Bf-109 wing question-opinions needed.

[Gary Brantley]

When wings were replaced on 109s, did the "new" wing include the wing fillet from the donor plane or was the fillet on the plane receiving the wing retained? I'm painting a desert tan 109E-7 Tropical and the SB wing was replaced with one that has the 91/02/65 colors. I'm not sure how to paint the fillet on that side and could sure use some help from an expert. Thanks for any help you guys can offer!

[keavdog]

Not sure if this helps. I have this pic squirrelled away for a future build.

[Stikpusher]

Tough call... most likely it retains the original 71/02 colors like here... Although this one has not been repainted into the tropical colors

[Gary Brantley]

I've been giving this a lot of thought. Actually way too much thought. I've decided that the original fillet (and color) would've remained if undamaged and it would've been replaced with another if damaged too much. I suppose, the fillet could also be a different color than the original airframe or that of the replacement wing. Barring a definitive photo, of which none seems available, the builder is left to his own decision. It just looks "better" left original to me and that's how I'm doing it. I'll remask the fillet and make it desert tan again, and I'm also remasking the wing for the RLM 91 areas. I used Humbrol's equivalent and it looks way off to me. I've got some old ModelMaster RAF Dark Green that looks closer to my eyes and I'll go with that. Man, what the hell has happened to Humbrol enamel lately? Not the great paint it once was...

This is a model that has sat unfinished for about two years, and now it's just about painted. I've used my new Gaahleri AB for the entire job and have been very happy with it. The pistol-type trigger really helps with it; the nerve damage in my hands make a conventional double-action AB really hard to use. And, unbelievably to me after using that Paasche H for 40 years, I can spray at less than 10 psi. Wow, what a difference!

And thanks for those pics, John and Carlos! Cool stuff!

[Stikpusher]

Gary, where are you getting RLM 91 from? The original Bf-109E Continental scheme topside colors were RLM 70 & RLM 71. Later RLM 02 was introduced as a replacement for the RLM 70, for a combo of RLM 71 & RLM 02. Is there a RLM 91 color? I know of a RLM 81 color…

[Gary Brantley]

Aaack! Just an old-timer's brain lapse, Carlos! Yes, the correct RLM number is 71. The top side of the "replacement" wing is RLM 71 and RLM 02, while the bottom is in RLM 65. The original airframe is RLM 79 on top and RLM 78 on bottom. Sorry 'bout that, thanks for "catching" that, my friend!

[cbaltrin]

I doubt there is a definitive answer to this question. Unless you have a ref photo for the specific a/c you are modeling, I would say 'modelers discretion'.

[Gary Brantley]

Yep!

[Stikpusher]

Gary, where are you getting RLM 91 from? The original Bf-109E Continental scheme topside colors were RLM 70 & RLM 71. Later RLM 02 was introduced as a replacement for the RLM 70, for a combo of RLM 71 & RLM 02. Is there a RLM 91 color? I know of a RLM 81 color…

Aaack! Just an old-timer's brain lapse, Carlos! Yes, the correct RLM number is 71. The top side of the "replacement" wing is RLM 71 and RLM 02, while the bottom is in RLM 65. The original airframe is RLM 79 on top and RLM 78 on bottom. Sorry 'bout that, thanks for "catching" that, my friend!

You're quite welcome. I had to look it up, and there actually was a RLM 91 shade, but it was a gray color only used on Lufthansa aircraft!

Oh now that would be interesting... a continental camouflaged wing on a tropical camouflaged fuselage and empennage... If I'm not mistaken, the 109E's in tropical camo had the RLM 79 with RLM 80 splotches. The solid RLM 79 topside came along with the 109F model... Do you have any reference for this aircraft?! Man I would love to see any photos of that. I know that mix and match NMF with salvaged OD/NG portions B-17s were occasionally seen, but this sounds too cool!

[Gary Brantley]

Carlos, here are some of my references; unfortunately only one is a wartime photo. I've included top and bottom views of the Iliad Decal sheet I'm using too.

note the heavy fading of the RLM 71 areas:













Every reference described it as a 109E-7 Tropical. The replacement wing adds some "flair" to the one-color topside, while both wings have different shades of blue.