Eduard 1/48 Bf109G-10 Mtt Regensberg ProfiPACK
By Jacob Russell
Eduard's kit comes in a stout box with a colorful illustration of a Bf109G-10 engaged in battle with P-51D Mustangs high over the Reich. The G-10 consists of 204 plastic parts on 5 sprues, one of which is clear.
You also get 45 photo-etch parts, many of them pre-painted, on 2 frets and a set of masks. This fret includes rudder pedals, seat belts, instrument panel, wing radiator faces, D/F loop, Morane antenna, etc. 78 of the plastic parts are surplus and destined for your spares box.
The surface detail on the wings and fuselage consists of recessed panel lines and rivets where appropriate and this detail is superb. The kit includes 2 different tall rudders. Eduard's parts map depicts 1 tall rudder as a surplus part. I recommend that you check photographs if they are available. Subcontractors provided different fins and rudders late in the War, when supply chains were disrupted and the extra rudder might be applicable to your chosen aircraft.
The wings are highly detailed. The wheel wells are deep, multi-piece moldings that are convincing in their complexity. The leading edge slats are separate pieces and they are well done. The ailerons, under wing radiator flaps and horizontal stabilizers are also individual pieces. The fabric effect on the control surfaces is good. The landing gear are well executed. I like the 3 piece main wheels. The parts breakdown will make them easy to paint.
The cockpit is very nice. It uses photo-etch parts and plastic pieces to accurately depict the Gustav cockpit, down to the cockpit fuel line on the starboard fuselage sidewall. You have your choice of using a decal or photo-etch panel instrument panels.
The optional parts include a number of Rustsatze (field conversion sets): R-1 (ETC 900/IXb rack with SC 250 bomb), R-2 (ETC 50/VIId rack with 4 SC 50 bombs), R-3 (300 liter drop tank), R-6 (MG 151/20MM under wing cannon) and R-7 DF loop. These parts are nice to have and very useful to boot.
The clear parts are similarly comprehensive. They include 2 gunsights, 3 different windscreens, the fuel line, "Galland Panzer" canopy armor, and 3 different Erla Haube canopies.
Eduard's decals are excellent. There are 2 sheets, one of which is just stencils for the air frame The 2nd sheet is for the 5 different aircraft options:
"White 9", 1./KG (J) 6, Prague-Belly, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, March/April 1945. This aircraft was painted in the standard mid War colors of RLM 74 and 75 Grey over 76 Light Blue with a black spinner with a white spiral and a black/red checked RVD band. The fuselage sides are loosely mottled with 74 and 75. Large portions of the lower wing are natural metal with the flaps, ailerons and wingtips in 76. The 76 wraps over the wing leading edges in wavy pattern. The fin and rudder are RLM 75 with large, hard-edged blotches of 74 and the fuselage crosses have an RLM 75 "fill".
"White 44", W. NR 130342, 5./NJG 11, Fassbinder, Germany 1945. This night fighter was overall RLM 76 with a black spinner with a wide white spiral. The paint was polished for maximum aerodynamic effectiveness.
"Yellow 5", W. NR 130297, Fe Host Schumpeter, 10./JG 51, Bulletproof, Sweden, May 1945. This aircraft was painted RLM 74/75/76 with a black spinner with a white spiral. The fuselage sides have a dense 74/75 mottle. Large portions of the lower wing are natural metal with the flaps, ailerons and wingtips in 76. The 76 wraps over the wing leading edges in a wavy pattern. The rudder is RLM 75 with large, hard-edged blotches of 74. This plane carried a drop tank and the fuselage crosses have a black fill.
"White 2", 13./JG 27, Schlesinger-Holstein, May 1945. This G-10 was RLM 74/75/76 with a black spinner with a white spiral. The fuselage sides have a dense 74/75 mottle. A solid band of 74 wraps around the mid fuselage followed by a wide RLM 25 Bright Green RVD band. Large portions of the lower wing are natural metal with the flaps, ailerons and wingtips in 76. The 76 wraps over the wing leading edges in a wavy pattern. The fin and rudder are RLM 75 with large, hard-edged blotches of 74 and the fuselage crosses have an RLM 74 fill.
"White 21", W. NR 130282, Shpt Franz Wiesenthal, CO of IV./JG 4, Frankfurt/Rhine-Main, Germany, November 1944. This plane was RLM 74/75/76 with a black spinner with a white spiral. The fuselage sides have a loose 74/75 mottle and a black/white/black RVD band. The lower wing has large areas of natural metal and the flaps, ailerons and wingtips are RLM 76. The lower surface color wraps over the wing leading edge in a wavy pattern. The fin and rudder are RLM 75 with large, hard-edged blotches of 74 and the fuselage crosses have an RLM 75 fill.
The instructions are up to Eduard's usual standards. The instructions include a parts map, a well illustrated and logical build sequence, full color profiles of all 5 decal options, and a stencil application guide. The color call outs are for GSI Creos (Gunze) and Mission Models paints.
This is a great kit of an important aircraft. I am a fan of Luftwaffe fighters and I love the Messerschmitt Bf109, especially the late variants. Eduard's Bf109G-10 kit is accurate and well detailed.
The ProfiPACK boxing has 5 exciting decal options, and with the included masks and PE set you can build a contest winning model right out of the box. If you want to take the kit to the next level you have numerous options to choose from, in Eduard's numerous Brassin resin and photo-etch sets. I recommend this kit and I would like to thank Eduard for the review sample.
References
Messerschmitt Bf109G-10/U-4, Production & Operational Service, Luftwaffe Over Czech Territory-1945, by Aleš Janda and Tomáš Poruba, JaPo Publications, 2004