BV 141B - This aint gonna be pretty!

[CJSomerset]

When it comes to choosing a kit to build, I only have a few criteria....
It has to be a German aircraft.
It has to be 1/48.
It has to be something that Fightngjoe isn't going to be building anytime soon.

So I give you the Bloss & Vohm 141B..

Historic 48-004 BV-141B.JPG

The kit was made by Historic Plastic Models and is about 15 years old, but looks good and comes with some PE parts!

I really wanted the HobbyBoss version, but I found this at Yeovil show and the guy sold it to me by saying "It is a much harder build than the HobbyBoss." Unfortunately what he meant by that was " The HobbyBoss actually fits together!"

I've been working on this every evening for about a week now, and so far I've stuck 3 parts together! I managed to bend the flats sides together, but lining up the bottom meant the top was out by about 1mm. I've sanded and filled it with 3 types of filler, but so far nothing has made the joint good enough to pass the finger nail test. And now I've sanded it down so far that it is no longer stuck together. So tonight I have gauged out a deep groove and filled it with Revell contactor. Hopefully when that's dry I'll be able to sand it down again and get a good finish

photo 2.JPG

[CJSomerset]

photo 3.JPG

photo 4.JPG

[UKguyInUSA]

Ouch....that sounds like a painful kit to work with, but it looks like you've cracked the 1mm overlap of the joints. Such a peculiarly strange looking aircraft, but it's that, that makes it interesting. Good luck with the rest of the build mate

[shortCummins]

Hi CJ

have you seen MakingModelsAgain's videos on his 1/72 and 1/48 Bv-141s?




you might find how he 'fixed' the canopy interesting

rgds
John (shortCummins)

[CJSomerset]

have you seen MakingModelsAgain's videos on his 1/72 and 1/48 Bv-141s?

Well I have now! Thanks for posting, but I really didn't need to see how well he did, as mines a nightmare

So far I've half built the cockpit, but EVERY piece has had to have seam lines removed and all the locating lugs filed off so that the part sits correctly. Only good thing is that my gondola arrangement is all clear* plastic that is painted after assembly.So it is just two halves to stick together which should mean I don't get the same problems as his Airfix version.

* Vaguely transparent is a more accurate description!!!

[patrickroos]

When it comes to choosing a kit to build, I only have a few criteria....
It has to be a German aircraft.
It has to be 1/48.
It has to be something that Fightngjoe isn't going to be building anytime soon.

Hey now wait a minute, thats MY criteria...!
Or well not really, ok mine is more, it has to be Luftwaffe WWII
And...thats it really.


OK Im ready...let the swearing begin!
This seems like any other Revell kit = Beer + Filler + Sanders + More beer

[CJSomerset]

OK Im ready...let the swearing begin!
This seems like any other Revell kit = Beer + Filler + Sanders + More beer

I'm starting to think that I will probably end up with a big lump of filler that has been sanded into the shape of an aircraft

[CJSomerset]

Progress so far…

There is some PE to be fitted but the cockpit is very sparse, so I think I'll have a go at scratch building some details.



Plenty of filler….



Nice snug fit?



Crystal clear canopy?



Why doesn't my part D19 look like the instructions?



You'd think I'd got it wrong, but it's meant to look like this!

[CJSomerset]

Polished and Klear coated half the canopy then spruced up and painted the interior.



Added some leftovers from other kits, it's not very accurate but I doubt any of it will be seen



Gave the main fuselage section some primer, which showed up all the crap filling. So tonight it's back to the sanding blocks

[Jamesday1998]

awesome work on the cockpit so far!
its just a shame that the kit has some bad fit issues but hopefully youll be able to get them filled and sanded!

[patrickroos]

Haha love this build and how Your kicking this kit in its nu...
Keep fighting, its starting to take shape now buddy!
What ratio are u at now? Vallejo plastic putty - Styrene 50/50?
Makes my F-15 feel like a godsend...



Patrick

[CJSomerset]

Started masking up the canopy.......... 57 windows and 5 hours later, I started to get quite good at it

bv13.jpg

bv12.jpg

[patrickroos]

Holy mother of all tape!
Please say its pre-cut masks...?
Regardless, nice work!

[CJSomerset]

Please say its pre-cut masks...?

Nope!

[CJSomerset]

And I mis counted. There are 63 windows

[CJSomerset]

Even more filler tonight. I have a belt sander in my workshop and I'm seriously considering using it!

bv45.JPG

A before and after undercarriage.

bv46.JPG

Luckily there aren't many parts to this kit as every piece needs sanding and NOTHING FITS!! Even the wheels don't fit the axles

[shortCummins]

if it had been my model it'd be turned into a Frisbee by now!

[AndreFerro]

57 Windows???????? NO WAY!!!!!!
You have the guts, Man!!! Have earned my respect!

[CJSomerset]

Added the final few hatches, (which had even more windows, bringing the grand total to 70!)

Then got my Lego workmen to build me a new painting stand.



Finally it's all the same colour

[CJSomerset]

The monster returns!

So I started fitting the engine and off course it didn't fit, in fact it was so far off fitting that I just kind of gave in

I took a couple of months off and built the Heinkel which seemed like a breeze and I managed to improve my re scribing to the point that I thought I'd take another look at the BV141. The truth is that the terrible fit was getting me down. But the lack of detail meant that even if I did finish it, it was never going to be worth the effort. So the plan now is to add some detail as well.

Step one, remove the primer that I was hoping would hide the crap filling. ( it didn't)

IMG_1720.jpg

Plenty of nail varnish remover and I started filling again. And started cutting bits off in the hope that I can improve them!

IMG_1724.jpg

[patrickroos]

Its back!

Damn, this almost inspires me to pre-shade my F-15...almost...