Me 109 E-1 - Head armour?

[kitman]

Hi - Hope everyone is ok  and building lots of great kits during the lock down. Just a bit of info needed about a bf 109 E-1 / 1/32 eduard kit that i am building at the moment. what i need to know is that is it legitimate to leave out the armoured head rest from this build. I have seen it included in other peoples builds, and also not included. The aircraft that i am intending to portray is yellow 3 of 6./JG 52 and is depicted as is was in may 1940. The kit part is not great and is dicy in the manner of its attachment to the canopy. Thanks in advance.

[JackG]

Squadron publication gives no exact date, only that the head armour began to appear during the closing stages of the Battle of France.   Those aircraft already in combat service were issued the armour in kit form that was easily fitted in the field.   I think you would be correct to leave it off for the period in question.

 

regards,

Jack

[kitman]

Sorry amend May to march 1940.😏

[Werdna]

I built an 1/48 E-3 recently in BoB colours - as far as I could tell, there are as many pics of Es with the armour fitted as there are without it (possibly more without, in terms of E-3) - so unless you have specific photo evidence which confirms it fitted or not to that particular a/c, then my guess is that either option can be seen as sympathetic to the period.  I built mine without, btw...

Edited May 23, 2020 by Werdna

[Black Knight]

March 1940 most likely no head armour. 

As said above the head armour started to be fitted June 1940 during the upgrade of E1 & E3 to E4 standard

[FatFlyHalf]

I'm sure an E-1 in March 1940 would not have head armour fitted.

Can't be certain tho', but who can be ?

I'd leave it off.