Bf109E's in 1/72

[eng]

Title says it all really. I've had an idea for a wee diorama and although I've got a new Airfix 1/48th Bf109 I want to build one in 1/72 for size reasons.

Are the Revell and Airfix boxings one and the same kit? If not which is the better of the 2 (or is there another option!). I'm not looking to spend a fortune but would like something that will provide a relatively trouble free build and be fairly accurate.

Thank's for any info any one can supply.

Eng

[The wooksta V2.0]

No. Airfix and Revell did their own toolings and, AFAIK, no Airfix kit has ever been issued by Revell. Some Heller ones, yes, but not Airfix.

Of the two, the Airfix one was supposed to be quite accurate in outline. Alternates? Hasegawa, ICM (most recent kit released), Heller, Tamiya, Academy. All fairly recent (past 15 years or so) and all to a reasonable standard.

[rowmk9]

I believe the Revell and Airfix offerings are fairly old tools, and have the traits of an old mould design, albeit with a price to match the slightly dated mould tech. I've seen them built into reasonable models however.

I'd throw my weight behind the ICM kit. It is a bit fussy and the decals are basically unusable, but the actual model is a good representation of the Emil, or so I've come to understand. If you don't want to fork out for extra decals, then maybe the tamiya kit would be better, but then we're getting into £10 for a small kit range. I doubt you'd have as much trouble building the tamiya kit as the ICM though, and they certainly look good.

My two cents worth

[thx6667]

From memory, the Hasegawa 109E has a bit of a banana shaped fuselage, ditto Academy E, though they are both very nicely moulded (more so the H kit given its age).

[AWFK10]

Title says it all really. I've had an idea for a wee diorama and although I've got a new Airfix 1/48th Bf109 I want to build one in 1/72 for size reasons.

Are the Revell and Airfix boxings one and the same kit? If not which is the better of the 2 (or is there another option!). I'm not looking to spend a fortune but would like something that will provide a relatively trouble free build and be fairly accurate.

Thank's for any info any one can supply.

Eng

I believe the Revell kit on current release is their own original 1963 tooling, which was never brilliant and has long since been surpassed. Strange they should resurrect it, really, as they own the moulds for the younger and considerably better Matchbox 109E, which hasn't seen the light of day for some time. The Airfix kit dates from 1976 - never built it myself but I believe it's reasonably accurate (certainly more so than the Revell one) but spattered with overscale rivets in the Airfix fashion of the time. I've built the Academy kit and the result looks OK to me, although I think there are supposed to be some issues with the nose - the gun troughs are wrongly located, I think.

[Test Graham]

The most accurate 109E is said to be the Tamiya one.

[Wez]

The most accurate 109E is said to be the Tamiya one.

Are said to be the ICM ones - similar in construction shall we say to the Tamiya but correcting the short length of the Tamiya - much cheaper too.

Decals are crap though.

Wez

[Max Headroom]

I believe the Revell kit on current release is their own original 1963 tooling, which was never brilliant and has long since been surpassed. Strange they should resurrect it, really, as they own the moulds for the younger and considerably better Matchbox 109E, which hasn't seen the light of day for some time. The Airfix kit dates from 1976 - never built it myself but I believe it's reasonably accurate (certainly more so than the Revell one) but spattered with overscale rivets in the Airfix fashion of the time. I've built the Academy kit and the result looks OK to me, although I think there are supposed to be some issues with the nose - the gun troughs are wrongly located, I think.

The original Academy rease did have issues with the upper nose area but I believe it was retooled. No idea if he catalogue number changed but since it was retoold early on I would assume hat buying a new model from a retailer would be a safe option.

Trevor

[Chuck1945]

The ICM 1/72 Bf 109E is the most accurate. Tamiya is a couple of mm (or a little less) short in the aft fuselage. ICM is a virtual duplicate (the parts are interchangable) of Tamiya except it corrects the fuselage length. Even side by side it is difficult to see the length differences, unless they are lined up on graph paper Choose whichever is less costly from your usual source. Here (USA) ICM is cheaper.