Messerschmitt Bf 109F

Here are a few more photos of my Airfix 1/48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 109F.

Despite the fact that this kit is several generations removed from the current crop of quarter scale 109s, it more than holds its own from a shape standpoint. In fact in some respects, I prefer it to the Hasegawa offering.

The main reference is the Avions Hors Serie No 5 "Les Messerschmitt Espagnols", which traces the history of 109s in Spanish service from the V-3 prototype through the Merlin engined Hispanos. There is a rather clear photo of the starboard side of this aircraft which shows the early black disk national markings on the fuselage with roundels on the wings. I like the juxtaposition of these pre- and post- civil war markings on the same plane. A good side view painting can be found in the AJ Press Monograph # 50, Messerschmitt Me 109 cz.6.

 

 

In one of those "paint yourself into a corner" modelling moves, I started the model before determining that suitable markings were available. The roundels were eventually discovered on a Superscale 1/72 P-3 Orion sheet, but the fuselage codes were nowhere to be found. I was ready to start chopping up codes from the Hobbycraft Hispano Ha-1112 when my friend, David Veres, conjured some up on his computer. They were then printed on a laser printer and worked rather well.

The camouflage colors are presumed to be German pre-war RLM 65, 61, 62 & 63. For these I used Giunze acrylics, #67, 70, 303 & 406.

 

 

 

Construction

 

I made a few modifications to the kit, the most noticable being a vacform canopy. This came from an old War Eagle set that also provided a vac chin scoop and markings for Marseille's aircraft. The canopy was necessary since the Airfix kit canopy has the armored windscreen integrally molded; it was not used on this plane, and my attempts at canopy surgery came up lacking.

The oil cooler scoop was taken from a Hasegawa 109F, as were the cowl guns, tailwheel, pitot tube and instrument panel.

I left quite a few of the simplified kit features alone, including the molded-on exhaust stacks, which don't look bad when painted.

 

 

Also I didn't rescribe the raised fudelage panel lines. The kit's wings come with engraved panels however.

Other additions include an Ultracast seat (a great time saver), lead wire brake lines and greatly thinned wheel covers.

Weathering was done with oil washes and MiG pigments on the wheels.

 

It is getting hard to find a 109 that has not been realized in plastic by somebody. The Spanish F different enough to stand out in my 109 collection.

Now on to the Ha -1109 K1L conversion. That is a pretty airplane!

 

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