Airfix Bf109 E4 1:72

[dr_gn]

I know how this looks, but genuinely, since I only have very limited time for model building, there is no way I would deliberately screw up any model.

For example: I've already repainted the spinner and rudder twice becasue I wasn't happy with the finish I got initially.

[Eric Mc]

Perhaps you are a perfectionist. There is a little bit of that in all modellers but maybe the "force" is stronger in you

[dr_gn]

Eric Mc said:

Perhaps you are a perfectionist. There is a little bit of that in all modellers but maybe the "force" is stronger in you

Well, this is the last time I'll be venturing over to the Dark Side for the forseable future.

[Eric Mc]

The Modelling Force is all about overcoming obstacles - even ones that you may have inadvertantly put in your own way.

You cannot call yourself a true Knight without having overcome these trials.

Why do you think I am building a 1960s vintage Airfix P-40?

Through Adversity One Conquers.

[dr_gn]

Eric Mc said:

Through Adversity One Conquers.

I built a 1977 1:32 Matchbox Bf109E-4, and won an IPMS model competition with it earlier this year against some of the latest Japanese and resin converted kits...I know all about Adversity

[Eric Mc]

Thee you go. You're well on the way. All you need to do is overcome the HAS (Hatred of Airfix Syndrome).

It's easily done - although it could be replaced by HAHPS (hatred of Hasegawa Pricing Syndrome) - which is one I suffer from.

[72twink]

An E-4 that inspired my own renaissance into winged things and in particular my own 1/48 E-7 build.

Forget Hasegawa - try FineMolds 109 family for a truely wallet emptying 1/72 experience!

[Eric Mc]

I like the Heller 1/72 109D. It's a lovely little model.

[dr_gn]

Well, predictably, my Britmodeller thread has been closed:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showt...

Interesting final post by the administrator I thought...

[16VJay]

Yes they, like the rest of us, are fed up with you using this poor little 109 kit to show off your hatred of Airfix! Across at least three forums too...

Let's get real, it costs the same as a magazine (£4.99) and is comparable to your benchmark of the Tamiya 109 - which isn't "a few pounds more", it's £12. It's designed for kids and casual modellers to slam together (who won't worry about the "faults" you've mentioned) while still being good enough for the serious guys - who will sort the things you've mentioned without a quibble, probably getting the tails on square too.

And all the while being amazed Airfix do something so good for the price, like I was when I had a play with one on Saturday.

[SlipStream77]

16VJay said:

Yes they, like the rest of us, are fed up with you using this poor little 109 kit to show off your hatred of Airfix! Across at least three forums too...

Let's get real, it costs the same as a magazine (£4.99) and is comparable to your benchmark of the Tamiya 109 - which isn't "a few pounds more", it's £12. It's designed for kids and casual modellers to slam together (who won't worry about the "faults" you've mentioned) while still being good enough for the serious guys - who will sort the things you've mentioned without a quibble, probably getting the tails on square too.

And all the while being amazed Airfix do something so good for the price, like I was when I had a play with one on Saturday.

To be fair, dr_gn is an engineer and a superb modeller so his standards are probably considerably above those that most would consider acceptable.

dr_gn said:

Airfix are so close to achieving this with this kit that it hurts. The kit is engineered probably to 95% of what could reasonably be called perfect, and the last 5% seems to be missing due to someone accepting something that is clearly wrong, but failry easily fixable. They chose not to.

What he's getting at is that there are just a few things that need changing to make it a great kit. How difficult would it be to create a new decal sheet with a panel decal that actually fits the panel?

[dr_gn]

SlipStream77 said:

16VJay said:

Yes they, like the rest of us, are fed up with you using this poor little 109 kit to show off your hatred of Airfix! Across at least three forums too...

Let's get real, it costs the same as a magazine (£4.99) and is comparable to your benchmark of the Tamiya 109 - which isn't "a few pounds more", it's £12. It's designed for kids and casual modellers to slam together (who won't worry about the "faults" you've mentioned) while still being good enough for the serious guys - who will sort the things you've mentioned without a quibble, probably getting the tails on square too.

And all the while being amazed Airfix do something so good for the price, like I was when I had a play with one on Saturday.

To be fair, dr_gn is an engineer and a superb modeller so his standards are probably considerably above those that most would consider acceptable.

dr_gn said:

Airfix are so close to achieving this with this kit that it hurts. The kit is engineered probably to 95% of what could reasonably be called perfect, and the last 5% seems to be missing due to someone accepting something that is clearly wrong, but failry easily fixable. They chose not to.

What he's getting at is that there are just a few things that need changing to make it a great kit. How difficult would it be to create a new decal sheet with a panel decal that actually fits the panel?

Appreciate the comments SlipStreram77.

BTW, 99 replies and 5,240 views (and counting) in less than 48 hours tends to indicate that not *too* many people were "fed up" with the subject.

Aaaaanyway, let's see if we can't find some more errors tonight eh?

Despite not being capable of putting a model together, I've somehow pretty much finished the main assembly. The fit of the fuselage halves was very good - in fact too good. The Bf109 had a distinctive longitudinal seam along the top and bottom of the rear fuselage, which I've had to re-scribe becasue there was pretty much no visible line there after glueing!

Masking is now complete, I've opted for an open canopy, so decided to try masking it externally and internally:



Aileron balance horns took some cleaning up - holding with tweezers while scraping with a scalpel sorted one out, but the other isn't quite right. I'm not risking any more fettling though.



Happy with the prop assembly now after 2 attempts - good detail on the hub brought out by a bit of MIG dark wash. Ditto rudder; pre-shaded the ribs. I Used Tamiya NATO black becasue for some reason Revell Aqua black didn't spray finely enough



Now here's one for Eric. The aerial was scrap - no way I could salvage it so I made a replacement out of a part from my scrap box. 10 Airfix points if you can identify the AIRFIX model the part is from:



IIRC I did in fact enjoy building that one

[perdu]

Contrary to the 'gainsayers dr_gn I'm enjoying watching your 'kampf mit Willy's bebe'

I generally support Airfix instinctively but definitely NOT the mouldings you were sold...

Rory's a nice name for a puppy


You are making this bugger sit up and beg too

Not taking sides but the keyboard warriors getting involved appear not to have opened any of your modelling links on Britmodeller, what they haven't seen might astound them



Did I ever mention having to almost destroy the Revell engine on my Sauber just to close the engine upperworks because of impossible parts fitting?

In general they can all be sods to build


I will be going out soon to buy Revell's Sea King (fixation driven purchase there) and the Airfix bf109E-4

I have to see for myself what all the fuss is about


bill

[dr_gn]

perdu said:

Contrary to the 'gainsayers dr_gn I'm enjoying watching your 'kampf mit Willy's bebe'

I generally support Airfix instinctively but definitely NOT the mouldings you were sold...

Rory's a nice name for a puppy


You are making this bugger sit up and beg too

Not taking sides but the keyboard warriors getting involved appear not to have opened any of your modelling links on Britmodeller, what they haven't seen might astound them



Did I ever mention having to almost destroy the Revell engine on my Sauber just to close the engine upperworks because of impossible parts fitting?

In general they can all be sods to build


I will be going out soon to buy Revell's Sea King (fixation driven purchase there) and the Airfix bf109E-4

I have to see for myself what all the fuss is about


bill

Strange you should use the puppy analogy: looking at it on the bench here it's a pretty little model. It's the same feeling you get looking at a puppy that's just crapped all over your carpet - looks cute, but what a hassle.

Must admit I looked at some of the Britmodeller profiles of the keyboard modellers on my Airfix thread - some didn't have a single model posted in 'ready for inspection', and a couple of the ones that did looked like they'd built their models blindfold, whch would explain a lot. At the time, none had completed this particular model either BTW.

Perdu - Go ahead and buy this model. It's no real problem for an experienced modeller at all (as some people have figured out, this wasn't the point of my irritation), and it does look great. IMO it's likely there are two moulds, or at least one partially corrected mould.

Toodle pip.

[72twink]

Can anyone answer the undercarriage leg question or is it just for Eric?

[Eric Mc]

Go ahead by all means. I only saw the picture this morning. I've no idea what it is. It looks vaguely 1950s jet fighter - like a T-33 or F-80 but I don't really know.

[dr_gn]

72twink said:

Can anyone answer the undercarriage leg question or is it just for Eric?

Well, Eric appears to be AWOL this fine morning, so go ahead.

[72twink]

F4D-1 Skyray

[dr_gn]

72twink said:

F4D-1 Skyray

Yup, well spotted. No idea why I seem to be able to remember which kit any remaining tiny fragment came from. It's probably 30-odd years ago since that model bit the dust.

[Eric Mc]

At least I got the decade right.