Bf 109K-14 of

Barry Numerick

 

That's not a typo... this is an "almost what-if" K-14, with outboard 30mm cannons and a four-blade prop marked as a II./JG52 machine.  Yet another Nationals contender, this aircraft is simply awesome- the four-blade prop gives the 109 a completely different character, making it even more aggressive than before (if that's possible...).  Barry outlines the modifications made to the old Revell G-10 kit below...

Like you, I love the old Revell G-10. So much so that I've accumulated over 60 of them. I remember when the October 1978 (if memory serves) issue of Scale Modeller hit the local hobby shop, and there was a brand spanking new 109, in 1/48, AND my favorite version. Thought I died and went to heaven. That kit still stands up well today. The K-14 is based on thprobably erroneous report that II/JG 52 received 2 of these aircraft at the end of the war. After reading the JaPo book on the 109 K there seems to be a possibility that such an airframe existed. J.C. Mermet mentioned in a letter to me that 600 set of wings with 30mm cannon were constructed by the end of the war.

There are a number of modifications to bring the Revell kit to K-14 standards. To save time I'll include the info I used on contest entry sheets:

This model represents one of two Bf 109 K-14s delivered to II/JG 52 at the end of WWII. 

Airframe: 

Changes made to bring the airframe to “K” configuration include:

-filling fuselage radio access panel and rescribing one station forward.

-moving 2 fuel filler ports.

-removing tailwheel, scribing gear doors and adding long strut tailwheel.

-moving loop antenna one station back

-aileron trim tabs and actuating arms added.

-gear position indicators added.

Fuselage: Spinner replaced with Hobbycraft item. Changed from 3 blade to 4 blade prop by filling 2 holes in spinner and adding 3 new ones. Prop was reshaped from an Otaki Ki-84. Cannon barrel removed and replaced with stretched Q-tip. Undercowl oil cooler scoop was removed, deepened and reattached. Grill is Eduard brass item. Exit flap is plastic card. Cowl piano hinge is sprue, scribed with a scalpel. Exhaust shrouds were removed and replaced with shim brass. Hasegawa drop tank bracket added (offset is intentional), detailed with stretched sprue & Q-tips. Sway braces and adjusting knobs were flared on the ends with a candle flame. Shell ejection ports were deepened. All tail flying surfaces were removed and repositioned. A larger trim tab was added to the rudder with actuator arm from sprue.

Wing: Dihedral was increased by scoring the lower wing at the root and bending. Slats were removed and replaced with Hasegawa parts. Maingear doors were sanded down until only the skeletal framework remained, this was then attached to replacement doors cut from .005” card. Brake lines are fine solder. All flaps were removed and repositioned; inboard lower flaps are scratchbuilt from .005” card. Holes opened in maingear wells; retraction pistons and wiring were then added. Roof was added to well from .005” card (with appropriate cutout). Cooper details outer doors were given added detail and “busier” mountings. 30MM wing cannon housings were vacuformed over epoxy putty masters, then the appropriate holes drilled. Bits of Monogram Me 262 cannons were added. Barrels are stretched plastic Q-tips, wrapped with foil for various thicknesses. Moraine mast was carved from a toothpick, stained for a deeper wood tone. It was repositioned further outboard on the wing and mounting plate was scribed. Pitot tube replaced with a hypodermic needle, wrapped in foil. Wing tip lights are shaped clear sprue. Trim tabs on all flying surfaces are .005” card. Gun camera port was added to left wing, made from stretched plastic tube and white glue.

Wheels are True Details, some of the overstated bulge was sanded down and tire rescribed. Canopy is also True Details. Head armor was scratchbuilt as was side framing. Bolts fashioned from sprue. Windscreen clearing tube added to base from fine solder. Retaining wire added from three pieces of fine wire, the spring is the same wire wrapped around a small drill. Most framing is painted clear decal sheet.

Cooper Details replacement items include: Exhaust stacks, cowl guns, cockpit interior, tailwheel fork and outer gear doors. Tail strut was replaced with piano wire wrapped with BareMetal foil for various thicknesses. 

Paint is Gunze Sangyo, custom mixed. Underwing silver is Metalizer and Spray-N-Plate. All decals are Aeromaster, except fuselage station numbers and Werk Number which are Woodland Scenics dry transfers. The Werk Numbers were hand painted one letter at a time and were usually not in a straight line. Weathering was done with oil paints and pastels.

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