Academy 1/72 Bf 109 E-7 in Japanese livery
James Kelley posted his version of this scheme from a FineMolds kit (https://imodeler.com/2022/02/finemolds-tamiya-messerschmitt-bf-109e-7/ ), and I loved the scheme. I've since discovered there is some controversy over what the colors really were on the 109s secured for evaluation by the IJAAF (see http://www.aviationofjapan.com/2020/08/that-brown-109.html ) but I proceeded nonetheless since I am building around 60 109's, making sure I cover all who used the 109, and who doesn't love an unusual scheme!
I don't have any FineMold kits in my stash, so used an Academy kit. Not a bad kit, with engraved lines. I did take the time to add rivets, and unfortunately, the face portion of the air intake has the slats running in the wrong direction, but a little filing and I made it fit in the proper direction.
Other than that, added a pilot and some hinomarus and tail code from the spares box. I assumed that if this a/c had indeed been overpainted (which I think it would have had to have been if it was in this scheme), then the typical panel number stencils and other markings would have been overpainted. The few images I can find of these a/c don't look like they carry them.
Forgive some of the lighting issues. I have attempted a new light system, and it isn't working, so I'm having to boost the brightness and the contrast, and still can't get some of the photos to look right. I'll try something else.
I made two mistakes, one of which is so embarrassing I'll just hope you overlook it! The other - I forgot to file off the nose guns, as these aircraft had no weapons installed. Unfortunately, though I thought of it early in the build, I didn't think of it again until I went to paint the guns after all the other paintwork was finished. I wasn't about to do it then. Oh well.
Man, you do great work Greg @gkittinger! 🤩 That 109 is really striking in that scheme; so well done, my friend! 👍
Beautifully done Greg! The paint scheme and its finish came out great.
Well done, Greg (@gkittinger). I really like this paint scheme. I have read about the uncertainty of the camo used on these 109s sent to Japan, but I have a 1/48 Hasegawa kit in this scheme, as well as the Fine Molds kit, and I plan to use the brown camo on both. Thanks for the pointer on the nose guns. I would have built the kit with the guns installed, too.
That's really nice. Not something one sees every day, and very nice paintwork there.
Really eye-catching, and technically superb.
Looks great from here, Greg, nothing wrong with the photos.
Now that's a horse of a different color. Looks great!
Amazing job, Greg! Nothing wrong with the light, pics are perfect!
Amazing result on this Emil, Greg @gkittinger
It looks great in this scheme.
Also to me the lighting looks perfect, all are beautiful pictures.
That's a very fine looking 109. Great scheme. One I have never seen before. Thanks for showing us this one Greg.
As I have previously build this in standard LW colors with added Hinomarus and stuff, I do not entirely buy into the FineMolds and other versions of the Japanese choices regarding color. When that is said, I really like your version - it stands out amongst the 109's, and most likely I shall make one in these colors too.
I am very pleased that you did not fall for the general mistake (repeated by FineMolds on their Tamiya re-boxing) of making white areas on the flaps - if you look closely on the famous picture that depicts it with white, it is really rimefrost, and you can see that clearly on the other wing and top of the canopy. On the same picture there are actually german stencils, and I chose to add the Messerschmitt logo on mine too. I also think the versions exported to Japan might have been E-3a versions, albeit with the late hood and windscreen?
Perhaps it is time to make a 109 - group to pick up on all the nice 109's being built?
Well done Sir!
Another winner, Greg. One of the hardest modeling tasks in my opinion is good German mottling on 1/72 fighters.
Another beauty, Greg. Love the "unusual" subject and the paint job.
That turned out great! Way better than mine (which WAS Finemold/Tamiya).
Outstanding paintwork and scheme choice Greg!
Now that's something I haven't seen before, Greg @gkittinger. Another knockout! Awesome!
Greg Kittinger (@gkittinger)
This is another incredible build. It's also the very first time I have seen a 109 painted like this in these two different Tan / Brown colors. The article you included the information to (over at Aviation of Japan) was also very interesting. Nick Millman, who owns / operates the Aviation of Japan website is a good fellow. He is also very knowledgeable with the subjects of Japanese Aviation and the colors that were used. He has probably forgotten more than I ever knew about this subject.