The SAAF Forum

Fantastic builds as always Malcolm

Thanks Bushpig

Here's yet another. The 32nd scale Hobby 2000 (original kit from Dragon) Me Bf 109 E4-7 Trop. The kit is very nice but with some quirks such as unnecessary photo etch details. Fit is good, with the exception being the cowlings which just don't fit if the full engine is assembled - hence the open engine on my model. The instructions are rubbish with quite a few handed parts being indicated incorrectly i.e. one would place the wrong part on the wrong side. But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this build. I was requested by Julian from Jix Hobbies to test the new MiG Atom acrylic paints. I thinned these with MiG acrylic thinners. As a modeller who dislikes acrylics intensely , I was surprised at how well these went down and they provided a good coverage, similar to what I'd expect from a lacquer or enamel based paint. I used the Luftwaffe desert colour set but what is odd is that, although MiG provides two greens, neither are the correct Olivgrun RLM80 used for the desert scheme. So the green splotches were done using Mr.Colour lacquer RLM80. The brown and the underside light blue appeared to be good matches. The decals are printed by Cartograph and are exceptional, both in terms of print quality and register and how well they settled into surface detail with only one application of MiG red bottle decal setting solution. Very happy with that !

Me Bf 109E-4-11 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

I used my Sparmax airbrush with 0.3mm needle to do the green blotches. Was quite happy with the outcome. Some random chipping was added as well as an oil wash using MiG washes.

Me Bf 109E-4-05 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Me Bf 109E-4-12 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Me Bf 109E-4-10 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Me Bf 109E-4-09 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Me Bf 109E-4-08 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Me Bf 109E-4-04 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Me Bf 109E-4-03 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Me Bf 109E-4-07 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Me Bf 109E-4-06 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Me Bf 109E-4-02 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Me Bf 109E-4-01 by Malcolm Reid, on Flickr

Hi Geoff, thanks

Croatian markings were airbrushed on using the Montex Masks set which I got from Hannants in the UK. I masked the areas which appeared to have flaked off with masking fluid before airbrushing the colours.

The red rings on the cartridges very sharp tip paint brush, a swig of whiskey to steady the hand, and a deep breath - hand painted. I use the Revell water paints to do detail work like this - they're very easy to use in this manner.

Weathering on Corsair wing - first a layer of Tamiya X-16 aluminium was airbrushed on. I then applied hairspray, and then painted the chromate yellow. I flaked off the chromate with a wet toothbrush in a random manner to allow the aluminium to show through. Then sealed with X-22 gloss varnish. I took a photo so I had a reference of where the aluminium patches were. I then applied more hairspray, followed by the final coat of dark sea blue. Then using the photo as a reference, I did the chipping of the blue with a wet toothbrush. That way, both aluminium and chromate yellow would be seen as was typical for these naval aeries.

Hope that helps

Thanks Malcolm,

yes it does indeed help as there's techniques that I need to brush up on and your methods educate me in the process of you building a masterpiece!

I will follow your advice when I get to do cartridges again, still need to get some Revell products though.

Many thanks,