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New Airfix Bf109f-4 Starter Kit


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Recently Airfix have released their new Bf109F-4 starter kit. As soon as it was announced (and it was one that I managed to correctly predict!), I decided I'd have to get one. I picked one up at RIAT a few weeks ago very shortly after the kit was released.

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It's one of their new style simplified kits, designed for beginners to take their first steps into scale modelling. It's not designed to compete for the crown of best Bf109F in the scale, nor to cater to more experienced modellers. As such, it should not be judged harshly for design choices making it a better starter set. Save that criticism for if (when, I think is more likely) Airfix follow this up with a full kit.

Going into the build, I decided to make a few improvements to bring it up to a similar standard to other Bf109s it will be displayed next to. You can see exactly what I did in the build thread. The main points though are that I added the aileron balances and pitot tube, and did a little bit of work in the cockpit.

 

 

I chose to use the kit decals, even if the included scheme isn't the most visually interesting. It's a good choice for a starter set as it's quite a simple one with no mottling. The swastika is of course an aftermarket addition. 

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A stand with a silhouette base is included in the kit

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Alongside a Zvezda and Eduard Bf109F it doesn't look out of place at all.

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Build thread: 

 

 

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That's a very good looking 109. The weathering is just about perfect to my eyes.

 

One of the guys at my model club has brought along a few built starter kits. Nobody spotted them as simplified kits and only the distinctive stands gave the game away. They are quite impressive looking models once done, as you have shown.

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You could not tell this is a starter kit from the quality of finish you achieved.  I do like the stand it comes with.  It looks far better than the stands I remember from the 70s and 80s kits that actually had stands in them.  Great build and finish.  Thanks for sharing.

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Quality build and finish there Adam!  Nice kits to introduce newbies to the hobby and yours looks great! 👌

 

Keith 😁 

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Very very nice result! Just wondering - what are the kit simplifications here? 

 

UPD: just read the build thread. Hmmm it's not more simplified than Tamiya or Academy kits from 30 years ago. Looks like an excellent kit unless you really want Eduard or Arma level of tiny details. 

Edited by Dennis_C
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There's a fuzzy border between being brave and being silly.  Seems a bit condescending to me.  My personal preference would be for something a little more detailed, including aileron mass balances and a bit of cockpit, but this (and the Spitfire) raises the bar for starter kits.  Forget caricature shapes and clumsy details.  It's a nice kit, well made.  

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I built the Spitfire equivalent to this when I was learning to airbrush at the start of the year. Not the most detailed kit ever, but just "nice", much better quality than you'd expect, and it built up in to a sweet little model. Same with this - great work.

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