Messerschmitt Bf 109 Werke

Started by Erik Gjørup · 305 · 4 months ago · 1/48, 109, 109 werke, airbum, Bf109, Haldværk, halfworks, Messerschmitt, quarterscale
  • Profile Photo
    Erik Gjørup said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Hi John. The fabric is present in all 109's, and is an easy way to enable inspection, as it is equipped with a ziplock all round. You can just see it in the top of the well on the picture. Of course some may have been flying without them, but that would be a one-off affair as the winng would be plastered with grass or mud inside.

    Now, another new discovery that I am trying to get a full picture off is some Romanian 109E that has one wing gun replaced by "something" about half length but fatter than a Oerlikon. Usually it was just in one wing, the other being normal. My thoughts are that it might be a local modification to install a guncamera for training purposes?

    Does anyone here know or have pictures of such an installation I shall be interested to be hearing about it. It should be a very easy modification to make on a kit, and would be something to add interest.

  • Profile Photo
    George R Blair Jr said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Interesting discussion, Erik (@airbum). The Romanian 109 that I build a while ago had "normal" machine gun installations, so I can't help there. Should be interesting to see why they were different.

  • Profile Photo
    Erik Gjørup said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    On a wing. . .

    Moving on to the Buchon, and a bit about the wings

    The small parts are essentially the same for the majority of the Hobby Craft and Academy kits



    the fuselage-runner is different and contains the four-blade propeller.

    And as the instrumentpanel is the same in both, it is correct for the Buchon



    And Academy did as mentioned earlier not cut off not-needed parts, and that goes for the transparancies too.

    The wings are the same in both kits, and is a multi-use wing, with add-ons for different planes.



    While all the inspectionholes are correct for the type, the angle of the leading and trailing edges are a bit different from the Eduard offerings.

    All in all they are not bad kits, and when assembled and painted they will look the part. Of course there are the option of using a set of Eduard 109’s and just use the front of the other kits


    Another option is to get the AML kit that has all the corrections. That way you can also superdetail the S-199, but sadly I have not found any kit for the Buchon (except of course the excellent SBSmodel weapons kit).

    By the way – the recent Italeri 109K-4 boxing is essentially the same tool. I might have a look at that one another day.

    next up, these will leave the 109-werke, and get their own topic, but that will probably take a few weeks / months

  • Profile Photo
    Erik Gjørup said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    On camera?

    A new book dropped in the other day, and a few pictures roused my interest

    The Romanian 109E are in general very interesting with their small differences from the LW Emils. But what is this – a short fat MG?


    I think not, so a bit of searching the new book and some old magazines

    And more pictures surfaced.



    “Hai Feito” is said to have been pictured in Stalingrad, and were abandoned there during the retreat. The other machine with the King Michael I Cross has lost the majority of its yellow, and has to be taken after 13 june 1941 when the order to paint the crosses were issued.

    Investigations may continue into this little published item – if you have anything in text or picture to help out here, please PM me or post the findings here

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Thanks for the explanation, Erik @airbum.
    Although I have seen and read quite some articles about the 109, this part must have slipped me.
    Always good to learn new things, especially about this great aircraft.
    That new book seems to have some very interesting pictures.

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 2 years, 11 months ago:

    Thanks for the great info, my friend @airbum!
    Very interesting to read!

  • Profile Photo
    Erik Gjørup said 2 years, 10 months ago:

    @johnb and @fiveten, you are most welcome. I try to keep up with the latest research, in order not to re-state wrong information. That way I can also get away with a lot of armchair aviation 🙂
    Another round of thoughts on the S-199 coming up shortly.

  • Profile Photo
    Erik Gjørup said 2 years, 10 months ago:

    Not quite moved yet

    As I still haven’t decided if I want to make a Czech or Israeli S-199, and so I take another look at it here in the kindergarten

    A comparison on the eduard, AM resin and original “bulge”



    OK, the S-199 it is – I have the saw ready, marked the location of the initial cuts

    Remember the mirror effect mentioned earlier



    Keeps you on track.

    A comparison of the fuselages makes them VERY close to each other



    The panellines line up nicely – very promising!

    The nose, well, that is another matter entirely



    1,5mm off – gives me plenty of workspace to blend the two in

    Cut made and initial dry fit shows no problems




    So dryassembly of the major parts seemed like a good idea

    And what a nice fit it is



    Sadly HobbyCraft has not been paying attention

    Their exhaust and nosebulge are way off


    Oh, well, that just paves the way for more bashing – in hindsight the eduard exhaust area should have been kept intact. I may do just that on the other side.

    next up? - might be more on this one, or perhaps it has found a new home elsewhere – Czech or Israeli – lets hear your votes gentlemen! (I may reject the result – just to warn you, but it could be great to see what you think)

  • Profile Photo
    Greg Kittinger said 2 years, 10 months ago:

    I enjoy the Israeli, but am building both, so follow your hear!

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 2 years, 10 months ago:

    Some serious surgery well performed, Erik @airbum
    Personally I would like to see an Israeli as well.

  • Profile Photo
    George R Blair Jr said 2 years, 10 months ago:

    This surgery looks painful, Erik (@airbum). I am sure you will pull it off.

  • Profile Photo
    Erik Gjørup said 2 years, 10 months ago:

    STOP PRESS!

    Just had a checkup with one of our friends. It seems like events will make the Buchon build obsolete even before I get started on it - stay tuned for the news, it should be public in a week or two. A proper presentation will be made when it is publicly available.

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 2 years, 10 months ago:

    This makes me curious, Erik @airbum
    Although I do have an idea what the news will be, looking forward to it.

  • Profile Photo
    Erik Gjørup said 2 years, 10 months ago:

    Exciting John @johnb, isn't it 🙂

    @lgardner, @gblair, @gkittinger, @fiveten, @coling, @holzhamer and @lis, for those of you that enjoy 1/48 109's I just saw over on Wingsy Kits that they have put the 109E-3 online. (sorry in advance that I forgot to mention some of you fellow builders that like 109's)

    I have just ordered a handful of the E-1's for my stash and plan do to these correctly - unlike another build on iModeler that left out the most important part of the early Emil - the shoulderbelts and their corner mounts. Now said builder has blocked me for comments, and that is fine by me. I just prefer to dig for facts, that's all.

  • Profile Photo
    Pedro L. Rocha said 2 years, 10 months ago:

    @airbum

    People take this hobby way too seriously it seems...

    Erik, are you referring to a new Buchon on the market within a short time? Eduard plans the Avia soon, not sure if the news comes from that source, or perhaps some new resin conversion? Looking forward to hear what’s coming.

    About Wingsy, I will purchase one E-1 as soon as the online AK shop gets them, this way I’ll save the 15$ of shipment cost from Ukraine. Ak sends them free here to Portugal on purchases above 30€. I’m also eager to try the undoubtably next in line from them after the E-3 😉