...the angle wheel wells were present well into the F-2 series. Someone (Sergey or Mansur) mentioned it was typical for one manufacturer.

There doesn't seem to be anything conclusive saying that the change-over was made starting with a werknummer XXXX or even during a production batch. Prien and Rodeike's "Messerschmitt Bf 109 F, G & K Series" (Schiffer 1995 ISBN0-88740-424-3) says "A large part of the F-2 series retained the squared off wheel wells of the E series."(p. 15) If Prien and Rodeike, who trolled through reams of factory and RLM records, can't establish a definite WNr or production batch, there's probably no such information available. All that's left is some deductive reasoning...

Another thing to consider is that F-2s were built by five different manufacturers from November 1940 through to August 1941; WNr. 6674 was built, probably in January, 1941 by WNF in the WNr. batch 6651-6822, which were built between January and April (p.10), plus there is a photo of WNr. 6743, also built by WNF, flown by Robert Olejnik, Staffelkapitän of 1./JG3, which also shows circular wheel wells.(p.18) This is a possible indication that F-2s built by WNF may have introduced the round wheel wells in January or February 1941. [Note:Other F-2s with circular wheel wells include WNr. 8919 (p.198) (Messerschmitt Regensburg, 8901-9001, March to April) and WNr. 9641 (p.196) (Ar War, 9535-9734, June to August).]

On the other hand WNr. 5458 (Hptm Hans von Hahn, Gruppe Kommodore of I./JG3) from the WNr. batch 5401-5558, built by Ar War (Arado Warnemünde) between February and May 1941, has the squared off wheel wells (p.17)...

In summary, there are no hard and fast rules on when circular wheel wells replaced the squared off version. They were certainly used on aircraft manufactured by WNF between January and April 1941, whereas those built by Ar War were still using squared off wells later than February. Confused? That's fairly typical of German aircraft of WW 2.

The very earliest batches had them...
although to be honest, I don't know that anyone's ever established a FIRM cut-off point for the squared edges on F's. The earliest numeric series is a batch of 158 aircraft from Arado, WNr 5401 to 5558, followed by 33 from Messerschmitt-Regensburg (5601 to 5790), then another 172 from WNF (6651-6822). One thing I found while digging through airframe differences is that usually an F with the squared-off wheel wells, shallow oil cooler, small intake and narrow prop will also have the very early wingtip lights which were just small bulbs placed in cutouts- they didn't have the faired-in plexiglas covers. The port exhaust bank on these earliest birds also lacked the turned down sheet metal plate to prevent exhaust gas ingestion in the supercharger intake.

... if the early F has squared off wheel wells, then it won't have the turned-down exhaust shield over the port exhausts, and will have the small bulb covers over the wingtip lights rather than the full clear plexi covers which followed the contours of the wing. I've gone through probably hundreds of photos trying to get a better idea of how those details stacked up, and these three characteristics are GENERALLY seen all together on specific airframes... I qualified that because sure as hell, someone will pop up with a photo of a single F cobbled together from spare parts which will have some sort of mix-n-match variation.

Bf 109F-0, F-1 made by WNF (actually F-1 were made only there), Bf 109F-2 made by WNF and Erla have had "square" wells. All F-4 have had round wells.

thanks for the review Jean-Luc. Looks like Zvezda decided to produce the ultimate 48th scale 109 ..

However, from the references I have (not many... ) it seems the round wheel wells were more common.

I still think it would have been better to do it like Hasegawa did.

- Two sets of exhausts (one not used in this kit).

Very strange indeed is the presence on the sprue of an early rounder E-1/E-3 type of canopy!?

Really interesting. Is that a standard 'E seat? With the additional framing and the way the belts run it looks like a different type again, or some sort of hybrid...

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- Two sets of exhausts (one not used in this kit).

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Both used, one for opened engine and another one for closed.

My kit has just arrived and I'm glad to be able to report that the clear parts are fine - no warping.

It is a really impressive kit! It's so tempting to start a build, but I know I mustn't!