The Wooksta: Not a Spitfire Blog

[The Wooksta!]

What a revolting thought!

Been doing some more work on a few Heinkel 112s, prompted by the chance discovery of a Heller He 112 canopy in a box of Hurricane spares, of all places. These being the rebuild (Heydrich) and a captured Japanese one.  Both have their wings on and filled.  There's another Heller one also part started, this will be an Austrian one for which I already have the markings.  In addition, I've part started RS one which will end up in wartime RAF camo.

Did some research, and in addition to Austria, Finland, and Holland, they were also offered to Yugoslavia and Switzerland.  The former is an interesting possibility, but the latter is unlikely as I don't do collaborators - the Swiss were active participants in the Holocaust due to their role in allowing train loads of Italian Jews enroute to Auschwitz to transit through Switzerland and then fencing gold ripped from the mouths of Jews murdered by the Nazis.

Not entirely sure what scheme a Yugoslav one would wear, an overall Aluminium one could be different.  Could they survive the war to end up in postwar colours?  Their Fi 167s did, whilst some of the Japanese ones definitely survived and the last Spanish one ended it's days in 1952. RS gives post war Romanian roundels in one of their kits, so there are quite a few possibilities.  Any Finnish ones would also have to wear post war colours due to my swastika ban.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
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[The Wooksta!]

"Hey! There's a dead rat in there! Great!"

Had a clear out of some stuff that'll never get finished, half a dozen Hurricanes that were donated to Uncle Frank.

When I went through the box there was an assembled Revell Bf 109G-10 with the bomb rack underneath, so that may well go Isreali and an Fw 190F but with a Ta 152 fin.  Already painted in RLM02, so it's likely to be Czech.  Just need to find the rest of the bits for them.

Done nothing else all weekend, as the lure of Joy Division proved stronger.

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[The Wooksta!]

"That's probably Rick doing a bit of reading."

Heydrich's Heinkel now has it's first upper colour.  Also got the first colour on the recce Mezec.

Used the last of the Dr Magic to strip the Dornier 24 that's going water bomber. Had a word with one of the lads at the club who does civvy stuff and he has a few books on the subject. 
The same source that mentioned a possible final use for the CASA built Heinkels as water bombers also mentioned that CASA demonstrated the Merlin engined ones to the King of Iraq. We're they trying to sell them an obsolete 1940s bomber?  Could be interesting.

Also been reading an article on Iranian between the wars stuff. Allegedly they tried buying a dozen Junkers Ju 86Ks. Think I'll have a go at that, although trying to get Iranian 1930s roundels is nigh on impossible, especially ones big enough for a Ju 86.

So, I've fallen down an increasingly interesting and potentially expensive rabbit hole.  Trying to track down some of the more obscure types that this research is throwing up is quite frustrating.

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[The Wooksta!]

"It's the middle of summer, big ears!"

Heydrich's Heinkel now has it's colours on, although there's some paint creep which needs some remedial work with a hairy stick.  The Japanese one has a coat of RLM63.  Not entirely sure what RAF roundels will go over the Japanese meatballs, but I'm toying with those weird ones worn by some RAF aircraft during the immediate occupation of Japan.

Also did some clean up work on a couple of Planet kits that have been stalled for a good twenty years or more, these being the He 162C and the Me P.1110.1.  The latter looks like a small SAAB Lansen, so much so I was nearly tempted to do it in Swedish colours. I may yet, as I have another two tucked away.  However, I will do one of the assembled Flitzers I discovered in the loft as a Swedish aircraft, using some Vampire F1 markings. Toying with RAF Vampire markings for another, the unit using the Flitzers as a hack.

Both the He 162 and the P.1110 are going captured, in somewhat patchwork quilt colours common to some late war aircraft.

Of the two, it's the P.1110 I'm more interested in, as it seems one of the more realistic of the Napkinwaffe.  Given that SAAB flew something similar but much larger, Messerschmidt's design was vindicated.

Final thoughts today refer back to yesterday's research material. Quite a few Luftwaffe aircraft force landed in Spain and were interned.  IIRC I have a few things that could do with a repaint.

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[The Wooksta!]

"And what's the problem, Neil? The dummy run was a complete success!"

Having taken the masking off Heydrich's He 112, I am a lot happier with it.  Looks a lot better than I'd thought.

Spent day and yesterday in several rounds of Mask, Spray and repeat with the He 162C and the Me P.1110/1.  Both look really good, the former especially so.  I was overjoyed when I took the masking off the Messerschmitt but was even happier with the 162.  Yes, I need to do some work with a brush on both, but not too much.
Once that's done, I'll have to knock up some doors for the Me as one set has gone missing over the years whilst the nose gear doors are gone completely.  The He 162 just needs some wheels and a canopy, but I can liberate them from a Dragon kit as that's what Planet used as a master for their kits.
On the subject of He 162s, I found that Quickboost do a resin He 162 ejection seat.  Could be useful for other L46 things, maybe?

Also did a bit of remedial work on an Isreali S-99 Jabo.  Just a bit of light sanding and a reprint before a quick coat of paint.

Never did get into the loft though.


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[The Wooksta!]

"Yeah, I started that! Try to make Rick think I was hiding in his bedroom."

Finally got into the loft.  I didn't find the dead Me 410 but I did find a load bits to finish off a few things, including the canopy for the Me P.1110/1.

There were several Revell Bv P.194s that were stalled around 1998.  Managed to find a boxful of bits, including a Special Hobby one, which gives me enough bits to finish at least one of the Revell ones.  Two were decalled and varnished, but one has gone a bit odd and will likely need a respray. The other was in Hungarian markings. I don't do collaborators so RAF roundels over the national markings and a new coat of varnish and I think we're about there.  Tempted with Czech for another one,  possibly as an IL 10 replacement.

Just remembered there was a three seat 262 up there, but I forgot to bring it down.  I did find an assembled Arado flying wing thing that looks a bit like a Cutlass. Even better, the canopy hadn't yellowed.  Again, RAF markings, but I've yet to think of a scheme.

Dragged out the Flitzers too, but whilst there were three, there were only enough wheels and doors for two. That's the Swedish and RAF hack sorted.

A long stalled Italeri Heinkel He 111H-20 now has it's wings on.  IIRC it was going to be a display with all four Reichenberg variants and a normal V-1 but that never happened.  It was going to get a CASA 2.1111 conversion, but those engines are better as masters (I have plans for a few). So it's going OOB but with straight Spanish markings.  No Spanish ones had a turret proper.  Nice and subtle!


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[The Wooksta!]

I thought you were dead.

No, just resting.  Much of the recent work has surrounded the Ju 352 and a pair of Condors, detailed in other threads.

Normally, I'd be slap bang in the middle of spraying but much is already done and in several cases have decals on and awaiting varnishing. 

This is the case with all the captured Luftwaffe stuff, but they were waiting on a final decal - the Air Min number - and I needed some paint pens to create them.   I do have one somewhere, but I use a semi-tame black hole as a filing system, so it could be anywhere. Assuming it still works as it has to be at least fifteen years old.  I may try a test on a mule to see if I can write direct onto the model.
The last of the captured stuff is a Bf 109K-8, a Heller K-4 which had the upper paint on.  I kept the wing and repainted the fuselage before masking to do the 76 underneath.  The K-8 was a proposed recce fighter, so I added a spare camera pack from an AZ F, as well as a dropped tank fairing from an AZ G.  The new KPM S-199 provided a replacement prop as the Heller one had the pitch angle all wrong.  Fine for reversing into a hangar, but not for fending off marauding Spitefuls.
The Xtracrylix RLM 82/83/whatever it is this week Dunkelgrun is a lot darker than the one I'd used originally, but that adds to it all.

There's still a Bv 141 to finish assembly of, although the sub assemblies are all done before I tackle the sanding on the nacelle. I am not looking forward to masking that glazing, especially as I am doing 3.  Two are Spanish and Kit has provided the impetus to doing the third in the late war greens, being the brown and dark green combo.
I was tempted with a Spanish one with sand uppers, but I'm concerned I may not have enough Spanish roundels.  The Series Espanolas is a pain to navigate.  I do have several kits tucked away, so that idea, plus a possible Czech one is merely parked.  For now.

Also in the final assembly before paint is a Ju 86Z, but this is the rare Revell kit with the radials.  The canopy is masked but needs some filling before I go any further.  I would like to give it a white top decking but as I already have the Ju 352 and a Condor going that way, I may just save myself from having to buy a new can of Halfords primer and the resultant trip to Silverlink by going overall  Aluminium.

There are a few other things that are painted and awaiting decals, such as a Revell Bv P.194 that's going Czech with one of the units that OTL had IL-10s, and a Filter that is Swedish. I have the Vampire markings from a spare Marivox one to use.

Plenty of things going on, much close to finishing and a good six weeks early.  This year is not going to be a stupid o'clock the night before.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
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[The Wooksta!]

By the way, it was a complete lie about the oil.

I wanted some reasonable photos of the Spanish Ju 290 to hand and went searching t'interweb.  Got what I needed in a forum thread, but that thread mentioned an interned Blohm und Voss Bv 138C that ended up as scrap.  I was gifted a Supermodel one a while back, so there is a reasonable chance of that ending up with Spanish markings at some point.

Whilst looking for decals yesterday, I discovered a set of markings for Spanish CL-415 water bombers.  This is good news, as I'll need them for the Dornier Do 24 water bomber. I put that on hold after I discovered Italeri had tweaked the mould with a full interior.  Hard to find, but said bits may meet a rubbery fate.  The other snag was that the engines I had found their way to my Ju 352 build.  I do have a wreck in the loft that is being used as a spares source.

As is usual, I have a plan that I'd set for weeks and then add something at the last minute. This year is no exception but we're a good way off and the two extra going in are actually assembled and just requiring paint. One is an Ar 96 that is going to Moron Flight School and there is another which I did plan as another Spanish one, but it's being as horrid a build as the last one.  I do have a back up plan but would need to do some research and I have enough to do as it is.

The other addition is an He 70 that might just end up in a desert scheme. Still undecided, but it's the WK Aero model kit and I'd really like to finish it.
The Matchbox He 70 has provided a three blade prop for an He 112, with the spinner being donated by a Roden He 111.  This will go on the Spanish or Turkish one, or possibly both as I have a spare prop in the WK kit that is going on the radial He 70 I have in mind.

I never learn, do I?

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[The Wooksta!]

Is this some sort of sick joke? Why isn't supper ready? You haven't done a bloody thing, have you, Neil?!

I should have done some decalling over the weekend, but got caught up in trying to both mask the canopies of the trio of Bv 141s and trying to blend them in.  That two are largely assembled made life that bit trickier, and then trying to fit the observer's movable seat was even more trying.  Still, they're in now and I get to do the canopy challenge all over again with the nose glazing.

Similar fun and games were to be had with the He 111H-20, but at least the frames are a lot better defined.  I'll assemble the fuselage next time, blend in the canopies and then add the wings.  It also got a coat of primer, which highlighted a lot of flaws.  Not looking forward to masking this, three colours and 1930s splinter schemes are a pain.

Also getting primed was the He 70, which needed a lot of remedial work.  Still undecided as to a scheme for it, but something with a red lightning flash keeps popping into my head.

I did manage to get a few things sprayed, mainly doors and the engines of one Condors a rather colourful in red.  Quite a few wheels were finished off too.

So, not as unproductive as I'd alluded to, but not as much done as I should have.  Too relaxed perhaps, but catching the last of the sun yesterday was more important.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
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[The Wooksta!]

Snow, snow, bloody snow! I hate the bloody sight of it!

Having spent a great deal of the weekend masking, I really, really hate it.  This isn't just yer ordinary masking, but hateful three colour splinter necessitating lots of tape strip and multiple angles.  The end result isn't quite right, but I really don't care.  You do better!

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You cannot view this attachment.

Really like the colour combinations and no creep either. Result!

And then the repeated struggles trying to get the glazing blended in on the trio of Bv 141s. Honestly felt for Sysiphus at that point, but one has been resprayed and the other has been primed.  The third fell out of my hand and a wing cracked off, necessitating refilling.  Should get paint on proper later in the week, but having liked the three colours above, I'm almost tempted with something similar on one but I really can't face all that masking again so soon.

The Moron Flying school Ar 96 got a coat of RLM 70 dark green and looks pretty good.

So, haven't done much but it feels like progress.  More masking awaits and possibly some sanding on the second Condor.

I doubt it's worth it, given the lack of replies and all that, but comments for those still remotely and vaguely interested, and who can actually be arsed to reply, go here:
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For more information, please reread.

[The Wooksta!]

Neil, where's that emergency set of spaghetti hoops we brought?

Managed to get a good deal of decalling done over the weekend.  I would have got more done but discovered that the Spanish roundels I bought at great expense some months back are completely useless for my purposes as they are post 1970 and my stuff is 1950ish.

Now given these are what if, should this really matter? Well, yes, yes it does.  The best place to hide a tree is in a forest,  but if the tree is wearing Christmas decorations in July then it's clearly wrong.  You wouldn't put post 1970 RAF tactical roundels on a WWII aircraft. I certainly wouldn't and my commitment to a reasonable toehold in reality applies here, in a field outside my particular comfort zone.

Hence me stripping several decidedly pricey Kora sheets for the correct roundels.  To be fair, they were bought to be used, but I had intended to get something closer to their intended victim.

So I've had to shell out on further decals for single subjects.  The Condor decals  should arrive by the weekend - much as I dislike their market stranglehold and I'd prefer to order from Uncle Frank, Hannants are generally reliable.

I also had to order some Kopro Il10 markings from a Czech trader on eBay, as I didn't have enough S199 markings of the correct type and I'm unsure if they are the correct size anyway.  I'm not sure where my Aircam book on Czech aircraft is either.  I've dealt with the trader before, but the delivery dates are wonderfully vague and worryingly late, meaning the intended aircraft could miss Telford.  So I've added another pre-built Bv P.194 into the plan at the last minute. 

I really want one as a contrast with the Bv 141 and this is one that got built, sprayed and then stripped in the late 90's. Just a quick sand, a coat of primer and ready for paint.  The black is on the underside and masked for the upper colours. I went for black to hide some issues with the casting.

The colourful Condor got a new coat of filler on the upper fuselage to fix a few issues, whilst the undercarriage for the other one was largely assembled yesterday. The wheels still look too thin.

All of the captured stuff is largely decalled, barring the Bv 141, although it does have an Air Min number and a crude fin flash.   I do have some vague and possibly convincing back story for it, but squint a bit and it sounds silly.

So, I'm down to the last few to spray and decal with a good three weeks to go.  Can I get it all done before the deadline, avoiding the customary stupid o'clock finish?

See which method I employ in part two.



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[The Wooksta!]

"We never did get to watch the video."

As usual, timings slipped, largely down to being given extra shifts at work - I'm not turning down cash monies and I can sit doing some masking during my down time.  I had a Plan B.

On a very rainy, cold and windy Thursday, I bought the three travel boxes and whatever didn't fit... well, it wasn't going to go, so no point flogging myself to get them finished.  That trimmed it down (no Spanish Bv 141s, but they're going to get done over the next week). I looked closely at one of the Condors and axed that too as I wasn't happy with the paintwork.  It will get finished, but not as intended. I'll post the story in another post.

Everything else?  Mostly got finished.  The tall tail G didn't, as I discovered the MPM parts are not 72nd so the prop and canopy were too big.  The RAF He 70 had an u/c collapse and that got axed too. It's very fiddly and I was stressed enough as it was.

So, everything bar the Spanish Heinkel He 111H-22 was finished by Wednesday night.  I took a leisurely approach on the Thursday evening and got it done with a good amount of time left, wasted in the casino after packing everything, and then a decent night's sleep.  Even the last few shoved into the Plan in the last few weeks got done. I was very happy with the Spanish 190, although one of the retraction jacks had gone walkabout and I have another kit on order to fix it.

Has the curse been broken?  Possibly.  I just need to be a bit more disciplined and focused.

The disaster that happened before we set off on the Friday?  A tale for another post.


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[The Wooksta!]

Hey, that's my clause!

I may have mentioned in other threads that I've been considering building a Junkers Ju 390 and weighing up the various options to get there.  Cue a visit to the loft to dig out the terrible Contrail vac form I've had for the best part of 25 years.
It's terrible.  Very crude with panel lines that make the Matchbox trenchdigger look like the most fine and delicate Eduard rivetting.  All of the smaller parts are utterly useless.  But the fuselage looks okay and whilst the outer wings have no dihedral, they look useable.  Given a lot of replacement parts and some aftermarket bits (SAC white metal u/c and resin wheels), it could be a goer.  Interestingly, the Contrail kit is the proposed production version with nose and tail turrets.

Another option is cutting up a pair of Revell Ju 290s to make one Ju 390 - it can be done, there are several builds out on t'interweb - whilst Willie suggested using a pair of Planet ones.  Decidedly expensive? Perhaps, but he had one he'd bought for twenty notes and the glazing had gone gold so another solution.  Some of the leftovers could be used to upgrade the Contrail, certainly the tail surfaces and cockpit interior.

The easiest but most expensive option is to just buy the Planet Ju 390.  It is very tempting and I can just about justify the cost, if only to myself.  I mean, I've been thinking about a Blohm und Voss Bv 237 and that's two thirds the cost (captured - we decided to snatch rather than destroy it) and roughly the same size.

Not entirely sure which route or routes I'll be taking, but an upgraded Contrail in a KG200 scheme with overpainted codes is quite possible and may make a Telford appearance next year.

Big transports... I must be insane...




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[The Wooksta!]

'You have won second prize in a beauty contest!'

I've been looking at the two Junkers Ju 290s I have - Planet and Revell.

The former is nice but the wings have something really odd going on with the outer panel dihedral.  I'm not entirely sure if it's baked in at the mastering stage or a warp issues I've had it a good 22 years.  I've been promised a second so looking at the wings is my first priority. The second being to obtain some new canopies from Planet.
I had several marking options in mind, RW Spain being one, Czech being another.  Isreali did try to get the Czech one but the deal fell through. Given current events, I don't think doing Isreali subjects is a good idea.

Looking at the Revell one, I discovered it was part started so I taped it up to get a rough idea of it's finished size.  Not too much bigger than the Ju 352.  I don't like the engines, as they're designed with open cowls whereas I prefer doors closed where possible.  There were plans for different engines, BMW 801TJ and Jumo 222 spring to mind, and someone* does conversions for the Ju 290B and E variants, the latter having a BFO pannier underneath to carry a bomb load heavier than a Grandslam Lancaster.
Tempted with the former, possibly with 801TJs (and I have quite a few Toad ones tucked away), probably in a dark KG200 scheme and captured in Norway near an unknown U-boat base as part of an NSDAP escape flight programme, the 'Golden Pheasants' getting away on a Type XXI pleasure cruise.

I did have another look at the Contrail Ju 390 and I'll be gathering bits for it but won't do anything until the weather's nicer and I can sit outside and do the sanding in the sun with a rum n coke or three. Worked with the 352 so why not?

The conversions mentioned earlier are by Bird Models, a dude from Germany knocking out copies of other resin kits and conversions, many long OOP.  His casting is okay, definitely amateurish but workable. The stuff he's mastered himself is a bit Meh but there are quite a few I could be tempted with, the Ju 290B, possibly the Ju 390 and several Blohm und Voss projects.  There's a Bv 238 flying boat that by the way it's been cast looks like it could be a copy of the old Airmodel vac form.  It is pricey but still tempting.

Big transports...

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[The Wooksta!]

I still tend to think that the whole outfit is somethat on the snug side.

I've been looking at the aftermarket I need for the Contrail Ju 390, as well as the rubber I need to copy the tail surfaces of either the Planet or Revell Ju 290.  Having totted up the various costs, I've come to the conclusion that it's cheaper to get a Revell kit to strip for bits, but then that leaves me with the bits I need to extend the Ju 290 into a 390 anyway.  It's quite possible that I could end up with three of these monsters...

Which is nice.


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