Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 yellow 15 III./JG 52 Karl Wolff

This is another Barracuda Studios Speed Build, had to be finished for February 14.
It will be absolutely OOB 

I slightly modified the wheel's rays, flattening them 

Cockpit and instrument panel as from the box, not a very neat painting but the canopy is in one piece closed only option... 

a small gap, but the fuselage width is correct and will match the canopy in this way. I think I misplaced the rear wall in some way 

 

 

Dryfitting, will have to use some filler here 

This is a first for me! AZ moulded a small "channel" inside the rear part of the canopy: this is a frame and is correct, infact the E-3 rear canopy was a one-piece of plexiglass, and the horizontal frame was inside only! Earlier version has only the top one, later has also two other side one: from the E-4 onwards the plexiglass panels were divided in three pieces and framing was more conventional.
Thanks AZ, in this way you made painting that easier! 

Surfacer already on!
The surface details look good to me.
Will have to be more careful next one and test and dry fit wings and fuselage better before committing to glue. 

 

 

this part is the one that needed more attention, filler, file and sandpaper, not necessarily in this order... 

Preshading with Tamiya black, dark yellow and white.
White color were appropriate.
Next move tomorrow, masking... 

 

 

Masked, RLM65 painted on... 

 

 

 

First part of camouflage done, now I have to decal the fuselage and then do some mottling around the crosses and numbers 15... 

Decals on, tomorrow I will seal them and then will try to airbrush some mottles around them... 

 

Ready for the last decals.
Running out of time.... 

 

Panel line done, waiting for a flat coat and some dot oil filtering 

 

the Cellphone pics doesn't capture fully, but oil dots filtering is done. Tomorrow last flat clear coat and, hopefully, final bits and pieces on in time for the deadline....(?) 

 

 

Finished in time!!!
Not my best one, but I enjoyed the build. 

This kit is not bad at all, but it has some 'short run' flavour: fit is sometimes vague, difficult to find the right place were to glue some details, etc. 

The antenna mast doesn't have any pin or locating point... you just have to find a place for it... and hope the glue will keep it in place and straight!!! 

Tail plane alignment is not so easy as it should, as per the wings dihedral. 

Gear legs are shorter compared to the SH offering, but share with it the fragile assembly and positioning 

 

Kit's decals are very thin, react well to MicroSol but tend to curl, so be very careful when you transfer them from the paper carrier to the model...