The last gasp for the Bf-109 was the 109K-4. Though there were other variants on the boards, it was the K-4 that has the dubious honor of being the last production 109 when production was terminated in March of 1945 when the last of 33,000 plus 109s rolled off the assembly line.

The K was an amalgamation of all of the modifications that had been made to the G variant and included other things like outer landing gear doors and a more powerful Daimler-Benz DB.605DB and DC engine which offered a maximum of 1,850 hp. Unfortunately, the fuel situation of the time meant that the high octane needed for these engines was not usually available. Combine that with the poor quality control associated with the late war situation and you can see that the actual power out was less.

Though not a giant leap from the G-10 version, the K was slightly faster and not that much different from the G-10. Pilots hopping in the K often did not realize that it was a K and not a G-10, so similar were the two aircraft in layout and performance. The K was mixed in with other late war types in those units that were still flying the 109, so when asking a pilot 50 years later what he thought about the K as compared to the other types, often he would have to look at his log book to see if he even flew it!!

To my knowledge, no K has survived to be placed in a museum, though I wouldn't be surprised to learn of one being pulled from a lake or bog and being restored.

Hard to believe, but Heller's Bf-109K from the early 1980s and the days of raised panel lines is still the only mainstream injected kit of this plane around. Those looking for this kit need to be aware that the very first boxing of this in the flimsy yellow boxes may turn out to be more of a G-14 than a K, as I found out many, many years ago. Heller changed only those parts that needed it, the rest of the kit is unchanged from that earlier mold.

Because of its age, you shouldn't be surprised to note that there is no cockpit sidewall detail, no wheel well detail, a minimal cockpit of a floor, seat, stick and instrument panel, and that there are really no options. The canopy is a two-piece construct that can be posed open if you wish. There is also a clear piece for the head armor. Under the plane there is a rack and a bomb, but frankly, most K models would have had a drop tank there instead. You'll have to scrounge one from the spares box for this one. The wheels are also incredibly toy-like and will really need to be replaced by some resin aftermarket ones.

Instructions are common for this generation of Heller kit. An exploded diagram showing where the parts fit. On the back is an English and German translation of the construction steps. Two very small diagrams show the camouflage for the two decal options. No RLM colors are given. The two units are I/JG 77 and III/JG 27. The decal sheet itself is small but adequate. No swastika as this is the time frame when those were being removed from kits, as you can see from the box art! The decals themselves are very matte and have yellowed over time. There are enough aftermarket sheets available where you don't need to use them and most will replace them.

Here you have a relatively simple kit that can be built by modelers of just about any skill level. It is a good one for the beginners as it has some small parts that will have to be glued on, but not so many as to cause frustration. There is no dedicated resin interior for this plane, but I'd be willing to bet some of the others could be made to fit. Biggest problem is that the K had a different instrument panel and slightly different interior arrangement than the G-6 and others that preceded it. Nonetheless, it is basically correct in outline and form so if you want a K, this is about all you have to choose from!

Close-up #16: Messerchmitt Bf-109K, Monogram Publications, 1979

Messerschmitt Bf-109K, JaPo, 1997

Review kit courtesy of my kit collection.

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