Lables of the Luftwaffe – Fuel labels| Part One

The engines of Luftwaffe fighter aircrafts required different types of fuel and octane ratings. All fuel labes were yellow with a white outline, only few exeptions existed.

The label shown below reads »87« which means the engine required aviation fuel of 87 octane. Other common labels were »B4« (89 octane), »C3« (95 octane) and »100« (100 octane).

The lower octane fuels were dyed blue, higher octane fules were dyed green to avoid confusion.

87 octane fuel label

Bf109 F »Fallen Eagle« | Part Five

Some work on the study: I added a
first generation or layer of oil stains.

Oil stains were done with a mixture of future and
Modelmates oilbrown. Some corrections are still necessary...

The oil stains were applied by brush.

Bf109 F »Fallen Eagle« | Part Four

Added mud and dirt to the spinner and
lower engine cowling parts.

Leading edges of the wings also received
mud and dirt splashes.

Engine cowling detail.

Propeller assembly detail.

Lables of the Luftwaffe – Compressed air | Part Two

The MG17 and the MK108 were common weapons installed in the Messerschmitt Bf109 and many other Luftwaffe aircraft. Both weapons required compressed air to operate.

The lettering »Pressluft für MG« translates into »Compressed air for MG«.

The following labels show the standard lables as used on the Messerschmitt Bf109. The given dimensions in millimeters fit the Messerschmitt Bf109.

Conversion of pressure units

150 atü = 148,08 bar = 2147.7 psi

Type #1: Common label for compressed air supply
for MG17 (MG = Maschinengewehr).

Type #2: Common label for compressed air supply
for MK (MK = Maschinenkanone).
Pressure specification of 150 atü is preliminary only!

Lables of the Luftwaffe – Oxygen | Part One

German aircraft of the Luftwaffe (1933–1945) carried a multiude of labels for reasons of information, e.g. for maintenance, and safety.

The lettering »Sauerstoff für Atemgerät« translates into »Oxygen for respirator«.  The white lettering »Vor Anschluss absolut fettfrei« of  variant #2 translates into »Before connecting absolutely free of grease« to prevent a contamination of the breathing air for the pilot

Colors are RLM 24 blue, RLM 21 white and RLM 22 black.

The examples shown below do show dimensions suitable for the Messerschmitt Bf109. All dimensions are in millimeters. For other sizes of hatches on different aircraft adjust the inner DIA of the label and remain all other dimensions.

Type #1: Common oxygen label of the Bf109.

Type #2: Frequently used variant of the
oxygen label as shown above.

Bf109 F »Fallen Eagle« | Part Three

Not much progress on Friedrich, but I
started the diorama. A first test fitting
of the model and its base

The diorama will show Friedrich the next morning
after its crash landing.

The first hoarfrost of a late autumn night in 1941
covers the high grass.

The high grass is natural grass
from MK35 (A039).

The ground work was done with floral foam
coverd with white glue and pigments.

Hoarfrost was done with Gunze flat clear varnish,
Tamiya flat base and cellulose thinner.

Spinner is from DEPARTMENT of CORRECTION,
a very nice product.

Bf109 F »Fallen Eagle« | Part Two

Exhaust stains and wingroot weathering

I applied oil stains using ivory black, raw umber and
AK Fuel stains and added some white spirit. This was
applied to panelline and along grooves and screws.
Finally I sprinkled it on and let it dry over night.

I airbrushed the first layer of exhaust stains using
Tamiya acrylics (buff, brown, Black) and
denatured alcohol.

After a few minutes I removed some of these stains,
added scrachtes and blemishes.

The final layer of exhaust stains used the same
mixture as above, but this time I added some
MODEL MATES Oilbrown. This is a great
product but it is water soluable. I added
just as much of it to the acrylic mix to keep the
mixture water proof.

Finally I added another layer of scrachtes and blemishes.

Bf109 F »Fallen Eagle« | Part One

I started another Bf109 last week for another dorama of a crased Bf109.I use the Hasegawa Bf109F kit in 1/32nd scale.

I used RLM colors mixed to the color chart developed by Jürgen Kiroff, distirbuted by TORSO, Germany.

Yesterday I started the weathering of the Friedrich. I will look dusty and dirty!

Here are some snap shorts.

Black 13 – That was to be expected! | Part Six

29 The groundwork was painted with a mixture of
dark mud paint and dark brown green pigments.

30 I cut the straw roughly to 5 mm length and used
fresh paint to glue the fibers to the groundwork.

31 The snow powder is littered down into Future
to glue it in place. Letting the snow powder soak up
as much Future as possible creates realistic snow slush,
whereas less Future creates fresh snow.

32 The groundwork was finished by adding Future as
a wet effect, adding mud lumps and dirt with
pigments and paint. Adding heavily diluted washes
of mud color creates the effect of snow being
stained by dirty melting water.

32 To create the drag marks caused by the
aircraft slithering over the ground,
I slightly mixed dark brown green pigments
with Future. This paste was applied with a
spatula in strokes imitating the direction of travel
of black 13 over the frozen ground. With the right
mixture of pigments and Future, one can achieve
very realistic effects of a clay-like soil.

Black 13 – That was to be expected! | Part Five

25 The 2^nd layer of mud stains was applied
with a thicker and slightly darker paint
than the 1^st layer. I applied this heavier
stain by loading up a brush with paint
and splashing the stain onto the model
using the airbrush.

26 The mud stains were also applied over the
exhaust stains and the canopy using the
authentic photos as a reference.

27 The leading edges of the wings and horizontal
stabilizers also received mud stains sprinkled on
by airbrush at a low pressure setting.
Scuff markings caused by ground personnel
working on the crash site were added
with a wooden chisel.

28 The leading edges of the wings were hit
by mud lumps thrown up by the propeller blades
digging into the ground. These marks were
added with a wooden toothpick and mud paste.