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Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6
Erla Weekend Edition

Eduard ProfiPACK, 1/48 scale

S u m m a r y

Catalogue Number: Eduard Kit No. 84142 - Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 Erla Weekend Edition
Scale: 1/48
Contents and Media: 186 parts in grey coloured plastic (including more than 70 marked not for use); 14 parts in clear; markings for two aircraft
Price:

USD$29.95 plus shipping available online now from Eduard

USD$23.95 plus shipping available online from Squadron

GBP£19.50 (£16.25 Export Price) plus shipping available from Hannants

Review Type: FirstLook
Advantages: Accurate; high level of detail; outstanding surface features including crisply recessed panels and subtle rivet lines where appropriate; separate control surfaces; many useful options including framed and Erla canopies (three styles of Erla hoods), standard and tall tail, long and short tail wheel, battery-box cover, under wing cannon gondola, alterative propeller blades, tyres, hubs and oil cooler housings, aerial masts, bomb racks, trop filter and supercharger intakes (some parts not applicable for this kit); high quality decals.
Disadvantages: Decals stuck to cover sheet on my sample resulting in some damage.
Conclusion: Eduard's 1/48 scale Bf 109 G-6 Erla is a welcome addition to their re-tooled Gustav family, representing exceptional value at less than USD$30. Highly Recommended.


Reviewed by Brett Green


Eduard's 1/48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 Erla is available online from Squadron.com

FirstLook

 

Eduard has a tradition of releasing "Weekend Edition" versions of established kits that omit photo-etched parts and masks, and are available at a lower price.

Eduard's Bf 109 G-6 Erla Weekend Edition comprises 186 parts in grey plastic, 14 parts in clear and markings for two 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.

 

 

As far as I can tell, the plastic parts in this kit are identical to those in the recent Bf 109 G-6 kit. This is a good thing!

For more detail on the differences between these re-tooled kits and the original releases from 2014, please see my review of the Bf 109 G-6, Kit No. 82111.

 

  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
  • Eduard 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Re-Tooled) Review by Brett Green: Image
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In 2013, Eduard’s Spitfire family set a new benchmark for 1/48 scale surface detail, and their re-tooled G5 and G-6 kits are 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.

The raised umbrella mounts are moulded under the port side of the cockpit. These should be sliced off if your subject is not a tropical version.

Fabric 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.

Instead of photo-etched parts for the instrument panel, radiator faces etc, Eduard supplies plastic parts. These will look just fine after painting, but if you're not a fan of painting raised dials on panels, a decal is also supplied as an option.

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 standard steel pilot’s head armour, the armoured glass “Galland Panzer” and a third pilot's armour plate for the pressurised cockpit with small triangular windows are provided as options for the canopy. Another nice detail touch is the inclusion of handholds on the inside corners of the windscreen.

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.

Propeller blades look to be a good shape, with nice pitch collar and hub detail. Two other styles are included. These are for the Bf 109 F and early G versions.


 

Markings

Markings are supplied for two Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6s from the Erla factory:

  • W.Nr. 15909, Hptm. Gerhard Barkhorn, Stab II./JG 52, Anapa, Soviet Union, Sept. 1943.

  • Hptm. Heinrich Erler, Stab III./JG 5, Alakurtti, Finland, June 1943.

Both options are finished in mid-war shades of RLM 76 Light Blue lower surfaces and RLM 75 Grey Violet and RLM 74 Grey Green upper surfaces with RLM 04 Yellow Eastern Front theatre markings.

 

 

The two decal sheets are perfectly printed in the Czech Republic. One sheet carries he national markings and unique numbers, chevrons, Gruppe markings, unit insignia and victory markings; while the other has a wide selection of generic stencil markings that will be suitable for mid-war to late-war subjects.

 

 

Printing, colours and registration is perfect on my sample. The only problem was that the waxed paper cover for the main sheet was suck to the decals in places on my sample, resulting in damage to some of the markings.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Eduard's 1/48 scale Bf 109 G-6 Erla is a welcome addition to their re-tooled Gustav family, representing exceptional value at less than USD$30.

Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Eduard for the sample


Review Text Copyright © 2017 by Brett Green
Page Created 19 April, 2017
Last updated 19 April, 2017

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