MESSERSCHMITT Bf109E

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COMPETITION TIME
JUNIOR COMPETITION TIME
The Official
Air fix Club Magazine
In this issue...
Modellers of WWII aircraft will find our competition prize particularly appealing this
time. We have an example of the 1:48 scale A05120 Messerschmitt Bf109E to give
away to one lucky winner, along with an Airfix mug – ready to be filled with a refreshing
drink whilst you build your prize!
How to enter: All we want you to do is answer the following questions:
Win your very own A50015 RAF Battle of Britain Airfield Set in our competition.
This set, with one finish option, includes a Supermarine Spitfire Mk1a, an RAF
Refuelling set with two vehicles and RAF personnel, for you to make a World War II
Airfield unique to you. The prize will go to one lucky winner, aged 14 years or under,
whose all-correct entry we draw on the closing date of 12th July 2010.
How to enter: All we want is the correct answer to each of these questions. You will find
all the answers in this issue of the Airfix magazine.
1. Who was the first German pilot in history to claim 100 aerial
victories in a combat situation?
2. Name three of the Allied WWII fighter pilots with whom Adolf
Galland became friends after the War.
3. In which year did Adolf Galland die and how old was he?
1. On which date was the restored Vulcan XH558 returned to flight?
2. What was the name of the famous Falklands War Operation in
which the Vulcans took part in the bombing of Stanley airfield?
Put your answers on a postcard and send with your name, address and Airfix
membership number to:
Airfix Issue 11 Competition, PO Box 25, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 1ZG.
Closing date for entries is 12th July 2010.
Put the answers, with your name, address, age and Airfix membership number, on
a postcard and send to: Junior Airfix Issue 11 Competition, PO Box 25, Melton
Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 1ZG, to reach us no later than 12th July 2010.
Rules of Entry for both Competitions
1. The single winner of each of the respective
competitions will be one adult/one junior (aged 14
or under), whose entry is drawn at random from
the all-correct entries received by the closing date
of 12th July 2010.
2. The competitions are limited to one entry per
current member of the Airfix Club.
3. Duplicate entries will be disregarded.
4. The results of the competitions will be announced
in issue 12 of the Airfix magazine and the winners
notified by post.
5. The competitions are not open to employees of
Hornby Hobbies Ltd., their agents or families.
COMPETITION RESULTS
6. No correspondence to be entered into in
conjunction with the competitions.
7. No cash equivalent is available.
Our Issue 10 competitions promised a bumper pack of Humbrol modelling products – to go to one adult and
one junior winner. Our winners – selected at random from the all-correct entries are:
8. The Airfix Club accepts no responsibility for
entries lost, delayed or damaged in the post.
1. Mr James McCormack, member 566755 from Cheshire. 2. Mstr Piers Sciolti, member 566199 from
Lincolnshire.
9. Entries defaced or altered in any way will be
deemed null and void.
Congratulations to you both. Your prizes are on their way with the compliments of Airfix. The answers to the
competition questions were: 1. 1962. 2. HMS Trafalgar. 3. Emil.
10. The judges’ decision is final.
10% DISCOUNT
FOR CLUB MEMBERS
AIRFIX HAS ARRANGED WITH KEY PUBLISHING
FOR ITS MEMBERS TO RECEIVE A £5 OFF THEIR
AVIATION MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION OFFERS.
ANOTHER BENEFIT OF AIRFIX
CLUB MEMBERSHIP!
Simply enter coupon code “AIRFIX” during the
checkout process of the relevant online shop.
MODEL BUILD
MESSERSCHMITT Bf109E
SPECIAL FEATURE...
Alternatively, call UK 01780 480404 or Overseas +44 1780 480404
and quote your code to the customer services assistant.
You can now use your membership card to obtain 10% discount
on purchases featured on the Airfix Direct Sales website:
www.airfix.com
Follow the step by step guide to the checkout and give your valid
Airfix Collectors Club membership number to claim your discount,
quoting Code: clubmjm
NOTE: YOU MUST BE A CURRENT MEMBER WITH A
FULLY PAID UP SUBSCRIPTION TO BENEFIT FROM
THIS OFFER!
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12
BIGGIN HILL & THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN!
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Issue 11 2010
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Welcome to the 11th issue of the Airfix magazine. The highlights over
the next three months include a wealth of new models either available
Editorial
now or due out shortly and we review each of them in our Forthcoming Releases column.
Contents
The summer months also witness the major UK Air Shows, many of
which the Airfix Roadshow is attending. Come along and meet the
Airfix team – and, for younger enthusiasts, have a go at constructing
your own Airfix model in our Make and Paint marquee. Turn to our
Diary Dates section to see where we are exhibiting. For further
updates, visit the website at: www.Airfix.com
The Airfix Roadshow ... 2
Airfix 2010 New Model
Releases .............. 2 - 3
Avro Vulcan XH558.... 4
The Messerschmitt Bf109
.................................. 5
The Messerschmitt Bf109
Model Build.......... 6 - 7
RAF Airfield Set
Model Build.......... 8 - 9
Biggin Hill Airfield ... 10
Airfix Club Reader
offers........................ 11
THE AIRFIX ROADSHOW
A02048A Messerschmitt Bf109E. The initial variants of the Messerschmitt Bf109 were not
sufficiently sophisticated to combat the WWII Allied aircraft in the early stages of the
Battle of Britain, due to their short-range capacity. However, modifications to the
aircraft, as well as the expertise of the Luftwaffe pilots, gave rise to a formidable
weapon in the air battle over Europe. The Airfix model gives you two finish options.
13th June: Cosford Air Show – RAF Cosford, Shropshire.
Stop Press...Spitfix! Wins the Record.
We promised to update you on the Spitfix! model building attempt
to enter the Guinness Book of Records for the largest number of
people involved in making up Airfix Spitfire models in one day.
19-22nd August: Bournemouth Air Festival, Bournemouth
Town Centre.
4-5th September: The Battle of Britain Air Show - IWM Duxford.
FORTHCOMING RELEASES
Military Aircraft – 1:72 scale
A02082A Hawker Hurricane MkI.
Cars – 1:32 scale
The Airfix gift sets come complete with paints, adhesive and two brushes for you to
complete your models.
We have just heard that the attempt was successful, with over
250 people making and painting the 1:72 scale model Spitfires
which Airfix supplied specially for Spitfix!, which can now boast
the Guinness World Record award.
13-14th November: IPMS Scale Model World - International
Centre, Telford.
Cheques made payable to:
Hornby Hobbies Limited.
Our 1:48 scale kit comes with three finish options, each from the French campaign.
GIFT SETS
30th July-1st August: Navy Days at HM Naval Base, Portsmouth.
This event will appeal to our Airfix Club members with an interest
in the wide range of Airfix Ships.
AVAILABLE NOW...
A05120 Messerschmitt Bf109E – New tooling in 2010. The E-1 carried two 7.92 mm MG
17s above the engine and two more in the wings. The E-1B was the first operational
Bf 109 fighter bomber and was fitted with either one central bomb rack to carry a
250 kg bomb or two under wing bomb racks each housing a 50 kg bomb.
Airfix are expecting delivery of these models shortly, so keep a look out or – better still
– pre-order from your local stockist now.
3-4th July: International Air Show – RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.
2010 Subscription Fees:
UK POSTAL Version £24.99.
UK DOWNLOADABLE Version £15.99.
EU DOWNLOADABLE Version £19.49.
Rest of the World DOWNLOADABLE
Version £21.49.
There are 49 pieces to construct, giving a finished model dimension of 120mm in
length and 137mm in width.
COMING SHORTLY...
26-27th June: 47th International Air Fair – Biggin Hill, Kent.
17-18th July: The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) – RAF
Fairford, Gloucestershire.
A01748
USAAF Personnel
A01755
Luftwaffe Personnel
As we go to press, we are attending the following events – look
on the website www.airfix.com/Events for further updates.
Competition Time..... 12
Membership Organiser:
Sarah Woodhouse.
The first in the series comprises a workshop (A75001) and the second is a typical café
as seen in many a continental town or village centre (A75002). Both of these should
be available to buy from authorised Hornby stockists now. In addition, the range of
Airfix accessories includes a new series of military figures in simple kit form in 1:72
scale, which are also now available. The selection comprises:
A01747
RAF Personnel
And for young enthusiasts, especially, we will have our Make
and Paint marquee, where you can build, decorate and take
home your very own Airfix model – absolutely free!
10th July: International Air Day – RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset.
Design & Production:
DSP Limited.
Figures and Dioramas
Appealing particularly to those of you who are Airfix aircraft
enthusiasts, we look forward to seeing you at one or more of
the many UK Air Shows where the Airfix team will be aboard the
Roadshow vehicle.
Online Discounts ...... 12
Consultant Editor:
Susan Pownell.
ALSO AVAILABLE NOW...
We review the new ranges of Airfix models that are either available now
or should be coming into your favourite Airfix store shortly.
Our model comes in two finish options – one of which is that
of the Red Baron, as flown in France in 1917. The second variant
replicates the aircraft of Lt Max Nather as flown over France in
May 1918.
A03410 Jaguar XKR GT3 – Rocketsports.
Battlefield Diorama Gift Set – A50060 WWI The Western Front. The diorama in this 1:76
scale Airfix kit replicates a model of a typical trench layout, as would have been
experienced by WWI soldiers serving on the Western Front.
A03411 Aston Martin DBR9 – Gulf.
Historic Ships and Vessels Warships – 1:350 scale
A50031 Red Arrow Hawk Gift Set. The latest Airfix set in the larger 1:48 scale now enables
you to build your own awe-inspiring Red Arrows Hawk. What’s more, the paints,
acrylic cement and two brushes to enable you to complete any one of the 13 finish
options of the famous RAF Red Arrows Aerobatic Team.
Military Aircraft – 1:72 scale
Visa, Access, Mastercard, Maestro
& Switch accepted with valid
expiry date.
Club Address:
Airfix Collectors Club,
PO Box 25, Melton Mowbray,
Leicestershire, UK. LE13 IZG.
Tel: 0870 062 4001
Fax: 01664 480 257
The Airfix Club Magazine is
published on behalf of Hornby plc,
Westwood, Margate,
Kent CT9 4JX.
The Club accepts no responsibility
for errors or ommissions or for
views and opinions expressed by
contributors to the magazine.
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A01078 Albatros D.Va. The Albatros D.V was a successful WWI
aircraft much favoured by the famous Red Baron – Baron
Manfred von Richthofen. The D.Va machine was the upgrade,
with minor refinements to combat the fearsome Allied aircraft
of the conflict.
A02002 Supermarine Walrus Mk II. This aircraft was used for
air/sea rescue missions during WWII. The biplane comes with
two finish options – 1700 NAS, HMS Emperor – British Pacific
Fleet, July 1945 and 1700 NAS, La Argentina, Armada Argentina,
late 1940s.
2
A03260 Trafalgar Class Submarine. We reviewed this newly tooled Submarine at length
in issue 10. It is now available to buy in the shops and comes with seven finish options,
so you can choose your own personal favourite from the Class to model.
A14201 HMS Illustrious Also available now, the Airfix model replicates the aircraft
carrier that is one of three Invincible Class ships currently used by the Royal Navy.
She is also the fifth carrier to carry the ‘Illustrious’ name. She comes as a single
finish option.
A03007 Junkers Ju88 A03080 Messerschmitt Bf110C/D. New Tooling.
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1960-2010 CELEBRATING HER HALF CENTURY...
AVRO VULCAN XH558
The Avro Vulcan was a British delta wing subsonic
bomber operated by the RAF between the mid 1950s
and 1984. The Vulcan saw service during the Cold War
against the Soviet Union, as well as being used in a
conventional bombing role during the Falklands War.
There is only one surviving example in flying condition, which was returned to
airworthy condition, thanks to the tenacity and optimism of a small engineering team,
headed by Dr Robert Pleming, an enthusiastic fund-raising group and supporters. Dr
Pleming received the 2007 Preservationist of the Year Award for leading the Vulcan to
the Sky Trust in restoring XH558 to flying condition. 2010 sees the 50th Anniversary
of the Avro Vulcan B Mk 2 bomber and Airfix are joining the celebrations with a special
Vulcan to the Sky Gift Set. A50097 comprises a superbly detailed and tooled 1:72nd
scale model, for you to recreate your own Vulcan ‘restoration project’. And - £1 from
the sale of each set is being donated to the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, the charity that
helped to raise the remaining finance needed to finish the restoration back in 2007.
Even so, ongoing funds running into tens of thousands a month are needed for the
project to continue.
maiden flight on 30th August 1952. A year later, the aircraft was officially named the
Vulcan. The Vulcan had a normal crew of five – two pilots, two navigators and an air
electronics engineer. The initial design only allowed for the pilot and co-pilot to have
ejector seats, the remaining crew having to bail out through the crew entrance door
in the cockpit floor. There were fatalities in the early days, as the rear crew did not
have sufficient time to bail out. The RAF received the first Vulcan B1 XA897 in
September 1956 and flew to New Zealand on a promotional visit. However, returning a
month later, it crashed short of the runway at Heathrow and all its rear, non-ejector
seat crew, were killed. A B2 variant, with several refinements, entered service in 1960.
Historically, the Vulcan design started in 1947 at A V Roe (hence Avro) in response
to an Air Ministry requirement for a bomber with a top speed of 500 knots, an operating
ceiling of 50,000 ft, a range of 3000 nautical miles and a bomb load of 10,000 lbs.
Its original purpose was to carry out delivery of Britain’s nuclear-armed gravity bombs
to strategic targets within Soviet territory. Design work was also carried out at Vickers
and Handley Page, resulting in the Victor, Valiant and Avro Vulcan.
Only 134 Vulcans were manufactured, with the last being delivered to the RAF in
January 1965. The last operational Vulcan squadron was disbanded in March 1984.
The only combat missions involving the Vulcan took place in the 1982 Falklands War
in the famous Black Buck operations, in which they flew the 3380 nautical miles from
Ascension Islands to Stanley, Falkland Islands. Victor aircraft were used for air to air
refuelling using around 1.1 million gallons of jet fuel in each of the three missions to
bomb the airfield at Stanley – using conventional bombs.
The delta wing was revolutionary in aircraft design and not without problems during
testing and refinements. However, the first
full-scale prototype 698 made its
At the time, these missions held the record for the world’s
longest distance raids.
Our Airfix example represents XH558, which flew from 1986 to 1993 as
the single RAF Display Vulcan after originally being introduced into RAF service
in 1960 – a career of 33 years. Her final flight was on 23rd March 1993 to
Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome in Leicestershire, having been sold off by the Ministry of
Defence. However, 14 years after her last service flight and with over £7 million
restoration costs, Vulcan XH558 roared into the air again on 18th October 2007.
On a perfect flying day, it proved a very moving occasion for the project team
responsible, having endured seemingly insurmountable problems and financial
constraints along the way. It is only thanks to them that an iconic aircraft of the
20th century and the last remaining airworthy example, has returned to flight.
£1 from the sale of each set is being donated to
the Vulcan to the Sky Trust.
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4
THE MOST PRODUCED FIGHTER IN HISTORY...
THE MESSERSCHMITT Bf109
In Issue 10, we outlined the history of the Bf109, which was designed by Willy Messerschmitt in Germany during
the early 1930s and manufactured at his Bayerische Flugzeugwerke. The first prototype flew on 29th May 1935
and was introduced commercially two years later.
During its lifetime, the Bf109 became the most produced fighter aircraft in history,
with a total of almost 34,000 being produced up to April 1945. Although it retired
from the Luftwaffe in 1945, it continued in use – over several variants, with a number
of foreign air forces, including Spain, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Rumania, Israel, Finland
and Switzerland.
The plane faltered in a thunderstorm and crashed at Breslau killing three of the
occupants, including Mölders. He was only 28 years old. Adolf Galland, another WWII
Luftwaffe fighter ace, also served with the Condor Legion before joining the Luftwaffe
as a fighter pilot. After achieving 94 kills, he was promoted to commander of Germany’s
fighter force – the Jagdflieger. ‘Dolfo’ Galland reached Ace status during the Battle of
France and his total of 104 victories earned him the highest German military decoration
– the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with oak leaves, swords and diamonds.
Two more Messerschmitt Bf109s join the Airfix complement of WWII aircraft during
the second quarter of 2010. Firstly, under model number A05120, the newly tooled
Bf109E in 1:48 scale features three finish options, including those of two German
Luftwaffe aces: E-4/N Stab JG-26, Audembert, France, late 1940, as flown by Adolf
Galland; and E-3 4/JG51, flown by Werner Mölders in France on 8th July 1940. The
third variation represents the E-1/BII Schlacht/Lehrgeschwader 2, the fighter Gruppe
that was based in Calais-Marck, flying short distance sorties over England.
One of his commands was JG 26, which is a finish option you can choose to model
on both A05120 and A02048A. Adolf Galland survived the war, dying in 1996 aged
83. Following WWII, he met and became friends with several Allied fighter aces,
including Douglas Bader, Johnnie Johnson and Robert Stanford Tuck, with whom he
shared mutual respect.
The second introduction, A02048A, comes in 1:72 scale with two finish
options – those of Messerschmitt Bf109E-4 of 9. /Jagdeschwader 26,
as flown in Caffiers, France in August 1940; and Bf109E-7 Trop, as
flown by the Luftwaffe in the Western Desert.
Werner Mölders was the first pilot in aviation history to claim 100 aerial
victories in combat and was highly decorated as a result. He had served
with the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War before becoming
a WWII Luftwaffe pilot. His major achievements were flying
Messerschmitt Bf109s in both the Battle of France and the Battle of
Britain. He became commander of JG51 unit – one of the finish options
on our 1:48 scale Bf109E – and subsequently transferred with the unit
from France to the Eastern Front in June 1941.
In November 1941, whilst on the Eastern Front, he was flying back to
Berlin for the funeral of WWI fighter ace Ernst Udet, travelling as a
passenger in a Heinkel HeIII.
5
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MESSERSCHMITT Bf109E
1:48
The model build in this issue is one of the exciting new
model kits to be released this year, the 1.48th scale
Messerschmitt Bf109E.
SCALE
31
1. The Interior.
Given this is the Bf109E variant, there are still a number of options to choose from,
including three colourways. All are based on the RLM02 Grau (Grey) and RLM71
Dunkelgrun (Dark Green) over RLM65 Hellblau (Light Blue). The first option is the Bf
109E-3 of JG51 France, July 1940, which represents the first Luftwaffe fighter to be
shot down over the UK; or you can choose a Bf 109E-1/B based in France in September
1940. Finally - and the option we have chosen for our model build - is the Bf109E4/N of JG26 flown by Adolf Galland in late 1940. As well as the Grey and Green over
Blue, it also has the famous yellow nose and tail.
The cockpit has some moulded detailing which is still clearly visible once the pilot
figure is in place. There were a few ejector pin marks to fill. (Picture 01). The interior
parts are glued in place and the interior is painted with H31 Slate grey. Before the
paint had dried, I added a few highlights with a little white paint and made the interior
look ‘worn’ with a thin wash of H56 Aluminium. I then added some dirty white spirit
with an old brush to finish the weathering process. (Picture 02). The control panel
has moulded detail so I used a fine brush to pick out the instruments. (Picture 03).
This newly tooled Airfix kit also features a number of alternative parts including bombs,
choice of three prop spinner, telescopic gun sight, early or later canopy, two air filters
and different wing gun fairings.
The pilot figure has poseable arms and if you glue them in the right position, he can
actually grasp the joystick. The instructions suggest a blue tunic (H96 Blue) but as this
aircraft was used by Galland in November 1940 I thought a warm leather jacket would
be more appropriate. If you’re doing Galland’s machine, don’t forget his moustache!
(Picture 04) Whoever drew the instructions obviously wanted the pilot to be happy!
(Picture 05). The completed seat assembly can now go into the fuselage (Picture 06).
Let’s get on with making it!...
32
2. Fuselage and wings.
One of the nice features in this kit is it includes the engine and separate cowling.
Although the engine is simplified and it’s just the engine bearers that need to be added,
it is a nice touch. Once the propeller is added, both fuselage halves can be closed up.
The only filler I used was at the sprue gates. (Picture 07). The wings and control
surfaces are all separate parts. Here the under wing radiators are being installed to
the main wing (Picture 08). Next I added the cannon fairings, which did require a little
filler (Picture 09). Finally, glue the wing to the fuselage. This is a very good fit. It almost
clips into place without the need for filler. (Pictures 10 and 11).
3. Control Surfaces.
All the main control surfaces are poseable with this new kit. However, the leading edge
spoilers and flaps do have lugs to fit them in the deployed positions. If you want the
spoilers closed and the flaps raised, you will need to trim off these lugs (Picture 12).
www.airfix.com
6
The elevators were glued in a down position (Picture 13). As the rudder will be painted
yellow, I chose to add it later.
A higher pressure directs the paint more accurately. You do need to be careful not to
pull back on the paint supply too much (assuming you’re using a dual action airbrush).
Once I was ready, I started at the top and gradually made my way down the fuselage
leaving bigger gaps between each ‘splodge’. (Pictures 21 and 22).
4. Painting and decaling.
The three Humbrol colours nearest to the RLM colours are H31 Slate Grey, H117 US
Light Green, H65 Aircraft Blue and for this version H154 Insignia Yellow (approx to
RLM04 Gelb). The canopy is in three pieces with the middle one poseable open or
closed. As I want the canopy to be open, I masked the interior and put in place the front
and rear sections. The underside and the majority of the fuselage were airbrushed with
H65. (Pictures 14 and 15). Once dry, I masked out the upper grey areas ready for
airbrushing the H117 green (Picture 16). People tell you to start with the light colours
then move to the darker ones. There’s a reason I did it the ‘wrong’ way around which
will be shown later. A small but noticeable point was to mask the spoilers separately
as there would be a slight step in the demarcation line with the spoiler deployed
(Picture 17). The H117 green was airbrushed, before I removed the masking.
(Pictures 18 and 19). Once the green was completely dry, it was masked ready for
the H31 Slate Grey.
After the engine cowlings and rudder were sprayed yellow, I gave the model a good
coat of gloss varnish ready for the decals, which stick better to a shiny surface and
reduces the chances of them ‘silvering’. (Picture 23). Having applied all the decals,
it was at this stage that I added the undercarriage. (Pictures 24 and 25).
5. Weathering and finishing.
I admit I don’t often weather my models, partly because I’ve never been very good
at it in the past and I also like the ‘factory fresh’ or ‘restored museum exhibit’ style.
However in this instance I thought I’d give it a go. I used acrylic paints which I could
water down to make dirty washes. I used only three colours - an acrylic dark grey,
dark earth and a sand colour. The dark grey was used without too much thinning for
the oil streaks under the cowlings. I then used it well thinned for the rain marks and
streaks. I applied washes of dark earth on the undersides, as fields in France in
November were likely to be muddy. I used the sand colour mainly to represent clogged
dirt in the tyre treads. I also used some Humbrol H56 aluminium, slightly thinned with
a small pointed brush to give the paintwork a chipped appearance. It’s very easy to
get too carried away and too much weathering can spoil a well made model. Finally,
I added some painted invisible thread to make the aerial wire.
Now here’s why the lighter colour was sprayed second. On this colour scheme the
grey on top of the fuselage extends down the fuselage in a mottled fashion. The mottling
also extends under the green areas. Mottling can be a little tricky with an airbrush and
it’s worth practising the technique on a piece of card. The way I airbrush it is not to
have the paint too thin which risks running. I also spray at reasonably high pressure.
I’ve found spraying at low pressure makes the paint spurt and splatter more.
Finished! (Pictures 26 to 32).
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1:76
Spitfire
SCALE
Vehicles
Figures
Diorama
RAF Battle of Britain Airfield Set
Once dried the remaining parts were attached and an aerial lead from fine fishing line
attached. Final detail painting was carried out and then an overall coat of matt varnish
was applied, having masked the canopy parts first. Subtle weathering was applied, such
as engine exhaust and cordite staining from the machine guns.
The Battle of Britain gift set comprises a vac-form dispersal pen base with a Spitfire
Mk 1, the RAF Personnel figures and the RAF Refuelling set along with paints and glue.
This will be an "out of the box" build to replicate the scene of a Spitfire being re-armed
and refuelled prior to its next mission against the German Luftwaffe during the summer
of 1940 - The Battle of Britain. The vac-form base depicts one half of an "E" shape
fighter dispersal as seen at several fighter stations that were involved in the hard
fought defence of the realm during the summer of 1940.
Making the vehicles...
The RAF refuelling set comprises an AEC tanker and a Bedford QL bowser, as well as
10 figures and 1 driver. The figures I will deal with in the figure painting section. There
are some technical issues with the Bedford QL and the timescale in which the kit
portrays it, but as this is an out of the box build we won't go into that here. The major
parts were removed from the sprues and cleaned up ready for painting and assembly.
Both vehicles have detailed chassis with individual components that build up the
suspension. These look quite daunting but with careful following of the instructions
they go together without any problems. Test fitting is the order of the day at this stage.
Individual detail parts were painted as required before assembly. The cab interiors were
painted a light cream colour (103) and driver figure for the AEC tanker was painted in
the usual RAF uniform colours.
Although I made and painted all the elements of this kit in parallel, I will detail separately
the construction of each of these (aircraft, vehicles, figures and base).
Making the Spitfire...
I removed and cleaned up the major components and pre-painted parts as requiredthe cockpit parts and surrounding area (cockpit green 78).On the inside edge of the
wheel wells I removed the "support" used for the retracted undercarriage option.The
interior of the wheel wells, undercarriage legs and wheel hubs were painted the
underside sky colour (Beige 90). Undercarriage oleos were painted in silver. Tyres were
painted very dark grey (67) which looks more realistic than the usual black - take a
look at any parked car and you will see what I mean. The yellow tips of aircraft propellor
blades can be a bit of a problem yellow is one of the worst colours for density, needing
several coats to look right, especially over a dark colour like black. My usual method
is to paint the whole blades matt white and then a couple of coats of yellow. Once dried
the tips can be masked off and the rest of the blades painted black. Removing the
masking reveals straight edged bright yellow tips.
As this was an out of the box build, I didn't go to town on cockpit detailing, despite the
fact that the cockpit would be left empty, having decided that the pilot would be taking
a well earned rest from his bucket seat. With the kit’s single piece transparency a great
deal wouldn’t be seen inside. I added some beige painted masking tape "straps" to the
seat - not entirely accurate but they make it look a little less bare. When the interior
had dried, I assembled the major components - a little filler was required to blend in
the wings. Once sanded, washed clean and dried, it was time to start painting.
It's always best to start with the lightest colour first - which in the case was the
underside sky colour (90) - I painted the whole aircraft with a couple of coats of this
colour to get the depth of colour required and to act as a primer for the top surfaces.
The painting demarcation lines were masked off and a couple of coats of dark earth
(29) were applied. Using the kit's painting instructions as a guide, the camouflage pattern
was marked out in pencil. The green camouflage was applied using Dark Green (116)
which is a good match for WW2 RAF Dark Green.
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8
When dried a liberal coat of white PVA wood glue was applied to the grass areas. This
was left to go tacky and then a second layer was spread on. After leaving this to go
tacky, Hornby scenic grass was sprinkled over the glue and left to dry. Any missing
or thin areas of grass were redone where appropriate. Different shades of grey/stone
coloured paint were used to add to the patchwork nature of the concrete apron. I used
Dark Stone (187), Khaki Drill (72).
When dry the bitumen expansion gaps were painted in using either Black (33) or Tank
Grey (67) between the slabs. These in theory should be straight and of a uniform width
but pictures show that they rarely are. Slightly wobbly lines are just the thing here.
An alternative would be to use a thick black permanent marker to draw them in. Small
cracks can be drawn in a random fashion but not too many, as after all, these pens
were only a few years old by the time of the battle. Oil stains and other marks can be
added to relieve the monotone look of the slabs. Matt black (33) was used to mark
out the entranceway to the shelter. When done an overall spray coat of matt varnish
(49) was applied to dull things down.
The items were then placed upon the base as desired. The baseless figures are
mounted using latex glue, or a similar contact adhesive. Wood glue could also be used
but this is a little more rigid and takes longer to dry.
The detail painting can now begin...
Each of the vehicles were built up as two sub-assemblies - chassis and cab - and body.
This made painting a bit easier as all that chassis detail could still be reached with the
paintbrush without fear of leaving some unpainted plastic to show up later. The larger
AEC tanker was painted Dark Earth (29) and the Bedford Ql was painted RAF Blue
(96) representing a slighty faded vehicle. A new more pristine example would be better
painted with a 90/10 mix of 77 and 67 which give a more representative RAF vehicle
Blue/grey colour. Light dry brushing in lightened base colours was carried out to
highlight the edges. Thin washes of darkened base colours were also applied to further
enhance the detail and add greater depth to the shapes.The tyres were painted a more
realistic dark grey (67). The sub assemblies were glued together and the decals were
applied along with a clear acrylic gloss varnish to help prevent any "silvering" and to
help seal them on. After this had all dried, any final detail painting was carried out
and then an application of matt varnish (49) was applied.
Flesh (61) - The Flesh parts. Hair - various shades of brown, sand colours. A "wash"
was applied to the flesh paint to accentuate the detail - use thinned leather (62) or
other brown shade. Aircraft Blue (25) - Shirts. Navy Blue (77) - Ties, RAF ties are said
to be black but that is too stark in this scale. RAF Blue (96) - Uniforms and hats.
Uniform dry-brushing with a lightened RAF Blue mix (96)+ Matt White (34) Uniform
wash - Thinned wash of Navy (77) over the uniform areas only to accentuate the
details. Matt Black (33) or Satin Black (85): Shoes. Yellow (24) - Pilot’s Mae west
(Lifejacket). Ochre (83) - Parachute pack. Camouflage Grey (28) Straps on pilot figure.
Chocolate (98) Helmet and Ammunition boxes if the armourer figure is being used.
Brass (54) - Ammunition belts, cap badges on the officer figures. When completed
a liberal coat of Matt Varnish (49) completes the figures.
Making the figures...
Making the Dispersal Base...
The RAF personnel set comprises 37 figures, 2 accumulator/starter trolleys and a couple
of air to ground rockets.These are moulded in a soft pliable polythene type material
that is known for not being very durable as far as its paint adhesion properties go.
However the age old trick of using an undercoat of PVA/wood glue does help to alleviate
this. As I wasn't going to use all the figures in this diorama, I selected a few suitable
poses. I trimmed with a sharp hobby knife any "flash" on the figures. At this stage you
should really decide if you are going to leave the figures on their individual bases or
remove them so that they can be glued in place on the diorama as if they are "walking".
If removing the figures it's best to trim around the shoes of each figure with some
The decals were applied along with a clear acrylic gloss varnish to help prevent any
"silvering" and to help seal them on.
sprue/side cutters or sharp knife, leaving the figure "wearing" some very high 1970's
platform shoes. The depth of this shoe can then be sliced away to a more realistic
size trying to ensure that the sole of the shoe is flat so that glue can be used to fix it
to the base later on. Once all the handling of the figures was over, they can be washed
in warm soapy water to remove any oils deposited on them. A gentle scrubbing with
a nail brush gets into the details but isn't essential. Once rinsed and left to dry they
can be primed in the PVA glue. The glue coat process aims to cover the figure in a
layer of more paintable PVA that essentially "shrinks" onto the figure helping to prevent
the paint flaking off. This will still happen if the figure is flexed too much but if handled
sensibly no paint flaking occurs. I have used this method for several years on my
wargaming figures which have had literally been in the wars with regards to handling.
Just make sure that the figure is covered in the glue but not too thickly or the glue
will fill in all the surface detail. A second coat may be required depending on how
thick the glue is. When dried completely the PVA should dry clear. Of course being a
"skin" of glue if you cut the figure or think some trimming is required the layer of PVA
will start to pull away from the figure.
The colours and the order I painted them in were as follows:
And there we have it - a compact in-action diorama
that pays tribute to the "few".
The fighter dispersal base as supplied is represents one half of an "E" shape double bay
fighter dispersal pen with concrete shelters built within the raised earthworks. Several
of these pens would have been built along the perimeter track of a fighter base. The
most famous of which that still survive today are those of RAF Kenley near Croydon.
The concrete and areas of the base were first painted with Hemp (168). An undercoat
of Grass Green (80) was applied to the grassed areas of the revetment.
Brick Red (70) was applied to the brick areas of the pen. Given time I could have
painted in the mortar between the bricks for a more effective look.
9
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