1/72 Academy Messerschmitt Me-109G-6

with Lift Here decals

by Srdjan Radosavljevic

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This is typical Academy kit with great and nicely engraved details.  Unfortunately there were some errors which I didn't fix. These errors include horizontal stabilizers with the wrong shape - they look like they are transferred from some Fw-190!? :(  Wheel covers are positioned too low, so they are almost touching the ground (they should end at the center of wheel!). There were few panel lines I had to rescribe as they didn't exist or were positioned in wrong place.  I added a few details on the cockpit walls to improve its realistic look.  As regards to photo etched parts, I added only seatbelts (Extratech EX72030 set - seatbelts with buckles WW2 Luftwaffe) and this really improved the look of the cockpit!  I painted the instrument panel carefully with a brush and applied a drop of Microscale Kristal Klear on each instrument to simulate instrument glass!

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I used Lifecolor acrylic paints for this model - upper surfaces are painted in RLM 74 and RLM 75, and lower surfaces in RLM 76.  Mottling was done in a RLM 74/75 pattern.  This model represents a Luftwaffe Gustav captured by Yugoslav partisans during WW2, so all Luftwaffe markings were overpainted - on my model I emulated this detail by masking German crosses on wings and fuselage with Tamiya masking tape.  After I finished camouflage painting and taking off the masks, I repainted the crosses with a brush in RLM 74 (upper wing and fuselage crosses) and in RLM 75 (lower wing crosses).  I used Lift Here decals (U-72LH set) for marking of this specific airplane. Decals are quite nice for applying, and I needed just a bit of Microscale Set and Sol decal solutions to make decals comply to the panel lines perfectly :) Exhausts are painted with Model Master Metalizers (Exhaust and Burnt metal) and "washed" with a mixture of white spirit, red and brown pastels, in order to simulate a rusty finish.  Exhaust smoke stains are done with black pastel.  On the left wing (below the cockpit) I added colour chipping - I did this effect with a silver pen.  Antenna wires are made of some material that is very similar to hair but a bit stronger - those are glued with super glue and painted in RLM 66.

I really enjoyed this build and actually this was the first time I tried to do the mottling, and also the first time I took care of antenna wires... so having all that on the table, I am satisfied with final result ;)

Srdjan 

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Photos and text © by Srdjan Radosavljevic