Revell 1/48 Bf109 G10 build upgrades???

[Solvent Parrot]

My eldest is a big Bf109 fan. He's not really into building and painting kits but he is absolutely mad/nerdy on planes. Over the last couple of weeks he's done some really good things for the family and I want to say thank you by building him a Bf109 for display in his room. I'm slightly cheekily looking to tap into the much greater knowledge of people on here in the hope of saving a bit of learning curve. 

 

I've got a Revell 1/48 Bf109 G10 on it's way as my starting point but I'm looking for some "upgrades" to make it a bit special as it looks a fairly simple kit so there must be some obvious enhancements but not sure what will give good bang for buck? 

 

I'm new to the upgrade world and this isn't a plane / variant I know a great deal about so I'm googling around product names I see mentioned on here.   

 

I've so far found...

 

Aires do a cockpit kit (7143) which looks ok and is a brand I keep seeing mentioned on here.  

 

Also found some Quickboost exhausts p/n 48899 and pitot tubes p/n 48051

 

Some wheels Eduard Brassin (648158) or Barracuda 48391

 

I'm sure there's more but if anyone has built one of these and can offer any feedback on these or better alternatives I would be most grateful. 

 

Likewise if anyone who has good knowledge of this variant knows of any cool schemes for which I stand a chance of finding decals that would be awesome. 

 

Any suggestions or advice gratefully received. 🙂

 

[Troy Smith]

9 minutes ago, Solvent Parrot said:

I've so far found...

 

Aires do a cockpit kit (7143) which looks ok and is a brand I keep seeing mentioned on here.  

 

Also found some Quickboost exhausts p/n 48899 and pitot tubes p/n 48051

 

Some wheels Eduard Brassin (648158) or Barracuda 48391

If you want some detail, get a simple photo etch zoom set,  or a resin seat with belts, and a vacform canopy.   Aires are a full resin cockpit, and the you want a vacform canopy to display it...

 

Wheel maybe, exhaust maybe, but  you maybe just making life difficult for yourself.  Most of this would be for folks who are in the know.  

Built with care, and good paint job, it would look fine.   I'm not even sure much of the current aftermarket is suitable for the old revell kit these days.   

9 minutes ago, Solvent Parrot said:

 

I'm sure there's more but if anyone has built one of these and can offer any feedback on these or better alternatives I would be most grateful. 

It's a very old kit, dates from 1978, but overall is actually very good.  It has some issues,  but you'd have to be a hardcore 109 nut to spot them.  

It was the first basically accurate late war 109 kit ever made, and I suspect it was someone at Revell's pet project, as it's a lot better than all the other kits they did then.  

 

If you want an alternative, with bells and whistles, then an Eduard profipack, they come with etch and multiple decal options.   They also do various 109 kits.   And getting one of those would be the same as getting a load of aftermarket for the older kit, and the new kit (which some 109 nuts says has issues)  has amazing surface detail, slide moulded exhaust,  masks and cockpit etch.

see 

https://www.eduard.com/eduard/bf-109g-10-wnf-diana-1-48.htm

this is profipack

this

https://www.eduard.com/eduard/bf-109g-10-erla-1-48-1-1.html

is the weekend, with less add ons,. but several decal options

and the weekend MTT Regensburg

https://www.eduard.com/eduard/bf-109g-10-mtt-regensburg-1-48-1-1.html

 

the weekend kits are quite a bit cheaper.

 

9 minutes ago, Solvent Parrot said:

Likewise if anyone who has good knowledge of this variant knows of any cool schemes for which I stand a chance of finding decals that would be awesome. 

late war 109's are a very complex subject.  The revell kit build up as a Diana plant built G-10,  they were built by 3 factories, the other were Erla amt MTT Regensburg, and vary in details.  

G-10 are a very very complex subject, as well as those from the 3 plants, some were rebuilds, I'd have to spend some time digging to be sure. Eduard do kits from all 3 factories.

 

Schemes.  Loads.  late war 109s vary, again, depending on who built them, and when, and if rebuilds.    They were also flown by Hungarian, and few by a anti Soviet Russian unit., these fit the revell kit,  but there are Erla built Croatian ones.   

Again, you need to know your 109's for all these details.  

Oh, and there there is the added complexity of late war Luftwaffe colours....  oooh, that's a big rabbit hole as well.

 

Bet you wish you hadn't asked now!   

 

Also, if you want something with more 'wow' factor, Revell do a 1/32nd G-10,  which is AFAIK rated as rather good, it's modern, from the last few years, and quite cheap,  and being 1/32nd is just that bit more impressive 

in box review

http://www.hyperscale.com/2014/reviews/kits/revell04888reviewbg_1.htm

 

this will also give you a run down of some of the many features of late war 109's, different cowls, wing bulges, wheels, tail wheels, rudder types, canopies.... 

 

There are of course plenty of other 109 variants as well.....

 

I don't know if this has really answered your question though?   May give you some idea? 

feel free to ask for clarifications,   

 

HTH

[tank152]

Hi, 

These decals would go nicely with your G-10, with 3 different camouflage schemes.  Yellow 6 is particularly interesting with the miss matched wings.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/EXED48006?result-token=DR7DF

For wheels out of the 2 you will need to go with the Barracuda ones as you'll require the larger wheels as the  Brassin ones are the smaller main wheels.

These are the ones you require.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/BCR48391?result-token=vResi

 

Another option.

This decal sheet, you could only do White 3 in it's 2 guises.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/AIMS48D029?result-token=pMdeY

You would also need to purchase this tall tailwheel

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/BCR48392?result-token=vResi

Plus the larger main wheels again.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/BCR48391?result-token=vResi

That's 5 for you to ponder over!

 

[Werdna]

Just a word of warning on the Revell G-10.  Although a relatively simple and pretty accurate kit, the clear parts (canopy/windshield) let the side down a bit, as the fit is not good and can leave quit a gap if the canopy is in the closed position.  Personally, I'd be inclined to get one of the Eduard kits as the basis for a build like that.

[Solvent Parrot]

9 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

G-10 are a very very complex subject, as well as those from the 3 plants, some were rebuilds, I'd have to spend some time digging to be sure. Eduard do kits from all 3 factories.

It seems that is even more so than I thought - I guess that this was a bi-product of the needs of war and particularly of later in the war. 

 

I am just taking a look at the Eduard kits as well as two of you seem to have recommended. The Revell was only a tenner so if it gets consigned to experimental duties in favour of something a little nicer it won't have me crying in my cornflakes.  I'm not that familiar with the different brands yet - although I was very impressed with the Eduard weekend Hellcat that my younger son made. 

9 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

 

I don't know if this has really answered your question though?   May give you some idea? 

feel free to ask for clarifications

It has - it's given me cause to pause and think about how I'm going to get to the end goal here which is something that looks good as a thank you rather than some mad experimental project for me! 

 

9 hours ago, tank152 said:

Hi, 

These decals would go nicely with your G-10, with 3 different camouflage schemes.  Yellow 6 is particularly interesting with the miss matched wings.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/EXED48006?result-token=DR7DF

For wheels out of the 2 you will need to go with the Barracuda ones as you'll require the larger wheels as the  Brassin ones are the smaller main wheels.

These are the ones you require.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/BCR48391?result-token=vResi

Thanks for all those - I'll have a look with a pc in front of me rather than the phone screen later. 🙂

 

9 hours ago, Werdna said:

Personally, I'd be inclined to get one of the Eduard kits as the basis for a build like that.

I've just started looking as you're the second one to say that. 

 

 

Thank you very much all - lots of good/helpful stuff and maybe a good chance/incentive for me to rethink whether I have got the best base to start from. A look at the Eduard kits seems a must. I've seen the profipack one in stock somewhere on a quick search so maybe that's a place to start.  

[Rolls-Royce]

Eagle Editions does several G-10 decal sheets in various scales. Wilde Sau Resin (Kevin Martin) did/does an update set in resin for your Revell kit. It's quite comprehensive, but may entail more surgery than you're looking for. He has a presence on Facebook, and also is on the forum @Troy Smith linked to.

Edited September 16, 2021 by Rolls-Royce

[Seawinder]

FWIW, I don't think a kit has to be complex to yield a good looking model. If it were I, I'd definitely build the Revell G-10 and not get engulfed in minutia.

[tempestfan]

As @Troy Smith has said, the Revell kit is 43 years old now, but the best of the batch of four they issued back then by several country miles (though the P-40 also seems to be a relative gem). I think they essentially based the kit on a G-10 that was under restoration in the US back then, Pima County Museum probably. May it be an idea to get an Eduard and build them concurrently - just to showcase how kits have progressed in the meantime. As a bonus, I think most of the Eduard kits contain a relatively huge number of unused parts, of which some may come in handy to dress up the Revell. Depending on what you want to spend, you may look for one of the more upmarket versions with a bit of extra goodies in the box, or look for a straightforward Weekend Edition. Prices may have changed a bit, but I got my Weekend Hellcats (1/48) for under 10 € not that long ago (regular price off a dealer). *** Just had a look, said dealer e.g. has the G-6/AS at € 9.49 and G-10 Erla at € 14.99 (plus postage). I'd say the AS is unbeatable value for money.

[Troy Smith]

3 hours ago, tempestfan said:

I think they essentially based the kit on a G-10 that was under restoration in the US back then, Pima County Museum probably.

Based on the G-10 at Planes of Fame at Chino, CA, which was near Revell HQ then, and they probably had a copy of John Beaman's - Last of the Eagles as well.  The kit matches the drawings well, which was the first publication dealing with these late 109 specifically,  I re-read mine recently,  a lot more details has come to light since, but for what was available then,  it's a fascinating bit of research.

I remember the kit coming out, it also provided a reasonably easy conversion to a K-4, in fact, Revell later issued it as a K-4, adding a tall tail wheel and out UC doors, but it was still the same basic G-10.

I still have in a box one I was trying to backdate to a G-6....   as well as K-4 conversion. 

 

For the 109 obsessed there are a few issues, but I've seen that said about the all-singing-all dancing new tool Eduard 109's as well.

3 hours ago, tempestfan said:

though the P-40 also seems to be a relative gem

 

Has raised panel lines, and has not been available for quite some time I think.  The G-10 got the engraved treatment which was very unusual back then. They are maybe a bit wide nowadays, but certainly not trenches.

  

Their 1978 Spitfire Mk.II, (which OOB is a Mk.I)  is actually very well shaped overall, but lacks the gull wing, and again, raised panel lines.    I picked one up cheap when it got reissued recently and was quietly impressed.   

 

5 hours ago, Rolls-Royce said:

Wilde Sau Resin (Kevin Martin) did/does an update set in resin for your Revell kit. It's quite comprehensive, but may entail more surgery than you're looking for.

I though they were conversions?   A Erla nose, and small wheel bulges wings.  Post from the USA to the UK these days, along with no tax exemptions makes ordering anything from the US now and expensive, or if caught by customs, and associated fees, and expensive business.

It should be noted, re upgrades, that Hobbycraft basically copied the Revell G-10 for the G and K series kit, and some of these are still available via Academy.

A few years ago I picked up some 1/2 price Eduard etch sets from a shop shutting down, they used to be the UK Eduard importer, and thus has lost of older sets,  I picked up some for upgrades,  which may not have been obvious, eg an Hobbycraft/Academy Avia S-199 etch set, almost all of it is common with a late G, so can be used on the Revell kit.

The real bargain was older zoom sets that I got for £1.50,  had seat straps, IP and some cockpit bits...   This was before I found I was not going to build the entire Luftwaffe in 1/48th but it's not like it goes off..

 

3 hours ago, tempestfan said:

Just had a look, said dealer e.g. has the G-6/AS at € 9.49 and G-10 Erla at € 14.99 (plus postage). I'd say the AS is unbeatable value for money.

Europe is also potentially tricky to order from for the same reasons. 

3 hours ago, tempestfan said:

As a bonus, I think most of the Eduard kits contain a relatively huge number of unused parts, of which some may come in handy to dress up the Revell.

Indeed, spare canopy and wheels are possible from memory.   Sure there are many other bits as well as they have common sprues in the kits with lots of unused items. 

4 hours ago, Seawinder said:

FWIW, I don't think a kit has to be complex to yield a good looking model. If it were I, I'd definitely build the Revell G-10 and not get engulfed in minutia.

Absolutely.  With care, and a few little basic tweaks,  like adding some cowl guns, drilling out the cannon, drilling the wheel well leg liner cut outs,  and some seat straps, brake lines, and a few other little details,  and good paint job, I think  it would surprise a few folks as to it's age and origin. 

I mention this as there does seem to be a reflex to assume that kits NEED extensive add ons, when much can be achieved with some fairly basic skills and some basic materials. 

cheers

T 

   

[Rolls-Royce]

45 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

I though they were conversions?   A Erla nose, and small wheel bulges wings.  Post from the USA to the UK these days, along with no tax exemptions makes ordering anything from the US now and expensive, or if caught by customs, and associated fees, and expensive business.  

He did produce an Erla conversion that I had forgotten about. But I do have in my possession the update set I mentioned, featuring among other things a nose replacement from the firewall forward. It's probably immaterial since neither is in his current list of in-production items.

Shipping charges (and customs fees) would definitely be an issue for those of you in Blighty.

Edited September 16, 2021 by Rolls-Royce

[Solvent Parrot]

The Revell has arrived.  I have persuaded eldest that he might like to have a crack at it since he needs to back up some research for Scouts and his Air Spotter badge by building a model. 

 

It's definitely light on detail in some areas (cockpit is a bit of a non event for example) but it might just give him a more manageable build as a consequence. 

 

I'm going to have a good look at the decal sets/schemes for this one with him and see what appeals.  

 

Then I think maybe we will either build it an earlier variant buddy in 1/48 so he can use for a compare and contrast or one of it's Allied equivalents from the same era.  I'd just need to do a bit of research to work out what would be it's 'mirror' aircraft. 

 

Might make a good paired build/WIP in my head as well as a research project for his badge.  

 

Any further input definitely welcomed if anyone has suggestions on good earlier variant or Allied equivalent aircraft to look into. 

 

 

[MDriskill]

Some random thoughts on your comments...

 

+ The old Hobbycraft 1/48 109 kits (repackaged by Academy I think?) are also old and have some accuracy issues for the aficionado. But they did the entire range of variants from B to K (only mfr. to ever do this AFAIK), which makes it a great way to get two variants with the same "hand" to the detail. And their late G and K variants are basically Revell copies with sharpened surface detail and greatly improved cockpits.

 

+ Hasegawa did an excellent range of 1/48 F, G, and K variants which are very nice and pretty simple to build. Done later than the Revell or HCraft kits, crisp and basically accurate with nice interiors. For the earlier 109E the Tamiya kit is a good choice.

 

+ The current crop of Eduard F's and G's and Tamiya G-6 are the state of the art, but more complex builds.

 

+ The natural developed-for-the-whole-war Allied counterpart to the 109 has to be the Spitfire (will let my UK friends chime in on best kits, LOL). An American alternative might be the P-36/P-40 series.

[Solvent Parrot]

Looking like MkXIV Spitfire is a good match on production timing and it'll be nice to have a go at a Griffon engined variant. Time to do some more reading. 

[Troy Smith]

19 hours ago, Solvent Parrot said:

Looking like MkXIV Spitfire is a good match on production timing and it'll be nice to have a go at a Griffon engined variant. Time to do some more reading. 

Problem is, in 1/48th, the commoner wartime Spitfire XIV variant is the highback, and there is no accurate OOB option for that.  Airfix do a lo-back XIV though, which is overall a decent kit.  There are build reviews with tips on how to overcome some potential trouble areas. 

One boxing comes with late war markings as well.   

 

HTH

[Rolls-Royce]

The P-51D is another alternative in that time frame, with a number of different kits available.

[Seawinder]

You could also do one of the Eduard Spitfires, which are really nice kits. I should think either a late Mk. IX or a Mk. XVI.