Eduard 1/48 Bf 109G-5 Maj. Walter Dahl, December 1943

[mustang1989]

Out -friggin'-standing work Kent. Man alive that looks good. I always like peeking in on your builds.

[speedgraflex]

Out -friggin'-standing work Kent. Man alive that looks good. I always like peeking in on your builds.

[kahunaminor]

Many thanks gents,

I think this is shaping up to be a good build. Actually using the bigger magnification on the optivisor and some good light has made th8ngs come into “focus”.

Working slowly, getting the cockpit assemblies detail painted and now gloss coated for decals and a wash. I have decided to use the PE IP as the resin/decal attempt just really didn’t work. The gunsight has been added and it’s PE as well. The detail the PE from the BRASSIN sets add is just brilliant. You cannot really see it at the moment but once I detail it and add the glass it will show.







Whilst the gloss coat dried, I turned my attention to the fuselage. I took to the sidewall details with my faux Dremel, removing the detail to allow the resin to fit. I got a little over enthusiastic in a couple of spots and broke through the exterior. Thankfully both times was under the beules and they will be covered.







I set about joining the fuselage, starting from the rear and gluing the tail and forward to the cockpit and lower wing join. I let that set up then did the area under the forward cowl, finally the upper cowl and just forward of the cockpit. I made sure to give the seams a little time to set up between applications in an attempt to get that “perfect minimal seam.” I came close. I then added the upper tail section and the beule to hide my over eagerness:









The coamings on each side of the cockpit also got a coat of RLM66.

Regards

[KennyX]

That’s good work, Kent!

A few things-

Thanks for posting the details about Dremeling-down the sidewalls so the resin parts will fit. I have in my stash a very nice Hase Spitfire for which I ordered a nice Aires resin cockpit set. And I’m scared as hell to use it come build time. But seeing your work, and that you had the balls to do it, makes me feel better.

Secondly- tail-to-nose, eh? You know, it didn’t occur to me to try that. I like building Eduard Messerschmitts, and especially with the case of their ProfiPack E4’s, there ain’t a lot to glue together toward the nose because the upper engine cowling is a separate part. And yet the nose is where I always start. I’m going to contemplate your tail-to-nose idea and use it next time, so thanks for that too.

I’m really enjoying watching this project come together.

[speedgraflex]

Yes, KennyX beat me to this but I never thought to start with the tail... I always start where I feel the eyes go when they see the model—the nose, because if that is right, then it eases the way into viewing the rest of the model. I have been concentrating on fuselage to wings fitting, but based on the batch of Eduard kits being built at the moment it seems the cowling joins are toughest to finesse; followed by the wing seams. Has anyone checked out Tamiya’s new 109??

[kahunaminor]

That’s good work, Kent!

A few things-

Thanks for posting the details about Dremeling-down the sidewalls so the resin parts will fit. I have in my stash a very nice Hase Spitfire for which I ordered a nice Aires resin cockpit set. And I’m scared as hell to use it come build time. But seeing your work, and that you had the balls to do it, makes me feel better.

Secondly- tail-to-nose, eh? You know, it didn’t occur to me to try that. I like building Eduard Messerschmitts, and especially with the case of their ProfiPack E4’s, there ain’t a lot to glue together toward the nose because the upper engine cowling is a separate part. And yet the nose is where I always start. I’m going to contemplate your tail-to-nose idea and use it next time, so thanks for that too.

I’m really enjoying watching this project come together.

Thanks mate,

The faux Dremel is one of this tools that I underuse because I am also wary of fouling things up. But with anything, practice raises skill levels and I have been using cast of sprue or bits to practice on. Also the bodies of a couple of tanked builds!
The glue from the tail idea was one of those things I used on my SH Boomerang build and came back to me as I was test fitting the 109 fuselage. I had the tail section in my hands and was checking the seam. It was as close to perfect as I was going to get and I thought might as well add glue now. I just had the tail area done, clamped it and then went section by section. The benefit is that once the rear is done, the front sections just sort of come together themselves and you have a stable platform to adjust and glue.

Regards,

[KennyX]

I’m giving that a shot with the next Eduard kit I build.

[jkim]

Kent... what kind of tip did you use on the faux Dremel for your removals? I have to be very careful when using my faux Dremel (I've got a no-name one) as even the lowest speed is enough to melt plastic. For thinning fuselage sides, I'd recommend an assortment of grinding stones as opposed to any cutting bits.

I always start my glue attachment at the most visually important area. If it is the fuselage, I'll start at the front because that is where I want the best fit. I can live with a little misalignment at the tail.

[kahunaminor]

Kent... what kind of tip did you use on the faux Dremel for your removals? I have to be very careful when using my faux Dremel (I've got a no-name one) as even the lowest speed is enough to melt plastic. For thinning fuselage sides, I'd recommend an assortment of grinding stones as opposed to any cutting bits.

I always start my glue attachment at the most visually important area. If it is the fuselage, I'll start at the front because that is where I want the best fit. I can live with a little misalignment at the tail.

Hi John,

I used a square tipped router bit on the fuselage. I have grinding stones and will give them a go next time. I will get a photo of my faux Dremel setup shortly. As it is a variable speed I dial it down and cut rather than melt the plastic away (as I have found to my horror previously).

I think on kits such as the Eduard 109’s which have cutouts for the cowl and empty space, leaving only a relatively small area to secure, starting at the tail end is a better option. Proper alignment of the tail and securing at least up to the cockpit provides a stable platform for alignment of the forward ends, which are less area to deal with if there is an issue. That was my thinking in this case. I think rather that a hard and fast rule it has become part of the general problem solving.

Thanks for the input.

[speedgraflex]

”Faux Dremel” is a euphemism amongst modelers and other crafters, I presume? I actually must confess ignorance to the term, and I am curious to learn more. Is it simply too time consuming to file down the shell by hand, considering the rigidity of plastic?

I realize these are basic questions, but I am curious...

Also: one hell of a job with the IP!