Military Illustrated Modeller – September 2019

 Military Illustrated Modeller - September 2019

KIT PREVIEWÊ

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E

duard continues to work through the

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G family, their latest

addition being the high-performance Bf 109

G-10. In common with other sub-types in the Bf

109 family, the G-10 was fitted with many different

components resulting in a number of distinct, and

some not-so-distinct, variants.

This time around, Eduard presents the Bf 109

G-10 produced at the Messerschmitt WNF (Wiener

Neustädter Flugzeugwerke - a factory near Vienna)

and Diana (Czech) plants. These typically were

fitted with the new wide main wheels, long upper

wing bulges and the revised streamlined cowl to

accomodate the larger supercharger and modified

engine mounts. The tail wheel may have been the

long or short variety.

Eduard’s 1:48 scale Bf 109 G-10 WNF / Diana

ProfiPACK comprises 188 parts in grey plastic,

10 parts in clear, a coloured photo-etch fret, self-

adhesive canopy masks and markings for four

aircraft. More than 70 of the parts are marked “not

for use” and there are a few optional parts too, so

the actual number of parts used is quite modest.

The new parts in this kit are the wings.

As usual with Eduard’s Gustav family, the lower

wing is full span and upper wings provided in port

and starboard halves.

Structural detail is moulded on the inside of the

upper wing, which will be visible from below as the

wheel well ceiling.

The fuselage is moulded with a separate fin,

making it easy to cross-kit the tall and short vertical

stabilisers.

The compound bulges of the new streamlined

engine cowling of the G-10 are subtle, especially

the port side that accomodates the larger

supercharger and modified engine mounts. I think

Eduard has done a pretty good job here.

They have depicted the kinked bottom edge of the

cowling and the compound bulge on the port side.

The fixed fairings are also moulded as part of

the fuselage halves.

The armoured glass “Galland Panzer” and

several optional windscreens and canopies are

provided on the clear sprue. The inclusion of

the clear fuel line is a nice touch. The inspection

tube may be masked so that it remains clear after

painting.

The photo-etched parts are new too.

Each instrument dial is topped by a glossy clear

dome that looks like a lens. It is hard to pick this

up with a camera under studio lights, but it looks

convincing when viewed close-up and personal.

Apart from these replacements and additions, the

other sprues are the same as the re-tooled Bf 109

G kits. This is a good thing!

In 2013, Eduard’s Spitfire family set a new

benchmark for 1:48 scale surface detail, and this

Bf 109 G-10 is equally impressive in this regard.

Panel lines are very crisp, fine and even. Lines of

rivets are present, but they are incredibly subtle.

The rivet lines seem to accurately follow the pattern

applied to the full-sized aircraft too.

I was impressed to see that the small scoops on

the nose are actually hollowed out - nice! Other

raised surface features include the sealing strip

between the mid-fuselage and the rear of the

engine cowling.

Fabric texture matches this high standard, with

strip and stitching texture beautifully presented on

the control surfaces. If you look closely enough,

you will even see the zig-zag pinking edges on the

fabric strips.

The wheel wells are nicely detailed and are

correctly concave thanks to the bulges moulded to

the top of the wings.

Eduard depicts the wheel well sidewalls with

the zippered canvas covers at the rear. The fabric

texture looks good, and the zipper is represented

by a raised line.

The exhausts are supplied in one piece for

each side. The centreline weld beads are present,

and each of the stacks are hollowed out at the

end. In common with the previous Eduard Bf 109

F/G family, the exhausts are slightly too tall. This

is only really apparent on the starboard side as

the port exhausts are partially covered by an

extended fairing.

Propeller blades look to be a good shape, with

nice pitch collar and hub detail.

Markings are supplied for five nicely varied

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10s.

Printing, colours and registration is perfect on my

sample.

Eduard’s 1:48 scale Messerchmitt Bf 109 G-10

WNF / Diana is a very welcome addition to their

re-tooled Gustav family.

With the other 1:48 scale options being the

Revell kit from the 1970s, the 20-year-old Hasegawa

kit and the frankly weird looking Fujimi Gustav,

Eduard’s Bf 109 G-10 kits shoot straight to the top of

the list. At less than USD$40, it is great value too. U

Thanks to Eduard for the sample http://www.eduard.cz

PENULTIMATE EAGLE

Eduard adds the Bf

109 G-10 WNF/

Diana factory version

to their 1:48 scale

Messerschmitt family.

The kit features beautiful surface detail throughout.

Wheel well ceiling detail is moulded to the inside of the

upper wing halves.

The full span lower wing.

This kit receives a new colour photo-etched fret.

Four late-war marking options are offered.

The kit decal sheet.