This is #21 in their mini Top Colors series and covers eight aircraft, all Bf-109s of different variants. This comes along with their recent ones on Reich Defense fighters. Like that book, it is a bit difficult to categorize. Is it a book with a huge decal sheet or a huge decal sheet that has the world's largest  color and markings guide?

Regardless, the art work is superb, with the right and left side profiles filling one page. The other has upper plan view with the underside of the wings alone to show paint and markings. Each one of these subjects is based on photos and Kagero provide the references for the origin of these markings. Naturally, there is some conjecture involved, especially where the images are not complete, but they are based on the norms of the unit in question and are as accurate as they can be.

Of the eight subjects, five are Bf-109F-4/trops in the standard RLM desert scheme. These are from JG-3 and JG 27. There is also a Bf-109E-7/trop from ZG-1 and two Bf-109G-2s; one from JG 77 in a tropical scheme and a photo recon bird in RLM 74/75/76 from 2.(H)/14. 

To modelers, a highlight of the book is a superbly printed decal sheet that offers the unique markings for each subject in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scales. Fortunately for us all, at this time in the hobby's development, there are quality kits of nearly all these planes available. Only the photo recon bird will require any sort of modification from the kit to include the photo windows.  The sheet itself is printed by Cartograf so you know that you are getting one of the best around.

In all, it is a great offering and one that Luftwaffe fans should not pass up.

May 2011

Review book courtesy of the fine folks at Kagero. Visit them for more books.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact the editor or see other details in the Note to Contributors.