Vonbraun

Here is the artist rendition from the old Profile Publication.

Interesting observation on the upper wing cross.

Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke (WNF) build.

Fantastic...very realistic!

The tie down cable superposition over the landing gear cover clearly established that it is the same photo. If the photo was taken from a different position the superposition would be altered...and it is not.

The two photos immediately above (sourced from Krzyzan M (1995) Fw 190D Ta 152 A J Press Gdansk) are actually from the same photo. One of which has been retouched to depict the aircraft in its presumed wartime configuration. Note the two aircraft are in the same exact position on the tarmac, the location of the trees on the horizon, and the location of the tie down ropes establish that they are one and the same.

Absolutely fantastic!

My use of the word experimentation above was a poor choice, perhaps field expedient is more appropriate. As far as formal experiments of color on combat aircraft, I do not think it is really feasible. The RLM had the facilities to test camouflage paint without having to resort to what would amount to large scale field testing in a combat environment. Just compiling your test results would be would very haphazard due to attrition and combat losses. Also if field testing did occur why the variation in schemes and why was the application left to the field units. Too many uncontrollable variables for any meaningful testing. If RLM 74/75 and 76 were available for field testing is the summer of 1940 why the delay until the winter of 1941 in getting them in full scale use.

The standard Luftwaffe fighter camouflage was RLM 02 Gray/ 71 Dark Green over 65 Blue during this period. The first deliveries of the Bf 109 F and the Fw 190 A arrived in this scheme. But there is documented use of grays from the summer of 1940 until the adoption of the official RLM 74/75/76 scheme in November of 1941. I suspect that these grays were created at unit level. JG 51, JG 26 and 54 have a history of experimentation with camouflage schemes and colors during this period, while other units like JG 2 seem to have kept the official stipulated colors. There were color photographs taken of the Bf 110 D-0 S9+CK, during its examination at Vultee Aircraft in the USA, and it appears to be in the factory applied 02/71/65 scheme. I have also seen color stills from a motion picture taken of this same machine and it appears to be painted in in distinctive grey tones.

Awesome!

There is surviving Telex messaging between Focke Wulf and the RLM (Travemünde Test Center) regarding the implementation of the trial elimination of camouflage paint on the undersurfaces of 50 Fw 190s to be conducted at the Focke Wulf Sorau factory. These communications clearly indicate that it is only the camouflage paint that is to be eliminated. Focke Wulf states that metal surfaces will be primed with 119D primer provided by Warnecke & Böhm. Additionally shade 76 is to be applied to tail surfaces finished in red dope and to any wooden components on the wing and fuselage undersides.

Yes, very impressive especially the brush painted mottle.

RLM 81 and 82 were developed to replace RLM 70 and 71, because the later were prone to fading to gray when exposed to UV light. Remember that the new colors were initially conceived for the purpose of replacing 70/71, not for application on fighters. When the new colors were finally approved the the tactical situation required the Germans to consider defensive camouflage schemes for its fighters and and the older gray air offensive scheme gave way to the new greens. At about the same time the Germans stopped bomber production and focused on fighters. There is some surviving material on the testing of there new colors (81, 82) which concerns their resistance to fading on UV exposure. It is very unlikely this or any other testing would be carried out in a combat situation. Additionally there is substantial photographic documentation of JG 54 employing unusual camouflage practices (and apparently colors) as far back as 1939. So the color photographs of the Fw 190s above are most likely only coincidentally related to RLM 81 and 82.

The RLM was the authority on the camouflage employed by the various aircraft manufacturers and used a numeric system to identify the color (and other properties), it was the manufacturers that typically employed descriptive terms for color. For RLM 81, Messerschmitt employed the term Brunviolett while Dornier used Dunkelgrün. As these new paints were being introduced the RLM dispensed with color samples and requiring manufactures to meet color standards. RLM 81 showed considerable variation, ranging from a dark chocolate brown to a dark green. 82 ranged from a bright medium green to a darker green with a tinge of blue. Remember the various aircraft manufacturers sourced paint from different paint manufacturers, so it is quite likely the 81 Messerschmitt received was different than that supplied to Dornier. To further complicate matters the RLM permitted residual stocks of RLM 70 and 71 to be paired with the new colors as an economy measure. The net result is the modeller has a lot of leeway in painting models that reasonably depicts the use of the late war Luftwaffe greens. Finally there are surviving artifacts and some color photography that can shed some information on the subject, even if not definitive.

Here is a screen shot from a color film depicting JG 77 in September 1939 showing gray painted gun troughs on the cowling. I think this was a protective measure factory applied to the early Bf 109 E.

Here are two more photos of 8673, octane markings are not in the shot or obscured by the tarp. But 8673 is listed among W.Nr. assigned to Erla F-4/F-4Z production, and would have the 87 octane marking under the cockpit.. I believe this machine was originally built as an F-4, damaged and rebuilt as an F-4 Trop.

As for the stiffening plates it looks like that these are more common with Erla built F-4s than with WNF builds.

James Kitchens and John Beaman wrote a book on Marseille's Bf 109s in 2007. They listed five Bf 109 F-4 Trop aircraft as Marseille's aircraft, the first of which is somewhat of a mystery as neither the W.Nr. or the fuselage number are known. The other four, in order of assignment, were W.Nr. 8693, 10059, 10137,and 8673, all marked with the famous yellow 14 fuselage number. Based on Luftwaffe monthly inventory reports for the period, the authors dismiss the notion of any F-4Z machines being assigned to Marseilles or even to I/JG 27 while the unit was in North Africa. They note that advantages of the F-4Z were insignificant at the low and medium altitudes where the majority of combat occurred. Additionally, the F-4Z required the GM-1 fuel additive which presented a logistics burden. However, some other sources list these machines as F-4Z Trops, so the issue has not been absolutely settled. I am not aware of any evidence of factory built F-2 Trops or F-2Zs. There were field conversions with sand filters being fitted to F-2s but this is pretty rare.

Very impressive, could be mistaken for a much larger scale.

The external stiffing strips at Station 9 were not indicative of sub-type, they are commonly observed in photos of both the F-2 and the F-4. As an example check out Marseille's last F-4 Trop, W.Nr. 8673, which arrived in the late summer of 1942 with the strips. The strips were also present on Marseille's 10137, 10059 and 8693, all F-4 Trop machines.

Very impressive!!!

I have only used the AS-5 and found it a good match for RLM 76.

My recommendations would be one of the Dragon/Cyberhobby Bf 109 E kits or the Hasegawa Bf 109 F. Both are accurate and each build well.

Stunning...it looks like a real aircraft!