1/32 Hasegawa Bf109 G-6
I wanted to build this particular G-6 when I came across the markings in an internet search. This aircraft was flown by Anton Hackl. The fuselage chevron provided in the decals was not quite the right size and did not have the right proportions in 1/32, so using the one photo of this bird I could find, I approximated the proportions using the panel lines on the actual aircraft, and made use of proportional measurements to help me. I think I came pretty close. I made the seat belts from paper printouts, and used some resin sets for the prop and the radiator housing under the nose. I made brake lines from fine wire. The kit is painted with Model Master enamels. For the white on the spinner I used Tamiya Acrylic white.
Nice work, but there is one thing you need to do to save the project. The upper wing insignia has silvered badly, but you can still catch it even now. Take a #11 blade and slice the daylights out of the decal. Then flood it with decal setting solution. The setting solution will work its way under the decal bits with capillary action and get rid of the trapped air bubbles that caused the situation. The decal will then melt down back into the paint and you won't be able to see where you sliced it. Given what beautiful work you have done on the rest of this exquisite model, this will make it perfect.
Thanks Tom! It was really bothering me in the photography. I used tons of future, and it seemed it would bed down, but refused. I will try that setting idea, as soon as I am finished painting a commission artwork I am working on. Can't let SWIMBO see me fiddling with kits when there is a major painting to get done! I finished this kit at the end of the summer and have been trying to find time to post it! There will be an F-18D ATARS coming soon.
This is a real beauty ! A treat for us "109 oholics"... I especially like the mottling work on the fuselage. It's hard to get just right, and for me it often takes several attempts to get just so.
Another way I have used successfully to remove the silvering in the center of the upper wing cross: Simply take a new #11 exacto blade and lightly drag it along the inside of the cross where the clear carrier film meets the white color. Go inside the parting line just a little so that you remain on the clear film only, so as not to affect the part you want to stay on the upper wing surface. Once you have made these cuts in the clear, you can simply take a wooden toothpick and lightly scrape away the offending clear film where it has silvered. Don't apply too much pressure as this can damage the underlying paint. Occasionally a large section of the carrier film will start to curl up and you can actually use a pair of tweezers to pull off the remainder in one piece.
The white decal will remain in place. Then you can go back over the area with another light misting of clear, using the clear of your choice to cover the newly exposed paint that was beneath the clear film. I just had to do this with the last MiG-15 I built...
But your model looks fine as is... It's only noticeable when the light hits it at certain angles. You could leave it alone and most wouldn't notice. I like what you have done here.
Thanks Louis! I will need to add a picture or two as I liked how the return cable for the canopy turned out too. Will need to address the wing crosses some point in the new year, but would like to do that and also spray some exhaust stains and maybe do some chipping too.
You just might be able to use some thin tape and carefully position it in between the bars of the upper wing crosses after you have lightly sliced along the inner edges between them. The tape will pull up the excess clear decal film, and not damage the underlying paint surface as the wooden toothpick might. I didn't have this option with my MiG-15 Bort numbers, but you do since the crosses are squared and should be fairly easy to place some tape in between the bars.
I also like the canopy return cable... Very nice work overall. May you have a Happy New Year my friend.
A great looking 109!
Thanks Robert- appreciate the comment!
Nice!