertise but just wondering?

 

[Crimea_River]

No such insignia during the war. 65 as a fighter colour was discontinued in 1941 and if the rest of the plane is bare aluminum I would question the use of a bottom colour. If you do then 76 would be the correct choice.

Again it's a what if subject so mixing that with authenticity is a bit moot.

 

[CATCH 22]

Was this for the flag only and not applied to aircraft war time? I could not find any examples of white circle with swasticka that had date associations. I always yield to your expertise but just wondering?

The Hakenkreuz (Swastika) in white circle was used between 1933 and 1939. Before March 1935 the swastika was on the left side only with the German flag (black-white-red) on the right side:

Later the black swastika in white circle on red background was applied on both sides of the rudder(s):

Photos are from here: LuftArchiv.de - Das Archiv der Deutschen Luftwaffe
You may check the above link (many sub-folders will open from the drop-down menu!)
Cheers!

 

[Wurger]

I agree. Here a Junkers Ju-87B-1 and Bf 109D , the pics are dated 1938.

the source: Asisbiz Social App

 

[Ralph Haus]

Maybe, probably, my age is catching up with me? I'm reading both ways? The link from Crimea, while in German, appears to verify the red, white circle, swastika combo for his date range?? Now I need to do some additional translating to find out what characters were on the fuselage for experimental? Probably don't have any of the correct characters anyway and I'll just add some appropriate graphics.

 

[Ralph Haus]

The white aluminum coat is down. It sure is shiny! I will be coating with a semi clear after decals, which should tone it down a bit. I was studying the Roland Sachsenhofer build. Other than he seems to have taken a great bit of effort to 'shade' the panels differently, there seems to be an amber sheen to the entire coat? A very great job of applying a wash? A brownish color added to a clear coat? Has anyone experimented with adding a touch of 'color' to the final coat to achieve something like Roland has? And how did he achieve the down elevators? Careful sawing and a LOT of skill, and patience, I suppose?

An aside. The nose is yet to be coated, along with the spinner, back to the rear of the canopy with an accenting something. The red tail with swastika addition is abandoned. I understand Andy's comments about the authenticity not being important for a 'what-if' build, but I really don't want to deviate to far from what could have been real. ........Ok, how about a red rudder?

 

[fubar57]

Cool. You could try thinned down Tamiya Smoke as well. Keep in mind that this was only my second or third attempt at airbrushing

 

[Ralph Haus]

Exactly. Although toned down a bit. I was thinking of doing the shading at the gloss pre decal stage, that way the decal colors, whites, are not affected. I'll do a bit of spraying on a non model to test. I really need to dedicate a cheap model for testing! I have a couple of $5 1/72 spitfires that may be sacraficed? No disrespect to our Brit friends, just what I have. I will do some experiments and report.

 

[Gnomey]

Looks good so far!

 

[Snautzer01]

The germans had mainly fusulage bands. So a red tail would be streching it a bit. Perhaps a late war one for this build?

 

[Wayne Little]

Nice progress, like the Paint....

 

[rochie]

Great paint job

 

[Ralph Haus]

The germans had mainly fusulage bands. So a red tail would be streching it a bit. Perhaps a late war one for this build?

Forced me to do some research! A good thing. Not wanting to beat this 'red' fetish to death, I did fine where JG 1 had a red band designated. I realize this 'is' an experimental, but if development had continued into production, I believe one would have been assigned to JG 1? So my justification.

 

[Totalize]

Very nice stuff.