Thanks very much chaps.
Yes Geo, I've always wondered about that - one small hit, and the pilot gets a face full of burning fuel. Current '109Gs, such as the one based in Germany (back-converted from a Buchon), and the once airworthy, but now static example at the RAF Museum, have dispensed with this, presumably on safety grounds, although I don't know which way the fuel line is now routed.
Anyway, the cockpit is almost done, with some slight modifications, and the basic painting completed.
PICS 1 and 2. The breech cover for the MG151 was a bit angular, and with a prominent joint between the two halves. This was filed and sanded to closer resemble the real thing.
PIC 3. Breech cover fitted, along with the rudder pedals. The seat pan had the walls thinned down, and the lap straps added from decal covering tissue.
PICS 4 and 5. I was rather wary of the open, empty look forward of the cockpit area, with the floor dropping away into the void of the nose, so the floor was extended with plastic card, and a half bulkhead added, before painting the whole lot, and adding the colour to the knobs, and a hand-painted placard on top of the breech cover. The floor section, and cockpit walls, were originally painted in Model Master RLM 66, but although this sprays very nicely, it doesn't seem to like being brushed, something I found with a couple of MM colours. The finish was streaky and almost translucent, even after stirring the paint for a good 6 or 7 minutes and, as I couldn't spray this area, due to some of the added fittings, I mixed some Humbrol paints and re-brushed the floor section, and the cockpit walls.
PICS 6 and 7. Cockpit walls and details painted, with the outer section of the trim/incidence wheels yet to be fitted. The finish looks much better to the naked eye, and should be good enough, as the canopy will probably be fitted in the closed position, depending on the quality of the fit.
PIC 8. Last job for the night was to add the cockpit air intake, beneath the windscreen area on the port side. This is simply a piece of stretched sprue, cemented in place and then trimmed to shape. It was easier to do with the fuselage half on the bench, rather than trying to do it with the fuselage joined.
The initial painting of the control column and instrument panel has also been done, with just the small details to add to the column, and the details to the instrument dials.
I've got a bit of a busy day today, so not sure if I'll get any more done now until the weekend, but I'll be back soon with a further up-date.
Thanks again for looking in.