Eduard Messerschmitt Bf109G-10 Weekend Edition
By Jacob Russell
The Plane
The Messerschmitt Bf109G-10 was the last 109 version to appear, entering service in the autumn of 1944 after the K-4. Many were powered by the Daimler-Benz DB605DM inverted V-12 motor while others used the DB605AS. The G-10 used the VDM Type 9-12159 propeller and its armament consisted of the engine-mounted MG 151/20mm cannon and 2 MG 131 machine guns. It came in several configurations-160 or 190mm main wheels, small or large wing bulges, short or tall tail wheels..The Erla G-10 used a redesigned cowling with a flat panel on the port side and a wider lower cowl and oil cooler giving it a more streamlined appearance.
Eduard's new G-10 Weekend kit comes in a Eduard's usual box with cool artwork of an Erla G-10 interfering with a P-51D about to bomb a train.
The Kit
The kit consists of 219 parts on 5 sprues. The surface detail on the wings and fuselage consists of recessed panel lines and rivets and this detail is superb. The wheel wells are deep, multi-piece moldings that are convincing in their complexity. The wing leading edge slats are separate pieces.
The ailerons, underwing radiator flaps and horizontal stabilizers are individual pieces. The fabric effect on the ailerons, rudder and horizontal stabilizers is good. The landing gear is well executed.
The clear parts include 2 gunsights, 3 different windscreens, the fuel return line, the "Galland Panzer" canopy armor and 3 different Erla Haube canopies.
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 (Direction Finding (DF) loop).
Eduard's decals are crisply printed with bright colors and good registration. There are 2 sheets, one of which provides 2 sets of air frame stencils. The main decal sheet includes different aircraft options, all of which have 160mm mainwheels and the tall tailwheel:
"Blue 2", W.Nr. 490617, Uffz. Gerhard Reiher, 8./JG 3, Alperstedt, Germany, November 1944. This G-10 was painted in the mid-War camouflage scheme of RLM 74/75/76 with a loose 74/75 mottle, a black spinner with a white spiral and a white fuselage band. The spinner had an RLM 70/white backing plate and the RLM 76 under surface color wrapped over the wing leading edge with a wavy demarcation line.
"Yellow 2", KG (J) 27 8./JG 3, Kaufbauren, Germany, May 1945. This G-10 was painted RLM 74/75 over 76 with a semi-dense RLM 74 mottle, a black spinner with a white spiral and a white/green checked fuselage band. The spinner had an RLM 70/white backing plate and the RLM 76 undersurface color wrapped over the wing leading edge with a wavy demarcation line.
"Black 4", W.Nr. 150816, Bad Lagensalza, Germany, April 1945. This G-10 was painted RLM 74/75 over 76 with a dense RLM 74 mottle, a black spinner with a white spiral and a blue/white/blue fuselage band. The spinner had an RLM 70/white backing plate and the RLM 76 undersurface color wrapped over the wing leading edge with a wavy demarcation line. Large parts of the lower wing were natural metal with the landing gear doors, wing radiators, flaps, ailerons and wingtips in RLM 76.
"Blue/White 3/5", W.Nr. 491407, Capt. Cesare Marchesi, 3º squadriglia, 1º Gruppo Caccia, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, Lonate Pozzolo, Italy, March 1945. Bad Lagensalza, Germany, April 1945. This G-10 was painted RLM 74/75 over 76 with a loose RLM 74/75 mottle, a black spinner with a white spiral and a blue/white/blue fuselage band. The spinner had an RLM 70/white backing plate and the RLM 76 undersurface color wrapped over the wing leading edge with a wavy demarcation line. Large parts of the lower wing were natural metal with the landing gear doors, wing radiators, flaps, ailerons and wingtips in RLM 76. The Italians over painted the German insignia fuselage crosses were overpainted and replaced with Italian markings.
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 4 decal options and a stencil application guide. Color callouts are for GSI Creos (Gunze) Aqueous, Mr. Color and Mission Models paints.
Conclusion
Eduard's Messerschmitt Bf109G-10 is a great kit of my favorite 109 variant. It's accurate and well detailed right out of the box and if you are so inclined you can choose from Eduard's numerous photo-etched and Brassin enhancements to add even more detail. I recommend this kit, and I would like to thank Eduard for providing the review sample.
References
Messerschmitt Bf109 in action Part 2, Aircraft Number 57, by John R. Beaman, Jr., Squadron/Signal Publications, 1983
The Messerschmitt Bf109 Late Series (F to K including the Z Series) by Richard A. Franks, Valiant Wings Publishing, 2017