Avia S-99 / C-10

Eduard Limited Edition, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Eduard's 1/48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 is available online from Squadron.com

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 was an attempt to improve the performance and extend the service life of this crucial German fighter. Increasing weight and the need for additional ordnance was taxing the capabilities of the standard Daimler Benz DB 605 A engine in the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6. 

The DB 605 D would supply up to 1,800HP to the Bf 109 G-10 (2,000HP using emergency power), compared to 1,475HP available to the Bf 109 G-6 from the DB 605 A. 

Externally, the new powerplant featured a larger supercharger, modified engine mounts, a deep oil cooler and a larger crankcase. The forward fuselage was redesigned to accommodate these changes. Large, streamlined bulges on both sides of the engine cowl replaced the familiar cowl gun breech blisters of the Bf 109 G-5 and G-6. A fairing was fixed to each fuselage side below the cockpit to improve airflow. These combined to give the nose of the new variant a more streamlined appearance. Two circular blisters were also added to the lower nose to permit clearance for the larger crankcase and oil lines. A deeper housing for the new oil cooler was another obvious change. 

Raw materials were desperately short by the time production of the Bf 109 G-10 commenced in October 1944. The G-10 was therefore produced using components from earlier airframes. This led to many variations in production, including alternate configurations for the tail wheel, aerial, cockpit air intakes, main wheels, wing bulges and tail surfaces. 

Typically, Bf 109 G-10s manufactured at the Messerschmitt Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke (WNF factory) sported the larger, longer bulges on the upper wing to accommodate the wider 660 x 190 main wheels, the crescent shaped aerodynamic fairings on both sides of the fuselage, Erla clear vision canopy and tall fin and rudder.

After the end of WWII in Europe, Czechoslovakia continued to manufacture the Bf 109 G-10 under the new nomenclature of C-10 or S-99. These were essentially a WNF spec Bf 109 G-10.

These were manufactured at two aircraft factories in Czechoslovakia: one of them officially called závod Avia (Avia Plant) (1946–48) and závod Avia-Ji?ího Dimitrova (Avia-George Dimitroff-Plant, 1948–49) in ?akovice near Prague, as a postwar corporative part of the Automobilové závody, n.p. [Automotive Works, National Corp.]. The other was named závod Vyso?any (Vyso?any Plant, 1948–49) in Prague, as a corporative part of Letecké závody, n.p. [Aviation Works, National Corp.] but soon ran out of the 109's Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine after many were destroyed during an explosion at a warehouse in Krásné B?ezno.*

*Final paragraph was adapted from Wikipedia

Eduard has snuck in the definitive (to my eye) Bf 109 G-10 WNF with two unconventional kits - their Limited Edition Avia S-99 / C-10 kit and an Overtrees boxing. I took a look at the Overtrees boxing last week. Tonight is the turm of the S-99 / C-10.

The Avia S-99 / C-10 is essentially the post-war Czech designation for the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10, and it has the same characteristics as the WNF factory version, including the long upper wing bulges.

Under its attractive box art, the Limited Edition S-99 / C-10 kit comprises 188 parts in grey plastic and 10 parts in clear, a colour photo-etched fret, self-adhesive die-cut canopy masks and decals for four marking options. More than 70 of the parts will remain unused and there are a few optional parts too, so the actual number of parts used is quite modest.

The wings are new parts with the large, long bulges.

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 fret offers a pre-coloured instrument panel, harness straps, radiator and oil cooler faces, DF loop, exhaust flame damper, cockpit details and more.

Markings

The decals are printed in the Czech Republic and are in perfect register.

Colours are bright and sharp.

The four marking options are:

• Avia C-10.8 (S-99.8), OK-BYH, Police Air Patrol Unit, Czechoslovak Police Air Force, Brno – Slatina, 1947 - 1950. Finished in light grey upper surfaces and RLM 75 lower surfaces with red nose, wing leading edges and horizontal tail planes. Codes are red with white outlines.

• Avia C-10.6, EV-11, Command Flight, 2nd Air Division, Fighter Training Centre, Czechoslovak Air Force, Planá Air Base, C?eské Bude?jovice, Spring 1947. Finished in overall RLM 02 Grey with black codes.

• Avia C-10.21, OK-BYU, Police Air Patrol Unit, Czechoslovak Police Air Force, Prague – Ruzyne?, 1947. Finished in light grey upper surfaces and RLM 75 lower surfaces with red nose, wing leading edges and horizontal tail planes. Codes are red with white outlines.

• Avia C-10, EV-14, Fighter Training Centre, Czechoslovak Air Force, Planá Air Base, C?eské Bude?jovice, 1947. Finished in light grey upper surfaces and RLM 75 lower surfaces with red nose, wing leading edges and horizontal tail planes. Codes are black, painted over patches of RLM 76 Light Blue. 76 patches are also on the upper and lower surfaces of the wings.

Eduard's 1/48 scale Avia S-99 / C-10 (essentially a Messerchmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNF) is a very welcome addition to their re-tooled Gustav family. The markings are some of the most colourful carried by the Bf 109 G in any era.

Thanks to Eduard for the samples

Text and Images Copyright © 2018 by Brett Green
Page Created 3 December, 2018
Last updated 4 December, 2018

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