HobbyBoss Messerschmitt Bf.109E-3 (81791) 1:48

[Mike]

Messerschmitt Bf.109E-3 (81791)

1:35 HobbyBoss via Creative Models Ltd

 

 

With almost 34,000 examples manufactured over a 10-year period, the Messerschmitt Bf.109 is one of the most widely produced aircraft in history and it saw active service in every theatre in which German armed forces were engaged.  Initially designed in the mid-1930s, the Bf.109 shared a similar general arrangement with the Spitfire, employing monocoque construction and a V12 engine, albeit an inverted V with fuel injection rather than the carburettor used in the Spitfire.  Initially designed as a lightweight interceptor, like many German types during WWII, the Bf.109 evolved beyond its original brief into a bomber escort, fighter bomber, night fighter, ground-attack and reconnaissance platform.

 

The E variant, or Emil as it was more affectionately known was the first major revision of the original design, including an uprated engine and the attendant strengthening of the airframe that was required. It first saw service in the Legion Condor fighting in the Spanish civil war on the side of Nationalist forces of Military Dictator Franco, and then in the Battle of Britain where it came up against its nemeses the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane during the critical fight for the survival of the RAF and Britain, which was key to halting Operation Seelöwe, the invasion of Britain by the Nazis.  Like the Spitfire it fought against, it was improved incrementally through different marks, the Emil was similarly tweaked to keep pace, with later variants having additional long-range tankage, plus structural improvements and a simpler squared-off canopy with clear frontal armour, but apart from various field modifications and a few low-volume sub-variants, it had reached the end of its tenure, and was phased out in favour of the Friedrich and later the Gustav.

 

 

The Kit

This is a reboxing of a 2015 tooling by HobbyBoss that was originally marketed as a Bf.109F-4 Easy Assembly Authentic Kit, which is a reasonable explanation of its intent.  It has been reboxed several times with new parts in the interim, and is now available again as an E-3 in a new box with a painting of one of the decal options flying in formation with colleagues over broken cloud.  Inside the box are two large sprues and two small single-part sprues in grey styrene, a long clear sprue, decal sheet, a sheet of pre-cut paper masks (not pictured), the instruction booklet in greyscale, and a colour painting guide, printed on both sides of a glossy sheet of paper that is tucked inside the instructions.  Although this is a relatively straightforward kit that shouldn’t tax anyone including the novice, the level of detail is good, extending to the cockpit, gear bays, and even the radiators under the wings and nose.

 

 

 

 

 

Construction begins with the cockpit, predictably, based upon a flat floor plate that receives the rear bulkhead and seat frame first, followed by rudder pedals that are moulded to a peculiar carrier, seat adjuster, twin-layer trimming wheel, control column, and a small equipment box that is applied to the floor.  The two fuselage halves are prepared next, with plenty of detail moulded into the interior, both in the cockpit and the aft fuselage areas, although little will be seen of the latter.  The instrument panel consists of two parts, dial decals and clear gunsight part, gluing it to the starboard fuselage along with a representation of the oxygen system, adding a top bulkhead behind the pilot’s seat, and a pair of exhaust stacks through slots in the nose from within, one on each side.  The tail gear leg has a separate side to its yoke to trap the small wheel in place, clipping it into position in the rear under the tail, after which the fuselage halves can be closed, fitting the engine cowling to the nose after the fuselage glue has cured.  Inverting the fuselage allows fitting of the chin intake pathway where the oil cooler is located, starting with an insert to which the radiator core is glued, applying the actuator underneath beforehand and adding the three-part cowling after detail painting.  The supercharger intake horn is fixed to a recess in the port nose, and a pair of rudder actuators are applied to both sides of the tail later in the build.

 

 

 

The lower wing panel is full-span, and has a pair of guides for two radiators behind the cut-outs for the main gear wells, adding an L-shaped tank in the centreline further back before the upper wings are laid over the top, having bay roof detail moulded-in.  The trailing edges of the wings are thickened up by adding an insert to them on the inner section, including the flap portions behind the radiator outlets.  The completed wings are then glued to the fuselage underneath, preparing the elevators by adding their support struts first, then gluing them into position either side of the tail.  You can pose the canopy open or closed, using three parts for open, and a single part for closed, adding head armour and a handle inside, although this is only documented for the closed canopy, but it’s not much of a leap to fit the same parts to the open option, and the arrangement of the open canopy is not shown on the instructions either, so check your references to attain the correct angle.  The die-cut masks are applied to the outside of the canopy according to a diagram nearby, which applies to both open and closed options.  The three-bladed prop is moulded as a single part that is trapped between the spinner and back-plate before it is fixed to the open nose, with no option of leaving it spinning.

 

The narrow-track main gear consists of the legs, a captive bay door, and the skinny tyre with radial tread and integral hub, plugging them into sockets in the inner end of the bays, mounting a pitot probe under the port wing, and horn balances on the ailerons on the underside of the wings.  The last assembly is a two-part fuel tank, which is fixed to a platform with two C-shaped supports, gluing the completed assembly to the belly between the gear legs, which is probably best done following main painting.

 

 

Markings

There are two decal options provided on the sheet, and in traditional HobbyBoss style, no information is supplied for them, but it wouldn’t be too difficult to find the relevant information if you are so minded.  Both options have mottle or cross-hatching camouflage over an early war splinter scheme, which could be a little taxing for a novice, but is a common feature of German WWII fighters, so is worth the effort to master if you intend to build more of them.  From the box you can build one of the following:

 

 

 

HobbyBoss decals are usually fit for purpose, but can be a little lacking in some respects.  This sheet is printed in good registration with adequate sharpness and colour density, including the yellow decals.  They usually go down well with the use of a little decal solution and some mild patience.

 

 

Conclusion

It’s a straight forward kit of this important WWII German fighter, which offers a surprising amount of detail for the skill level, but perhaps some simpler decal options might have been better suited to the kit’s original intent as an easy model for a novice.  That said, there’s nothing quite like setting yourself the goal of learning to paint mottle to push your skill set further.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[HK_sends]

Good Review. I couldn't get a good look but do the wings have the leading edge slats?
I think this kit would be good for practicing camo schemes.

 

Cheers!
-HK sends