Airfix Me 109 in White.

[rory]

Well here it is, my latest build and let me tell you it has been a struggle. Not the kit, which is the Airfix 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf109 but the entire build itself. Let me elaborate. This is not my original build, this is, in fact my second build of the same aircraft, the first, using the Tamiya kit was in seconds few of finishing when I dropped something on it and crushed the rear fuselage. Bit of a bugger that! The markings are based on the only photo I have ever found of a 109E in winter white, and yes the "R" should be like that. The kit was made OOB with the sole exception of the seat and the seat belts, the seat is Tamiya and the belts Eduard and the reason it's the Tamiya seat is because I salvaged it from the original build and couldn't be arsed to paint and finish the Airfix one. The canopy has been another bug bear, i'm not really happy with it but at least it has one. The first one I cocked up the masking on it so when I removed it it looked crap, so I removed it and following a recommendation from my brother as to how to strip the paint from it I dunked it in a bottle with some Mr Color thinners which I was assured would not harm the plastic. Having never used this thinner before I never questioned this method. It fogged completely making it unusable so now I had to find a new canopy. The Tamiya one was lost so I had to get hold of another Airfix kit. There were none to be had in Yeovil and none in the 2 other towns I visited and the ever reliable Hannants was out of stock as well. I eventually found one 30 miles away in the Frome Model Centre and set off with my Good Lady in tow to get it. I got it, tea was taken in a teashop and homeward bound we went. Once howe I took out the new canopy and set it aside on my desk for preparation and painting which I intended to do after a cup of tea. Tea drunk I rolled my chair backwards only to hear a crunching and cracking sound. Somehow the canopy had moved itself of my desk onto the floor and then I rolled over it! I picked up the peaces, placed them back on the desk and went to get another cup of tea. Several hours later I returned, calm, cool and full of tea to carry on. Fortunately the Airfix kit contains two types of canopy, three types of windscreen and two types of rear canopy and the bits i'd tracked over were not the bits I needed for my build. Lucky me. This morning I was up at 06.00 to finish the b****y thing and a couple of hours later iI declared it finished. Not one of my best build but one of the most 'Interesting" for a long time. I'm going to build something simple now like a Classic Airframes Sea Venom.













This is the Tamiya build

[Mofo]

Sorry to hear about all your troubles, but the finished build DOES look pretty sweet. The white washing looks really convincing - is that done with the hairspray method?

[rory]

Yes its been done with hairspray and bad spraying.

[bubblehead]

Looks good, Rory.

I'm surprised you did a Messerschmitt.

[rory]

WW2 Luftwaffe is my first love and I have returned to it.

Just time to build a simple kit now like the CA Sea Venom.

[kyrre]

I likes it too!
Never thought about the lack of white Emil's. Had to check my stash, and I couldn't find any pictures. So far.

[rory]

Kyrre, whilst looking for another white Emile see if you can find a phot of a 109 C or D with anything under the wings or belly.

Something else I have been unable to find as I don't think that they were plumbed for a fuel tank or fitted with bombs but you never know!

[kyrre]

I am pretty confident they weren't plumbed for it, as you say. The only thing would be if they were retrofitted since they were used for training later in the war.

[davefleming]

Nicely done. I've done the rolling...crack thing before as well.

[paolo6691]

Very interesting model, Stukas are much more common to be seen in faded winter camouflage, and the weathering is very good indeed.

I have memories of Croatian and Spanish 109 in white but I can't find them right now, they may be probably F or G,

[rory]

I have seen lots of phots of F's and G's in white, I can't recall a K but I still haven't looked specifically for one. I have seen Ju87's, 52, Fw200's and most aircraft on the eastern front in white but the one I want to do, the Holly Grail of white aircraft, is a Me 232.

[paolo6691]

Didn't I see your white Gigant at Weston last year? or was it a 321?

[rory]

I don't know, I have both the 321 and a 323 on show at the moment and I will be working on another Zwilling soon.

[paolo6691]

I wonder how you will be able to transport it around