#messerschmitts

[mav-it]

Zerstörer Me 410 (Me 410B-1/U4) "Hornisse" of the ZerstörerGeschwader 26 (ZG 26) "Horst Wessel" of the Luftwaffe ready to take off.

Almost certainly in Königsberg, Germany, 1944.

[wardrobehudson]

Too Many Messerschmitts

Santa brought us this, and along with it came great and simple joy:

It's an Airfix(TM) "Quickbuild"(TM) Messerschmitt Me-109 as I'm sure you all know (I wonder how long it will be before someone emails us to say the correct designation is "Bf-109").  Basically, it's "Airfix does Lego" (not TM) and it's fab.  Lots of Lego-style bricks that build you an aeroplane in no time.

This did however lead to discussion about how many Messerschmitt 109's (of any designation and construction technique) we have here, and how many you really need at an Asylum.

After some hunting about and discussion we realised that this was the seventh Me 109 we've acquired ranging in scale from 1:144 to 1:2 (granted, the latter is just a cockpit, though we do have really insane dreams to built the whole thing one day in the barn, just for the laugh).  As other folk acquire stray cats, for some reason, we seem to accumulate various models of the same German fighter.

Opinion is spilt as to whether this is because it's arguably the meanest and coolest looking fighter ever developed or whether it's because we're a bit sad and slightly bonkers.  We're more united in the view that it's about time we got one that actually flies.

As I type up this rather sad tale, on the desk is a map of the south of England and Northern France that shows several silhouettes of aircraft.  There's a Junkers Ju-87 Stuka, a Messerschmitt Bf-110 and yes there's a 109.  There's a twin engined bomber concerning which a debate is raging that might get heated as to whether it's a Junkers Ju-88, a Heinkel He-111 or a Dornier Do-17  (I'm telling you, there's no way man that it's a Heinkel!)  

Now, if we were ARP Observers in the Battle of Britain, the ability to recognise these silhouettes would have been a jolly good and spiffing thing.  But we're not, and I for one worry that this sort of information stored somewhere in the old grey matter will increasingly take up room pointlessly that will be desperately needed for basic functions as cells die in their millions.

I can see myself sozzled on the street at the age of eighty, incontinent and unable to tie my shoe laces, screaming at some fellow wino "There is no way on God's earth that is the silhouette of a Heinkel you moron!"

Unless I can find a "delete" key.

[wardrobehudson]

Camouflage

It's slow going, mainly due to the usual set of circumstances within my control, but the 109 is getting there.  Had fun this afternoon splodging mottled camouflage on to the sides and adding some of the detail.  The colours aren't entirely historically accurate, but then again Dulux don't do a RLM range (and if you know what that stands for, you need to get out more than even I do!)

So what's left to do?

Well, there's the final painting to do and detail to add, including the squadron badge that the little pilot has decided should bear the letters B.O.B - for Battle of Britain of course. Most of the work has to be done on the interior: gun sight, radio, rear view mirror, bomb release lever, under carriage switches, seat-belts and rudder peddles.

Then there are things suggested by friends of the Asylum who are more bonkers than we are: fitting a desk fan through the front and wiring it in to give it a prop - though as the pilot pointed out, it would need short blades otherwise the machine guns have had it. Then there was a suggestion to give it engine sounds. How? Well, get a sample of a 109 engine (this is possible, madly), loop it for a very long time in CoolEdit, dump it to a cheap MP3 player with some speakers, and wire that to a start switch.

All I know is that it urgently needs some casters so I can move it around the room without putting my back out.