This is my model of
a battle damaged Messerschmitt Bf109 in 1/32 scale. I was given this model
already assembled and painted (and also in pretty bad shape). So I decided
to repaint and repair the entire model, just to bring the Messerschmitt back to
life.
I had scratchbuilt a
new tail wheel and fork, re-adjust the control surfaces and detail the engine. I
chose to paint the model in the markings of Steinhoff's aircraft, probably
because of not only the splinter scheme, but because the colourful spinner and
cowling. The cowling was white with what looked like RLM75 squiggles
over the top, this was hand painted with a pointed No.3 Red Sable brush. Johnson's
'Klear' was used as a clear coat for the decals, and as my setting agent.
After decaling the model, another clear coat was applied to prepare the surface
for the upcoming weathering process. Weathering included paint chipping, post
shading, paint fading and exhaust stains on the airframe. The sheen on the
model seemed to dull down to a satin sheen, so I decided not to apply a
flat coat, it looked pretty cool anyway. After weathering, the model's back on
its legs and stands proudly in my room. Now you're probably wondering how the
crash diorama crashed into my head, right? Then read on, fellow modellers...
Click on
images below to see larger images
... Days after the
model was refurbished, I was thinking if I should make a diorama for it.
Suddenly, I heard a faint BANG! coming from my room. Rushing to witness what had
happened, the gears on the model had broke off! In an anxious manner, I was
thinking of what to do and how to repair the model. Then the idea came to
my head. A crashed diorama for it seemed suitable.
So I grabbed a chunk
of wood to place it on and got started. After reading relevant chapters from the
book 'How to build Dioramas' by Sheperd Paine, I had it all sussed out. I sat
on my workbench, with the proper arsenal of diorama materials along with some
food and a drink (modeling can make me so hungry and thirsty you know...),
I had began the groundwork. My mother's baking powder was used for the
snow (sorry if I used too much, mum) and some tea leaves for the dark grass and
soil under the snow. What I liked about the tea leaves is that when diluted,
it lets out a dark brownish pigment that simulates grease and
lubricants that may have seeped out of the aircraft. After dumping the 'snow', the
'soil', some rocks, bushes and some more tea leaves to simulate grass
showing through the snow into the base, I embedded the model onto it's final
location. Along with some figures that I had previously made, to show some scale
and some human interest to the model, I placed them on their final
locations with some liquid cement. I tried some new techniques to
create the battle damage, this includes making the plastic seem like wood,
slightly crumpling the nose without damaging the rest of the airframe and
making convincing bullet holes. The end results were pleasing to my eyes.
Overall, I enjoyed
refurbishing this model and it also brings back some humorous moments throughout
this project. Now the next thing that I have in mind... This model's got to
go to the annual club competition in November. Wish me luck!
If you have any
queries or comments, please click on my name at the top of this article. Other
than that, Happy Modelling!
Dominic
|
|