Kagero Publishing TopDrawings 76 Bf.109F (9788366148413)

[Mike]

TopDrawings 76 Bf.109F (9788366148413)

Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK

 

 

The Messerschmitt BF 109 was certainly the most numerous, and probably the best known of all the aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Almost 34,000 examples were produced between 1937 and 1945, and the type saw active service in every theatre in which German armed forces were engaged. Powered initially by the relatively low powered Junkers Jumo engine and later by various iterations of the more powerful Daimler Benz DB600 series of inverted V-12 engines, the later variants of the BF 109 could achieve speeds of up to 400 mph. In comparison with the E, or ‘Emil’, the F or 'Friedrich' featured a more powerful version of the DB601 engine, as well as a host of aerodynamic improvements such as a more rounded cowling, enlarged spinner, smaller, lightweight propeller and redesigned supercharger intake. The F2 was armed with 1 × 15mm MG 151 cannon and 2 × 7.92mm MG 17 machine guns, with the F-4 and F-6 carrying on the improvement until the Gustavs took over. 

 

 

We have kits in almost every scale, some old, some new such as the superb Eduard kits in 1:48 with most major and some minor manufacturers getting in on the act, as other people's 109s don't make money for them, and it's a super popular subject.  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 handsome A4 print of a yellow-nosed (ahem) bad-lad passing a Spitfire going in the opposite direction.

 

 

The book is written in English on the left of the page, with Polish 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 28 pages, and the rear cover is devoted to additional profiles of two F-4 tropicals in suitable camo.  The first half of the plans begin with the variant's prototype, the vanilla F-1, the F-2 and its sub-variants, then the F-4 with the last page dealing with the fuselage profiles.  After this the colour profile with four view profiles of an F-2 at the centre, book-ended with another F-2 and three F-4s, plus the previously mentioned F-4 Trops on the rear cover.  After the break there is another set of plans continuing the wide variety of F-4 sub-variants, with some head/tail-on and fuselage scrap diagrams into the bargain.  Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show the cannons underwing gondola-mounted and internal, plus the various munitions with their pylons and even the instrument panel.

 

 

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, and the bonus print an excellent addition to any wall.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of