"Steampunked" 1/72 Matrix 1-09 from a Hobby Boss Me-109E

[Brian da Basher]

While the Locarno Treaties of 1925 eased restrictions on Germany and allowed the return of commecial aviation, things were still turbulent. Violent gangs of nationalist "Frei Korps" and socialist "Rotes Korps" caused great unrest in their attempts to seize power. As many of these groups were armed with aircraft they flew as mercenaries in the Russian Civil War and the Russian-Polish conflict, the League of Nations permitted Germany to establish a domestic air security force, the Luft Polizei. At first the Luft Polizei was equipped with aging W.W. I types, but eventually new designs were solicited. The largest aircraft manufacturer was a consortium formed by Junkers, Dornier and Heinkel called Matrix Flugzeugwerke, A.G. which was led by the young designer Willi Messerschmitt. Dpl. Ing. Messerschmitt submitted a design for a radical new cantilever winged monoplane that was powered by a Juno 18 radial engine and featured an enclosed cockpit and was armed with two 7.9 m.m. machine guns and two 35 m.m. Mauser cannon in the wings. The new design, the Matrix 1-09, also had a pair of the most streamlined, sleekest spatted landing gear ever seen in Germany. The new aircraft began equipping Luft Polizei units in early 1927 as groundcrews proudly painted the black, white and red German flag on the rudder which had been chosen by national referendum to replace the hated black, red and gold Wiemar flag.

The Matrix 1-09s entered service none too soon. In June of 1927, a former W.W. I corporal recently released from Landesburg prison for attempting to take over the Bavarian Government was up to his old tricks. Adolf Hitler and his small gang of followers launched another bid for power in the town of Bad Tolz which would later be called the Mens' Room Putsch as it was planned in the lavatory of ratskeller. The Matrix 1-09s were used to good effect, their guns blasting through the ranks of Hitler and his upstarts. Ernst Röhm, the leader of Hitler's "Beige Shirts" was killed by a wound to the groin and Hermann Goering, the famous W.W. I ace, was felled by a wound to the buttocks. The entire gang of thugs was rounded up and the uprising crushed before it could do any damage. Goering was quoted from his hospital bed in Der Stern: "When I saw those spats overhead, I knew the jig was up!" Hitler was given a life sentence and spent the rest of his days on latrine duty in Nuremburg prison. The Matrix 1-09 responsible for putting down the revolt can be seen at the Luft Polizei Museum in Mainz.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The basis for this project is the 1/72 Hobby Boss Me-109E. While "real modelers" might scoff at the Hobby Boss line, I found their Me-109 very easy to build and to have very nice detail, all-in-all a good value for $8. The only modification I made was in amputating the kit's nose for the new engine (from my spares box) and filling in the wheel wells and attaching spatted landing gear. I've been intrigued by the whole "Steampunking" thing and decided this project would be a good place to try that approach. I stuck some "greeblies" from the kit onto the side of the nose and scratched an exhaust collector ring and pipes from some electrician's insulation generously provided by Jeff Fontaine. Continuing with that theme, I decided to paint the entire model in Gunmetal and use other metallic shades on the greeblies and engine, taking the step of painting the engine wires copper.

Brian da Basher

[cthulhu77]

Buddy, you never fail to amaze with your wit, wisdom, and pure f*ing skill.  Fantastic.   

[Brian da Basher]

I used cheap craft-store paints (Gunmetal mostly) for the model, but the fabric covered control surfaces were painted in Model Masters Gunship Gray. I was hoping to make this look like an early production version rushed into use without being given a paintjob. The decals were mostly from a Fokker D.VII (including the data placard under the cockpit and the work number near the tail, but the rudder stripes were cut from an He-70 sheet. I had a lot of fun on this project and hope I'm able to complete one more before the One Week Group Build concludes next Monday.

Brian da Basher

[sotoolslinger]

Dammit how do you do that now I have to quit modeling .....again
That is so effin cool

[John Howling Mouse]

Nailed it (again)!!   

[Jeffry Fontaine]

The "Heat-Shrink" tubing appears to work very well for the exhaust component on your model.  Another example of what you can do with things not found in your local hobby shop.

[Maverick]

Looking good B, looks like something out of a retro-sci-fi movie.

Regards,

Mav

[nev]

And Brian (unsurprisingly) is the first over the finish line....   

Just a tip Bri, for brush painting, the best metallic paints I have come across ***by far*** are the Games Workshop paints.  Name another paint that goes onto bare plastic - in one coat! - and doesn't even leave any brush marks 

Mithril Silver (silver/aluminium), Chainmail (metallic grey) and Boltgun (gunmetal) plus Dwarven Bronze (great for collector rings)

[Weaver]

Think BdB should be required to produce at least 7 models in a One-Week build, just to even things up, you understand.....

That's a looker, as ever, Brian.

Funnily enough, I shall be doing an "alternative" 109 before long, and mine will be dark-metallic too. Can't remember the brand (not Halfords), but it's "Titanium" car paint - 

[Brian da Basher]

Thanks for the tips on the paint gents! I've been trying to save a little money with cheap craft-store paints and this was a test to see how they'd work for a NMF. Fortunately, I normally only used metallics for small parts of a project (guns, metal struts, etc.) and they work well there, but for an overall NMF finish, I think next time I'll use something better.

Brian da Basher

[Weaver]

Think BdB should be required to produce at least 7 models in a One-Week build, just to even things up, you understand.....

That's a looker, as ever, Brian.

Funnily enough, I shall be doing an "alternative" 109 before long, and mine will be dark-metallic too. Can't remember the brand (not Halfords), but it's "Titanium" car paint - 

It's a Holt's "Vauxhall Titanium", which means it's probably a GM colour in the States.