Warbird Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 User manual

Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com 1
Assembly Manual for
Messerschmitt Bf 109F
Messerschmitt Bf 109FMesserschmitt Bf 109F
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-
--
-2
22
2
Version 1.2 – 29 Jan ary 2005
Designed by Terry Majewski

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com 2
Materials
Kit Contents
This kit incl des the following items:
 Laser-c t balsa, 12 sheets
 Laser-c t plywood, 1 sheet
 Laser-c t elevator horn, 1 each
 1/16” x 4” x 15” Balsa, 4 sheets
 6” x 6” Clear plastic canopy material, 1 sheet
 1/8” x 1” Dowel, 1 each
 1/4” x 12” Balsa triangle, 2 each
 3/8” x 6” Balsa triangle, 1 each
 1/16” x 12” M sic wire, 1 each
 3/32” x 9” Al min m t bing, 1 each
 Constr ction man al, 1 each
 Decals, 1 sheet
Builder-Provided Materials
Yo will need to provide the following materials to complete
this kit:
 1-3/4” D -Bro spinner
 Aileron linkage (s ggest D -Bro Cat No 189 Aileron
Horn Wire Ball Links)
 Elevator p shrod and q ick-link
 Hinges (ailerons, elevators)
 Covering and paint
 2 o nce Fiberglass cloth (wing reinforcement)
 0.56 o nce Fiberglass cloth (spinner reinforcement)
 Pair of s per-magnets or bolt and n t (hatch hold-
down)
 Motor, propeller and battery
 Radio gear: receiver, elevator servo, aileron servo
Power
The prototype was powered by a Mega 16/15/5 br shless
motor, an 8 cell 1100 mAh NiMh battery, and an APC 7x5e
prop.
If b ilt light (17 to 18 o nces) a Speed 400 motor sho ld
provide s fficient power.
Updates and Free Downloads
Please visit o r Web site www.warbirdkits.com for prod ct
pdates and free downloads!

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com 3
Construction
Wing
The wing is a f lly-sheeted spar-less design that achieves
strength witho t nnecessary weight. The wing is designed
to be permanently attached to the model’s f selage for
str ct ral integrity.
The wing consists of two panels: port and starboard. Each
panel has a top skin and a bottom skin.
Wing Skins
 Each lower wing skin consists of two laser-c t and
etched pieces: forward and aft. Gently clean p the
mating edges of the skin pieces with 220 grit paper
on a sanding block.
 Lay the two pieces of a wing skin on a flat board or
table, with the o ter s rface p. R n a length of
masking tape along the join line. T rn the assembled
skin over, bend the joint open, and r n a bead of
wood gl e down the joint.
 Lay the assembled skin back down on the flat board
– masking tape side down. R n a damp paper towel
over the joint to remove excess gl e. Place a sheet
of wax paper over the assembled skin. Then weight
it down with another board, books or what have yo .
Keep the weight on the skin ntil it is completely dry.
 While waiting for the bottom skins to dry, prepare
the top skin material as follows. For each top skin,
join two sheets of 1/16” x 4” balsa sing the tape
and gl e method above.
 When the bottom skins are dry, remove the masking
tape from the joints.
 Trace the o tlines of the bottom skins onto the top
skin material. Then c t o t the top skins leaving
abo t 1/8” extra material at the trailing edges.
 Sand each skin as follows. Lay a skin on a flat board
with the o ter s rface p, and sand it smooth with
120 grit paper on a long sanding block. Be s re to
keep yo r sanding motion at a 45-degree angle to
the joints and wood grain. Clean the skin with a tack
rag.
Note – it sho ld not be necessary to sand the inner
s rfaces of the wing skins. J st be s re to remove
any excess gl e.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 4 -
Wing Panels
 Pin a lower wing skin to yo r b ilding board. (The
lower skins are the ones with the rib and aileron
hinge strip positions etched into them.)
NOTE: Ignore the wing main spar in the constr ction
photos.
 Use the laser-c t dihedral ga ge to set the root rib in
position. When satisfied with the fit, gl e it to the
bottom skin.
 Gl e the rest of ribs to the bottom skin. Gl e the
aileron hinge strips to the ribs and bottom skin, one
on either side of the laser-c t separation line. DON’T
gl e the aileron hinge strips together.
NOTE: Use scrap 3/32” material to pack the leading
edge of the bottom skin p so that it is in contact
with the f ll length of each rib.
 Fabricate aileron torq e rods from 3/32" al min m
t bing and 1/16" m sic wire.
 Gl e torq e rod t bing to the bottom skin BUT NOT
to the aileron. Gl e blocks on either side of the
aileron crank. Do not c t the aileron o t at this time.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 5 -
 Gl e the 1/16” s b-leading edge to the front of the
ribs.
 Sand the wing panel str ct re so that the aileron
hinge strips and crank blocks match the wing rib
conto r. Sand the top of the trailing edge so that it
tapers to abo t 1/32” width. This provides a gl ing
s rface at the trailing edge for the top skin.
 Pin a wing panel to the b ilding board, sing the
laser-c t washo t jigs to establish 1/8” wingtip
washo t.
 Gl e the 1/16" top skin to the wing panel str ct re.
Let the gl e c re thoro ghly before npinning the
wing panel from the b ilding board.
 NO E – The laser-c t 1/8” leading edge strip is not
wide eno gh to cover the entire leading edge. To
remedy this, simply c t a 1/8” inch wide strip from
the excess 1/8” sheet and edge-gl e it to the laser-
c t leading edge.
Gl e the 1/8” laser-c t leading edge to the wing
panel.
 Gl e the laser-c t wingtip to the tip rib. NO E –
laminate a scrap of 1/16” sheet to the top of the
wingtip block.
 Shape the leading edge and wingtip of each wing
panel to the shapes shown on the plans.
 Prepare to join the wing panels by pinning one wing
panel, with its washo t jigs, to yo r b ilding board.
Jig the other wing panel so that its center rib
matches the center rib on the pinned-down panel,
and raise its wingtip 2” above the b ilding board.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 6 -
 Gl e the panels together. We s ggest 15-min te
epoxy for this joint.
 Wrap the center section of the assembled wing with
a strip of 2.6oz fiberglass cloth. Soak the cloth with
thin CA gl e.
 C t the ailerons free from the completed wing.
 Bevel the aileron leading edges slightly to allow for
3/16” movement both p and down.
 Hinge the ailerons to the wing.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 7 -
 Install the aileron servo and linkage in the wing.
Fuselage
 First, determine how many spacer rings yo ’ll need
for yo r motor, prop adapter and spinner
combination. Attach yo r motor to the plywood
firewall F1. Then set p the prop adapter and spinner
as they’ll be on the finished model. Adj st the
n mber of spacer rings ntil yo get a nice fit
between the spinner and the spacer – abo t 1/16” is
fine.
 Gl e the 1/16” balsa do blers to the f selage sides.
Be s re to make a left and right side!
 Gl e a 1/8" sq. balsa strip along the lower edge of
the f selage side from F4 to F7.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 8 -
 Gl e F2, F3 and F4 to one f selage side making s re
they are aligned 90 degrees. Then gl e to the other
side.
NO E: Dab a weak sol tion of ho sehold ammonia on the
f selage sides to make them bend easily.
 P ll the tail together and place formers F5, F6 and F7
in place. Sec re the lower part of the formers to the
f se sides with thin CA.
 Gl e the plywood firewall F1 in place.
 Gl e a 1/8" sq are balsa stringer to the top of the
rear formers.
 Moisten the top half of the f selage sides and gently
press them against the top portion of formers F4, F5,
F6, and F7. Sec re with thin CA.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 9 -
 Add the 1/8" balsa stringer to the lower rear
f selage.
 Add 1/4" balsa blocking to the forward f selage to
allow for sanding to a ro nded shape.
 Gl e 1/4” balsa triangle strips to the top of the
f selage sides aft of the firewall F1 to provide more
material for shaping the nose.
 Gl e the two 1/4” balsa bottom blocks together, then
gl e them to the bottom of the forward f selage.
 Gl e the appropriate n mber and size spacer rings to
the forward f selage. Use yo r motor and spinner
combination to select the correct spacer rings.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 10 -
 Gl e the two 1/4” balsa top blocks together, then
gl e them to the top of the forward f selage.
 Install a temporary spinner to aid in final sanding of
the forward f selage. Sand the nose to shape.
 Sheet the bottom of the f selage with 1/16" balsa.
In this photo, the sheeting is not complete.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 11 -
 Gl e the 1/4” balsa top block in place on the rear of
the f selage. Sand it to a symmetrical ro nded
shape.
 Trim the trailing edge of the wing at the center. Test
fit the wing to the partially completed f selage.
Adj st the wing saddle as needed.
 Gl e the wing to the f selage. We recommend epoxy
for this critical join.
 Begin the cockpit hatch by constr cting a 1/16" x
1/4" balsa frame (2 layers). The rear cross piece is
two layers of 1/16" ply (for the hatch screw
s pport).
 Gl e formers F3T and F4T to the hatch frame and
add a 1/8" balsa stringer between them.
 Sheet the hatch with two pieces of 1/16" balsa.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 12 -
 Place the hatch on the f selage temporarily. Using a
piece of wax paper to keep it from sticking to the
f selage, gl e the cockpit rear b lkhead to the hatch
frame.
 Place the hatch on the f selage temporarily. Using a
piece of wax paper to keep it from sticking to the
f selage, gl e the cockpit rear b lkhead to the hatch
frame.
 Gl e a 1/4" x 1/16" balsa strip between the rear
b lkhead and F4T.
 Per the plan, se a bolt and blind n t to attach the
hatch to the model. Or se s per-magnets in place
of the bolt and n t.
 The finished hatch sho ld look like this.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 13 -
Empennage
 Gl e the r dder pieces together and sand smooth.
 Make an elevator joiner from a length of 1/16” m sic
wire.
 Hinge the joined elevators to the horizontal stab.
 Gl e strips of 1/4” balsa triangle stock to the
f selage to create a platform for the horizontal
stabilizer.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 14 -
 Align the horizontal stabilizer to the f selage making
s re it is level with the wing tips. Then gl e the
horizontal stabilizer to the f selage.
 Sand the 1/4” triangle horizontal stab platform to a
concave shape. Then reinforce the stab-f selage
joint with a strip of 0.56 o nce fiberglass cloth and
CA.
 Insert the vertical stabilizer/r dder assembly tabs
into the slots in the horizontal stabilizer. Make s re
that the vertical stabilizer is aligned correctly. Then
gl e it in place.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 15 -
Detailing Your Model
 Prepare two lengths of 1/4" balsa triangle for the
wing fillets. Use a razor saw to slice the triangle
stock abo t every q arter-inch. These slices will help
the triangle stock conform to the wing’s top s rface.
 Gl e the fillets in place between the wing and
f selage.
 Fill the slices and gaps with lightweight balsa filler.
Then sand a concave shape into the fillets.
 Use a sharpened 1/4" diameter brass t be in a
Dremel™ tool to dig the g n tro ghs. Install 1/8”
t be “g ns”.
 Gl e the three radiators together and attach them to
the wing and f selage.
 Add a small sheet balsa fairing to the nderside of
the f selage, above the wing leading edge.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 16 -
 Using the template provided, c t a paper canopy and
fit it to the model. When satisfied with the fit,
transfer the pattern to the clear plastic sheet. C t
o t the clear plastic canopy and gl e it in place.
 Add the desired scale details, s ch as exha sts, air
scoop, etc.
 Details on how to make a scale spinner are incl ded
at the end of this man al. This model needs a
ro nded spinner – the commercially-available
“pointy” spinners j st don’t look right!
Finishing Your Model
 We s ggest covering the entire model (except the
canopy) with 1/2-o nce glass cloth and finishing
resin for maxim m strength.
 Apply a light coat of primer – j st eno gh to fill the
weave of the glass – and sand most of it off.
 Paint and decorate the model as desired. See the
attached 3-view for details on markings and panel
lines.
 Finally, seal the entire model with a coat of Krylon
Satin Crystal Clear.
Decals
CAU ION: You must seal the decals before immersing
them in water!
The decals incl ded in this kit are printed with Epson
D raBrite™ inks on the best inkjet water-slide decal paper
available. Follow the steps below to achieve a great looking
set of markings on yo r Friedrich.
 Seal the decals with several thin coats of Krylon
Crystal Clear™ spray varnish. Make s re yo
thoro ghly cover the ink; this will prevent smears
and stains d ring everyday handling.
 Make s re the s rface where the decal is to be
applied is smooth and glossy. Matte s rfaces will
permit tiny air b bbles to be trapped between the
s rface and the decal, th s spoiling the decal.

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com - 17 -
 C t o t and trim all the markings that yo plan to
apply in this session.
 Dip the decal in a bowl of warm water for abo t 20
seconds. Using yo r fingers, gently try to slide the
decal off the backing paper. As soon as the decal
slides, slide it off the backing paper and onto the
model in the desired position. Use a rag or old t-shirt
to gently blot excess water from the decal. Allow the
decal to dry.
IP – If yo leave the decal in the water too long,
the ink will r n. Practice with bits of decal c t from
the copyright notice.
 If yo r in yo r set of decals, yo can download a
set from www.warbirdkits.com. Print them on self-
adhesive label material or decal material.
Alternative Color Schemes and Markings
This kit will b ild into many different marks of Bf
109, incl ding the F, G and K, so there are literally
tho sands of different color schemes and markings
available.
Visit the Bf 109 page at www.warbirdkits.com to
download some alternative markings and extra scale
details. Yo can download a f ll set of markings for a
G model flown by Hans-Joachim Marseille and a G
model flown by the Finnish Air Force, absol tely
FREE for non-commercial se.
Weight and Balance
 The prototype weighed in at 20.5 o nces ready to
fly. A range of 17 to 21 o nces all p weight sho ld
res lt in a great-flying model.
 The Bf 109 sho ld balance as shown on the plans.
For the first few flights, yo may want to move the
balance point forward abo t 1/4” - better a bit nose-
heavy than a bit tail-heavy!
HELP!
If yo have q estions or need more help with assembly of
the Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 kit, drop an email to
[email protected].

Assembly Man al for Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Copyright 2005 Thomas A. Jacoby and WarbirdKits.com 18
Bf 109F-2 flown by Le tnant Max-Hellm t Ostermann, 7./JG 54, R ssia, October 1941 (Prototype by Terry Majewski)
Bf 109F-4/Trop flown by Oberle tnant Hans-Joachim Marseille, 3./JG 27, Egypt, September 15, 1942 (Model by Tom Jacoby)