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AFCBGeorge · Last edited by AFCBGeorge on Tue 14 Apr 2009 22:38 pm; edited 1 time in total

Macteagle's build will be recorded here.

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MacTeagle · Posted: Thu 09 Apr 2009 09:58 am Post subject:

I'll be converting my Messerschmitt Bf-109E to a nightfighter scheme
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MacTeagle · Posted: Fri 10 Apr 2009 09:32 am Post subject:

Here's the kit I'll be building, converted to nightfighter scheme

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MacTeagle · Posted: Tue 14 Apr 2009 22:21 pm Post subject:

Time for some sprue photos...

I'll be building this as a Bf109E-4 of the NJG-1 German Air defense nightfighter squadron. The Airfix sprue seems to be a E-4 with instructions for modification to an E-7 so little modification will be required to bring it to Nightfighter standard. The only noticeable addition will be the Peil radar unit under the fuselage. Owl sell an aftermarket unit but it is out of stock at Hannants so I'll try making one myself.

I hope to get my Owl nightfighter decals that I ordered from Hannants before the end of the build Whistling

.

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MacTeagle · Posted: Thu 16 Apr 2009 17:42 pm Post subject:

My Bf109 E-4 Owl nightfighter decals arrived from Hannants today. They look really good and they came complete with a nice booklet. The booklet gives the decal placement, painting guide and a little blurb on the history of the Bf109E nightfighter squadron.

The booklet also comes with a true to scale drawing of the fuselage with the PeilG IV radar unit and modified rudder marked out for custom build.

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Bob(K) · Posted: Thu 16 Apr 2009 18:36 pm Post subject:

This will be an interesting build. I toyed with building the G version as a nightfighter, so I am looking forward to seeing the finished item.

Bob(K)

MacTeagle · Posted: Thu 16 Apr 2009 19:36 pm Post subject:

Cheers Bob.

MacTeagle · Posted: Tue 21 Apr 2009 22:15 pm Post subject:

I made a start of sorts today. I used a nice new needle file I bought on Saturday to clean up the pilot prior to painting and test fitted the wings, cockpit bay, fuselage, and canopy. I can tell I'll be needing to do a bit of sanding a filling with this one!

The canopy is a particular problem there is a very noticeable gap between it and the fuselage body. Some other folks on this forum had poor fitting canopies with this model. From my estimation the problem actually lies with the fuselage: the opening for the canopy is too large rather than the canopy being too small. That being the case I think I can remedy the problem with some careful modification to the fuselage pieces.
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MacTeagle · Posted: Fri 24 Apr 2009 21:25 pm Post subject:

Here's some progress photos...

I've been checking out the ill-fitting canopy and I think I can solve it with some plastic card stuck on the back of the cockpit area (behind the seat).

Anyway, I've made progress with the cockpit area constructed, pilot painted and the nightfighter customising started. I've started modifying the rudder with a piece of clear acetate cut to shape (traced from the plans that came with the Owl decals), I'll sculpt in some PVA glue tomorrow.

I've also started making a piece of plastic into the shape of the Peil_G radar unit. I'll try shaping some clear plastic around it when it is finished (haven't worked out exactly how yet

)

Wings are stuck together and I've started cleaning out the wing cavities (I'll be filling these areas).

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Heinkel51 · Posted: Sat 25 Apr 2009 09:16 am Post subject:

Coming along nicely, for the clear piece round the radar unit you could always try plunge moulding.

MacTeagle · Posted: Sat 25 Apr 2009 09:28 am Post subject:

Cheers Heinkel51, I see you used that technique in your What-if group buid. I'll maybe try that.
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MacTeagle · Posted: Sat 25 Apr 2009 21:27 pm Post subject:

Rudder modification is complete, and I gave the area a coat of paint to test the sanding and filling.

I've started on the cockpit modification to correct the ill-fitting canopy. The pieces of plastic strip stuck in here will be sanded and painted tomorrow.

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MacTeagle · Posted: Sat 25 Apr 2009 22:40 pm Post subject:

Sanded the canopy fix while watching Match of the Day. It works quite well. I'm guessing that some PVA glue will fill the gap at the bottom of the canopy.

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MacTeagle · Posted: Mon 27 Apr 2009 14:58 pm Post subject:

So, I completed my radar unit shaper and tried a plunge mould with some plastic sheet. It didn't work

because everything melted and stuck together

.

I rescued the end of the plastic shaper (thankfully I had sunk it into some blu-tack and still had the basic shape of the dome. Plan B has sprung into action: I dropped some candle wax into the blu-tack shape and stuck this onto the remains of the other shaper. The wax was really nice to sculpt.

The next step will be about ten coats of clear nail polish onto the wax and then a gentle wash in warm (not hot) water to remove the wax. I hope this will do the trick!

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Ratch · Posted: Mon 27 Apr 2009 15:12 pm Post subject:

Good luck

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Heinkel51 · Posted: Tue 28 Apr 2009 13:48 pm Post subject:

Candle Wax - great idea.

Tried the nail polish technique for the P4/34 however it soaked right through the gel into the balsa.
Looking good.

MacTeagle · Posted: Wed 29 Apr 2009 17:50 pm Post subject:

It worked!

I now have a little clear dome for under the fuselage. I'm going to keep experimenting though: the end product is a bit floppy (it feels like a contact lens). I was surprised by this, thinking nail polish would dry as hard as nails

.

I was thinking about trying 4 or 5 coats of Glosscote followed by 4 coats of Klear over the top of my wax mould to see if it would be harder.
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MacTeagle · Posted: Mon 04 May 2009 20:45 pm Post subject:

I've been spending the past while crafting a radar unit out of old sprue and chopped up staples. It was very fiddly. I got there in the end and now I have it attached to the underside of the fuselage ready for the domed transparent cover to be fitted.

Nearly there now with the fuselage halves and wings assembled.

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feanor · Posted: Mon 04 May 2009 21:03 pm Post subject:

Ayup Mac T...

Lovely Idea with the staples...

Glad to hear about your 'contact Lens' too ! you got away with that one ! but i'm Intrigued, as i never heard of a nightfighter 109 before...
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MacTeagle · Posted: Sat 16 May 2009 15:02 pm Post subject:

Really busy at work these days so there was only slow progress. Here's where I've got to now:

The fit issues have been sorted out, homemade transparancy glued over the radar unit, canopy fitted masked and painted and the whole bodywork painted Revell Matt9 (Anthracite) which is a better luftwaffe nightfighter colour than black.

You can see the radar unit on this first image.

This second image also shows the customised rudder.

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