Bf 109 G-2
ProfiPACK

Eduard,1/72 scale

Reviewed by Graham Carter

Eduard began their love affair with Willy Messerschmitt’s masterful 109 series back in 2021 with the E-series, then the Fs last year and now the G variants earlier this year.

Including the Weekend , Profipack, Royal, Overtrees and Aero S-99/199 kits twenty six different releases have been produced to thrill the Luftwaffe fan in the ‘One True Scale’ with the K variant being available later this year - an embarrassment of riches! 

The first two G kits appeared a bit earlier in 2024 and were in Dual Combo kits of one each of the G-5 and G-6 in Gustav Part 1 and a G-6 and G-14 in Gustav Part 2, neither of which I have seen but apparently there are some differences with the latest kit I have to review here.

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Thumbnail panels:

This, however, is a single kit in the familiar large, strong top-opening box with an excellent illustration on the lid showing Major Johannes Trautloft’s victory over a PE-2 in August 1942, one of the six decal choices.

Inside we find the familiar clear resealable sleeve containing two mid-grey sprues, a clear sprue of a variety of transparencies, two PE frets, a set of masks for wheels and canopy, a 180x110mm decal sheet and an 18-page A4 colour instruction booklet.

The parts are just wonderful with exceptional surface detail, beautiful interior to the cockpit and undercarriage bays.

As usual, Eduard make the best use of their moulds and a number of parts are destined for other variants, in this case the parts map on page two indicates that 41 parts will go into the spares box. I would suggest a careful search of the copious instructions and to remove any parts you will not be using to save later confusion or embarrassment! There is no flash and minimal seam clean-up will be required.

The parts bear some resemblance to those in the F kit from which it was developed in reality. so there are no cowl bumps for the nose cannon bulges which appear in the G-6 fuselage parts.

Sprue gates are very narrow and well-located for minimal clean-up. Provision is made for an open/ closed canopy and for open/closed flaps, leading-edge slats  and dropped elevators. The fin and rudder come as separate parts to allow for variants in these areas

The first page gives a brief overvie of the Bf109’s development up to the G model and is followed by  the parts map and colour guide only for paints by name and number from Gunze Aqueous and Mr Color. Each assembly stage is well-illustrated with colour call-outs all along the way. The instrument panel can be either in coloured PE, decal or painted and a number of PE parts will embellish the interior to a very high standard including panels, instruments and seat belts.

Clear Parts

26 clear parts are supplied on a single sprue.

Most of these are not referred to in the instructions, but with the inclusion of the tall tail and allternative rudders, the tall tail wheel and the three styles of Erla canopies on the sprue, you'll be able to build a late G-6 or a G-14 straight from the box. All you need is decals!

Clear parts include the three-part canopy, the clear cockpit fuel line, gunsight and wing tip navigation lights.

The parts are thin and clear.

Markings

The last part of the instruction manual includes an explanation of where the masks are used,.

A four-part plan of stencil locations and then four-view colour drawings for the six decal choices as follows:

1. Bf 109G-2 of Johannes Trautloft from JG 54 over the Soviet Union in August 1942 in RLM 02 and 70 over 65 with yellow under nose, wingtips and rear fuselage band with a large green heart under the canopy,

2. Bf 109 G-2/R6 of Hermann Graf of 9/JG 52 over the Soviet Union in September 1942 in the later 74/75 over 76, again with yellow splashes and a very mottled fuselage and fin and red heart under the canopy,

3. Bf 109 G-2 of Anton Hafner of 4/JG 51 in Tunis in December 1942 in similar colours to the one above  but with white wing and fuselage markings and a black rear band as well,

4. Bf 109 G-2/R6 of Hans Hahn of II/JG 54 over the Soviet Union in January 1943 in the standard scheme but almost completely covered with white distemper with some worn patches showing through, with yellow under the nose wingtips and fuselage band. Green hearts are below the canopy,

5. Bf 109 G-2/R6 trop of Wilhelm Crinius of 3/JG 53 in Tunis in January 1943 in the desert colours of 79 over 78 with large patches of 70 on the upper wings, and mottles on the fuselage and fin with a yellow lower nose and white tail band, and

6. Bf 109 G-2/R6 of Rudolf Muller from 6/JG 4 in Finland in April 1943 in the standard greens over 76 scheme but with large patches of white and a pale grey covering most of the upper surfaces with a yellow lower nose and lower wingtips.

Decals are beautifully printed with great density, colour and register and minimal carrier film and altogether a lovely set of choices. The rear page of the booklet contains a number of additional accessories to enhance an already wonderful kit, such as engines, 3D printed radio compartment details  wheels and elevator balances.

This kit carries on the wonderful quality that we have come to expect from Eduard and comes highly recommended to any of you whose interest lies in this iconic aeroplane and the theatres it fought in.

Thanks to Eduard for the sample.

Review Text Copyright © 2024 by Graham Carter
Page Created 4 Sepember, 2024
Last updated 4 September, 2024

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