AML 1:72 MESSERSCHMITT BF 109D
'INBOX Review'

 

Reviewer: Geoff Goldfen  (rec.models.scale)

Kit:  AML No.72008 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 D

Parts: Inside the kit are two sprues of light grey limited run parts, plus vacform canopy, decal sheet, console film for instrument panels and a brass etched set.  The brass etched set contains about 20 parts, most of which is used inside the cockpit such as instrument panel consoles, seat harnesses, side panel extras, throttles etc, but also includes the gear door covers as well.  The injection molded parts total about forty and feature finely engraved panel lines and some wheel well detail on the underside of the upper wing halves.  There is some very minor flash evident on the wing leading edges and around the smaller parts but otherwise as crisp as you could expect from a limited run mold.  Ejector pin stubs and marks marr the kit in places, thankfully on the inside/underside of parts and not so difficult to remove.

The main sprue features the fuselage, upper wing and tailplane halves and one-piece underwing.  The nose cowling hood is a separate piece and the tailplane feature small locating pins to help with placement on the aircraft.  The tailfin is molded on to the port fuselage half.  The smaller sprue includes mainly the undercarriage and propeller assembly components.  Propeller blades are actually separate in this kit. The instrument panel features some raised console detail, if preferred over the brass etched set and film. 

Versions/Decals:  Four versions can be produced from this kit, two Spanish 1936-39 Civil war examples finished in RLM63 over RLM65 scheme with white wingtips and rudder.  One of these examples portrays Werner Molders machine, including a small Mickey Mouse emblem.  The other two are German 1939 examples in upper RLM70/71 over RLM65 scheme.  Swastikas are included in the kit but have been broken into halves requiring them to be joined together to complete the marking - easy to do.  The decal sheet is from an unidentified source are is pretty good register, thin and likely to be well represented on the model once set with solution.

Accuracy:  Sword produce a Bf 109D in this scale and the main criticism with that kit was the tail section of the aircraft being too narrow.  The AML kit looks correct in this regard and the only thing I could spot while test fitting and putting the fuselage halves together was that the chin was a bit steep in profile.  Token measurements while in mock up (measuring fuselage half for length and underwing piece for span) suggests the kit is almost spot on compared to reference notes.

Impressions:  With the limitations of limited run kit technology kept in mind I think this kit will end up being a straight forward project of its type and a relatively accurate one at that.  Cockpit detail is quite good in this kit with (through the brass etched set) most of the detail that you would hope for in this scale taken care of and in the case of the seat, rudder pedals, instrument panel and even the cockpit floor, they are not just lumps of plastic but have been molded with some effort to replicate the details in mind.  Test fitting reveals probably the expected traits of limited run technology and will need the efforts of someone with at least some experience to find this project as straight forward as it could be.  Effort in cleaning up and preparing the parts will also need to be taken into account, sprue lugs are at times a little on the thick side (especially on the wheels), and although flash is limited to tiny bits outlining some of the parts, it is still there and will need removal and the sanding of mating surfaces is recommended to strengthen bond.  For once the parts are not all butt-joined, they have either locating pins or small tabs/ledges that will assist in positioning the parts together.  Overall looks like another very reasonable representation of an early model Bf 109 and for limited run buffs I would have no hesitation in recommending this kit on the basis of what can be assessed on the sprue.

Other Comments:  Sword have also produced the Bf 109D and both these two kits came out on the market within weeks of each other suggesting one was a reboxing or rehash of the other, especially given that both companies come out of Czech Republic.  Having checked other online sources (as I do not have the Sword kit) and another inbox review on SMAKR I am confident in saying that both kits are original molds from their respective manufacturers and are not one in the same.  Breakdown of parts and number are slightly different and the quality of molding is better apparently in the Sword kit from other comments, plus of course there are resin parts in the Sword kit.

 

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