Fly Past

September 2018 September 2018 September 2018 September 2018 September 2018 September 2018 September 2018 September 2018 FLYPAST 47

SPOT FACT The E-5 and E-6 were

reconnaissance variants with cameras  tted

Bf 109E

in miniature

Bf 109 pilots were credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft

M

esserschmitt’s

Bf 109E has been just

as well served in kit

form as its wartime

foe the Spitfire.

Modellers of a certain age may

remember the multi-coloured plastic

of Matchbox’s 1/32 example which,

considered excellent on its release

in 1977, is now viewed as a product

of its time and overshadowed by

modern alternatives. Arguably the

best options in this scale are those

from Czech manufacturer Eduard,

which allow the portrayal of E-1,

E-3, E-4 and E-7 Trop sub-types.

They feature engraved panel lines

and sumptuous detail, but this

can be boosted by the firm’s own

aftermarket accessories, such as

wheels, photo-etched metal parts

and resin weapons.

Chinese companies Trumpeter and

Dragon have also moulded 1/32

‘Emils’, although both have their

good and bad points despite featuring

crisply rendered components.

Thankfully, Eduard also produces

1/48 Bf 109E variants with diverse

colour schemes for those who

favour a smaller scale, but British

stalwart Airfix also released a new-

tool kit (with E-1/E-3/E-4 parts)

in 2010 and offered successive

versions with components for

tropical versions of the E-4/N

and E-7, with new decals. Japan’s

venerable Hasegawa brand has

spent years repackaging/reworking

its original 1980s toolings in 1/48,

which cater for different sub-

types, and these are well thought

of despite slight accuracy-of-shape

issues, particularly on the fuselage.

Tamiya’s same-scale E-3 and E-4/7

Trop are decent options, but still

have minor flaws similar to those

exhibited by Hasegawa’s designs.

Modellers with a 1/72 scale

leaning also enjoy many choices,

with Airfix having moulded an all-

new Bf 109E-4 in 2012, followed

by the E-7/Trop. Both have fine

engraved panel lines and rivets,

and impressive detail in general.

The low asking price means they’re

great choices for beginners and

more experienced modellers alike.

The E-4 comes with markings for

‘The One that Got Away’ – escapee

pilot Franz von Werra – while the

E-7/Trop features Luftwaffe and

Bulgarian Air Force schemes. Airfix

is also re-releasing the E-4 with

a new JG 54 livery next month.

And let’s not forget Tamiya’s older

yet still respectable Bf 109E-3 and

E-4/7 Trop kits from 2000 and

2001 respectively. The parts in

these styrene gems benefit from

sublime fit, but the cost is higher

than with Airfix’s versions.

There are many more kits available,

and a comprehensive list can be

found at http://www.scalemates.com.

Please note there have been full

build articles of the Airfix toolings

in FlyPast’s sister publication Airfix

Model World, in January 2011 and

September 2012 issues.

http://www.airfixmodelworld.com

105105

Below

Eduard’s series of Bf 109E

kits are hard to beat, and

they’re available in both

1/48 and 1/32 scales. The

‘Profi PACK’ editions have

a generous choice of

colour schemes and extra

detail parts.

Above and left

The 1/72 Airfi x Bf 109E-

4 from 2012, and the

reworked tropical version

issued the following year,

have excellent features

for the scale and are

wallet-friendly. ALL AIRFIX

MODEL WORLD