GIEBICHENSTEIN | Learning from Bob Ross | Part Two

Trial and ... error – I am a fan of Bob Ross and his approach to the arts and his attidude towards »errors«. Let me quote him: »We don’t make mistakes here, just happy little accidents«.

After the base painting has cured for a day or so I applied a thick
wash of a umbra colored oil wash. I let this dry for a hour or so.

I then removed the wash with a piece of thin cloth damped
with white spirit. I tried to achieve a finish with some
vertical streaks recognizable. This was the Trial ...

And now for the Error ... I airbrushed a dirty greyish layer
of stains. This didn´t look right. Time for a restart
and a complete repainting of my Giebichenstein!

GIEBICHENSTEIN | Study of an erratic block 1/35 scale | Part One

This project is a study of how to model realistic rocks. I choose to do an erratic block, namley the »Giebichenstein« near Stöckse, Germany.
The main block measures approx. 7.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 m and weighs approx. 330 tons. It is accompanied by a small »satellite« block.
The »Giebichenstein« is a Phorphyry. It consists of a fine grained flesh-colored matrix (due to highly dispersed ironoxide) and large idiomorphic crystals of alcali feldspar. Other minerals include quartz (clear grey to «smoke«), hornblende (black), and feldspars (white to flesh-colored).

The block was carved from polyurethane foam.
It was brushpainted with Gunze Mr.RESIN PRIMER.

PIP: The little sattelite was base coated with Humbrol #61.
The idiomorphic alcali feldspar crystaly were applied with a
rectangluar stamp made from styrene.
Color is #63 lightend with white.

The fine grained matrix and smaller crystals were
applied by sponge. Colors used were light flesh, smoke
and darkgrey.

The finished porphyry.

Lables of the Luftwaffe – Balkenkreuz | Part Two

Late war national insignia were simplyfied to save labour and materials to rise the production numbers of the Nazi war industry. Also this new style made the insignia less conspicuous from largers distances.

Upper wing Balkenkreuz as used on the
Bf109 and FW190 fighters.

Fuselage Balkenkreuz as used on the
Bf109 and FW190 fighters.
Dimensions and ratios as early Balkenkreuz.

Lables of the Luftwaffe – Balkenkreuz | Part One

The Balkenkreuz in the early style were black and white trimmed with thin black outlines for high visibility.

Early Balkenkreuz as applied to fuselage sides
and lower wing surface.

Early Balkenkreuz as applied to
upperwing surface.

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.