[Cruver Collecter]

Well the Postman dropped of a package today in it was the Gemini Aces Bf 109F for Oberleutnant Wolfdieter Huy. Over all it is a nice looking model, with the exception of the metal toothpick where the antenna mast should go. I had previously prepped up an antenna for it earlier, so it was just a matter of cutting the antenna to the proper length and shoot here are some pictures of how the process went.

Bf 109F Straight out of the box.



Step 1: With some gentle side to side motion work the existing mast free. With much emphasis on the word gentle. If you are to rough you might just crack the canopy.



Step 2: This pretty much involves cutting antenna to length and giving it a nice matching coat. In this case I used AeroMasters RLM 70 SCHWARZGRUN paint.



Here are some of the tools I used during the project.


Step 3: After antenna paint job has dried, attach antenna to model with some Elmers glue.



This was a really fun project, and probably took a total 2 1/2 hours to complete and this includes drying time for the paint. I used scrap plastic parts from my model junk box for the antenna and pretty much had everything else for doing this project. With just a little bit of work, you can make a nice looking model shape up even better.

[Epapazian]

Good job CC. It looks a lot more realistic. I may do similar surgery on my BF-109Fs.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

Good job CC. It looks a lot more realistic. I may do similar surgery on my BF-109Fs.

It is really funny how one small adjustment or modification can change how a model looks.

[Epapazian]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

It is really funny how one small adjustment or modification can change how a model looks.

I've always felt that the canopy area is the most important part of a model to be rendered correctly. Hence my concern when a manufacturer like Dragon botches up the canopy of a Zero or F6F. Obviously, this goes for nearby antennae as well.

[Cruver Collecter]

The comparison idea is really an excellent idea in this case to show size difference in the antenna. I now wish I had done so prior to mounting new antenna on the model. This may be a better example though. In the picture you can see that the original antenna I removed from the model does match up size wise with the one mounted on the model in the picture. Of course there is one major difference though, the model in the picture is a 1/48th scale Franklin Mint Bf 109F. I also compared the original antenna to one of my Hasegawa kits of a Bf 109F-2 and yep matches up in size. Antenna would be great for a 1/48th scale kit, not so good for 1/72nd.

[tank nut]

Hey cc you own any of the gemini aces P 51's?? some of the antenna on them are real sad!! I have all of them and some of them just do not look right at all to big or out of shape.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by tank nut

Hey cc you own any of the gemini aces P 51's?? some of the antenna on them are real sad!! I have all of them and some of them just do not look right at all to big or out of shape.

I have yet to pickup one of them, but have been keeping an eye out for a good deal on one. When I pick one up it will probably be one of their OD versions, and might just see about picking one up normal price this month. There is allot of fun doing these small modification to these aircraft. I had been looking forward to the Bf 109 arriving just so I could fix it up. You kind of peaked my interest in doing an antenna modification to one of their P-51s, but first I must dig out the books and do some research.

[lanslide]

CC, do you really need to remove the antenna or could you just perform a circumcision to the tip with a pair of nippers (ouch! I know it sounds cruel but it might cut the time in half too) and then just paint the exposed plastic?

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by lanslide

CC, do you really need to remove the antenna or could you just perform a circumcision to the tip with a pair of nippers (ouch! I know it sounds cruel but it might cut the time in half too) and then just paint the exposed plastic?

One of the problems with that is, the antennas on the Bf 109s are metal. You might not be able to get that smooth a cut and then you would be back with removing it and filing it to shape. fabricating out of plastic is easier, and you can also get something closer to scale.

[lanslide]

Oh - I didn't realize it was metal. That would really hurt the nippers let alone the mast!