AZ Bf 109 G-6 'White 15' of 1./JG 300 - wilde Sau Limited Edition

 

Recently finished another 72nd AZ Gustav in the markings of 'White 15' of 1./JG 300 flown by Otto Leisner out of Bonn Hangelar during the summer of 1944 in the 'defence of the Reich'.

Eduard wilde Sau Limited Edition

.... Eduard asked me to put together some text/markings schemes for a wilde Sau Limited Edition Dual Combo kit.  While they didn’t go with all my choices, it was nice to be asked and at least have a hand in choosing the markings options ( ten in the box). A separate decal sheet is being released in August too. Kit just arrived;

The current issue of Eduard Info - a free download from Eduard.com - features some text and images that I compiled for this release....Episode One means that there will be another box of Bf 109 JG 300 schemes at a later date along with a box of Wilde Sau FW 190s...

June and July issues of Model Aircraft magazine - my wilde Sau article JG 300, NJG 11

currently on UK news stands - part 2 of my Luftwaffe single-engine night fighters feature appears in the July issue of "Model Aircraft" magazine, part 1 having appeared in June's issue.. Let's face it, my model builds will never appear in a modelling magazine - unlike my friend Laurent at the STank models blog whose SS-21 Scarab is in the latest issue of Steelmasters. But now and again I put together some text to go with a bunch of my good friend Jean-Yves Lorant's photos, translate some of his pilot interviews and, in a first for one of my articles, persuade Anders Hjortsberg to come up with some of his superlative profile artwork.

.. Entitled "wilde Sau und Moskito Jagd" my 6,000 word article features the recollections of JG 302, NJGr.10 and NJG 11 pilots Fritz Gniffke and Walter Schermutzki over 12 pages in the two issues. I have also added some JG 300 photos to the mix, since JG 300 were the original wilde Sau Geschwader of course and especially as Gabler's "Red 8" is a markings option in the new Eduard Bf 109 G-6 Royal Class edition. Both issues are available from SAM Publications here

...currently on the bench - and, dare I say it, inspired by the magnificent photo reproduction in my own article - another Airfix new-tool Fw 190, planned in the markings of Klaus Bretschneider's A-7/Neptun with FuG 217 cowl and wing mounted aerials ....

Airfix Spitfire 54 Sqn Mk I KL-T Colin Gray, Bretschneider's Revell Fw 190 ..again!

Two models finished during August, even if they were a couple of small fighters..I can't seem to make any progress on the bigger kits currently underway, and even dealing with two 1:72 WWII fighters at the same time posed a challenge. I used the 3D kits MK II conversion decals and Rotol prop on my Mk.1 to depict a 54 Squadron machine as based at Hornchurch during early 1940. Decals silvered despite coats of Klear and then bubbled under a coat of matt varnish - not terribly impressed..

54 Sqn machine KL-T was flown by Colin Gray and is shown "somewhere in Essex, 1940". The camouflage and marking scheme, along with the condition of the aircraft, date the photographs sometime between March and May 1940.

Colin Gray was a New Zealander with Grey flying as wingman to Deere and his KL-B. Both were Mk.I's with the Black/White underside markings. Gray went on to be NZ's highest scoring ace with 27 1/2 victories & only retired from the RAF in 1961.

54 Squadron Spitfire I's featured the more rounded spinner of the Rotol Constant Speed prop and bullet proof windscreens.


The Revell Fw 190 A was finished as Klaus Bretschneider's 'Red 1' from September 1944 when Bretschneider was Staffelkapitän of 5.(Sturm)/JG 300, decals from the Aeromaster 'Rammjäger' set. I've added plastic card 'armour plate' to the cockpit sides, faired in the upper cowl MGs and fabricated some 30 mm cannon in the outboard wing stations from sprue! Bretschneider did in fact 'ram' a B-17 in this aircraft, or more probably just collided with it, since he was able to land 'Red 1' safely - full story in the Eagle Editions JG 300 history. It is getting to be very difficult to get a decent result out of this kit - flash everywhere, some parts misshapen and the clear parts just aren't clear any more..

Italeri Bf109 G-6 in 72nd scale

Haven't done much modelling so far this year. I do most of my work in the garage and its been far too cold to spray of course. This is the Italeri G-6 in 72nd scale, not a bad kit, a bit industrial in places, especially the undercarriage and the gear legs are located way too far apart. I have been attempting to paint this freehand in an effort to replicate the well known 'Yellow 1' as flown by Manfred Dieterle of I./JG 300 on wilde Sau 'Wild boar' sorties during 1943. I haven't quite got enough wiggles in my waves but I'm not too unhappy with it for this scale. Now to find some decals somewhere in the spares box for it. {Painted with Vallejo acrylics and my PremiAir G35 - not a bad piece of kit for £30)