Best 1/72 Bf 109 Emil?

[PaulR]

Hi all,

have the Xtradecal Luftwaffe BoB sheet, and was looking at the Bf-109s. Any recommendations on the best 1/72 kit?

Ta, Paul

[rowmk9]

ICM and Tamiya. Tamiya fit is better but kit comes with a regal price tag.

ICM kit requires more work, but its basically a copy of the tamiya kit and still builds into a fine model. Decals are junk though, but seeing as you've got that aftermarket sheet (I've got it too) then its no matter!

my thoughts on the matter anyhow.

Edited September 12, 2010 by rowmk9

[Wez]

Lookee here for an answer do this very question only a short while ago!

Wez

[Duncan B]

I've built/bought most of the currently available 1/72 109's and the ICM or Tamiya choice is really the only one out there for Emils. I've both sitting side by side in the display case and once made up there is really no way of telling which is which. As I remember it the ICM plastic was a bit on the soft side and there have been issues with warped fuselage parts which careful alignment and clamping solves. The Tamiya kit is slightly shorter but not noticably so and is a "shake and bake" kit, you pay the money, you make the choice.

I hope this helps.

[Master Zen]

Tamiya's is a lovely little kit which I have ready for building soon...

[Ham]

I'm working on the Tamiya Emil now also. It is indeed a lovely kit and readily available here in the colonies. Not too expensive if one shops "Evil Bay." I ordered the Xtradecal Battle of Britain markings for this kit and all the others I've been gathering for my own little BoB build.

I have not seen the ICM kit so can't comment on it.

[Chuck1945]

...I have not seen the ICM kit so can't comment on it.

I built both side by side a couple of years ago. Except for mating one Tamiya fuselage half with one from ICM - the length difference crops up that way - the parts are interchangable. Although I must say the Tamiya bits fit the ICM kit better then do the ICM bits. Tamiya molding is crisper.

[Michael louey]

Hi Paul,

I have just finished combining the ICM and Tamiya kits to build a BoB aircraft. I agree with the comments already made by others regarding these 2 kits. The only other point worth noting is that I think the Tamiya canopy appears a lot clearer than the ICM items. I used the Tamiya item with the ICM fuselage. If you didn't want to get a Tamiya as well as an ICM, I think the Falcon vac form canopies would fit the ICM (as they are designed for the Tamiya).

Eventually I'll post photos of my model (especially to give some feedback to the guys who helped me with the research about a year ago) when I find time to set up the photo gear.

I do plan to use up the 'left over' bits and build the rest of the ICM kit with the Tamiya fuselage knowing it is slightly short.

Best Wishes for your project.

Cheers

Michael

[Cherny]

ICM took the Tamiya mold and leghtened the fuselage to a correct measure. Tamiya is shorter around 1mm. The place where fuselage is lenghtened can clearly be seen on ICM fuselage. This makes ICM more correct, but it is not as good fitting as Tamiya, and Tamiya plastic is way better to work on. If you don't mind the 1mm shorter fuselage, go for Tamiya.

[FalkeEins]

just finished the 'new' Airfix red box version if anyone was wondering what this one looks like...have to say I nearly didn't bother when I opened the box although overall the shape is just fine..

[Touvdal]

I have build apps. 50 ICM, and find them very nice, the plastic is a bit soft, fit is ok with a bit of filler.

One thing to take care of is the fit of the cowling, need a bit of trimming.

One can never have enough 109's

cheers

Jes

[Obi-Jiff Kenobi]

50? You really do like 109s, Jes!

Obi-Jiff

[Master Zen]

For those saying the Tamiya is pricey... £9.99? That's cheaper than the last reissue of Hasegawa 109s. And if you want to compare with the Dragon Meteor, it's a steal!

(sad sad days)

[FalkeEins]

£9.99 ..where'd you see that ?..last few I've seen were nearer £16 ...

[lasermonkey]

In case it's of any interest, here's the link to a review I did of the ICM kit some five years ago. Blimey, I feel old! I built up the Tamiya kit at the same time as a comparison.

Linky

Cheers,

Mark.

[Duncan B]

For those saying the Tamiya is pricey... £9.99? That's cheaper than the last reissue of Hasegawa 109s. And if you want to compare with the Dragon Meteor, it's a steal!

(sad sad days)

Sad days indeed, I see that Hasegawa have reissued the 1/72 Hartman double pack 109's for £5 more than you can buy the Eduard 1/32 109 Weekend edition, doesn't make any sense to me.

[Dave Fleming]

£9.99 ..where'd you see that ?..last few I've seen were nearer £16 ...

Hannants? They have them at £10.25 (or rather it as they seem to have only one in stock!) - that's the current RRP.

Models for sale have them for £9.23

Fine Molds ones on the other hand.......

Edited September 17, 2010 by Dave Fleming

[FalkeEins]

thanks Dave !

intrigued by your review on MM Mark..thanks for posting it

how has Jes built 50 of them if the canopy doesn't work/fit at all...?

Edited September 17, 2010 by FalkeEins

[Touvdal]

Well I have had no problem with the fit af canopy, neither on the E-3 or E-4, but then I am not going for perfection.

Here is the lates 2 build

E-1

E-4

cheers

Jes

Edited September 18, 2010 by Touvdal

[Master Zen]

Sad days indeed, I see that Hasegawa have reissued the 1/72 Hartman double pack 109's for £5 more than you can buy the Eduard 1/32 109 Weekend edition, doesn't make any sense to me.

Nevermind the fact you can get the Academy Hartmann G-14 for £5.99 in what is arguably just as good a kit

[Dave Fleming]

Nevermind the fact you can get the Academy Hartmann G-14 for £5.99 in what is arguably just as good a kit

Indeed - when Hasegawa re-tooled their fuselage, I wich they'd sone the wings as well!

[Master Zen]

Kinda wish Academy had done an F as well... it's hard to believe there's no decent cheap F out there (Italeri doesn't count).

[christian Boehm]

Hi I agree with cherny about 1/72 Emils ; Tamiya is very nice but ICM corrects his only default which is missing that the last fuselage couple is longer than the others. this is , on my opinion, not a deta

[christian Boehm]

Hi

After 40 years model building , I built not less than 7 Emils last year ( I m such a fool like others ...)

I agree with Cherny about 1/72 Emils ; Tamiya is very nice but ICM corrects his only default which is missing that the last fuselage couple ( this one on which the elevating hole is figured) is longer than the others. This is , on my opinion, not a detail but a very characteristic item of the Me 109 and I didn't care about the 1mm lenght difference

take pleasure !

christian

[Chuck1945]

Kinda wish Academy had done an F as well... it's hard to believe there's no decent cheap F out there (Italeri doesn't count).

If Academy had done an 'F', it would probably have the same sahpe problems as their 'G'. (Insufficent dihedral in the wings, wings too thin (depth) leading to lower fuselage lines being too shallow as well from the trailing edge of the wings forward, and a lower front fuselage that is too narrow for the inverted V-12 DB engine - kinda like all those Hurricanes with too much taper at the front end for Merlin to actually fit within.)

Regardless of cost, the FineMold F, G, and K are by far the best options for these in 1/72 if accurate shape matters.