ACADEMY 1:72 MESSERSCHMITT BF-109G6
Converted to Bf-109G-2

 

Reviewer: Hrvoje Šafhauzer  (contact via SMAKR webmaster)
Kit Review submitted:  1 April 2009

MJV's (Yugoslav Aviation Museum) Exhibit



© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

MJV's exhibit at open (photo taken somewhere around 1977) and inside a Museum. Note a difference in Yugoslav national flag position at rudder, and individual "squadron" number size, as well as yellow propeller tips.

Kit Details:

Aircraft History:

General Bf-109 history is far too well known to be repeated, so here I will deal with: 

Yugoslav Gustav's

In October 1944, Soviet and Yugoslav (Partisan) Army troops captured, among other things, a well equipped German Airfield in Kovin, Banat, currently in NE Serbia, finding some ten serviceable Bf-109 G-6s and G-14s. Yugoslavs took 4-5 for its own use, including some spare parts, and other aircraft were given to the Romanians by Soviets. 

Yugoslav Gustavs were repainted by available German paints found in aircraft factories around liberated Belgrade, Yugoslav markings similar to those already in use were applied, and incorporated in "Liaison Squadron of Supreme Headquarters". Since the aircraft with the individual number 3 was repaired later due to combat damage, it is highly possible that these performed combat sorties, probably ground attacks.

During the April-May 1945 period, the number of Gustavs increased by being flown over by defecting BZ-NDH (Croatian AF) pilots, or capturing both Luftwaffe and BZ-NDH aircraft at the airfields in Western Croatia and Slovenia, including significant stocks of the parts, engines, armament, ammunition, and equipment. Around 25 complete aircraft were obtained in this manner, with some 19 or 20 being serviceable. Except for the few of them which transferred to the new JRV's (Yugoslav Air Force) Testing Center, all were gathered at airfields in the Sarajevo area, sidelined and kept in reserve, and mostly used as hacks being flown by pilots previously flying Bf-109s in either VVKJ (Royal Yugoslav Army Air Force) or BZ-NDH. Notwithstanding their combat value, it was decided that JRV's fighter component should be comprised of Soviet supplied Yak-1s/-3s/-9s and a limited number of British Spitfire Vcs and Hurricane RP IVs. Anyhow, being an unforgiving airplane, flying the Gustavs required proper long term training and pilot experience, something lacking for most war-time trained pilots. Also, while captured stocks almost enabled completing a number of aircraft, that option was rejected. 

However, things changed in 1947, two reasons forcing the introduction of the Gustavs in service. Firstly, all Yak-1 model 1943 fighters, 80+ of them, were declared worn-out, unsafe for use and were struck out of service, even after most of them recently being thoroughly overhauled. Secondly, due to international peace agreements Bulgaria was forced to reduce its Air Force, so the transfer of the surplus aircraft to Yugoslavia was agreed with Soviet mediation. Out of 91 fighters eventually received, there were 59 Gustavs, 6 of them were Bulgarian-converted G-12 trainers and other mostly G-2s and G-10s. Additional 15 spare DB-605 engines were received, together with applicable other spare parts. As part of compensation, Yugoslav aircraft factories provided Bulgaria with the metal rear fuselages for modifying Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft. JRV's serials in 9601 up to 9680 range were allocated to both war booty and Bulgarian supplied aircraft, but it is possible that some of these were not used. 

Initially all Gustavs, as coming from reserve and Bulgaria in 1947-1949 period, were allocated to 83rd Fighter Regiment, replacing Yak-3s. In December 1949, the 172nd Fighter Regiment was established, each being under a standard 40-plane complement for Soviet-style fighter regiments, and thus making 44th Fighter Division. Initially both regiments were stationed at Cerklje airfield, in Slovenia, but in 1951 83rd FR was moved to Pula airport, and 172nd FR was moved to Zemunik-Zadar airport, both at Adriatic coast for covering Northern and Central Adriatic area. It was a time of tensions surrounding the future of Trieste, and intensive flying of the old planes by mostly freshly-trained pilots caused some 50% serviceability problems due to worn-outs and damages. Since August 1952, all surviving Gustavs were transferred to 172nd FR pending the introduction of US MDAP-supplied F-47 D Thunderbolts, and a high rate of 50 sorties per day was achieved during joint exercises with the Navy. The remaining 26 aircraft were transferred to Rajlovac, Sarajevo, airfield, and all but two were scrapped in 1954/55, as well as others being used by some units and establishments on an individual basis. Survivors were a G-2, currently in MJV (Yugoslav Aviation Museum), and a G-10/U-4. The last one, with W.N. 610937, JRV serial 9644, "white 44" was initially given to Aeronautical section of Belgrade Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, for teaching purposes, and in the late 1970s was transferred to MJV. Due to a lack of funding needed for restoration, it was sold abroad during the 1980s, eventually ending up in Evergreen Ventures Museum in USA in the mid 90s, according to Fly Past from September 1998, but being designated as "G-14".

In Yugoslav service Gustavs were subjected to certain mostly internal modifications. German radios were replaced with the Soviet ARS-01 radios, for cooperation with Soviet built bombers and strike aircraft, and a first aid kit was moved from a rear fuselage compartment to a more convenient location behind a cockpit. Some of the single-seaters, for air combat training purposes, received a G-45 gun camera with F.12 magnifying lens unit, and Reference 1 (see below) states that it replaced armament in the starboard wing. Hmmm, I would rather bet on starboard nose MG, but…

Museum's G-2

This plane, W.N. 14792, was produced in Wiener Neustadt factory during 1942, and obtained from Bulgaria in 1949, with serial 9663 being allotted, and getting individual "squadron" number "white 63". It was in service with staff flight of 44th FD, being stricken out of service in October 1952, then being given to the Museum of JNA (Yugoslav People's Army). Later it came into MJV's inventory being restored in 1977, and painted in colors and markings preceding the end of service. It is a late production G-2, with wider G-4/G-6 type main wheels and applicable upper wing bulges and non-retractable tailwheel. 

The Kit:

This kit has been described here at SMAKR, most recently by Mark B, and elsewhere on the web, so there is no point of me repeating this. My copy, purchased in Manila (but with no "trilla") was also flash-free. Knowing, thanks to the reviews on the web, what is inside I deliberately purchased it for this conversion. 

Accuracy:

Except the size, while preparing steps for backdating a kit to G-2, I have checked the kit for required modifications using drawings from References 1 and 2 below. Reference 1 drawings scale is not stated, but it is 1/65, and Reference 2 drawings are in reality 1/70 scale instead of the stated 1/72 – probably enlarged while printing to fit a book page. Lesson relearned: Always check your reference drawings for dimensional correctness before scrutinizing a kit. So, a missing nose panel line shall be scribed at both sides, some 11 mm from nose panel line No1 towards cockpit. No big deal. Other thing is that horizontal tail surfaces are with more angular tips, as pointed out by Mark B. in his review among other things, but passed unnoticed with some other people. Academy's own instructions for painting & decal placement are showing correct shape, funny. With little trimming and sanding it would be corrected easily.


© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

Fuselage and tail compared to drawings from Reference 2.

Construction:

As usual, I did as much as possible pre-painting on the sprues. For complete cockpit interior parts and sides, as well as wheel hubs, I used Humbrol 92 – iron gray for RLM 66. For wheel wells, covers, and legs I used Revell 45 – light olive for RLM02, as well as for handwheels. Aluminum bronze was used for oleos. After looking the photos of museum exhibit, I realized that the main gear legs, main wheel hubs and cover interiors were painted in mid-blue, a shade similar to one used for national markings, and darker than one used for undersurfaces. So, here came thinned household gloss enamel medium blue being applied over items in question. Museum's G-2 is having black propeller blades with yellow tips, and I painted blades in Revell 9 – anthracite, tips in Revell 15 – yellow, and bases in aluminum bronze. Engine exhausts were painted in a mixture of Revell 84 – leather brown and 91 – steel. If not stated otherwise, during this construction, I used mat paints. And for most part, Revell's Contacta styrene glue and Contacta Professional liquid glue with needle applicator were used.


© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

Construction started – not with the cockpit, but with the vertical tail subassembly. This enabled me to apply dry transfer serial numbers, after applying camouflage paint and drying time, and protecting them with gloss acrylic paint. Also, the time was used to sand the tailwheel down well using a fine round file removing a metal sheet cover typical for aircraft from G-4 on. Work on some small parts followed, like assembling air intake parts and sanding off a cover of the tailwheel base. Using KP's Avia S-199 as a pattern, I reshaped the horizontal tail surfaces as required, and attached them to the tail subassembly using a dab of liquid glue. I had no problems with positioning them, this time. The cockpit parts were glued together, and attached to the applicable positions in the fuselage halves. For the instrument panel, I used a generic Bf-109G/HA-1112M1L panel that I developed from a drawing published in a SAMI issue from 2004, scaled to 1/48 and 1/72 scales respectively, and laser printed on overhead transparent sheet. After getting a scanner into my hands, I have developed a habit of scanning kit instrument decals and saving them for use if required somewhere else. Attached with white glue to the dashboard, it is not noticeable with a closed canopy, but I felt easier about placing it. Since it was to be one of my rare propeller models with no pilot, the harnesses were attached to the seat before assembling the cockpit. Being lazy and having the means, I scanned the ones from Italeri's CR.42 LW kit and laser printed a lot of them in 1/48 and 1/72 at A4 size white gloss paper with adhesive backing. Antenna wire was made of stretched sprue, and its end attached to antenna mast with a dab of liquid glue.

The fuselage parts were joined together, clamped with clothespins, and left for a few days to dry. After sanding the seams to remove the excess glue and adding MG covers, I realized that some filler would be needed, especially on the upper fuselage. So Revell's putty was used, and I used the time to fill panel lines not to be found on the G-2 as well as move the MG barrel ports one mm forward. I retained MG 131 barrels, in this scale the difference is insignificant and I saved myself some carving and searching for MG 17 ones. In the meantime the wings were assembled and cleaned, and I again used the opportunity to scribe some detail in. Since the photo taken in museum shows no starboard wing gun camera installation, I skipped one during wing construction. With the putty sanded with fine sandpaper, and some nose panels rescribed, the tail subassembly was attached followed by the wings. Upper wing-to-fuselage fairing joints were not filled, since there are the visible joints on the real plane. Remember, Bf-109s half-wings were attached to the fuselage there and were easily removable, with the main landing gear legs attached not to them but to the fuselage. Maybe it would be more correct to make deeper wing joint lines at undersides, but I skipped it.


© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

The Revi 12 gunsight is missing, so I fabricated one from clear acetate, placed it in the cockpit and painted it in RLM 66 while touching up the rear cockpit. Windscreen and rear canopy were glued into their positions, with central part being use to align them, and all went nice. Pilot head armor fitted nicely into canopy central part, and half an hour later a central canopy was placed and glued in its closed position. Finally the propeller was assembled, with the only difference that I made small securing element out of scrap styrene, serving as a positioning piece for propeller. Spinner was placed in position, and it was time for painting.

Painting & Decals:


© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

G-2 profile during its service, from Reference 1, drawn by Šime I. Oštrić. 
Note the larger diameter fuselage insignia and its different location.

JRV's post-WW II camouflage schemes until mid 50s are plainly – dull. Gustavs were mostly painted in Yugoslav equivalents of Soviet wartime AMT-12 dark gray for upper surfaces and AMT-7 light blue for lower surfaces. I painted undersurfaces first, in Revell 49 – light blue, followed few days later with Mo-Lak 10 – ocean gray for other surfaces. When dried, all surfaces were covered with gloss alkyd lacquer in preparation for decaling.

When looking at the glossy model from a distance, something in the rear fuselage looked fishy. At first I thought that the rear fuselage was longer than it should be, but measurements and comparison with some other kits show that not being in case. It appears that top and lower edges are curved rather than tapered, which could be maybe corrected by sanding, but I left it as it is. 


© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

Until the mid 50s, JRV insignias were applied in so-called "Soviet pattern", with underwing and fuselage roundels, fuselage numbers, serial number at fin and national flag at rudder. During service, and according to the photos, Yugoslav Gustavs had several variations in insignia size. Initially, 750 mm diameter roundels were used with appropriately sized individual numbers in white. Later, 500 mm diameter roundels were applied, and fuselage location moved towards rear, with appropriate reduction in number size. Since I was doing a museum exhibit, smaller roundels were used, together with numbers. I used generic 1/72 YUMO decal sheets dating from early 90s for roundels, as well as for national flag, and numbers came from decal dungeon since YUMO ones were not of correct shape for this build. White of the numbers is not bright like one of the roundels, but I had no choice.


© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

After the decals settled, Revell 2 – matt clear was used for sealing by overpainting everything that was previously glossed. And for weathering – What weathering shall be at indoor placed museum exhibit? Obviously none, maybe some dust…


© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

Final Touches:

The antenna mast was placed in a position and aerial wire strained and glued to post at fin. At all Yugoslav Gustavs, antenna mast was moved from rear cockpit part slightly to back, and aerial connection into fuselage was moved forward to a different position than with German planes. Something to do with operating frequency(s) of radio sets used, I guess… 


© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

Conclusions:

This is not a complicated one to backdate to G-2 standard, having more to do with the omission of some parts and painting conversion than anything else. And inspired by an article of backdating a Hasegawa's G-6 published on SMAKR also. I could use the 20-Pesos cheaper Hobby Boss 1/72 G-2 (Trop) kit that I purchased also then, but some things were against it. Not only that one shall use an applicable spare wing assembly from their G-10 kit with some modifications in front, or making bulges, but also one shall to fill major slots there intended for attaching the underwing/underfuselage stores. And I am intending to make a G-2 gunship from 15(Kroat)/JG 52 in future anyhow. And for unused parts, maybe I could use them to convert a Bf-109 G-10 kit into a G-14…


© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

References:

  1. FRONT magazine, Br.37 (1207), September 1981, Monorama: "Gustav" na našem nebu ("Gustav" at Our Sky), in Serbian;

  2. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces: Croatian Aces of World War 2 by Dragan Savic and Boris Ciglic;

  3. plus a host of other books – try to find one of general nature not dealing with Bf-109s!


© Hrvoje Šafhauzer 2009

 

SMAKR Home  |  What's New  |  Submissions  | Information Requests |  News  |  Links  |  Reference Corner  |  Site Info 
1/72 Reviews  |  1/48 Reviews  |  INBOX Reviews