Special Hobby 1/72 Bf-109E-4

Started by Tom Cleaver · 15 · 3 years ago
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    Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    This review kit showed up on my porch yesterday.

    Quick review: think of the Eduard 1/48 Bf-109E, then think of it shrunk down to 1/72. That's this kit. The surface detail is superb, petite panel lines and even more petite rivets. Overall detail you would expect in 1/48 and even 1/32.

    Cockpit is simple. Most things molded to the sides, which in this scale is fine and dandy.

    The wing has separate slats, flaps and ailerons, which I don't think any other 1/72 109E possesses. Very nice fabric detail on control surfaces.

    I decided to cut off the elevators and attach them drooped. That was easy, maybe a minute with a #1 for each.

    The kit is practically a "slammer." It wants to be built.

    Interesting selection of markings options. I will likely do the boxart airplane, since Schopfel is the guy who shot down Josef Frantisek, making the Arma Hobby Hurricane a nice "dogfight double."

    This kit is as nice as the Arma Hurricanes. A whole new "step up" for Special Hobby. It's done with their old buddies at Eduard. (Special Hobby and Eduard both go back to being MPM 30+ years ago before the Velvet Revolution)

    Yeah, you know you want one of these.

    2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Never thought 1/72 109s to evolve such nicely, Tom @tcinla!
    Looking foprward to it.

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    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Looks very detailed, Tom.
    Will folow this thread for sure.

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    Greg Kittinger said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    My scale! Very tempting...

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    Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    I said it was a "slammer" and it is. I say that as a compliment. Everything fits easily, with no need of putty or filler anywhere. Here it is ready for painting.

    This is one of the nicest 109Es in any scale. The surface detail is incredible. The model is only comparable to the Arma Hobby kits - the Hurricanes, FM-2 and Yak-1 - in 1/72.

    Oh yeah, the cat fur on the assembled kit was from Sweetie examining it and I didn't notice before pulling out the camera and shooting away. A cat named Sweetie can get away with that without comment from Dad.

    5 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Great and fast progress, Tom.
    The plastic seems pretty static to keep all that hair stuck to it.

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    Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Here's a second shoot of the completed model, this time with the canopy on. I thought the canopy parts looked a little thick, but once on the model they look fine. The knife gives you an idea of its size.

    And no cat fur this time. 🙂

    3 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    This is definitely one of the kits that add even more appeal to the 1/72 scale. It's nice to know you have a "smaller" scale model with the same detail as the "bigger" ones.
    Nice progress and great looks, Tom @tcinla!

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    Eric Berg said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Meow! Looking really good Tom.

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    Pedro L. Rocha said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Tom, 1/72 is not my thing so I’ll probably never build one of these but it’s a fact that it looks like a very, very nice kit. It’s basically a scaled down version of the best 1/48 has to offer.
    Looking forward for your finished model

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    Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Painted. In this scale, you do this camouflage with masking.

    Decals next.

    3 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Very nice, Tom.
    Agree on the masking, especially on 1/72.
    I even prefer to mask on 1/48.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Looking great, Tom!

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    Tom Cleaver said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Finished - first over the line for 2021.

    2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Allan J Withers said 3 years, 4 months ago:

    Nicely done Tom, one down ? to go !