Messerschmitt 109E-1/E-3/E-4, 1:48 Airfix Options

[Mike]

Messerschmitt 109E-1/E-3/E-4
1:48 Airfix

The Messerschmitt 109 was destined to be one of the iconic fighters of WWII, so it is no surprise that it is a perennial favourite of the model making public, and it follows that there should be a large number of kits available in all scales.

The number of available kits is further widened by the fact that like the Spitfire it opposed, the basic airframe of the 109 was subject to many upgrades and improvements during its working life.

This kit represents three versions of the E or "Emil", which adapted through various sub-versions, the major ones being represented here with the exception of the E-7, although a drop-tank is supplied if the modeller wishes to adapt the provided kit accordingly.

The kit arrives in Airfix's now familiar colourful red box, and inside you find two sprues of light grey styrene, and a separately bagged clear sprue with lots of pieces of canopy to allow you to build the various sub-types. Instructions, a color painting guide and a compact set of decals completes the package.

There has already been a lot of talk on the various modelling forums of the accuracy of this kit, and from my readings the overall outlook seems positive, although it's difficult for any model company to completely satisfy everyone - especially on such well known subjects as the 109.

This new tool offers a wide variety of sub-types from the box, and Airfix are to be applauded for giving us the options. Of note here are 4 different windscreens, 2 canopy rears and two main canopy parts, plus drop tank, 250kg bomb and rack carrying 4 x 50kg bombs. Also included is a gun-port insert that fits to the wing leading edge to allow the modeller to portray 4 wing mounted machine guns or 2, depending on the mark they are building.

The cockpit is well detailed, although the bucket seat has some rather featureless belts moulded in. These can be covered by installing the supplied pilot figure, which despite looking like the cat that got the canary on the instructions, is actually suitably sombre on the sprues. Three spinner caps are included, although only 2 are alluded to in the instructions, and inside the cowling is a basic rendition of the DB601 engine moulded to the fuselage, with additional parts making up the engine bearers. The cowling can be left off to display this, but to the purist, a lot more work would be required to bring the engine up to scratch, so it is probably best left covered.

The wings have a 1 piece lower and 2-piece upper, and care should be exercised when joining this assembly to the fuselage, so that a good join is made. Various scoops, bumps and probes are added here and there, and all of the flying surfaces can be posed deployed, with handy hints at their maximum deflection to assist you in getting a realistic stance. Leading edge slats can be deployed or stowed just be removing the mounting tabs, and the tail stays are provided with substantial mounting points to give the assembly strength.

The landing gear is supplied as separate in-flight and parked sets, with the wheels in the latter having a nice restrained bulge to the bottom of the tyre. They're also one-piece with separate hubs, which makes clean-up and painting easier. Another diagram shows you the angle at which to set the gear to the perpendicular, which is another neat touch to help out the builder.

The canopy is crisp and clear, and the integral headrest is supplied for inside the opening part. Choose the parts carefully depending on which sub-type you are modelling, and either cut off or leave the small mounting tabs on the side of the opening part, depending on whether you're modelling it closed or open.

The decals are nicely printed, although the large black expanses of the balkenkreuz seem a little speckled with lighter dots, but this would hardly notice under a coat of varnish. From the sheet you can model one of three airframes as follows:

• Bf 109E-4/N Maj. Adolf Galland, France, 1940
• Bf 109E-3 Johann Boehm, France 1940 (First Luftwaffe fighter to be shot down over UK)
• Bf 109E-1/B France, 1940

A good number of stencils and walkway guides are supplied, as well as some stencils for the bombs and props, all of which help with realism.

Conclusion
This kit has been generally well received by the Luftwaffe experts, and should build into a nice replica out of the box with little trouble. Panel lines are crisp but on the heavy side, and detail is good, even on the basic engine moulded to the fuselage.

Its major competition is the Tamiya Emil, and given the likely difference in price, I would say that this kit should sell well, especially given the fact that you can build at least three sub-types of the Emil from the box.

Review sample courtesy of