|
Messerschmitt
Bf 109F-4/Trop (Marseille)
& Bf 109G-6 kits
Fine Molds, 1/72 scale
S u m m a r y
|
|
Catalogue Number: |
Fine Molds FL-5 Bf
109F-4/Trop and FL-8 Bf 109G-6 |
|
Scale: |
1/72 |
| Contents and
Media: |
F-4/Trop: 46 light tan plastic parts on six sprues, 2 very
clear parts on one sprue, 2 vinyl caps, decals for four
aircraft including stencils, 4 page fold-out instructions
with history (in Japanese), 6 very clear build diagrams and
2 pages of paint and decal drawings but no parts plan.
G-6: 63 light
grey plastic parts on nine sprues, 3 clear plastic parts, 2
vinyl caps, decals for only one aircraft plus stencils and
upper camouflage, 4 page fold-out instructions with history
(again in Japanese), 6 build diagrams, 2 pages of
paint/decal drawings and again no parts plan. |
| Price: |
2200 Yen
each |
| Review Type: |
FirstLook |
| Advantages: |
The most accurate 109s
so far in 1/72 scale; beautifully moulded; highly detailed;
separate engine covers and some engine detail. |
| Disadvantages: |
One piece canopy,
decals a bit thick and camouflage decal colours suspect. |
|
Recommendation: |
Highly Recommended |
Reviewed by Glen Porter
HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/Trop
The two main sprues of this kit are the same as the earlier Bf 109F-4
reviewed a couple of months ago so I won't go into it now but instead
just point out the differences. The main external difference is, of
course, the sand filter, not supplied in the F-4 kit but given here,
along with a deep oil cooler bath (shallow in the F4) and both narrow
and wide props. Oddly, on the sprue with the oil cooler bath and sand
filter, is a 109E style seat. Now, I've never heard of this before but
as all four of the decal options are for Lt. Hans-Joachim Marseille,
this may be some thing peculiar to him. I’ll have to check before I
build it.
Click the thumbnails below
to view larger images:
Speaking of "The Star of Africa", the decals are beautifully printed
with perfect register but with rather thick decal film similar to Tamiya
and Hasegawa. Four of Marseille's aircraft are covered, 8693 with high
colour demarcation, red rudder and damaged crosses, 10059 with again
high demarcation, segmented spinner and white wing tips, 10137 also with
high demarcation, white spinner but no white tips and 8673 with low
colour demarcation, JG 27 badge on the nose, yellow 14 with a black
border and white tips and spinner. All aircraft have yellow under the
nose and the appropriate kill markings on the rudder and if, like me,
you like heaps of stencils on every-thing, there is a full set supplied.
No kit is perfect. However, any shortcomings in this kit might be more
accurately described as preferences rather than faults. Ideally, I would
prefer a bit more detail in the cockpit, a three-piece canopy, dropped
flaps and the option of an open sand filter. I'm also not sure how
accurate the paint and markings are, another thing I will have to check,
along with the seat, before I build.
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6
This is a completely new kit to me so this will be a full review.
The fuselage sprue is from the G-4 or G-2 kit (neither reviewed on
HyperScale before) and the main (wing) sprue is from the G-4.
Consequently, you can build a late G-2, G-4, G-6 and possibly a G-3 and
G-5, all from the one kit. The two main sprues are very similar to the
F4 but with the correct fuselage and wings. The rest of the sprues are
for extra parts to denote the G-6. Therefore you get spoked and dished
wheels, MG 17 and MG 13 plus cowlings for both, solid shoulder armour,
with and without head armour and clear shoulder/head armour, short and
long antenna masts, D/F loop, smaller F type tail wheel and G tail
wheel, deep oil cooler bath, broad bladed prop, two sets of tail planes
and two different types of drop tanks.
Click the thumbnails below
to view larger images:
Like the F kits, the Gs come with partial engine detail and separate
cowlings which can be displayed open. Also, like the Fs, the canopy is a
one-piece affair but shouldn't be hard to open. The cockpit side-wall
detail is a bit light, like Tamiya's 109E, and the instrument panel has
raised detail and a decal. There's even a little plug for those aircraft
that had their tail-wheel cavity faired over.
Like the first F-2 and F-4 kits, this one has the decal camouflage.
Consequently, you only get one colour scheme, Oberleunant Helmut Lipfert
of 6/JG 52 in Russia, 1943. I know there was a lot of variation in RLM
colours but in my opinion these are just too dark and I would rather
paint my models anyway plus I would rather a bigger choice of schemes.
The decals themselves, are well printed but like the F4/Trop above, have
very thick film. A full set of stencils are also supplied along with
extra crosses in case you want to try a different scheme.
Click the thumbnails below
to view larger images:
Again, the instructions are a four page fold-out affair
with the history in Japanese but with some drawings showing how the G6
differed from earlier marks, six build diagrams and only one page of
markings because the other is taken up by those pesky camouflage decals.
Lately, I've been concentrating on building armour kits, but Fine
Molds latest offerings are just too good to bypass. You can expect to
see some Bf 109F and G build reports on HyperScale soon.
Highly Recommended.
Model purchased with reviewer's funds
Review Text Copyright © 2005 by Glen Porter
Images Copyright © 2005 by Brett Green
Page Created 15 September, 2005
Last updated 15 September, 2005
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