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Do we really need another 109 kit?


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On another board, Nuno had a question regarding the guns and how they should fit into the ports. He posted the following photo..

32_109E_31a.jpg

This is an interesting photo because it seems to show that the muzzles of both guns should be visible in the gun troughs. But there are plenty of photos that show this isn't the case - the gun on the left side sticks out slightly, and the one on the right is recessed just slightly behind the opening in the cowling. The reason this photo looks this way can be seen if you look very closely. It's pretty obvious the clamps for the cowling seal on the lower gun have been removed, and the seal has been slid backwards. I have taken Nuno's photo and done a quick photoshop edit to show where the muzzles should be when the cover is in the right place (note the marks where the clamps go - I just lined those up with the actual clamp (seen just below the seal - opened up).

32_109E_31.jpg

This image also points out another obsure flaw in the Eduard kit. The openings in the cowling are far too round - they should be much more eliptical and extend further into the gun troughs. Too late to fix now, I'll get this on the next one.

Here is my mostly finished nose with the mostly everything in place. The coat of mr surfacer 1000 shows where I will need to do some touch up and rescribing. All in all not bad.

32_109E_32.jpg

32_109E_33.jpg

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When you attach the prop to it's base and put the spinner on, another problem becomes apparent. The prop shaft doesn't stick out into the opening in the spinner far enough. This is very obvious but is very easy to correct. In my case I just cut the tip off and glued it to the end of the brass rod I am using for the prop shaft. If you aren't doing that - you can just insert a small piece of tubing to extend the end.

32_109E_35.jpg

In an earlier post, DougN pointed out very informative thread over on LSP regarding 109E wheels. I'm really glad Doug pointed this out as I knew the kit wheels needed to be replaced, I had no idea the wheels I had purchased to replace them were not right! Here is that link again should anyone want to check it out. http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.ph...30&start=30

It turns out there is an entirely new set of 109E style wheels about to be released by Eagle Editions- and they look absolutely magnificent - certainly the best out there! However they are rather expensive.. At $12 _ SH - these wheels could easily cost near $18 (depending on Eagle Editions shipping and handling charges). That's too rich for me - but I do think if I hadn't invested in the Aires wheels already I might consider them more seriously.

32_109E_36.jpg

So I came up with a way that I think improves the Aires wheels using the kit parts.. It's very simple actually. I used a razor saw to cut as much as the disk part of the kit off as I could. I then sanded the kit hub down until all I had was the spokes - I then cut the hub off leaving only the spokes.

I then carefully cut the aires spokes off , and using my grinder - ground down the center part so that the kit part would fit in place. Here is what I came up with - while not perfect, it will do for this build and actually looks really good as it is, it should like just fine once painted up.

32_109E_37.jpg

So that's it for now - a surprising amount of work to get this far I must admit..

Thanks for looking

Frank

Edited by FrankC
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Damn, Frank... the wheels look great, but what a pain in the beau-tocks to get there.

I just wanted to drop a quick note in here and tell you that you're a certifiable friggin' genius... I read how you made the cooler flap drive chain using copper wire, and decided to try that last night with some .010 lead wire. Folded a length in half, twisted it together, then flattened it using the back end of my scalpel... and hooooooly crap, it came out PERFECT. Seriously- it looks amazing, and this is a trick I will be using again and again in the future. Thanks for the idea!

While I was in there, I shaved off that ridiculous map case and am scratchbuilding a new one, along with the wiring junction box and flare storage. Am I crazy, or did I once see a 1/35 flare gun in some armor kit?

Keep up the fabulous work, Frank, you're doing an awesome job!

Lynn

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Sorry about the wheels Frank. Amazing work thus far, I really think there is nothing you cannot fix on this kit! Can you elaborate on the spreader bar you mentioned that you needed for the cowl?

As my build progresses (slightly behind your's so I know what to watch for) I am beginning to be a little dissapointed with this kit - where initially I was really exciting about it. All these little issues are adding up to a major PIA :angry: Yes, overall the pluses outweight the minuses, but Eduard should have caught these things. Eduard had a chance to knock it out of the park, but instead only got to 3rd base... :doh: I guess they were too focused on all the engine bay stuff! Unfortunately, I don't think we'll see any of this corrected in the other E-kits coming out later this year. I guess the good news is that the following builds should be much easier since we'll know what to watch out for!

Cheers,

Doug

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Damn, Frank... the wheels look great, but what a pain in the beau-tocks to get there.

I just wanted to drop a quick note in here and tell you that you're a certifiable friggin' genius... I read how you made the cooler flap drive chain using copper wire, and decided to try that last night with some .010 lead wire. Folded a length in half, twisted it together, then flattened it using the back end of my scalpel... and hooooooly crap, it came out PERFECT. Seriously- it looks amazing, and this is a trick I will be using again and again in the future. Thanks for the idea!

While I was in there, I shaved off that ridiculous map case and am scratchbuilding a new one, along with the wiring junction box and flare storage. Am I crazy, or did I once see a 1/35 flare gun in some armor kit?

Keep up the fabulous work, Frank, you're doing an awesome job!

Lynn

The Master Details 1/32nd 109G-6 resin cockpit set has a flare gun w/ holder...BB

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Hey everyone - thanks for the comments!

Arseny - that photo is really good. With regard to the wheels I have had a chance to look at the True Details wheels and they are probably the best set currently available - except for that ridiculious buldge in them.. The tread could be fixed by using miliput to make the cuts in the treat much less pronounced, but there is no real easy fix for that bulge.. But they do have the most accurate hubs between the Aires and kits. So other than the Eagle Editions wheels, there is not easy way to get moderatly accurate 109E wheels without some sort of cutting a pasting between the different sets and kit parts. That sucks..

Doug - I took some square strips (evergreen) and carefully cut them to size to force the edges of the cowling to match the edges of the fuselage. If you don't do this the cowling kind of pinches in - making it very likely at a glued seam will pop. The spacers are wedged against the engine and the cowling - takes some time to get right but very easy to do. I hope that makese sense.

Lynn - I like copper wire because it's not toxic (I am not afraid to handle it) and I can more easily bend the formed chain then lead wire. In my experience it would fall apart really easily - but in this case straight is all we need so its all good. Glad you like the results - not perfect but certainly look somewhat like a chain. I build flare guns from scraps and handles roughed from pistols that you find with various 1/35 scale kits. They are really easy to scratch in this scale.. Unless you're doing the version with the flare port on the left side I'm not sure where you would put it as they probably didn't just leave those laying around in the pit.

Se7en - Eagle Editions makes a set - but they are EXPENSIVE! Read Doug's post he put a link in there to photos of them (they look fantastic).

I got the fuselage assembled and glued - the fit wasn't stellar so there are quite a few places which will need some basic modeling applied (no news there ea). The only thing to note here is that there will likely be a small gap beween the radiator and the bottom of the wing. Since you want a good strong bond, simply fill this gap with scraps from the kit and glue in place. Also I did add a small vent to the bottom of the fuselage made from Aluminium sheet.

32_109E_39a.jpg

Over on the top I hadded and a piano hinge to the spark plug access doors and fabricated a starter crank from brass parts.

32_109E_39.jpg

So while the putty is drying - time to start on the thing I absolutely dread.. Fixing the controls.. The first step is to remove the recessed slots. Just lots of putty - this will need to dry for a few days before I move on. Be careful if you decided to do this as the eduard control surfaces are very very thin on the edges.

32_109E_38.jpg

So now that I have lots of putty drying - I decided to start working on the landing gears. I dry fitted the parts for the first time and noticed that the gear legs are extended too far. This is a common problem that happens on many kits- basically the gears are fully extended with no weight on them. I decided to correct them and since I plan on doing more of them later - I'm going to take steps to ensure I can quickly do this for the next ones.

32_109E_40.jpg

The first thing I do is cut the doors apart (the kits upper doors do not accuratly sit correctly anyway - I will replace these with a piece made from sheet styrene). I also cut the lower landing gear from the leg. I drilled a hole into the upper section which will hold my new lower leg part.

32_109E_41.jpg

I then took the lower gear leg and placed it onto some plaster of paris that I had mixed up. This plaster will capture the angle of the axle and gear leg correctly and make it very easy to correctly create parts with the exact same angle. Since I am doing many kits - this is something I'll be using in the next builds. Once the plaster sets - just pop the kit part out.

32_109E_42.jpg

The plaster forms a perfect pattern for making brass legs. Simply cut appropriately sized brass rods and place them in the plaster form. They are then soldered together. This is pretty easy to do if you know how to solder and soldering isn't hard to do. This finished part is very rugged and will not easily break. It will actually make the model even stronger than it is.

32_109E_43.jpg

So here is the improved gear legs - so far so good! On the 109E there was a leather cover that covered up the strut (silver part) so that's what I'll be doing as well. But in all my reference, I don't seem to have a SINGLE shot of the Oleo scissors for this plane! Does anyone happen to have any details on those gear legs that show the scissors?? if you do feel free to post them here if you like. If I can't find anything I'll just copy those that are found in a 109G..

32_109E_44.jpg

Well that's it for now - thanks for looking!

Frank

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So here is the improved gear legs - so far so good! On the 109E there was a leather cover that covered up the strut (silver part) so that's what I'll be doing as well. But in all my reference, I don't seem to have a SINGLE shot of the Oleo scissors for this plane! Does anyone happen to have any details on those gear legs that show the scissors?? if you do feel free to post them here if you like. If I can't find anything I'll just copy those that are found in a 109G..

Frank,

I hope this link helps, Photo #22 is also worth a look as it gives a side profile view. These shots are from the Soviet 109B-1 photos -- a bit early but I don't recollect major changes to the landing gear in between....others may know better. Best Regards, BB.

Soviet 109B-1 photos

Edited by BrianB
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(a bunch more work done on his Emil)

Frank, you're killin' me over here. Actually, let me correct myself... you're finding these things before I am, and I'm very grateful for your efforts in sharing this. What's killin' me are all the little things that need to be fixed to get this thing looking right. :-/ I spent the weekend working on the engine and cowling gun platform... I got all 24 spark plugs installed and drilled out now, ripped off and rebuilt the starboard wiring loom since I did it wrong the first time, built a new hydraulic tank for the landing gear hydraulic system, and am working on the lines and linkages which come out of the firewall on the left hand side, along with the wiring bundles which are up on the cowling gun deck. When I get bored with that (which is pretty quickly), I go back to the starboard sidewall- I've got the primer pump almost finished, need to add a new lid to the flare box, and finish the stupid replacement map case. My next task is to build the two junction boxes on the starboard cockpit sidewall with the wiring, then I guess I'll build the cockpit floor and add the hydraulic lines and cylinders to the rudder pedal assembly. And THEN, I get to start on the port sidewall.

Also, this isn't a full shot, but it gives you a glimpse of the torque link fitted to WNr 4101:

4101-13.jpg

Have a look at the top of the leg too. Do you plan to do anything about how the gear leg mounts to the airframe on the kit?

Cheers,

Lynn

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BrianB. Wingnut, Lynn, Nuno and Swiss-Jack - thanks much for the comments!

BrianB, Lynn - those reference photos are awesome - particularly that moskit link! WOW - what a find that is - thanks so much for sharing!

I have been real busy working around my house and am about to go out of town for the week but here is a small update..

I have scratch built the scissor/oleo portion of the gears. The final results aren't real visible, but I'm happy with em.

32_109E_45.jpg

I have basically finished the control surfaces - here is the tail. This is just dry fitting, I need to check the alignment of the tail and then deflect the controls some. I like the look of the canvas much better now..

32_109E_46.jpg

That is it for now- thanks for looking

Regards,

Frank

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Looking good Frank! I wonder if your gear strut length issue is caused by the Aries wheels? Looking at the photos of Brett's build, and the ones over on the Eduard site, it looks like the kit wheels sit at about the proper height without modifying the strut. Are the kit wheels larger in diameter than the Aries ones? I also wonder how the diameter of the Eagle Editions wheels compares to the kit and Aries wheels.

I'll look forward to your next update!

Cheers,

Doug

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Thanks for comments guys - appreciate it.

Looking good Frank! I wonder if your gear strut length issue is caused by the Aries wheels? Looking at the photos of Brett's build, and the ones over on the Eduard site, it looks like the kit wheels sit at about the proper height without modifying the strut. Are the kit wheels larger in diameter than the Aries ones? I also wonder how the diameter of the Eagle Editions wheels compares to the kit and Aries wheels.

I'll look forward to your next update!

Cheers,

Doug

Hey Doug,

I honestly haven't checked the diameter of the wheels - but this is absolutely certain.. the landing gear doors are in the wrong place if you put them in according to the kit guides. They will sit far too low. the top part of the gear door needs to just about touch the fuselage and the top of the lower gear door should be about the top of that detail in the middle of the gear leg. I think Brett realized this and put the gear doors on higher up. Because clearly his don't go where they would if you followed the guides and his look pretty good (but something bothers me about the sit). On mine this made the door problem even larger. So if you use the Aires wheels - you will have to compress the struts some (of that I am sure).

I got back from by business trip Fri and we have had crappy weather all week - which translates to making some modeling progress (so it's not all bad I guess).

There was a discussion earlier in this thread about an incorrect hatch on the wings - I tend to agree so I removed it using putty (no biggie). I also added the lower strip that forms the seal with the wing and the fairing as Eduard didn't mold it. Easy enough to do - it's the same thing that you see on the fuselage - a strip that has fasteners holding it on tight.

32_109E_47.jpg

I spent most of my modeling time finishing off the landing gear. One of the things I always do on a 109 is detail the gear as it's really visible. Eduard provides a great set of base parts so this made my work much easier to do.

Here are the finished landing gear doors - as you can see I needed to create the top portion of the door from card stock.

32_109E_48.jpg

Here is the detail I added to the gear legs.

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Here is the finished gear with the doors attached.

32_109E_50.jpg

Here they are from the back

32_109E_51.jpg

So now that this is done I can move on to the radiators - which should be easy.

Thats it for now - thanks for looking.

Regards,

Frank

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First class work there Frank!!

This is an amazing build to watch, so clean and precise work, and great tip using the Plaster of Paris for making Brass struts, that tip will come in handy down the line somewhere for me I'm sure.

Keep up the brilliant work! :cheers:

Cheers,

Jeff.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Any progress Frank? I'm anxiously awaiting your next installment!! :salute:

Cheers,

Doug

Hey Doug,

I have made some progress - but nothing worth really photographing. I'm putting the radiators on and fussing about the best way to do that - as you mentioned they don't quite fit - I opened the radiator doors and this creates a big problem.. That gap under the radiator etch (on the rear part) really shows, so I had to fill that with some styrene.

Also - I did a LOT of checking - the detail in the opening of the spinner might be bogus.. I have looked at quite a few photos and it's just a thin tube within a thin tube - hope that makes sense. The Detail provided by Eduard is not really close.. So perhaps there is more detail photos to see, but from what I have seen the eduard detail is not quite right. So I scratch built that detail - it's obscure but bothered me enough that I went ahead and did it.

I'll probably post more this weekend - once the radiators are doing I'll refocus on the details for the cockpit sill - then it's time to paint!

Regards,

Frank

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Thanks for the news Frank! My build has been languishing a bit as well as I have been trying to get the nose together. I've ended up chopping my engine up and putting a bit under the front slots, and part of the rear in place that can been seen through the gun cooling slots, finally sticking the oil tank in place behind the prop shaft - I think that is going to work ok.

You were not kidding about the cowl needing some spreading! Mine is off by a little more than 1/8" at the rear! Once I get the nose together I think it will move much more quickly :D

I'll look forward to your update this weekend!

Cheers,

Doug

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Also - I did a LOT of checking - the detail in the opening of the spinner might be bogus.. I have looked at quite a few photos and it's just a thin tube within a thin tube - hope that makes sense. The Detail provided by Eduard is not really close.. So perhaps there is more detail photos to see, but from what I have seen the eduard detail is not quite right. So I scratch built that detail - it's obscure but bothered me enough that I went ahead and did it.

I'm not entirely sure I follow your description so I really look forward to your next set of pictures (they have been outstanding so far!). I was revisiting some shots on-line today and feel like Eduard took a pretty fair shot at representing (not replicating) the multiple "stepped down collar" look of the detail at the spinner openings as seen on W.Nr. 4101 and W.Nr. 1190. Thanks for sharing this build, it's been a terrific learning experience. Very Best Regards, BB.

1190dw14.jpg

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