Introduction

New for 2007 is another modeling book by modeller, author and webmaster Brett Green. The Bf 109 is Willy Messerschmitt’s icon of WW2 fighters. This book covers with 80 pages ( including color reference page ) the middle incarnations, the Franz and Gustav.

Table 1 details the production of Bf 109F-1 through G-14 variants, including numbers produced, identifying characteristics, designations and sub-types, key identification features, and delivery dates. Four beautiful profiles whet the appetite for the numerous successive photos.

Hidden Details of the Bf109G-6

This section treats us to photos not normally visible in photos or museums. This G-6 under restoration in Australia provides amazing details, such as the wooden panel of the shell-ejector chutes for the nose guns, a prominent weld seam along the supercharger intake, and fuselage interior of the radio compartment. This shows the curiously yellow-stained wooden radio mounting rack, the unprimed fuselage interior, and the multi-colored wiring. The wing photos allows us a peek inside the structure which was primed with RLM 02.

Bf109F and G In Plastic

This section starts with a general summery of the models available in various scales. It mentions but does not detail some of the kits featured in the following chapters. Hasegawa dominates this topic with their 1/48 series featuring F model and G-2, G-6 and G-14s, 1/32 G-6 and G-14, G-4/Trop. Trumpeter’s 1/24 G series is explored, too. Each kit is reviewed in some detail.
Table 2: Messerschmitt Bf109F and G kits in 1/144, 1/72, 1/48, 1/32 and 1/24. Per scale, brand, item number, description and comments. Missing are Monogram/Pro-Modeler’s 1/72, Revell’s old 1/32 and late-1970’s-era 1/48 kits.

Mediterranean Messerschmitt

Fine Molds 1/72 Bf109 ‘Family in the box’ is the subject here. Characteristic of many of Osprey books, the first page features two insets. The first lists SUBJECT, MODELLER, SKILL LEVEL, BASE KIT, SCALE, ADDITIONAL DETAILING SETS USED, PAINTS and MARKINGS used. A second inset describes the pros and cons of this model company’s kits. The author further opines of Fine Molds' kit, “…without question the best injection-moulded 1/72-scale Friedrichs and Gustavs available today.”

Further kits and subjects explored

- Friedrich In White: Airfix’s 1/48 Bf 109F in winter camouflage. Rescribbing of surface detail is demonstrated.
- Finnish Gustav: Hasegawa’s 1/32 Bf 109G, “…the best Messerschmitt Bf 109s available in any scale,” is the basis for demonstrating the employment of a plethora of resin, photo-etch and masking after-market sets, and the reworking of the kit‘s plastic in doing so.
- Gustav Trainer: Vacuum-formed conversion is introduced to you on this article, with a Falcon 1/48 Bf 109G-12 set.
- Wilde Sau: Hobbycraft’s attempt at producing 1/48 Messerschmitt’s, and the resulting modifications to an accurate model are presented here.

Supplementing the text of the preceding articles

- Further Reading and Websites
- Index
- Colour Reference Chart featuring eight samples of Messerschmitt Bf 109F & G colors, with descriptions.

Conclusion

Once again, another addition to Osprey’s library of modeling books of favorite subjects is available to enrich your knowledge of both the aircraft, and modeling. Mr. Green and contributors have created a beautifully illustrated how-to for fans of Willy Messerschmitt’s iconic aerial predator. Recommended.