Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3

by Larry Goodell

Hasegawa's 1/48 scale Bf 109E-3 is available online at Squadron.com

Hasegawa's 1/48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 Emil is a fine replica of this important WWII aircraft.

The kit builds very well straight from the box with the stainless steel photoetch set supplied.

I added the True Details brass etched set for the interior to further enhance the cockpit. The oxygen hose is .10 solder wrapped with a very fine wire to simulate the reinforced hose and painted OD. I added side panel wiring with fine strands from RC wire and other scratch details. The seat has the pad added from plastic sheet and the shoulder harness comes through the seat and pad. This slot was carved through with a Squadron scribing tool.

The brass instrument panel is of a sandwich construction so that the gauges indicators can be detailed and then the fronts applied with the bezels detailed. A small drop of Krystal Klear replicates the glass.

Hasegawa makes detailing the oil cooling chin scoop easy by molding the cowling in one piece. A photoetched screen is supplied for the oil cooler and also the wing radiators. The cowling can be tack glued with Elmer's, the model painted, then the oil cooler parts and cowl weapons can be added at the end off construction.

I also glued small pieces of sheet plastic inside the cowling behind the gun cooler louvers and also over the opening at the bottom of the nose in front of the chin scoop. These areas received an umber wash after final paint to give the illusion of not being just an empty hole.

The model was sprayed with Model Master and AeroMaster paints after preshading with a mix of black & raw umber.

The upper surfaces are RLM 02/71 with the sides in 65 with 71/02 mottling. All undersides are color 65. The model was clear coated with Testor's Glosscote and a raw umber wash was applied to all panel lines.

AeroMaster decals were applied and the model was given another gloss shot followed by Dullcote. Panel lines were further enhanced with a light gray pastel and then a final flat coat.

The wheels are True Details resin painted with ModelMaster acrylic flat black, dipped in future then the tire brushed with 66 dark gray then drybrushed with a lighter gray. I like to paint all the gear struts, doors, etc., spray on future, wash with raw umber, and dry brush with an almost white gray.

Canopy parts are dipped in future and framing applied with painted decal sheet. Spray the clear sheet with 66 followed by 75 and then the exterior color for that area. The 75 gives a lighter back- ground for the final color that won't stand out when the decal has been cut to shape. I tried it with white once and every frame had a white outline around it. Needless to say, this looked odd on a 109 but on some later aircraft like A26s it would probably look okay as I have noticed in some color photos.

The canopy parts were applied and the tension cable was added with wire. The little spring was replicated by wrapping a strand of super fine wire around a slightly larger wire and sliding it onto the canopy cable. The antenna wire is stretched sprue and insulators are a dab of Ross Tru Blu Gel glue for kids. It's thicker than the white glue and seems to hold it's shape better and not sag.

This is a jewel of a model right out of the box, and with a few extras makes an outstanding addition to anyone's collection.

My model was awarded first place in the MOSH Model Creations 2001 contest, Jax, Florida.
 

Model, Text and Images Copyright © 2001 by Larry Goodell
Page Created 17 September, 2001
Last Updated 04 June, 2007

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