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Stan Traas
46 articles

Eduard 1/48 Bf 109F-4 trop Hans Joachim Marseille’s 14th A/C

May 1, 2020 · in Aviation · · 16 · 2.3K

Despite the fact that 's kits usually get glowing reviews I can always find some nits to pick. Granted the level of surface detail in mostly fantastic, and some of the parts fit briliantly.

However, some of the parts breakdowns don't make a lot of sense to me. For example… Having to install the exhausts before closing the fuse make for a masking pita and/or fiddley brush painting later.

Normal injection moulding process means that a split fuselage loses almost all recessed lines at the top & bottom seams.

It would have been a nice touch and well within Eduard's capabilities to mold the wings with the nav light recesses cut out and provide clear parts for the covers.

No separate plastic parts are provided for the exhausts with shields- instead, you have to choose between beautifully hollowed out parts with no shield (appropriate for many versions) or if modeling a machine with shields you get a somewhat clunky part with no recessing of the pipe ends, Fortunately this was the Profi-Pak edition which included P-E shields.

And the best part… modeling ‘109 landing gear- If anyone has built the new-tool Tamiya Spitfire Mk. I, you will understand how Tamiya has engineered these bits as how they should have been made since the birth of plastic models. Regrettably, Eduard continues to miss the boat on this daunting bit. Both the strut to wing socket and wheel to strut joints are loose and vague, requiring slow setting adhesives (Testors Clear Parts Cement saved my sorry keyster), while manipulating blobs of blu-tack and staring 'till cross-eyed at diagrams, grid lines and engineers squares to get the gear somewhere within 10 degrees of aligned properly.

Having said all of these harsh things, I'm grateful to Eduard for all they've done. Nobody gets things perfect (perfection the enemy of greatness, right?), but Eduard's Bf 110 & ‘109 kits can be built into stunning models. “Nothin' is easy…” -Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull late 1960 something?

Anyway hope you can enjoy the pics and forgive the rant.

Reader reactions:
8  Awesome

11 additional images. Click to enlarge.


16 responses

  1. Profile Photo
    Walt said on May 1, 2020

    Nice build Stan, I like the desert scheme. You did a nice job with the paint work and weathering. I question, did the plane you plane you model have flaking crosses on the wings, or did you run into decal issues. Either way I think it adds to the overall finish and interest in the model.

  2. Great build Stan. Your result looks extremely "real".
    All the best!

  3. Stan, I've got this kit in my sights to purchase, so thanks for the info.
    I've seen a lot of builds of Marseille's #14, but this has to be one of the best I've seen. Your paint work and weathering has turned this into a very realistic & interesting model. Well done !

  4. Looks nice Stan.

    Actually, the Bf-109 has a very prominent panel line right down the fuselage centerline, top and bottom (that a lot of people, including me, missed for a long time) and if you do that, you don't have to worry about sanding it down and losing detail - just a FWIW.

    • Hi Tom,

      Yes, I'm well aware of those longitudinal joints on top and bottom of aft fuselage. The 109's rear fuselage was built in halves almost like a model. What I was referring to is the fading and softening of recessed details (rivets, access panels, etc.) near the edge of parts which progress toward 90 degrees to the edge of the mold.

      BTW, To Eduard's credit, they have molded the kit so that if one is VERY careful trimming the sprue attachment points (gates, I believe), the fuselage joint results in a perfect recessed line.

  5. Great job Stan, Marseille’s F-4 Trop might be on the menu of every 109 modelers but it’s still one of the most interesting to me.
    Your ranting about Eduard’s kit engineering could be my own although I’d trade your undercarriage leg positioning for those darn wing radiator flaps 😉

  6. Awesome build Stan, paint and weathering is great!

  7. What a beauty! Although simple, that is one of my favorite 109 schemes. Excellent paint and weathering work.

  8. Very nicely done! And your comments are spot on, though you might have missed to mention the sinkmarks in the flaps 🙂

  9. Great work, Stan!

  10. Well done Stan, she looks great.

  11. Hello Stan

    Nice rendition of a nice model 😉

    Well done. I particularly appreciate the painting work of the rear wheel

  12. You spelled keister rong.

  13. This is masterclass work! An absolute masterpiece!

  14. ..such great work...thank you and thank you twice over for the very fine photos...it gives me a very very high bar to emulate...

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