Gremir Models Messerschmitt BF109E-4

[Robert Woolley]

Hi all, I have started work on the tropical version for the BF 109E-4. I have always liked the famous colour picture of this plane flying over the desert and almost blending into the back ground.
So far most of the parts fit very well. The internal formers have all just slipped into position without stretching the joints. The first time in my short paper modelling career.
The printed detail is very fine and all lines up.
I had some trouble getting the rear part of the canopy to fit.I had to trim a tiny amount off.
After trimming the camouflage lines up so it looks good. I thought I had to trim both sides, but it was only the right side that needed trimming, so I had to patch the left side up with the bit I had trimmed off. I had exactly the same problem on the Navarin free Messerschmitt download. Maybe BF109 canopies are not my thing!
I was planning to detail the cockpit with the lovely included detail. But as the camouflage colour and pattern are not what I was hoping for, I lost interest in a detailed build. The brown is very likely correct, but I was hoping for a more sandy yellow shade. And the green spots don't look convincing to my eye.
I managed to print the fuselage on thin paper without meaning to. I decided to make it as a test build. The front came out beautifully smooth and rounded. I considered trying to graft it onto my final build, but figured what I had was acceptable.
I hope to do the wings today.
Robert

[milenio3]

Looks pretty nice!

[elliott]

Good looking work Robert. Your build thread is also very good. It helps me when people show their goofs and show how they fixed them. So far, my goofs aren't fixable, but I'm getting there. If I keep building the same model over and over it'll come out good eventually. Keep up the good work!

[Robert Woolley]

Thanks for your comments guys. Elliott, your comment about making over again reminds me of a story from the stick and tissue aeroplane modelling world. I forget the names, but a mother was telling a famous designer that her son had finished making his beginners Dart design(I think it was called a dart). She asked what he should make next. The designer said,"Another Dart!" There is a lot to be said for making something again and again. I have found with paper models making something always reveals better or easier ways of constructing. In this case, the run through with the thin paper copy showed me a neat way of joining the front and back to the cockpit section. I left the formers for just behind the cockpit and just in front of the windscreen out until I had it all joined and the canopy on. I then put them in through the opening where the wing will sit. There was plenty of room. This way I could get nice smooth and tight joins on the fuselage skins without stretching the sides over the former and getting a starved horse look.
With a clear canopy and cockpit this may not have been the best way, but in this case it worked well.

Robert

[MacSongLi]

Nice work Robert, I remember that photo that you refer to and it captured me too. Your build is very clean and smooth.

Gary

[Don Boose]

All the work so far looks good to me.

Don