Kagero TopDrawings 67 – Bf.109G/K (9788366148130)

[Mike]

TopDrawings 67 – Bf.109G/K (9788366148130)

Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK

 

 

The 109 was reaching the end of its potential for development as Britain and Germany fought the Battle of Britain, but the designers still managed to squeeze yet more from the ageing airframe, so much so that it lasted until the end of WWII, although in fewer numbers due to the attrition both of pilots and the factories in which the aircraft were made.  The Gustav was perhaps the pinnacle of development, refining the design, streamlining the airframe and taking advantage of engine developments despite the limitations of the basic design.  The G series can be broken down between early and late, and the short-lived K series, of which the K-4 was the only in-service sub-variant of the attempt to standardise production can be appended to the Gustav's run, as it was effectively concurrent, shared many design aspects, and was the last wartime development of the type.

 

We have kits in all scales from almost every manufacturer due to the popularity of the type (along with the Spitfire and 190).  The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and often a bonus of decals or masks targeted at the subject matter in hand.  With this edition, you get a set of Balkenkreuz paint masks for the Bf.109G/K in 1:48 and 1:72, which could probably be used in plenty of other circumstances too.

 

 

The book is written in English on the left of the page, with Czech on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within.  The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 24 pages, with the rear cover devoted to additional profiles of a couple of Ks, but in addition you get a sheet of loose A3 plans printed on both sides in 1:48 with plenty of K drawings.  The first half of the bound plans show the variants with several pages devoted to the G-1/G-3 , G-4 and G-2, with weapons fitment diagrams for the G-2, after which the colour profiles are printed on four pages in colour, augmented by the two on the rear cover.  After the break there are a comprehensive set of plans on the G-10, plus some of the various field modifications and weapons fits.  The final four pages show side profiles with the changes between the discussed picked out in grey, with bullet-pointed lists detailing the changes further.  Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that shows gun packs, the differences in intakes/exhausts, weapons carriers and so forth.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the masks a useful bonus if you have wanted to try painting your own markings.  You might also be interested in TopDrawings 63, which covers the rest of the G series.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of