High in the skies of Northern Europe - Spring 1945. Finished Models

[NARSES2]

How about building it with the canopy open?

Then the windscreen can be in the correct place where it fits, and the canopy will be at some distance behind it to be determined.

Would probably work Kit, you'd need to cut the canopy though as only the one is included.

Perhaps on my third one ? 

Had a look at the fuselage sides and the plastic is thick enough that attaching plastic strip and sanding it to raise the level "shouldn't" be to difficult. I shall try my re-positioning solution out first though.

Anyway detail painting is finished, assembling can begin.

[NARSES2]

Assembly has begun.

The cockpit floor has some simple raised lines as a guide when attaching the walls and gives some minimal support to them, so it goes together quite easily.

The completed tub then fits into the starboard fuselage half and again there are some simple raised lines to help you place it, the fit is very good.

The tail wheel assembly has a couple of dimples in the fuselage sides to aid placement, but mine moved a little whilst drying over night so next time I think I'll drill a hole in a thickish piece of plasticard and glue that into the fuselage for more support. I managed to fix this with a little brute strength and as the plastic is quite soft there is some give in it.

As for the fuselage halves ? They fit together very well. The cockpit tub and tail wheel cause no problems whatsoever  At the moment I've only glued the front half and will glue the rear half tomorrow once that has dried. Helps in lining up when you don't have any alignment guides.

Photos have been taken and will appear in a day or two.

I'm really enjoying this kit so far but I feel the wings will be a possible hiccup as they are a butt fit. I have put pins in them but we shall see. They will definitely need some plasticard and filler at the roots that's for sure.

[NARSES2]

I turned my attention to the 109 before it got a tad too chilly and cut the unwanted parts from the sprues. There are 31 of them, ranging from teeny bits to a complete 109 wing.

Initial sub assembly and painting shall start in the next couple of days.

[NARSES2]

I promised some pics of the MB 5 sub assemblies











The rest of the fuselage is now joined and hardening. Went together well, will need a little p.s.r. but not much.

[NARSES2]

I mentioned the number of parts for the spares box in the 109 H, well here they are

[NARSES2]

Started work on some of the 109 sub assemblies this morning before it got to cold in the model room.

First impressions ? Well  it's all told a step up from the MB 5. Whereas the MB 5 is very much limited run, albeit at the top end of the genre, the 109 could be considered mainstream. Finesse of some of the parts is very, very good. Indeed I had to get my rarely used "tacky" pencil out to attach them. There are locating pins on the major parts and on some of the smaller ones. Trial fuselage fit is excellent.

Only problem I had was with the instructions. I was looking at constructing the side walls and could I find them ? Like heck I could. I thought at first they were miss-numbered in the instructions and I couldn't see them on the parts tree diagram. Spent 10 mins looking for them and was just about to e-mail AZ when I turned the fuselage halves over and they are moulded into them  In all fairness to me the instruction diagram shows them as individual pieces but I still felt a right chump 

[PR19_Kit]

That MB5 cockpit looks better than my Skybirds one. 

For all the white metal parts the Skybirds version lacks the side consoles, which were a telling point about the MB5. I think I'll try and add them on my Monsoon.

[NARSES2]

A little bit of progress, in all honesty if it was warmer I'd have got this to the paint stage and farther by now, it's been such an enjoyable build so far. Unfortunately the model room is the coldest in the flat and it's frigging freezing 

The clamps are off and I'm happy  I had to spend 5/10 mins with a scalpel, file and wet and dry to deal with a slight mismatch of the fuselage halves.* This was mainly just behind the radiator housing and a little bit on the upper fuselage. She will only need a little putty around the sides of the cockpit's rear shelf, where the radiator lip attaches to the rest of it and as mentioned in front of the cockpit to build up the area a tad, but not much at all.

The wings come next and these may be slightly more "fun".

* This may be me. I've never been the most skillful of modellers and my eye problem has exasperated this. The main problem is that I'm having problems in judging distances when working at close range so with no joining aids it might just be me. Interestingly whereas I was once quite good at judging a half way point on something and cutting it, if I try to do it by eye now I find I'm cutting at nearer the 60% mark once I look from a greater distance. Shows the extent of the problem and at times it's easier to close the dodgy eye, but then you find yourself feeling your way to a surface 

Be interesting to hear what others find.

[NARSES2]

Well I'm no longer a re-scribing virgin  Did some for the first time ever today ! As the MB 5 didn't have many fuselage panel lines it was relatively easy to re-scribe the bits lost tidying up the top/bottom seam. Came out quite well for a first time but will probably disappear under a coat of paint. Still I know they are there, mind you in future I shall try and remember to deepen the existing ones prior to sanding 

If it warms up then it's wings at the weekend.

[Captain Canada]

Great job Chris ! Also looking forward to seeing your panel lines.

[kitbasher]

Following this with interest.  My MB5 is intended to be real world but I am very tempted by the 'Sea Baker' (alternative to the Sea Fury perhaps?).

There's a build review at http://www.modelarovo.cz/en/martin-baker-mb-5-az-model-stavba-martin-rosa/.

[PR19_Kit]

There's a build review at http://www.modelarovo.cz/en/martin-baker-mb-5-az-model-stavba-martin-rosa/.

I'd scroll down past the fifth photo, the original English build text is quoted there, or you'll be in hysterics trying to translate the Czech-lish review in the upper half. 

[NARSES2]

Wings are on and guess what ? It will need filler, a fair bit of it. May even need Milliput !

The wings/fusalage is a butt joint and whilst not bad it's not brilliant either. Just glad I put a couple of spars in place to aid fit.

Comparing this with the 109H I'm also currently building is interesting. The 109 is a few steps above the MB in terms of quality and fit, obviously more effort spent on it. I am enjoying the MB but I can't help wishing it shared the 109's toolmaker 

[NARSES2]

Finally got a little more progress made on these two. Hopefully this means the spell of zero modelling mojo has passed.

The MB 5 is now a complete airframe, but still needs a little more psr just to fair one wing/fuselage joint in a little bit better. After that I can start on the paint job.

I've started painting the 109's internals and some other bits, plus the wings have been built. You'd like these Kit, quite long  I've mentioned above the fact that the 109 is a grade or two up in quality terms from the MB 5 and it also appears the plastic used is different as well ? Definitely easier to work with for sure. The little cleaning up needed so far has been very easy 

[The Wooksta!]

If you've a Revell 109G10 in the stash, may be worth using the spare wing and prop from the H to correct the flaws in the Revell kit - the prop is always short short and the u/c too wide.