Messerschmitt
Me 309 V1 / V2

Brengun, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Graham Carter

The Me309 was an experimental project begun in mid-1940, with the aim of developing an Me109 replacement just as it was meeting the Spitfire, the first aircraft that could match it. The Reich Air Ministry gave it very low priority so the design was not finalised until late 1941.

The new fighter had many novel features, such as a tricycle undercarriage (with a nose-gear strut that twisted through 90° during retraction, folding flat under the engine) and a pressurised cockpit which would have given it more comfortable and effective high-altitude performance. It ran into quite a few problems and did not fly until April 1942 at which time it showed little improvement over the 109, especially when armed. The promising performance of the FW190D led to its cancellation after only four airframes had been completed.*

* basic information courtesy of Wikipedia.

The kit allows the modeller to produce either the first or the second prototype, which differed in their tail-plane designs. Brengun are establishing quite a reputation for producing these teeny-weeny kits and this is no exception. Enclosed in the familiar end-opening but sturdy box ( largely because it is only small) is a resealable bag containing the two main mid-grey sprues and a tiny clear one, decals and a folded double sided A5 instruction sheet.

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Thumbnail panels:

The box lid has a muted CAD illustration of a 309 in flight while the rear has colour renditions of the three decal choices with 1/144 side views and smaller top and underside views. All aircraft are in RLM 74/75/76 schemes.

The parts are nicely moulded with no sign of flash and surface detail is very well done, although probably a bit too obvious for 1/144 but a coat or two of paint should reduce the impact. 

Flying surface are single-surface mouldings and the trailing edges are very sharp. Rudimentary wheel well details are moulded in place, as are the undercarriage door interiors.

Two different tails are provided for the V1early and late variants and the V2. The radiator intake is able to be posed open or closed. The propellor and undercarriage legs are commendably fine.

The cockpit has some tiny details moulded into the fuselage sides and there is a floor, seat, control stick and instrument panel with pin-prick dials moulded in it! This is more than enough in this scale methinks.

The canopy is one-piece, supplied closed.

The instruction sheet contains a parts-map and nine construction steps which seem to be clear as to part placement and variant choices. There are no colour details given but I suspect the colours followed standard Luftwaffe protocols so should be known by most aficionados. Neither is any mention made of the need for a bit of nose weight to counter a predictable tail-sitting tendency. 

Also see our review for photo-etched, resin and vacform upgrades for this kit by following this link.

Markings

The decals sheet is appropriately diminutive, 45mm square, and contains two sets of markings for the three variants in the kit:

1. V1 GE+CU, early version in Augsburg, July 1942,

2. V1 GE+CU, late version at Rechlin, November 1943, and 

3. V2 GE+CV in November 1942.

Register and colour density on these tiny markings looks spot-on and wee two-part swastikas are also provided.

A nice little kit and one that should appeal to the Luftwaffe modeller in this scale.

 This is a splendid little kit that should be a part of any fan of the Messerschmitt series of WWII aircraft. Recommended, especially given the separately available accessories.

Thanks to Brengun for the review sample.

Review Text Copyright © 2021 by Graham Carter
Images Copyright © 2021 by Brett Green
Page Created 15 September, 2021
Last updated 16 September, 2021

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