The One That Called Me Back -1/24 Trumpeter Bf 109

[406 Silverado]

While I was over in Iraq in '07 there was a Recreation Center that was open to everyone on post. Well....naturally I wandered in there wondering what I would find. Maybe nothing I thought......until I found a room that was packed FULL of plastic models. Troops who had ordered things online in hopes of finding the time to build them. Maybe some did but I know for fact that some didn't. There were kits of all KINDS in there. Among those in the mix was this kit.....and it was FREE!! It was a $114 kit at the time too.



It would be another 4 years until I would start building again. I had been off and on from 1997 to 2007 but my full return to this hobby was in 2011 when I decided to give this hobby all I had at the time and I chose this kit to start things off. Now I don't want to bash any given kit maker but this.....this one was a rather difficult one to build. And THEN....why I chose to go with the following paint scheme is beyond any reasoning that can be found. I must've been a glutton for punishment.



Yup.....that was the one. But I fell in love with it and so....it all began. I'd go over everything but there is a TON of things that happened along the way so I'll just post a couple of the cockpit and engine assys as far as the in progress shots go. When I say I threw everything that I had at this build I mean that I put all I had at the time into it. Later on I would learn weathering as well as other different techniques to replicate wear and tear. I did manage to aquire some AM accessories for this kit as far as cockpit is concerned. This helped the build out quite a bit.





At the time .....it was my best achievement in modeling and one that although will never be shown at a contest, sits in a display case all by itself as a stepping stone in progress.

[stikpusher]

That’s a nice clean build Joe. Nothing wrong with that, nor inaccurate with that either. Many of those aircraft had very short service lives measured in days or weeks at most, and never had the chance to look as decrepit as some modelers like to portray them. Yeah it’s fun to weather the snot out of something, but it’s not always correct to do so. In 1/24 that should be around the size of a 1/48 bomber.

[m1keh]

Very nice build all the way around.

[Tojo72]

Great looking bird,and a nice back story

[armornutii]

   I like it. Luftwaffe always had interesting camo patterens. Of course ya can't go wrong with a 109.
    Just curious, what made it tough to build in your opinion?

[Steve Zuleski]

Excellent snag, excellent work!

[jeaton01]

Looks good enough for me!  I've had the G-6 version of the kit for years but so far it has not showed up on the bench.  I think I even put it on eBay once but there were no takers at a price I was happy with.  Partly it's because of the scale, I think.  I'm not convinced that 1/24 has any advantage over 1/32 for display, nor detail. 

[406 Silverado]

Thank you all for the encouraging comments!!

Carlos: Thank you ol' buddy!! The aircraft that I portrayed belonged to Helmut Neummann who survived the war. The later models of 109's from what I've read received field camo applications and were battle worn if a pilot was good enough to make it to the end of the war. Lots of 109's and 190's looked like a "hot mess" by wars end due to low maintenance and airfield conditions. At the end of the war the remaining squadrons had to pack up and move quite regularly due to advancing forces from both sides so the airfields were crap and the maintenance crews (as well as the pilots) were exhausted. If I were to do this aircraft again it would reflect just that. To your point, however, some of the newer aircraft that didn't get to fly much due to fuel shortages would fall into this realm. Do-335's are a prime example of this.

Mike, Steve and Tony: Thanks fellas!!

John: Thanks for your comments buddy. As for 1/24 scale and details.....I would say that it's not about what's in the box as much as it is about the opportunities for detail. With larger scales it lends itself to additional things not found in the smaller scales. For instance, I used BMF to make hose clamps on this one that I wouldn't have done in 1/48 and might not have done in 1/32. There are several aftermarket update sets for this aircraft that can enhance what's in the kit for sure.

Perry: I appreciate your kind words as well friend. As for what made this thing difficult........Man....where do I start? First off the injector pin marks were ALL over the place. Check out this landing gear door on the inside. Frickin' crazy!! And these were everywhere throughout the build.



The landing gear was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over engineered. What could have been accomplished in 4 or so parts per leg was like 10-12 if I remember correctly. Just too much. It turned out okay but it put up a big fight along the way.

[Leon]

Great looking build Joe!

[406 Silverado]

May 8, 2023 16:33:00 GMT -5 Leon said:

Great looking build Joe!

Thanks Leon!

[armornutii]

  Ah gotchya Joe, pin marks are very annoying. I will steer clear of this kit, I get myself into enough trouble with tanks....don't need to add big planes into the mix. Oh what am I saying I'll probaly fall into that trap too

[406 Silverado]

May 8, 2023 17:10:46 GMT -5 armornutii said:

  Ah gotchya Joe, pin marks are very annoying. I will steer clear of this kit, I get myself into enough trouble with tanks....don't need to add big planes into the mix. Oh what am I saying I'll probaly fall into that trap too

Some of the larger kits are alright. I'd venture to say that ZM kits as well as HK kits are pretty decent relative to the pin marks. I've got a ZM Ta-152 that I'm just DYING to build.

[armornutii]

   I have an HK 1/32nd Do335 trainer, BEAUTIFUL kit however I haven't looked close as it is down the list abit to build. Might pick up a ZM kit at the Nats if I find something that tickles my fancy....souldn't be hard I can't even scratch my own ribs or feet eithout cringing LOL.

[406 Silverado]

May 8, 2023 19:05:41 GMT -5 armornutii said:

   I have an HK 1/32nd Do335 trainer, BEAUTIFUL kit however I haven't looked close as it is down the list abit to build. Might pick up a ZM kit at the Nats if I find something that tickles my fancy....souldn't be hard I can't even scratch my own ribs or feet eithout cringing LOL.

I've got a Tamiya Do335 trainer in the stash as well. Forgot about that one!!

[TJ]

Beautiful build Joe. The story is great too. 1/24 and 1/32 are way to big for me. And to expensive

[406 Silverado]

May 21, 2023 4:44:13 GMT -5 TJ said:

Beautiful build Joe. The story is great too. 1/24 and 1/32 are way to big for me. And to expensive

Which is exactly why I've only built one. lol

Thank you Johnny.

[lyle]

Mighty fine work! This scale is a real conundrum for me. Scale I can see, AMS kicks in, and the modeling gods laugh.

[406 Silverado]

Jan 22, 2024 8:16:04 GMT -5 lyle said:

Mighty fine work! This scale is a real conundrum for me. Scale I can see, AMS kicks in, and the modeling gods laugh.

 Thanks Lyle. I almost wish I had second shot at this kit BUT...... I do have a 1/24 scale Fw190 D-9 in the mix. 

That's funny about the AMS and the modeling gods. 

[handiabled]

I remember back when you built that! It still looks as great now as it did then. That might have been the GB that you and I first got to know each other....

[406 Silverado]

Jan 22, 2024 9:45:35 GMT -5 handiabled said:

I remember back when you built that! It still looks as great now as it did then. That might have been the GB that you and I first got to know each other....

 I believe it was Brent and thanks. That was the Messerschmitt 109 GB that Kevin (pzl66) put together if I remember right. 

[handiabled]

Jan 22, 2024 10:01:43 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Jan 22, 2024 9:45:35 GMT -5 handiabled said:

I remember back when you built that! It still looks as great now as it did then. That might have been the GB that you and I first got to know each other....

 I believe it was Brent and thanks. That was the Messerschmitt 109 GB that Kevin (pzl66) put together if I remember right. 

[Medicman71]

Looks great!