SPA Modeler

That's a great looking kit Kari, and great progress!

Stik - those pens worked really well, it's really coming along.

Where did you get those, Carlos?

BlackSheep214 wrote:Where did you get those, Carlos?

Tom I found them at Hobby Lobby in the art section

Stuart wrote: Stik - those pens worked really well, it's really coming along.

Thanks Stuart. I’m happy with the results

KSaarni wrote:Looks extremely good, really really good! - Kari

Thanks Kari. So far, so good.

Stuart wrote:That's a great looking kit Kari, and great progress!

Thanks Stuart!

- Kari

Made some progress on the Hurricane - the 2nd coat of green is on. I just have to sort out the leading edges and the canopy.

This has been occupying my workbench since I finished my F-102. It's the old Hobbycraft Bf-109E7 Tropical in 1/48 of course. I had started it sort of simultaneously with the F-102 and set it aside to focus on that. I had made quite a bit of progress and since starting it back up, I'm nearly ready to paint. I ordered an Iliad Decals set for it today for S9+DR of 7./ZG1, show down during a strafing attack in Libya in 1942. Here's the planned scheme



I've been scratch-building a few parts including the rear section of the dust filter, rear antenna mast, pitot, wing cannon barrels from hypodermic tubing, pilot's stowage access door, headrest armor, spinner muzzle and made "barrel stops" for the wing insides and for the cowling guns. I used the Quinta Studios 3D decals for the cockpit. I added oil coolers and radiator made from old car model radiator's from the '60s. I still need to apply a little Mr. Surfacer to the dust filter and rear mast; I think they'll look okay after a bit of work and shaping. Here are a few progress pics.

Looking very good Gary, I have always had a soft spot for the Emils.

Nice scratchbuilding and those tyres, did the kit come with weighted tyres or did you make them? Nevertheless, looks very natural !

- Kari

Thanks a lot Kari! Yes, this is the first 109 I've built since childhood days. I'm enjoying it so far and already thinking about getting a nicer, newer 109 kit soon. There seems to be several good choices in 1/48. The tyres are kit parts that I flattened a bit on their "down" side. I hope I've got the angle right when it's all put together!

Nice upgrades on the Hobbycraft Emil Gary. How well did the Quinta decals fit and work in the cockpit? I’ve been thinking of doing the same sort of thing for the remaining Hobbycraft 109s (E-1, E-4, & G-2) in my stash, so you're the perfect man to ask on how compatible that they are together.

Thank you Carlos! Well, the Quinta decals were designed for the Eduard kit and didn't fit the HC exactly. Here's a pic of the set:



I sanded off what little detail there was on the upper IP and added a lower part, shaped to fit the Quinta decal. I believe that's visible on the right in that pic. It also meant modifying the sidewalls to fit the new IP shape but that's not a big issue. Overall, I'd say the Quinta set was fairly easy to use with this kit and made a big visual difference. Some of the smaller decals didn't fit exactly either, but they can still be used to dress things up a bit. I found the Quinta seat harness to be brittle and sort of hard to work with; it's flexible at first, but dries quickly and gets stiff again (oh, to have that little trick again... ). I went with the Quinta set initially because I planned to open the cockpit. But after cutting out the vac replacement canopy, it looked like a bear's *ss sewed up with a grapevine. So, the kit canopy goes on and so does life!

Hey, I usually paint canopies separate and then attach them after the fuselage is painted. But, I want to paint this one "in place". I'm afraid that removing the EZ masks after painting might pull up the canopy. What is the best, strongest glue to use for this? The canopy won't be Future dipped due to issues I've recently had with EZ masks and Future. I'll clean and polish the kit's canopy and go with it.