Allan's new projects Raiden and two 109s

[Dizzyfugu]

Me too. The white wing tip could be broader?

[Allan]

thanks for the kind thoughts and advice and observations...well now, upper crosses, outline only or full cross??? and what about the lower surfaces, outline or full cross?...I'll put the yellow 14 under the back canopy window to enable me to have enough room to spray on a white fus band as German desert planes look naked without one, but my masking will have to be top notch to avoid the dreaded overspray...and what about the size of the nose emblem, I have 1/48 and 1/32 and don't know which one to use... the plane is 1/48, but it's quite a big 'un so maybe the 1/32???
I have only 4 cms of play between the back of the canopy and the tailplanes
Allan in Canberra

[matrixone]

Allan
Most of the national markings used on Luftwaffe aircraft involved in the desert fighting used simple white and black crosses and swastikas on the uppersurfaces without the thin black border on the outside.
Some of the last aircraft to be transferred to the units based in the desert could have had the open crosses unfilled with black, new built aircraft were just beginning to come off the assembly lines with the open style of crosses at about the same time the Germans were being run out of Africa so there would not be very many fighter planes marked that way found there.

Undersurface crosses are another story...for reasons unknown black and white crosses with the thin black border were still being used up until the end of the war in the aircraft industry by some companies even though the painting regulations from the RLM stated only the later outline style of crosses were to be used on all new production aircraft, there are plenty of photographs that show many Me 262's were marked with the older style of crosses on the wings undersurfaces.
From what I have seen in a lot of photographs of downed Bf 109's that were used in Africa the crosses under the wings were the older b/w style with the thin black borders.

HTH

Matrixone

[Logan Hartke]

Good choice!

Cheers,

Logan

[Allan]

ready for the white fus band
Allan

[Allan]

I've removed the tape and there was very tiny bit of overspray and paint travelling along the panel lines--I'll cover those places up with some silver pencil   it won't be too obvious
and I've saved the masking tape, too
Allan in Canberra

[nighthunter]

Looking good!

[Allan]

here she is just waiting for a final coat of matt varnish...copiously weathered with black charcoal and grey pastel applied with a broad brush and then annointed here and there (panel lines) with a silver pencil...I approached the plane with good intentions with the pencil, but I'm afraid I just don't know when to stop...I think I've over-egged this plane with the silver...the exhausts turned out okay, first painted with silver, then dry-brushed with reddish-brown and then charcoal and pastel added...the decals didn't go on very well and I'm afraid I'm losing my touch with decals even though I use Mr Mark Softer and always have done so...might need help there....I put some silver on the wing root to simulate wear and tear and then smudged it with my fingertip....I've added some black charcoal to that spot and think it looks okay...looks like something was resting there for a while, a parachute say.....I think maybe I've gone overboard with the weathering as you can't see the yellow under the nose clearly any more, but then again it served in the African desert so maybe it looks realistic enough....any thoughts???
Allan in Canberra

[NARSES2]

I'm really looking forward to this Al, she's definitely been out in a dust storm but no problem with that. I've seen what the desert can do to a perfectly clean (for Egypt anyway) vehicle in 10 mins

[Modelling_Mushi]

Looking good Allan and the weathering is OK. Simply looks well used.

[Allan]

here's the finished Raiden   I'm more or less happy with the result, but I just didn't like the clear wing and fus lights that I had to cut from the sprue and trim into shape   I was petrified that I was going to lose them    I can understand why the manufacturer included them with the kit, but they really aren't for me  just too fiddly and for sure not for the budding, young modeller   maybe I'm the sort of modeller who is most happy with a modest kit
Allan in Canberra

[Captain Canada]

Nice work Allan ! Looks great in that scheme. Quite the pudgy little beast tho...I never really noticed how odd looking of an aero it really is !

[NARSES2]

Come out really well Al 

[matrixone]

Great looking Raiden with what I think are 'proper' markings.


Matrixone

[Allan]

thanks fellow    in reality it's a fine kit with a lovely cockpit, but the wing lights? UGGHH!! surely many blokes who make this kit end up losing them on the carpet or whatever....
Allan in Canberra
now to finish my Flitzer and focus attention on the Uhu