1/32 Revell Bf 109 G-6

[stona]

This is next up. It's cheap, which is quite appealing given Covid related budgetary constraints!

I will almost certainly build it as the version shown in the box art, though I don't buy that green spinner (which originates in one of the Luftwaffe im Focus issues).



The Luftwaffe was always something I enjoyed modelling, just for the variety of the options. This aircraft was flown by Hauptmann Franz Dorr, a Luftwaffe expert who most people have never heard of, despite him being credited with 122 victories.

The only picture I have of the aircraft shows it with a tarpaulin unhelpfully covering the front half. At least nobody is standing in front of and obscuring other markings.



I should be able to get the arse end right! It is entirely possible that this aircraft is not a G-6 at all, but rather a G-14 or even G-10. Mine will obviously be a G-6.

I won't do a detailed build thread because Barry (BarryW) has already done an excellent and comprehensive thread of his build a while ago, which I'm sure can be found. I'll just do a few updates with any pertinent comments.

I'm off to rummage through my carefully organised (not) boxes of masks and decals to try and find something suitable for this aircraft's markings.

 

[scottie3158]

I will tag along.

 

[stona]

I've made a start on this.

I'll preface these comments with saying this kit only costs about twenty-five quid.

So far most of the parts have been quite nicely moulded and the fit has been pretty good. There has not been much flash or clean up required. The one exception seems to be some parts on the clear plastic sprue. One of the gunsight options was little more than a blob...so I won't be using that one!

I've just primed a few of the cockpit parts.



I'm going to echo one of Barry's comments. Though the sprues are numbered and lettered in the usual way the instructions only give the numbers. This means that for every single part you have to scrutinise every sprue to find it. It is incredibly annoying and time consuming. It would put me off ever building this kit again, that's how annoying. I've built limited run resin kits, literally manufactured by one man in his shed, that have had better instructions than this!

I'm posing this one in flight, so I will also resurrect an old German pilot. I have found him, I just have absolutely no idea where he originally came from. I have a draw full of pilots and bits of pilots accumulated over the years

 

[Mark1]

I found their 1.32 spitfire at about 20 quid a really enjoyable build, interested to see how this one fairs, sure you'll make a fabulous job of it anyway.

 

[adt70hk]

Joining the party Steve.

Sorry to hear about the destructions and sprues being a pain.

ATB.

Andrew

 

[Vaughan]

Yes its a bit annoying with the parts but saying that I built the kit 7 years ago and you can get a good result. I think that the Revell kits take a lot of flack and are greatly underrated and if your on a tight budget they're the one to go for. I've built ten so far in 32nd scale and still have some In my stash. Looking forward to your build progressing Steve.

 

[BarryW]

Hi Steve.
I remember having a rather ropy start with this kit but it improved and in the end turned out to be rather decent and even enjoyable once the initial culture shock was over! I look forward to see how yours turns out.

 

[rtfoe]

I'm in for this too, Steve and pulling up a chair.

I find that Revell kits that were or are designed and manufactured in Germany seemed better in quality than the ones that came from the US. So I normally check where the kit originates from. Some are still duds being contract manufactured molds from the US.

I'm not too worried about the sprue numbering and instruction sheets as I prefer visually identifying the part from the drawing and checking with sprues beforehand. I know it's annoying when no letters are accompanied with the numbers on the destruction sheet as you get repeat numbers on separate sprues. It's worse when you follow the sequencing of the numbers and suddenly the number you want goes missing in between the sprue. And without the lettering how is one to know if the part is Plastic, Clear, PE or Rubber.

Anyway if we know the kit is bad we'll fix it as we're modellers...with a little bit of cussing as we go.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[stona]

It's not so much repeat numbers on sprues, it's that (for example) the first four parts fitted in step one are on four different sprues!

Obviously we get over it and move on, but the sprues are lettered, all it needed was for that letter to be put in front of each part number on the instructions. This was clearly the intention or why letter the sprues? My real complaint is that it is lazy, as if someone couldn't be bothered to do what everyone who builds this kit will have to do. Work out which sprue each numbered part is on.

To be clear, it is the instructions which are the problem, not the plastic. They could easily be fixed.

 

[rtfoe]

It's not so much repeat numbers on sprues, it's that (for example) the first four parts fitted in step one are on four different sprues!

Obviously we get over it and move on, but the sprues are lettered, all it needed was for that letter to be put in front of each part number on the instructions. This was clearly the intention or why letter the sprues? My real complaint is that it is lazy, as if someone couldn't be bothered to do what everyone who builds this kit will have to do. Work out which sprue each numbered part is on.

To be clear, it is the instructions which are the problem, not the plastic. They could easily be fixed.

You're so right Steve. One lazy guy and hundreds suffer.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[BarryW]

It's not so much repeat numbers on sprues, it's that (for example) the first four parts fitted in step one are on four different sprues!

Obviously we get over it and move on, but the sprues are lettered, all it needed was for that letter to be put in front of each part number on the instructions. This was clearly the intention or why letter the sprues? My real complaint is that it is lazy, as if someone couldn't be bothered to do what everyone who builds this kit will have to do. Work out which sprue each numbered part is on.

To be clear, it is the instructions which are the problem, not the plastic. They could easily be fixed.

Absolutely right. It is lazy indeed. Part 1 next to part 163, part 2 on a different sprue between parts 49 and 121 and so on. It means that you need to examine every sprue to find every part and if you miss it…. (Ps those numbers are just illustrative not the actual numbering).

It is not a problem with a small kit, low part count and a few sprues but it really is not good enough with a kit like this 109. Of course you work through it and in time it becomes less of a chore as fewer and fewer parts are left on the sprue.

Personally I find it disrespectful towards the people who buy their kits, very much taking them for granted and that is something no business should ever do.

It taught me to really appreciate, even more, companies like Tamiya, HKM, ICM, Zoukei Mura and even Trumpeter who pay proper attention to sprue organisation, at least on their newer and larger kits. First identifying the right sprue, then knowing that they are numbered broadly left to right and, more often than not, associated parts are there together on one sprue. A quality kit is about more than just a great fit and great detail.

In a way Revell do their kits a huge dis-service by this, this Bf109 is one of their better kits despite the sprue dis-organisation.

 

[Deleted member 7917]

It makes you wonder if any of the designers of these kits ever attempt to build one of their own products. If they had, surely they would have come across the same inconvenience. I would have thought that the final beta test for a new product would be to actually build one, but with several manufacturers this can't be the case.

 

[AlanG]

I seem to be in a minority on here. I built the kit and didn't really think about the sprue lay out. I just got on and searched for the bit i needed. It took maybe 1 minute longer if that, to find the required bit. I didn't feel it detracted from the kit, or make me pander for an "uber-kit" just because they are always ssssooooooo perfect.

 

[stona]

It's just really annoying.

The intention was clearly to number the parts alpha-numerically, like just about every other kit I've ever built, otherwise why identify the sprues with a letter?

It's someone simply not being arsed to make proper instructions. I know this is a twenty-five quid kit, but I'd bet that it takes not much more than an hour to put each part number with a sprue number. I might even do it myself.

Meanwhile, back at the fun factory I have fitted Franz into his cockpit and strapped him in. The sides are not glued in place yet as I need the instrument panel decaled up to do that. His feet don't quite reach the rudder pedals, but nobody will see that when the fuselage halves are together. He's lucky, I've had to amputate a few feet in the past



He looks a bit pale in the photo, maybe because he appears to have forgotten his oxygen mask.

 

[stona]

I managed to get Franz zipped up in the fuselage.

The fit of the cockpit and fuselage halves is excellent, as good as anything I've seen at seven-times this price.



I just noticed the piece of clear plastic, bottom right. The panzer glass, which forms part of the rear armour for the pilot, came very poorly formed. You have to carve your own part out of what's there. This is only an issue on the clear sprue, so I might just have been a bit unlucky.

 

[rtfoe]

Steve, on a lighter side...7 times cheaper you get 1/7th of the clear plastic. ....I'll get my coat.

Has Fritz got his color back being snuck in and cosy in the cockpit. Is the armoured glass flat? If so will be easy to cut a piece.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[stona]

Is the armoured glass flat? If so will be easy to cut a piece.

It could easily be made from three pieces of clear acetate. Mine was salvageable, mainly because apart from the actual armour glass slot (which was supposed to allow a better view to the rear) most of it was plate and therefore painted.

 

[Vaughan]

Glad to see it's all going together so well Steve.

 

[stona]

I haven't given up on this one!

I just have not had much time due to various things, including for the first time in nearly eighteen months, work.

Anyway, I've stuck on most of the wings.



The engineering of the kit is unusual and quite interesting. I've never seen wings done like this before but it works well enough. The only downside is joins which do not fall on real world lines, but that's hardly unique to this kit.

I've masked the canopy again because the canopy framing, inside and out, will be in RLM66, something not uncommon on aircraft of this period. Since there is no photograph showing the canopy you can't prove me wrong

 

[stona]

The model is largely built, just a question of getting the primer on and then the camouflage and markings.

It looks a bit like one of those test builds, maybe it's something to do with the very light, almost white, coloured plastic