Cyber hobby 1/32 Bf 109 E-4

[Guest]

explains alot then lol

mobear

[stona]

I first built one of those when they were relatively new, probably in the late seventies, and made a right dog's dinner of it. I built another one about ten years ago which came out better,not because the kit was any different,just that I'd had more practice

I won't be venturing up to 1/24 anytime soon!

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Hi Steve. Re the exhausts, Iknow what you mean. however, I chose to glue them straight onto the block and slid the cowls on from the front in the hope that the cowls can be completely removed to display the complete engine. I agree with the headscratcher oil cooler baffles. I am now tackling the wings/flaps with those teeny weeny P/E hinges choosing to fix the pins to the wings first then slot the control surfaces in after otherwise they would have succumed to the carpet demon never to be seen again. Great to have a comparison. I still hav'nt finally decided which example to finish mine in. For some reason the telescopic sight of the Galland mount puts me off as it seems a bit 'Heath Robinson' but that's probably me being quirky. Good luck with your trip away and look forward to your return soon. Regards, Pete.

[stona]

I'm not looking forward to that bit!

Galland had a telescope fitted in order to see enemy formations before they saw him. It wasn't a sight as such.

And yes,5966 didn't always have the Mickey Mouse!

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Never knew that about the scope really intresting info Steve thanks for sharing it! The mill is looking great!

[stona]

Early start means I've got the engine mated up to the oil cooler assembly and have fitted the exhausts and lower cowling (which actually hinged down c/w oil cooler on the real thing)

I suppose I'd better start thinking about some wings for this thing!

Cheers

Steve

[stona]

I've given a lot of thought as to the best way to tackle the photo etch hinges for the flaps and ailerons.

This is a way that works,not the only way I'm sure

Fit the little parts MA15 and MA16 to the end of the aileron and flap respectively.

Fit MA1 and MA6 (complete with the MA2/C37 sub assembly) to the BOTTOM half of the wing. NOT the top as per instructions. This allows for more accurate alignment,checked with a bit of dry fitting.

Once the two halves of the wing are mated the two control surface can be hung on the hinges. I've not glued this up yet but it works fine dry fitted.

I'll attempt some photos once I get both sides done.

I did away with the little plastic bit C37. I pushed a bit of stretched sprue through the hinge until it was wedged.

I then cut of the "thin" end close to the photo etch hinge and then flattened it by applying a hot spatula. I then cut off the "thick" end and repeated the process. Result? A neat plastic hinge.

Be careful how you pose the two surfaces. This 109 had a linkage between the flaps and ailerons.This is often missed by modellers.

When the flaps are fully retracted the ailerons have a droop of 1.2 degrees,barely visible. As the flaps were wound down,using one of the two large wheels to the pilot's left,both ailerons also drooped progressively. With the flaps fully lowered (42.5 degrees) the ailerons have a droop of 11 degrees which is very noticeable,even on a scale model.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Wow Steve that is incredible work with the hinges! Great tech info too, another nugget saved away for later,thanks!

[flyjoe180]

That is very interesting info about the flaps and ailerons Steve, I did not know the Bf109 had such a system. This would have been used to lower the stall speed on landing, and to reduce the landing distance needed. I used to fly a Cessna 180 that had a Robertson STOL kit fitted. The ailerons drooped with the flap as in the Bf109 case, except at full flap they retracted to the setting for the first notch of flap. This was to provide increased aileron authority at low speed. It also helped in crosswinds.

[stona]

Thanks for the info Joe. I figured the linkage was to increase lift at low speeds and wondered if having the ailerons drooping 11 degrees would affect their authority. Judging by the later system you describe on the Cessna it probably did!

You'll know that the Bf 109 wing was highly loaded and I think the Messerschmitt aerodynamicists found themselves jumping through all sorts of hoops to make the aircraft more easily controllable at low speeds. Those flaps occupy 51.8% of the wing span. They also fitted a lot of what could be described as high lift devices. Even the ground attitude is high,17 degrees at the wing root.

Cheers

Steve

[stona]

I've fitted the wings and have dry fitted the control surfaces to those pesky photo etch hinges.



Looks a bit like an aeroplane now





It all seems to go together quite nicely. Now I've got to construct the equally fiddly attachments for the elevators and rudder.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

you are definately one of the best model makers i know mate,awesome

mobear

[spanner570]

Due to me being on the 'Oggin' trying to reach the Scilly Isles and being battered to bits by a bad storm, with the ship ending up running for cover to Southern Ireland, I have missed progress on this very impressive build....How you people cope with P.E. amazes me, I can't even see the stuff!

Nice one Steve.

Ron

[Guest]

Hi steve. we are both at the same stage now.As S..d's law dictates, I've managed to lose the inner flap hinge assembly ( the one behind the radiator housing) and may have to resort to rigidly fixing the flap to the wing. I've tried Hannants for a replacment PE panel without success. Does anyone have any ideas where I may get hold of a replacement or of suggest a way around the problem. Don't think I shall be too worried about flap deployment degrees at this stage as long I can get this problem sorted I shall be happy. All the best , Pete

[stona]

Ole, thanks but not really. Check some of the other guys building on this very site

Ron,sounds like another of your typical adventures! As for photo etch,a good magnifier is the most vital tool of all. I've never invested in the fancy folding tools and stuff like that,I've never needed them.

Pete I can only suggest trying Cyber-hobby direct for the hinge parts. The hinge part you are missing is mostly hidden within the radiator fairing.

If you too are going flaps up,or are not bothered about having them moveable, then you could just cut a part the correct shape from a bit of plastic card to represent the hinge and hold the flap in the desired position.

I'm going to have von Werra's aircraft on the morning of his final flight. I did toy with a crash diorama but there is a lot of good detail in this kit including the wheel wells and I don't want to hide it all. To this end I'm planning for my flaps to be at least partially down,I've seen plenty of images of parked Bf 109s at this time in this configuration.

Maybe something like this mucky example.

Cheers

Steve