This one took a surprising amount of time although being a "quick" build (4 months) for me. Finished on the last day of 2024.
I'd been dying to do this kit as I had a great picture of this exact '109F-2 and I challenged meself to make it "look right".
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 Wknm.6674 "Chevron Triangle" Stab-II./JG53. Revell 1/72 scale kit no. 03893-0379 originally Zvezda "Snap Fit" kit 7302 from 2012. Built 08Sep2024 - 31Dec2024.
The finished '109 and it's huge box,
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RRUCFh_H3-ZpvhqzfH-DHhiset9OybYb/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1UA-ObW1IkXlOCWqps6jLBOT9djjxQxf6/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1CxR-9gRS8HnFDSL-MEPTk28cY-3KGvTf/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1WtoF28ZVCFC2UR9fSls1rNsBnQGmjzfN/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1ff9mtieByH3FUCKMIm2MRMIi3ZtW0SFo/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/17O8KzhEtLDm-YyIhw0xLEQJJLCgsmvkQ/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1PkX1aapsYaaQuBDuVCQ-ue06gfi2XnmQ/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1XXDL1Ns6Y6WoDhuofG4ufPBlHb0x2jP5/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1dLVEdePWE6dUmq3UmtH4SpoiT4FX6SLU/view?usp=sharingReference photograph of the real Bf-109F-2,
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t_MCKWcnDLlgKWKCymkamNMPfqWBazOR/view?usp=sharingThis aircraft was the personal mount of II./JG53 commander Hptm. Heinz Bretnutz, France May 1941.
Not a bad kit for shape, just a bit short on details which would figure for a snap tight style of kit meant for ease of assembly. Very difficult to build with either oversized or overly tight locating pins or recesses requiring a lot of fettling to get to fit together. Canopy was ok but needed polishing and removal of it's "snap fit" lugs along with sanding off mating faces to sweeten the fit.
I added details to lift the believability of the model. In the cockpit a fuel pipe, Revi 12B gunsight and ID telescope were fitted. Externally corrected panel lines were added, brake lines made and fitted on the MLG. The tail wheel was cut off and it's mount modded to reflect the actual mounting/wheel bay, two brass 7.92mm machine gun barrels were made to be fitted to the cowling gun troughs, a brass pitot was made to replace the very fragile moulded on item and a aerial insulator was made and fitted to the fuselage spine. And lastly the very prominent aileron balance weights were made and fitted at the end of the build.
Probably the worst bit is trying to fit the MLG oleos to the correct depth and angles without breaking the parts. The attachment lug is "D" shaped with a very tight recess that needed to be reduced considerably to actually fit. In regards to the MLG angles, the kit part has too much forward rake and too much splay when I did the original unpainted dry fit and now finished it's still not correct but it is better.
The paint scheme was modded a bit as RLM71 mottling had been applied to the top of the cowling and half the spinner and this was VERY carefully airbrushed using Humbrol Hu.117. (This mottling ended up being sprayed over most of the aircraft bay late 1941).
The decals were too thick and would not conform very well even with "help", worse was silvering under the decal that just would not go away after repeated applications of decal solutions and Future floor polish to remedy the issue. Most of it was sorted but there was still some silvering in some embarrassing spots that I attempted to cover up with some careful weathering.
Weathered with Charcoal and Prismacolour pencils, oil paints and pastel chalks.
A 0.1mm wire whip aerial was fitted to the lower fuselage, 0.001mm Uschi Van Der Rosten wire aerial from the mast to the tail and fuse insulator.
Thanks for looking!! Regards all
FAA
