WingTech (DRAGON) BF109E-4 Build-Part I

Started by Erich Goldbach · 10 · 10 years ago
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    Erich Goldbach said 11 years, 6 months ago:

    Here are a few photos of one of seven 1/32nd scale kits I’m building currently. (No, I can’t focus on one subject at time). This is the WingTech (DRAGON) BF109E-4 kit. I’m leaning toward a paint scheme of a machine flown by Hauptmann Günther “Franzl” Lützow OF 1./JG 3, while stationed in France in 1940. In my opinion, this kit fits better than the Eduard offerings but lacks the rivet detail and fine panel line molding. I’m not sure at this point if I’m going to spend the time to add the 10,000 rivets required to make this a contest worthy subject -will see how I feel when I hit that cross road. The parts are molded without flash; the cockpit has ample detail as does the engine. I’ve added a few extra details to the cockpit –instrument dials from MDC (#32002 Luftwaffe instrument dials) and spruced up the engine with some wiring and extra plumbing as I intend to display the model with the cowling off.

    16 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Seamus Boughe said 11 years, 6 months ago:

    Hey Erich, I bought this kit when it was first released and I still have to crack open the box. Does it come with all the cockpit placards or is that after market. I like the shade of RLM 02 that you are using. What paint brand? Anyway, nice build so far. Maybe you will have yours done around the time I finish my Spitfire.

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    Erich Goldbach said 11 years, 6 months ago:

    Hi Seamus, the placards are part of the MDC decal set -they make German, British, Japanese and American WWII instrument decal sheets. I used to punch out the kit dials with a Waldron punch set, but these decals are individually produced and make life MUCH more simple and accurate. The RLM 02 is from a stash of old AeroMaster paints I scored at a local flea market (about thirty un-opened jars in all) a major score! At the rate I'm building these days it will be a minor miracle if I get it done before your Spit. I’m knee deep in a Ki-84 too so that doesn’t help the matter either. Looking forward to more of your build photos. Cheers, Erich

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    Seamus Boughe said 11 years, 6 months ago:

    Ahhh, good ol' Aeromaster. I scored over three hundred bottles of various Floquil & Aeromaster enamels about two monthe ago off of ebay for 140.00 and added it to my already large surplus of these paints. Why both these lines were discontinued is hard for me to fathom. They are great paints that could be brushed or sprayed and gave good coverage while drying absolutely flat. I am painting my Spitfire with a combination of both paint lines.

    Slainte

    Seamus

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    Erich Goldbach said 11 years, 6 months ago:

    300 bottles...Great buy for $140! I love aeromaster paints as well. The fine pigment and scaled down formulation was a great product to use-I wish someone would produce the stuff again. If you have a couple of spare AM RLM 75 or 81 bottles you can spare I'd be interested in buying or trading for them...
    Cheers,
    Erich

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    Erich Goldbach said 10 years, 2 months ago:

    OK, it's been 1 yr and 3 mo since I've done any work on this Emil of mine. So with the addition of the BOF/BOB Group Build I've decided to get back at it. Hopefully, I'll actually get it completed by the Oct 31st dead line. After searching through my reference materials, I've decided to build Bf 109 E-4 Black 7 of 6./JG 54 flown by Oblt. Joachim Schypek from Sept -Oct 1940. It seems I hit that "to rivet or not to rivet" cross road of the build... I decided to get my Rosie the Riveter tool out and let her rip! I used my 1:32nd Eduard 109E4 kit as the template. Truthfully, this process isn't really all that tough to do-just time consuming. I used tape, scribing templates and drafting pencil to mark out the rivet patterns for the long straight lines and free handed the rest. All in all it took me about 3 hrs to get the whole model riveted. basically 3 1 hr evening sessions: Planning, Patience, Pink Floyd playing in the background and a couple of fingers of Scotch per session-job done! In addition to completing that step, I sanded down the raised detail on the spinner, riveted it and scribed the panel line on the tip of the nose cone. Hopefully you can make out the work on the attached build photos. Next step will be to build up the wings...

    9 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    Gregor d said 10 years, 2 months ago:

    Looks great Erich. I gotta admire you guys that go the exra mile for authenticity.

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    Bernd Müller said 10 years, 2 months ago:

    Your love to the detail is outstanding ! Great build

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    Rob Pollock said 10 years, 2 months ago:

    Nice work, Erich. Always great to see attention to detail.

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    Erich Goldbach said 10 years, 2 months ago:

    Thanks Rob, I'd have to say that the work on your Typhoon (especially the motor) is a stellar example of attention to detail!