Messerschmitt Bf109D Kit 401 build for FAC

[Mitch]

Hi guys...
Interesting that 2000 to 6000 lbs ratio. As rubber motor flyers I am told to try to have 1/3 the AUW of the model in the motor. I have not gotten there yet. But I'll try again with my new model of the 109. I am in Hong Kong now and be home latter today.
My 109 is on my work table at home...
It may be a challenge for me to get all that motor in. But I was told at the last FAC contest that my models were under powered.
On the other hand getting nearly 30 second flights I was told was very responsible times.
The most important thing is I always have fun and enjoy my fellow flyers.

Mitch

[glassblade]

Painted model - I give the tissue one very light coat of dope, then mist spray with Tamiya acrylics. Still have to add the High Black Hat decal next to the cockpit, and some painting around the cowl. Should be able to finish painting and markings tonight.

[davidchoate]

I have recently experimented with microlite. I think it saves weight, looks great on private, or commercial planes, but I have to be honest. I prefer silk and Acrylic paint . Especially on War Planes. I have just ordered some Deluxe Products EZ Dope as I have been very happy with their other products. I have the opposite opinion of the tissues in the newer Guillows kits. What happened to the Silk Span? I know that on smaller than a 1/16 scale silk is weigh in FF, but I have not done a FF model in a couple years. I have a photo of some Bf 109's if it helps.

[Mitch]

Hi Everyone,

Dave, your model looks GREAT. Now I am home and can get the dust of my building desk and work on my 109. You get all 10's from me. Your model will be my benchmark for my new 109. I hope to get back to it very soon.

Mitch

[woundedbear]

Hello Mitch! Welcome home! Hope you had a good trip, did you run into any heavy seas this time out? Tell me does any thing made in the US ever go over there? I know there must be something your ship is carrying when you're outward bound, We buy so much from China these days, all of my RC stuff and some of my plastic models are made over there. I'm curious do we sell anything to the Chinese?

[Mitch]

Dave,

For my last tail on the 109 I built the tail from the kit, then used that as a buck to build a laminated tail. I used 3 strips of 1/32, making the parts then 3/32 square. The tail looks okay on my 109 I need to rebuild the tail on my Hellcat as that is stock and has warps.

Did you use 3 laminations for the tail? What is the size of the strips you used? I plan to use the top and bottom keel and remove some material on those, no side keels.

Thank you, Mitch

WB,
We went to China in ballast, NO cargo. 2 months in China shipyard will cost the company 3 million dollars. Same work in USA 30 million dollars. We will bring back 1000 new containers (empty). My ship is on the Alaska trade route. Tacoma, WA, to Anchorage, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor. 3 Ships. The company has 4. The 4th is the spare to be used for shipyards and breakdowns. After our shipyard, another ship goes in for 3 months. We will be back on the Alaska service. After that, my ship will docked and be ready for when needed. The company also goes to Hawaii, so we could go there if needed. Summer weather, plus we had time to get to China and could avoid bad weather. During my career of 40+ years I have been though many storms...

God Rest the Souls from the ill fated El Faro... a US Flag Merchant Vessel... Lost at sea, during Hurricane Joaquin, all hands lost, October 2015.

[woundedbear]

WOW! Mitch your posting was a real eye opener, There are so many things that don't make the 6:00 news in this country.

[glassblade]

Mitch,

I use four laminations of 1/32" thick balsa for all the curved tips of my flying surfaces. Use Sig Bond or similar Elmer's type glue, thinned way down.

You mentioned shipping out to Dutch Harbor, which is in the Aleutians. I didn't realize there was that much business out there..

David

[glassblade]

Well, I was going to send out a free laser cut Guillows kit to anyone who noticed that I had reversed the colors of the wing insignia, but no one did. I had cut the stencils weeks before and finally got an hour one night to paint. Did it quickly, (with same color arrangement as the tail insignia, which is black cross on white) and posted the photos. I also sent photos to my fellow Rio Grande Squadron member, Phil Thomas, and he wrote me back in about 30 seconds, pointing out that the wing markings are white crosses on a black circle.

Bf109 finish2 015a.jpg

First time I ever put decals on a spinner. The pilot of this aircraft had won a medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, so painted the Olympic rings on his spinner.

Anyway, corrected the wing markings and model is completed. Did glide tests the other night and it was extremely good. Will do power flights tonight with 3 loops of 1/8". Will post flight results later