1/32 Eduard Messerschmitt Bf-109 E-3

Available from Hobby Link Japan

Product Article by Dave Johnson on Jan 21 2010

 

The Messerschmitt Bf109 E series was the first to model to be fitted with the with the Daimler Benz DB601A engine. Which had a vast improvement in performance over the Bf 109 A, B, C and D models that were powered by the Junkers Jumo engines during the Spanish Civil War. The ongoing development of the Daimler Benz DB601A increased the maximum speed from 334 mph from the unsuccessful E-2 to 348 mph.  Installation provisions were made for engine mounted MG FF cannon, which were found to be unsatisfactory. Again vibration and jamming caused its rejection as it did previous attempts.  During early production lines the wing mounted MG 17 machine guns were replaced with 20mm MG FF Cannons and 7.92mm machines guns in the front cowl as per the E-1 Series.

It’s seems a while ago that Eduard released the Bf109 E-1, but it was only in February 2009. Back then it seemed like a lot the modelling community was saying do we need another 1/32 Bf 109? The E series hadn’t been represented well for many years. The only releases were from Hasagawa with raised panel lines and a questionable shape profile. The other coming from Matchbox, with its poorly shaped front, and wide panel lines and thick detailed parts. Both kits dating back to the 1970’s.

The kit is packed with tons of plastic and extras - there are 169 parts in olivey coloured plastic, five parts in clear, two Photo Etch frets one in Eduard’s colour and canopy masks. There are 5 aircraft markings schemes plus stencil data for one aircraft supplied with the kit.

The kit itself is molded very nicely up to Eduard standards. There are nice and crisp panel lines and rivet details on the exterior surfaces. There are a couple of small sink marks on upper wing half’s near the wing root which will require filling before painting.  Small amount of flash on some parts, but there are no injector pin marks on any of the detailed surfaces. The control surfaces feature fabric sag look to them, to some it may look overdone, but it would be easy to fill them with some Mr Surfacer to get them to your liking.

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As previous releases, the option of a fully detailed DB601A engine is included with the kit. This can be fitted showing or left out with the cowling on. If the second option is taken there are extra parts included in the kit to mount machine guns into the cowl, exhaust stubs and propeller. Detail of the exhaust stubs are excellent with raised welding seems. The cowl is supplied in four separate parts also to show off all the engine bay or some of it.

All the control surfaces parts are molded separately, the rudder actuator is included in the Photo Etch fret. Flaps have been molded with tabs to position them in a dropped position. These could be removed easily to gain raised position on them.

Cockpit detail is excellent out of the box. Plastic and Photo Etch parts combine to complete the front office. Looking at some references the oxygen bottles seems to be sitting to high due to being too long.

In the past there has been some criticizing Eduard on the wheels appearing to narrow and the wheel hubs ribs are to shallow. Well Eduard has fixed this error and casted new wheels and hubs.

Decals are printed by the world leaders in Decal Technology, Cartograf.  There are two sheets supplied, once containing the stencils and the other carrying National and unit markings.

Five schemes are supplied –

  • Oblt. Josef Priller, Staffelkapitän 6./JG 51, France, Autumn 1940
  • 3./JG 51, Mannheim-Sandhofen, Winter 1939-1940
  • 1./JG 2, Bassenheim, Germany, May 1940
  • Obstlt. Hans-Hugo Witt, Geschwaderkommodore JG 26, Dortmund, Germany, April 1940
  • Uffz. Karl Wolff, 3./JG 52, Pihen/Calais, France, August 1940

The new addition to Eduard’s Emil range is superb out of the box, offering lots of optional extras... Engine or no engine, all the cowls on or only one?  It’s also excellent to see Eduard addressing the wheel problem and retooling it aswell. This release adds to the fantastic range of large scale Bf 109’s.

I would like to thank Hobby Link Japan (www.hlj.com) for supplying this review sample.

Dave Johnson

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Photos and text © by Dave Johnson