It is tough to find things to say about the Bf-109 that have not already been said, so I'll do the unusual and not go into a long spiel about the aircraft. Instead, I'll talk about 1/32 scale. Of all the popular modeling scales, this is the one that probably gets less press than any other. It is the one that has fewer new kits than probably any other. Even 1/144 gets a number of new kits released each year though they are mostly airliners.

The problem that makers and builders have with it is one of size. Most modelers don't build in this scale as displaying more than just a few 1/32 aircraft kits will quickly eat up any available display case. I know this to be true as the last 1/32 kit I built (an RF-4C Phantom II), takes up more room than a large multi-engined 1/48 prop plane like the Betty or DC-3.

Kit makers don't produce many kits as the market for them isn't that large. We can all thank the resin manufacturers for being willing to put forth the efforts and material to helping to fulfill a real need. Downside to this is that these resin kits are usually very expensive and not something that the average modeler is likely to be able to build and buy. 

This brings us to the 1/32 Bf-109. From what I have been able to figure out, there are only three mainstream 1/32 Bf-109 kits generally available. One is the quite old and somewhat inaccurate Revell Bf-109G. The other two are Bf-109Es. One is by Hasegawa and it is pretty well detailed, but does have some shape problems. The other is by Matchbox. This kit has excellent outline, but a rather low level of detailing. Fortunately, there are a number of resin 'fix it' sets for both types of 109.

Decals for the later versions of the 109 were produced by Microscale/Superscale, and while these are generally sold out when you go to the stores, they are not impossible to find is you look long enough.

This particular sheet has two Bf-109Fs and a G. There are enough insignia to do one of the three schemes on the sheet.

First one is a Bf-109G-6 with an overall RLM 71 green upper with RLM 76 lower surface scheme from 7/JG 5 based in Finland in 1943. This aircraft was flown by Theo Wiessenberger and shows 111 of his eventual 208 victories on the rudder.

Next is Frank Liesendahl's Bf-109F-4 from 10/JG2 in France circa 1942. This one is listed as having an RLM 70 Spine with RLM 71 mottling. It is implied that the rest of the aircraft is in standard RLM 74/75/76. This one has a white rudder with a number of ship kills painted on it.

Finally,  Gunter Lutzow's Bf-109F-4 when he was kommodore of  of JG3 in Russia in 1941. Russian-based aircraft usually had some pretty interesting paint schemes. This one has a yellow nose and rudder with the upper colors in two shades of green over standard RLM 76 light blue.

Regardless of which scheme is chosen, it will make for an interesting aircraft.

Review copy courtesy of me and my wallet.

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