Brush Painting a Tamiya 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4/7 Trop.

[spanner570]

This is another part built kit I bought. (Fuselage joined, tail work done - kind'a)


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You get a choice of colour schemes.

As I've already done Major Helmut Wick's distinctive 109 cammo. (see below) on here a while back......
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....I'm going to have a go at the tropical version. I've tackled it in 1/72, so I'll see how I get on with the larger scale.
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I usually don't bother with any cockpit detail, as usually the pilot is all buttoned up. I'm in the 'If you can't see it don't do it." camp.....Life is too short for such niceties. Just my view, so please don't shout at me.

But as the poor bloke will be sat in the stifling hot cockpit beneath the blazing sun, I thought it kind to let the lad have a bit of fresh air, so canopy open it will be.
I'm not interested in paying money for a 'proper' harness, so I've made do with the moulded one. Near enough for me.

Here's the cockpit thus far....One serious looking dude!
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A couple of dials and things still to paint.
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Thanks for looking.

Ron

[Bigfoot57]

Quite right to Ron even though I purchased a load of pe to go with my lightning I am becomming of the opinion that some of it is so small and literarily invisible when fitted that its detail for details sake and I had najor problems with my seat harness that I scrapped the entire seat and ordered another moulded one from France
I'm sure there will people either side of the fence for and against this but this is just my opinion

Regards

Colin

[spanner570]

Without wandering too much away from this actual build, it seems to me Colin, that if crazy amounts of money are not spent on kit 'extras', then in some folks eyes, models built purely out of the box are inferior and really not worth looking at, be they aircraft, armour, ships - whatever. Just my view.

But, as with all things in this modelling lark of ours, it's entirely up to the individual to build the way that gives them the most pleasure. Yet, still respect other points of view and build practices.....

Cheers,
Ron

[spanner570]

The previous 'owner' of the kit must have run out of blue paint...
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As the leading and trailing edge flaps will be open, I've painted the inner bits that will be seen, the same colour as the wheel wells.
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Cheers,
Ron

[Guest]

Beautiful work on the cockpit panel there Ron.

[Gern]

....!

This is as bad as your 'extras' thread! You've used an emoji as an aftermarket extra instead of writing 'Thhrrrrrppp!

[spanner570]

This is as bad as your 'extras' thread! You've used an emoji as an aftermarket extra instead of writing 'Thhrrrrrppp!

No wonder you teach maths instead of English. There should only be three r's and two p's in Thhrrrpp!....

See page 578 of my dictionary......

Yours,
Dr. Samuel Johnson

[papa 695]

Nice work do far Ron.

[Gern]

No wonder you teach maths instead of English. There should only be three r's and two p's in Thhrrrpp!....

See page 578 of my dictionary......

Yours,
Dr. Samuel Johnson

Got me again!

PS Good work so far on the kit!

[spanner570]

A bit more painting done.
I'll include a few tips that other 'Brush Hands' might find useful.

Before you start painting, put the model in the fridge. This gives a nice cold surface to the plastic, which gives the paint time to run and level out.
Use a flat headed brush as big as you are comfortable with (I used one about 8mm wide)
There is no need to mask anything.
Thin your paint. I haven't a clue what ratio. I just mix it until it runs freely, but still has body.
Above all else, no faffing about, work quickly! Spread the paint quickly from fuselage to wing tip. Then lay it off in the wind flow direction. i.e. edge to edge. Work from the centre of the wing to either edge. DON'T work from the outside, inwards. Paint will gather under the wing edge.....

I'm using Vallejo Model Air Acrylics.

Here is the first coat of sand yellow. See the difference in shades? This is due to all the fuselage and the underside being painted Lt. Blue, then me painting the wing top surface straight onto the grey plastic. Don't worry about the streaks, this is to be expected with the first coats. Also, getting paint where is shouldn't is all part of brush painting. ( See back of cockpit for starters) All will be sorted when you start to detail the model.

Please don't make the basic error, and think you will need thicker paint for the next coat. Keep it the same consistency as the first. Succumb to temptation and you will balls it up. It'll all come right. Trust me - I'm a Doctor.......



Flaps 1st coated too. Again all different shades.



Second coat. See how the shades are getting closer to a match, and less streaks?




To show the coverage a bit more clearly, here are the three paint stages of the tail plane. All layed off with the direction of the airflow - Front to back.

1st coat.


2nd.....



A bit of cleaning up of the panel lines to do at a later stage. Also, don't worry if there are still minor streaks. I prefer this, as I would add streaks to the finished model anyway. So this part of the weathering process is conveniently started during painting.....If you want it like a babies bum, give it another coat of paint!



Here is my 'wiggling'. I like to do this during the initial painting, as it helps to weather in the two colours, rather than have a harsh line.
If you look closely at the nose section, you will see a subtle shade difference in the yellow. Remember , subsequent coats of paint will always be slightly darker than the one before. That's why I've kept the second coat slightly back from the first. This too helps with the blending on the finished model.


The completed belly. Even after three coats, the panel line detail is fine. These will all be enhanced later anyway.



The sand yellow upper surfaces. Detail o.k. due to thinned paint. The surface is nice and smooth, not like the 'dimpled' surface often seen with some air brushing.


That's it for now. I hope this has been of some help to someone, somewhere......

Cheers all,
Ron

[Guest]

Looking good so far Boss.

Have fun, John

[spanner570]

Thanks John....er, sorry, Boss.
I'm still having night time mares about your Avatar - Thanks a bundle....

[Guest]

Thanks John....er, sorry, Boss.
I'm still having night time mares about your Avatar - Thanks a bundle....

I have an even worse photo, i have no hat on hehehe!!

[spanner570]

I've done a bit more.

Extended flaps fitted.
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Undercarriage fixed and dry run with the prop. Fixing the wheels gives me a nice stable aircraft when I paint (attempt) the mottling.
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I've 2nd coated the wheel wells, and tidied up the leading and trailing main wing edges.
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Thanks,
Ron

[PhilJ]

Looking good Rib, base colours look spot on
Phil