Airfix 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf 109G6

AIRFIX 1:72 MESSERSCHMITT BF-109G-6

Reviewer: Mark B (SMAKR Webmaster) (smakr1@optusnet.com.au)
Kit Built + Review Submitted: 31 January 2008

Kit Details:

Airfix Series 1 kit - 1:72 #01072 - Messerschmitt bf 109G-6 - famous World War II single seat fighter and fighter-bomber.

Aircraft History:

Destined to become numerically (with more than 30,000 produced) the most important of all models of the Bf 109 fighter, the Bf 109G was evolved to use a more powerful Daimler Benz engine and to make provision for pressurisation in the cockpit. A pre-series batch of Bf 109G-0 fighters occurred in late 1941 and the series Bf 109G-1 appearing in spring 1942. The nickname for the Bf 109G series of aircraft was "Gustav" as they became known.

Through the different series of aircraft various improvements were made to the G model, including removal of pressurised cabins in G2, wider mainwheel tyres, radios, photo-recce equipment (G4), trop fitted variants and bigger guns (G1 Trop) which then subsequently were standardised in later models, and finally higher rated engines and super chargers up to the G5 variant.

The Bf 109G6 was the first "standard" model capable of accepting different field conversion sets (or as we know with today's jets, different ordnance under the wings) and was also enhanced with engine modifications. Underwing stores options included 250 kg bomb (Bf 109G-6/R1 variant), pair of 21cm mortars (G-6/R2), additional 30mm underwing cannons (G-6/R4) ore these replaced by 20 mm MG-151s (G-6/R6). A Bf 109G-6/N variant was equipped for nightfighting duties while the Bf 109G-8 was basically a reconnaissance version of the G-6.

The Kit:

The kit comes in one of the Airfix more recent colourful red/blue top opening boxes. All the parts, including canopy, are in the same bag inside, molded in the typical light grey 70's style of plastic with raised rivets and engraved control surfaces although according to a stamp inside the fuselage this kit was originally tooled in 1980.

According to the box there are 38 parts on a main sprue and others sort of floating inside the bag and two versions can be produced by the kit. A quick and easy looking project in the box, assisted by the tailfin already being molded onto the fuselage, one-piece propellors, exhausts already molded into fuselage and so forth. Flash is virtually non-existent although a couple of areas need just a quick shave with the trusty #11. The molds have stood up well to time, because there are no real concerns surrounding ejector pin marks or sink holes in bad areas.

Instructions:

An A3 double sided sheet to make a 4 paged A4 booklet. The first page is devoted to modelling, aircraft specification and symbol information in various languages. A five step easy to follow assembly process is next and four-view diagrams for the two versions the kit allows for concludes on the final two pages of instructions. Airfix have not really learned over the years - as the colours and markings information is only supplied in Humbrol numbers (at least Hasegawa give you a Gunze Sangyo matrix inside the instructions so you know the general colour for a number quoted) but thankfully good old SMAKR has a Humbrol chart in the reference section for you to access to find out the colours! One colour shade says Humbrol 92/65 which at first glance you think 50/50 split of these paints, but then realise it's mottled hence it being this way - but that is not very helpful to younger or novice modellers (remember it is supposed to be a Series 1 kit geared for them!). Also unhelpful is the lack of any painting information during construction - according to the instructions, you would only paint one thing, the pilot in Humbrol 27 (Sea Grey - questionable accuracy) - everything else is I guess assembled and painted at the the end (?!). Step 5 in the instructions gets a bit confusing as there are parts and arrows going everywhere, mainly to do with different underwing stores options but the instructions don't really tell you exactly where some of this goes, or whether more than one can go under the wing, etc. Again I point this out more as it may confuse younger/beginner model builders for which the kit is supposed to be aimed at.

Construction:

This commences with putting together the propellor which is very easy as it is spinner onto blades onto propellor shaft but as mentioned above, no painting information is supplied. Next is the pilot figure onto his basic seat and before you know it you are putting the fuselage halves together, trapping pilot/seat and propeller sub-assembly (which is not cemented). In this stage you also assemble the upper and lower wing halves and affix them to the fuselage.

As the above paragraph suggests, there is no cockpit detail at all other than pilot figure and seat so a bit of scratchbuilding is needed to fabricate your own side and instrument panels, floor, stick etc, nor is there any wheel well detail. I fabricated a small cockpit dashboard with some dials and gauges and added in a spares control column for the pilot, squeezed in above his thighs. There is no blanking plate inside the chin air intake nor the underwing radiator intakes, so a small piece of putty and a bit of judicious black painting was needed to make these look a little better. The fuselage also needed a scrape over with the #11 to remove some very minor flash.

Dry fit runs are needed throughout the construction stage just to make sure there is no flash, left over ejector pin marks and the alignment holes are big enough so the parts go together. Nothing too dramatic but my youngest son building this obviously needed some assistance. With this in mind the upper and lower wing halves should go together okay.

Construction goes very quickly with the dry fit runs first and before you know it the airframe is pretty much complete. All the smaller parts including canopy go on without any dramas. Some gaps at the wing roots needed filling and sanding.

Colour Schemes:

Two versions are in the kit both sporting mottled camouflage schemes and upper wings splinter camouflage from 1944.

Decals:

A small glossy Airfix decal sheet is provided that is made up of only the crosses and unit numbers - no swastika's (surely we are over this marketing issue now as this is part of history whether we like it or not?). Lots of carrier film too on the thick looking decals which are otherwise in very good register.

Accuracy:

This kit is a basic replica of the Bf 109G-6 that it's series 1 audience would no doubt be more than happy with, it makes good attempts at providing the R1, R2 and R6 models, with underwing stores options, super charger, exhausts and underwing radiator coolers all reasonably okay. Major areas of concern would be the wheels (way too thin) and canopy shape which is pretty well known.

Overall Recommendation:

For the main my young son put this kit together, so it must be pretty easy - it was his first ever attempt at putting a kit together basically by himself. That underlines Airfix's proposition that this kit is for beginners, my son proves it! BUT, supervision and a little adult preparation is needed - ie: dry fit runs and have your trusty #11 ready for a quick shave over some areas. Do that first, and the kit goes together quite well (plus of course the little bit of filling and sanding afterward when the son is asleep!). For those who want an accurate or state of the art Bf-109G-6 you wouldn't be searching for this kit but if you simply want a bit of fun putting a reasonable and cheap replica together or you are a beginner setting out in this hobby then go for it, it was a lot of fun watching my son put this together!

addendum supplied by Hrvoje Schaffhauser:
I bought 2 of these kits in 1982, in Trieste - Italy, and even then kit was of a snap-tite variety, put in a side opening series 1 box, with painting instructions at the box rear, and colors quoted in Airfix paints, not Humbrol.
Kit was molded in pale blue, and decals were of pressure sensitive variety (we are using trade name "Letraset" here). So it probably means that the kit was first released much earlier. I still have copy of the assembly instructions, and part of the box art.
More troublesome is that MG-131 bulges are highly questionable in shape, and overwing bulges for the mainwheels are wrongly positioned - too much rear comparing to real location.

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