Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4

by Roger Fabrocini
 

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This is Fujimi’s 1/48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4 (kit #Q-5) finished in the markings of Feldwebel Hans Rossner of 12/Jg77. Rossner was flying "Blue 3” wk.#33017 on 23rd December 1944 when he was shot down opposing the Allied air forces’ attacks against troops and communications during the Ardennes offensive.

Having conflicting references on the finish of blue”3”, i chose to replicate Claes Sundin’s excellent profile in his and Christer Bergstrom’s “More Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in profile”.

Though described as “over engineered’, I found the Fujimi kit to be an easy build. I did use the following after-market accessories to ‘enhance’ the K-4:

• MDC #a48010 K-4 cockpit (though intended for the Hasegawa kit, it fit with very minor alteration)

• Eduard #48-115 photo etched set for the fujimi K-4

• Cutting Edge spinner and prop blades for the K-4 (further enhanced with a length of 18-gauge stainless steel cannon blast tube)

• True Details #48023 resin wheels

Additional modifications were the replacement of the wing tip lights with clear stock, various drainpipes replicated with stainless steel tubing and enhancing the flying surface detail. Credit goes to Aleksandar Sekularac, a very inspiring modeler, for the control surface mod.

As stated, I chose Claes Sundin’s profile as a painting guide.

The airframe was primed with Mr. Surfacer 1000 then wet sanded with 12000 grit finishing paper to remove imperfections. After preshading the wings were sprayed first using Gunze #417 rlm 76, followed by Mr. color #26 SKY for the lower fuselage. White was added to the rlm 76, thinned with about 75% denatured alcohol and then applied in front to back streaks. The SKY with tinted with white, sail colour and grey, thinned with denatured alcohol and applied in vertical streaks on the fuselage. Uppersurface colours are next. The same method of application is used, but to get a soft edge to the demarcation lines a very thin mix of paint is needed from the outset. For the rlm 81 Brown-Violet i used Mr. color #12 US Olive Drab + a drop of #41 red brown. White and alcohol is added, then again sprayed in a streaking pattern. Final colour is rlm83 for which i used Gunze #423.

Fuselage mottle was achieved with a very thin mix of Tamiya black and red brown. The trick I found was to use a fast drying thinner, like denatured alcohol, and adjust the air pressure up from zero until a cleanly atomized pattern is achieved. Slowly build up your shapes using both vertical and horizontal movement, varying the shapes and their density . The same paint mix was used to start the weathering process not only post shading the panel lines, but also streaking the entire airframe. Credit goes to Andrew Dextras for that innovative technique.

To better compliment the camouflage, the crosses were painted using the Gunze RLM 83 Dark Green for the interior and gunze H21 off-white lightly sprayed on for the cross. Reich bands are also painted on at this time, using the gunze off white and H319 light Green for the rlm 25 band.

I used Mr. Color Super clear as a decal gloss coat. Decals are from the Cutting Edge sheet #48086. Data was sourced from Eagle-Cals sheet #EC-62. After decaling I took a nail polishing stick to the entire airframe smoothing the finish and weathering the decals. I was very pleased with the results, especially around the werknummer. After having a disaster while using an acrylic flat finish, i chose to use Floquils enamel Flat finish on this K-4. Though not “dead” flat, the results are pleasing.

Final weathering was done with the afore mentioned black/red brown mix, overspraying the decals, and a dark grey was used for the exhaust stains, using Brett Green’s method of vertical strokes connected with horizontal ones. Very realistic observation on his part, thank you Brett.

A light wash of raw Umbre/black artist oils on the upper surfaces, and gray on the lower surfaces complete the weathering.

Thanks again to not only the afore mentioned modelers, but to all the others on HyperScale's Plane Talking forum for their never ending support, inspiration, advise and knowledge.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2003 by Roger Fabrocini
Page Created 09 March, 2004
Last Updated 24 December, 2007

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