-
{"cz":"Info EDUARD"}
{"cz":"Měsíčník o historii a plastikovém modelářství.","en":"Monthly magazine about history and scale plastic modeling."}
09/2023
Dear Friends, We’re back from Texas, hard at work on upcoming projects. As I mentioned in the last editorial, one of the purposes of our trip, in addition to our usual participation at the IPMS USA National convention, was to have a good, close up look at several P-40 examples.
Page 1
INFO Eduarde-magazine FREE Vol22 September 2023# 163Page 2
© Eduard - Model Accessories, 2023FREE FOR DOWNLOAD, FREE FOR DISTRIBUTION!This material may only be used for personal use. No part of the textor graphic presentations can be used in another publication in any other mediaform or otherwise distributed without the prior writtenpermission of Eduard - Model Accessories and authors involved.Editorial and Graphics - Marketing department, Eduard - Model Accessories, Ltd.INFO Eduarde-magazine FREE Vol22 September 2023# 163Page 3
eduardeduardSEPTEMBER 2023CONTENTSEDITORIALKITSBRASSINPHOTO-ETCHED SETSBIG EDBUILTON APPROACH–October 2023TAIL END CHARLIEHISTORYBOXART STORYBf 109F-2 ProfiPACK 1/72KURFÜRST Limited 1/48Bristol F.2B Fighter Weekend 1/48Spitfire Mk.Vc Weekend 1/48MiG-21bis ProfiPACK 1/48 reediceSopwith 2F.1 Camel 1/48Bf 109G-6 early version 1/48A6M2-N Rufe 1/48Langley CV-1 1/350Kurfürst-Messerschmitt Bf 109 K-4Bloodstained Messerschmitts-Bf 109 productionat the Flossenbürg concentration campIdentifying a Zero- A6M3 32 m/n 3305 from 204 KōkūtaiAir war over Ukraine-Grains in FlamesThe Tenacious AdversaryQuestionable victoriesHunting predatorsPublished by Eduard-Model Accessories, spol. s.r.o.Mírová 170, Obrnice 435 21support@eduard.com www.eduard.com483034748898104114135Page 4
EDITORIALDear Friends,We’re back from Texas, hard at work on upcomingprojects. As I mentioned in the last editorial, oneof the purposes of our trip, in addition to our usualparticipation at the IPMS USA National convention,was to have a good, close up look at several P-40examples. That’s one of the things we’re working onat the moment, and my personal goal is to finish theproject early next year and then get the first kits inboxes as soon as possible. Mission successful; wedocumented two examples, a P-40N in Dallas anda P-40K in Mount Pleasant. I’m especially happy aboutthe P-40K, it’s a beautiful machine, as is everythingon display at the Mid America Air Museum. Plus, theP-40K isn’t often seen in museums, so it was worththe trip. We are still waiting for access to the P-40F, onwhich we need to confirm the nose shapes. Due to theuse of a different engine, it is suspected that there aredifferences in the cowl shapes, after all, it is commonknowledge that there is a different fairing. We haveP-40Fs here in Europe, so we won’t be that far fromone of those, and it won’t be as hellishly hot as it was inTexas this summer. Truth be told, scanning an aircraftin 42°C heat is a physically demanding feat and notsomething we want to do again this too soon!E-day 2023But before that happens, we have E-day to lookforward to. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, in three weeks,on September 22 and 23, 2023, we will meet in Milovice.E-day will take place according to the establishedformat. Setup will begin on Friday morning, we willopen for exhibiting modelers in the afternoon, andthe first two seminars will take place in the evening.There will be interesting guests in the discussions. Forexample, we will talk about the history of KovozávodyProstějov with Slávek Goldemund and the pilot ofone of our best known Su-25Ks, the legendary “Frog”Frogfoot, Colonel František Tabačko, has promised toparticipate, while his colleague Mr. Seidl has not yetconfirmed his participation. Another discussion willbe devoted to the introduction of new helicopters intothe equipment of the Air Force of the Czech Republic.On Saturday, there will be several workshops and,of course, the traditional Pot Q & A, which will geta new look this year – I and Fredy Riedel from SpecialHobby will be at the mike at the same time. We triedthis recently at Prosek resulting in no fights and itwent well, so we will extend this experience to E-dayas well. An in-depth discussion of our plans for theforeseeable future and flight demonstrations are alsotraditional. This year, the Kuňkadlo, the Z-526 Trenérand, as the highlight of the event, the L-39C Albatrosare planned. Contest registration opens early nextweek, as do club show entries. New building blocksare absolutely essential for the progress of E-day.This year, again, a lineup of new releases has beencreated taking into account the Czech and Slovakmarkets. It centers around two Limited Edition kits, the48th scale Hráb, aka the Su-25K with a publication byMartin Janoušek, and the 72nd scale L-39C Albatros.This is not a new model, but rather a rejuvenated itemof the old kit after some mold repairs, supplementedby a newly designed canopy. The latter will be in twoversions, closed and open, and I firmly believe that itsshapes will satisfy not only critical Czech modelers,who were rightly dissatisfied with the original canopydue to its flatness. But please understand that I wouldrather hear the praises that the kit still deservesinstead of how badly we need a new-tooled, modernstandard kit of the type. Although this is increasinglytrue, the time is not quite right yet. Jumping back to theSu-25K kit, I would like to point out that the entire runof this kit will be released with the publication. Aftera thorough consideration of all the pros and cons, weabandoned the option of a release without it.In addition to these two Limited Edition items, the48th scale Profipack Z-526 and 72nd Weekend AvieS-199 with a bubble rear-sliding canopy will also bepremiering at E-day. The only non-Czech item willbe the Weekend F4F-3 Wildcat. There will also bea re-release of the F6F-5 Hellcat as a Weekend Editionkit, and the MiG-21PFM in 1:48th will be back on sale atthe end of September in the original orange box. Wewill also have a replenished range of Gunze paints andother modeling accessories at E-day. And with thatI would conclude the topic of E-day 2023 for today.See you on the afternoon of Friday, September 22 andon Saturday, September 23 at the Tankodrom (TankTraining Area Museum) in Milovice!New Releases for SeptemberThe new items for September have been on sale sincelast Friday, so you’ve definitely had the chance to takenote of them. Nevertheless, they are understandablycovered here. I will limit myself to just a few of them,especially the new Bf 109K-4, which premieres inSeptember in the form of the Limited Edition releasedubbed Kurfürst. I probably don’t need to repeat thefact that as opposed to the earlier releases of the Fand G versions, that shared detail sprues only andhad version specific wing and fuselage components,the K-4 kit has all new sprues across the board. Forthe K-4, we modified and completely modernized thestructure, which we technologically modified accordingto current standards, and we slightly modified itconceptually as well. So, unlike the older Bf 109G, theK-4 has, for example, transparent position lights ora modified division between the centerplane of thewing and the fuselage, which affects the executionof details in this area. The wheel wells also changed,which, admittedly, would have happened in any case,since these were modified on the real thing as well.Modified are the exhausts, which can be glued from theoutside to the already assembled fuselage. Here I alsohave to apologize for an error in the instruction manual,where the old-fashioned gluing of the exhausts is fromthe inside. Hell, habits can run deep, and my colleaguessomehow missed this. The center plane itself willprobably be a controversial issue, because we haveit completely different than how it is depicted on allknown drawings. The problem with this lot is the lackof documentation. The parts layout of this area for theBF 109K-4 is wrong, someone once having made iteasy on themselves by leaving the Bf 109F centreplaneintact. Drawings were later based on this with variousmodifications according to the partial knowledge of thechanges that were gradually made during developmentof the Bf 109G. The problem is that there isn’t a goodquality photo of this area for confirmation. Until now,anyway, and thanks to Tomáš Poruba (JaPo) we gainedaccess to a photo depicting this detail and adjusted ourcentreplane accordingly. Unfortunately, in keeping withour agreement with Mr. Poruba, we are not allowed topublish that photo. I understand that it sounds likea gimmick and a rant to defend something that wouldotherwise be hard to defend, but it really is how this alldeveloped. That photo will appear in some new JaPobook eventually, maybe in the upcoming book on theBf 109G. So hang in there, you’ll be able to check outour work with the aid of this reference at some pointin the future. And I, on the other hand, will endure allthe criticisms and claims until then and look forwardto the satisfaction that will come one day. I hope I livelong enough to see it.The engine cowl and some other features of thefuselage have been also redesigned. The interior isalso new, which counts for the wells, since these wereall features that were modified on the actual aircraft.Otherwise, the design is based on the original BF 109Gdesign, and most of the design solutions have beenretained in principle. This is where the 48th scaleINFO Eduard4September 2023Page 5
Bf 109K-4 differs from the new 72nd Bf 109F and G.These are actually much newer designs that are at thesame time significantly redesigned and incorporatenew innovations. That’s why it took us so long torelease these kits. Fans of 72nd scale can compare thedifferences between the two builds in real time, as weare also releasing a 72nd scale ProfiPACK Bf 109F-2 inSeptember.The collaboration with JaPo also had a significantimpact in the nine color schemes offered in thekit. Even they do not conform fully to the generallyaccepted and published interpretations of selectedmachines. Although we used them when choosingoptions for the kit, we used the latest findings fromMr. Poruba’s research during our own interpretations.You may argue that color interpretations cannot becategorically derived from black and white and evencolor photographs, but this is generally true across theboard. During our own reconstructions, we took intoaccount the newly discovered regulations, informationon the production sites of individual aircraft parts and,last but not least, information on paint production,the raw material situation at the time, methods ofapplication, differences between individual paintmanufacturers and individual batches of paint andtheir use in practice by airframe parts manufacturers.From this, for example, the coloring of the wings of allK-4s in RLM 74/75/76 follows, while for the fuselages,produced at different facilities, were either RLM 74/75or 81/82, depending on the production block. The tailsurfaces were then usually RLM 74/75, but from newerpaint production lots that were darker than the shadesof the older production lots of these colors. For details,see the introductory text in the kit instructions or thehistorical article in this issue of our newsletter, whichis actually more or less the same text.Along with the release of the Bf 109K-4, severalaccessory sets for this kit are premiering inSeptember. In addition to the T-Face cockpit mask andthe Space set, there are four sets in the Brassin range,to include propellers, wheels, exhausts and, perhapsmost importantly, the DB 605D engine. Unlike the otherthree, this set is not 3D printed, but cast. But in thiscase, it certainly doesn’t detract from its quality, inmy opinion, and receives my seal of approval. As foraccessories, I will also mention the 3D printed cockpitin the Brassin line for the Bf 109F in 1:72nd scale for theaforementioned Bf 109F-2 kit in the ProfiPACK range.In the Weekend series, I would like to highlightthe 48th scale Bristol Fighter kit, which brings thistype back to our range after a long absence. I thinkit is suitably complemented by another purely militaryitem, the Spitfire Mk.Vc, also released as a Weekendkit. Among other things, it has, in my opinion, one ofthe most impressive box arts we've ever put to a kit.The final thing I would like to mention here is the re-release as a Weekend kit the MiG-21bis in 1:48 andthe return of the 48th scale ProfiPACK Bf 110F to ourcatalog. It makes its triumphant in the original box andat the original price, and actually, in this case, it's atan even better price than it was back in the good ol’pre-Covid days.I will leave you to study the new releases foryourself, and you can decide what grabs your ownpersonal attention.BundlesLast Friday, we launched a new promotion to kick offthe new September releases on our E-shop. We havecreated two packages for the four new kits, developingthe trade name “Bundle”. Each Bundle consists ofa kit plus an accessory. For the Kurfürst, which is theBf 109K-4, it is the Brassin Bundle, containing the kitplus the DB 605D Brassin engine, and the OvertreesBundle, consisting of the kit plus its correspondingOvertrees. The other Bundles are with masks, whichwe created for the Spitfire Mk.Vc and the MiG-21bis48th scale Weekends. This is partly in response toa recent discussion about the need and desire ofmodelers to add masks to our Weekend releases. Thisis not as easy as the request makes it sound, but theseBundles at least make it happen. These two kits alsooffer an Overtrees Bundle, and the foursome is roundedout by the Profipack Bf 109F-2, whose two packagesare the Overtrees Bundle and the Brassin Bundle, thelatter with a 3D printed cockpit. Of course, all packageshave a discounted price. After a week of testing thissales model, it looks like there is decent, at times evenenthusiastic customer interest, which means we willcontinue with the concept in the coming months. Thepromotion will always be related to new productscurrently being launched and will have an expirationdate, usually by the next month’s releases, but it willbe different in September because of E-day. The offerswill end with the start of pre-orders on E-day, whichwill be September 7. I don’t know yet how it will be withthe October Bundles, but we will let you know in time.ArticlesIn today’s issue, we focus on the Bf 109K-4 witha historical-slash-technical article, on whichI collaborated with Honza Bobek, and which isessentially identical to the introductory text in thekit instructions. The Bf 109K-4 is also the subject ofthe build article by Jan Baranec, and the diagram ofchanges to the Bf 109K-4 compared to the Bf 109G-10.There’s also a follow-up on the situation in the airwar over Ukraine by Mira Barič, and an article onone of the Zeros from the Weekend A6M3 Model 32kit in 48th scale, released in August, written by RyanToews. Boxart Stories are devoted to the events onthe box images of the ProfiPACK Bf 109F-2 in 1:72nd,the Weekend Bristol Fighter 1:48th, and also WeekendSpitfire Mk.Vc , also in 1:48th.And that’s all from me for today. I look forward toseeing you at E-day in Milovice, if possible, on theevening of Friday, September 22. The main guest ofthe evening will be Slávek Goldemund and we will bereminiscing about the good ol’ Kovozávod Prostějovcompany from Prostějov, and you can bet your bottomdollar that it will be a blast!Happy Modelling!Vladimir SulcKurfürstINFO Eduard5September 2023Page 6
Page 7
Kurfürst - Messerschmitt Bf 109 K-4
No other aircraft is as intimately connected with the rise and fall of the German Luftwaffe in the course of the WWII as the Messerschmitt Bf 109. A very progressive design at the time of its invention, it had plenty of room for further development, which culminated in form of the Kurfürst version.
HISTORYThe history of the Bf 109 began at the end ofMarch 1933, when the Reich Ministry of Aviationformulated specification L. A. 1432/33 for thedevelopment of a single-engine monoplanefighter. The competition to supply the newfighter was entered by Arado, Heinkel, Focke-Wulf and Bayerische Flugzeugwerke. The lastmentioned included as its technical directorWilly Messerschmitt, whose reputation wasgreatly strengthened by the success of his Bf108 courier aircraft, completed not long before.Messerschmitt’s goal was to create an aircraftwith the best possible power to overall weightratio and to focus on the size of the machine.The result was a low-wing aircraft with subtleaerodynamic shapes and progressive designelements, such as an all-metal structure,retractable landing gear, slots, flaps, a closablecanopy and a shell structure making up thefuselage. Thanks to this, Messerschmitt's Bf109 somewhat surprisingly won the competitionover the designs of more renowned competitors.The first combat deployment of three test Bf109s took place during the Spanish Civil War inNo other aircraft is as intimately connected with the rise and fall of the GermanLuftwaffe in the course of the WWII as the Messerschmitt Bf 109. A very progressivedesign at the time of its invention, it had plenty of room for further development,which culminated in form of the Kurfürst version.Text: Vladimír Šulc, Jan BobekBf 109 K-4 “White 2” from 9./JG 77 with early camouflage on the upper surfaces. The aircraft was photographed in Neuruppin in November 1944.Bf 109 K-4 WNr. 330 255 “Black Chevron” Stab III/JG 27 at Wunstorf in May 1945 with early style camouflageon the upper surfaces.Photo: JaPoKurfürstKurfürstMesserschmitt Bf 109 K-4Photo: JaPoINFO Eduard8September 2023Page 9
HISTORYDecember 1936. Units of 2.J/88 Legion Condorgradually gained valuable combat and tacticalexperience with the developmental versions ofthe Bf 109 B-1 to the E-1, in which the original andproblematic Jumo 210 engine was replaced bythe modern inverted V twelve-cylinder inline DB601. Together with the later DB 605, it poweredseveral tens of thousands of produced 109s inmore than twenty-five versions and subtypes.Bf 109 EIntroduced into Luftwaffe service in 1939,the Bf 109 E was fitted with the new Daimler-Benz DB 601 engine, driving a VDM-9 three-blade variable pitch propeller. Production ofthe E-1 with four 7.9mm machine guns and theE-3 with two of these machine guns and twoMG-FF 20mm cannons, ran in unison from thebeginning of 1939. Thus, the Luftwaffe enteredWorld War II armed with the most modern andpowerful standard single-engine fighter in theworld, forming the backbone of its units until thespring of 1941. The invasion of Poland, throughthe Sitzkrieg on the Western Front, the invasionof Norway, the Battle of France to the Battleof Britain, the Bf 109E ensured the technicaland tactical superiority of the Luftwaffe overits opponents. After the Battle of Britain in theautumn of 1940, however, it became increasinglyclear that the time was ripe for change.Bf 109FThis arrived in the form of the Bf 109 F, thedevelopment of which began as early as thefall of 1938. It was designed for the new DB 601E engine with an estimated output of 1,350 hp,compared to 1,100 hp of the DB 601 A engine.As a result of the work of the design teamled by chief designer Robert Lusser, it wassignificantly innovative both technically andvisually, and also brought about a change in theconcept of installing offensive weapons, whenthe two MG FF cannons installed in the wingwere replaced by a fuselage cannon, locatedbetween the engine cylinders and firing throughthe propeller hub. The first production version,the Bf 109 F-2, powered by the DB 601 N engineand armed with a 15mm MG 151/15 fuselage gunand two 7.92mm MG 17 machine guns above theengine, began to arrive at units in the spring of1941. The more powerful Bf 109 F-4, powered bya DB 601 E engine and armed with a 20mm MG151/20 cannon, was introduced into service inthe summer of 1941.Bf 109GFurther development was associated withthe new DB 605 A engine with a power outputof ,1454 hp, which was the basis of the Bf 109 Gseries. The first version of the Bf 109 G-2 had onlyminor technical improvements over the Bf 109F-4, apart from the more powerful engine, andhad the same armament, as did the subsequentBf 109 G-4, produced from December 1942. TheBf 109 G-2 gradually replaced the Bf 109 F withcombat units during the second half of 1942, andin early 1943 they were replaced by the Bf 109G-4. In following version of the Bf 109 G, the dash6, the development was represented mainly byan armament upgrade by replacing the MG 17machine guns with more powerful MG 131 13mmweapons. Thanks to higher engine output, all Bf109 Gs used under-wing gun pods housing MG151 cannons. Production of the Bf 109 G-6 beganin February 1943 and ended in December 1944.Due to the long production period, there werea number of technical issues with the individualseries changes that, among other things, werereflected in the external appearance of theaircraft, mainly by the introduction of a newcockpit canopy and a more efficient higherrudder. The G-6 was followed by the Bf 109G-14 powered by the DB 605 AM engine, using100 octane C3 fuel. With the use of the MW 50system that injected a mixture of methanol andwater into the engine cylinders, power outputcould be boosted to 1,775 hp for a short time.Production of the Bf 109 G-14 began at the Erlaworks in Leipzig in July 1944 and ended in March1945.Bf 109 G-6/AS and G-14/ASThe replacement of the Bf 109 with moremodern fighters, anticipated for 1944, did nothappen before the end of the war. The Bf 209under development failed and the project wasterminated. The Fw 190 A entered service asearly as 1941, but it was complex and expensiveto manufacture, so it was always in short supply.Compared to the Bf 109 G, it also had worseperformance at higher altitudes. In August 1943,at a meeting at the Reich Ministry of Aviation(RLM), as part of the measures to ensure thedefense of the Reich, it was decided to continuethe development of the Bf 109 into the Bf 109 Kvariant. It was assumed that the developed DB605 D engine would be used to power the K, anda 30mm MK 103 or MK 108 cannon would be itsarmament. One of the requirements for the newBf 109 K stipulated the use of wood and steel inthe construction of the aircraft.Photo: JaPo Photo: JaPoBf 109 K-4 WNr. 332 455 with late style camouflage on upper surfaces at Munich-Schleissheim in May 1945.Note the propeller cone in factory paint without the white spiral.The wreckage of a Bf 109 K-4 with late-style camouflage at Rheine airbase at the end of the war. Note the lowertail section painted a lighter color, indicating parts delivery from another subcontractor.INFO Eduard9September 2023Page 10
However, there were also delays in thedevelopment of the Bf 109 K. It was thereforedecided to install the DB 605 D engine in theairframe of the Bf 109 G-14, creating the Bf 109G-10 as a transitional type between the G-14 andthe K-4. However, the development of the DB605 D engine was not immune to delays either,necessitating the use of the DB 605 AS engineas an emergency measure, which followeda similar development path by installing a morepowerful compressor. Its integration into theBf 109 G-6 and G-14 airframes created a powerfulmachine that ensured a continuous increasein the performance of the Bf 109. The firstBf 109 G-6/AS began to leave the Messerschmittfactory in Regensburg in April 1944, and in July,the Erla company started in Leipzig to producethe Bf 109 G-14/AS. The advantage of theseBf 109 G-6/AS and G-14/AS was the possibilityof using older airframes of the Bf 109 G seriesfor conversion to more powerful versions byinstalling the DB 605 AS engine. As a result,a total of 686 Bf 109 G-6/AS were produced, ofwhich only 226 were new builds, the rest wereconversions from the original G-6.Bf 109 G-10In the summer of 1944, deliveries of the DB605 D engine with a barometric automaticcontrol system of the compressor speeddictated by altitude began. These enginescame in two main versions, the DB 605 DB forthe use of 87 octane B4 fuel, and the DB 605DC, powered by 96 octane C3. The Erla factoryin Leipzig had a Bf 109G-10 airframe ready forthis engine, which started their production asearly as September 1944. Most of the machinesbuilt at Erla were of the Bf 109G-10/R-6 version,equipped with a PKS 12 autopilot and additionalaids for night and adverse weather flying, andas such, most of them were delivered to single-engine night fighter units operating within theWilde Sau free pursuit system. The WNF/Dianafactory produced the Bf 109 G-10/U4 versionfrom December 1944, armed with the 30mm MK108 engine mounted cannon. Out of a total ofabout 2,600 Bf 109 G-10s produced, about 1,700were by Erla, 800 by WNF/Diana, and only 123came from Regensburg between October andDecember 1944. This was because production ofthe first batch of 386 Bf 109K-4s in the 330xxxseries had already started there in August 1944.Bf 109 K-4Based on the conclusions of a meeting at theRLM on August 9, 1943, preparatory work wasunderway on the design of the Bf 109 K-1 and K-3,equipped with a pressurized cockpit, and theBf 109 K-2, a standard fighter aircraft, poweredby the DB 605 D or DB 605 AS engine, armedwith a MK 108 engine mounted cannon of 30 mmcaliber and two 13mm MG 131 machine guns. Afteranother series of meetings between GeneralMilch and Minister Albert Speer and their teamsin March 1944, there was a reassessment ofpriorities in the development and production ofnew aircraft. After the resumption of Allied airattacks in February 1944, aircraft production inGermany fell sharply. In response to the newsituation, the Jägerstab was created under theleadership of Otto Saur, which had the task ofadapting the production of fighter aircraft to theconditions of intensive air attacks on Germanindustrial capacity and infrastructure. A 72-hour work week was introduced, the dispersionof production capacities into forest andunderground factories began, and a number ofother partial measures were taken to solve theresulting crisis. In June 1944, aircraft productionwas concentrated only on fighters, and theplan from July 1944 counted on the monthlyproduction of 500 Bf 109s. Production was tofocus on the piston engined Fw 190 D, Ta 152 andthe jet powered Me 262. However, the start ofproduction of new types was slow and productioncontinued of the proven Bf 109 G-14/AS,G-10 and, from autumn 1944, the Bf 109 K-4.The Jägerstab, whose tasks were taken overby the Technical Department of the Ministryof War Production in August 1944, still underthe leadership of Otto Saur, managed to bringaircraft production in Germany to a recordlevel of 3,375 newly produced and another1,500 refurbished machines in September. Itshould be mentioned, however, that it wasat the cost of the lives of thousands of fullycommitted workers from occupied countries,concentration camp prisoners and prisoners ofwar, mainly Soviet. At the same time, Septembersaw the resumption of the Allied bombingoffensive against Germany, interrupted in June1944 due to the involvement of Allied strategicair forces in supporting the Allied landings inNormandy. The escalating bombing offensiveA Bf 109 K-4 “Black 1” with the late style III./JG 51 camouflage pattern at Rønne, Denmark in May 1945.The right side of the engine cowling of this machine used part of the Bf 109 G cowling.A Bf 109 K-4 from late in the war with a fuselage probably painted in shades of RLM 81 (dark brown) and RLM82, pictured in Salzburg, Austria. The yellow markings on the rudder and engine cowling were introduced byLuftflotte 4 in March 1945.Photo: JaPoPhoto: JaPoHISTORYINFO Eduard10September 2023Page 11
gradually continued to complicate all Germanwar production.It was under these conditions that thedevelopment and start of production of the Bf109 K-4 took place. As a result of the eventsdescribed above, further development of theK-1, K-2 and K-3 versions was halted anddevelopment, under the leadership of ProductChief Ludwig Bölkow and Chief Designer RichardBauer, was concentrated exclusively on thenewly conceived K-4 version. Negotiations wereheld on the continuation of its developmentin the spring of 1944, but the aforementionedcircumstances led to the decision to introduceproduction of the Bf 109 K-4 as a stopgapfighter until the arrival of new types. Even thedevelopment of the Bf 109 K-4 was not withoutproblems, leading to the development of the Bf109 G-14/AS and Bf 109 G-10 as indicated earlier,but one must take into account the extremelycomplex situation in which these decisions weremade and implemented.The final concept of the type was approved inJune 1944. The Bf 109 K-4 was to be powered bya 1,775 hp DB 605 D engine, armed with a 30mmMK 108 cannon and two 13mm MG 131 machineguns. The propeller was a three-bladed, variablepitch VDM-9-12159A. A number of componentsassociated with the engine installation werecarried over from the Bf 109 G-10 out of theRegensburg factory, including the large Fö 987oil cooler and the engine cowling. The use of non-deficit (Ersatz) materials was still considered,but the original idea of an all-wooden wingwas abandoned due to the technologicallimitations of wood, and the wing remained all-metal. The tail part of the fuselage and somesmall details were made of wood, some of thelongitudinal members of the fuselage weremade of steel. The layout of the cockpit wasrevised, which was made more efficient witha new side panel and a new oxygen system.Armor plating was also modified. The sight wasthe standard Revi 16B, but some later machinesapparently received the modern gyroscopicsight EZ 42. A significant change in the wingwas the strengthening of the landing gear, theintroduction of mechanical landing gear positionindicators on the upper surface of the wing, andabove all, the retractable outboard landing gearcovers which, together with the retractabletailwheel, were supposed to contribute toimprovement of the aerodynamics of theaircraft and thereby increase the maximumspeed. These covers were closed by the wheelexerting pressure on a mechanical lever whenretracted. The tires were sized at 660 × 190 mm,which necessitated the creation of large oblongbulges above the landing gear well, the sameas the WNF/Diana production Bf 109 G-10/U4and some Erla production machines. The rightwing also housed oxygen cylinders, while theleft wing contained space for the GM-1 pressurebottles that some machines were equipped with.However, the standard equipment was the MW 50system, the placement of which in the fuselagewas adjusted so that the container no longerrequired the battery to extend into the rear wallof the cockpit and did not require a protrudingcover, as with the Bf 109 G-14 and G-10 versions.The radio equipment was identical to the G-10,but the wire antenna in most machines did nothave a mast on the cockpit canopy or behind itbut was led directly into the fuselage on top ofthe second fuselage segment. The location ofthe equipment in the fuselage, the radio itselfand related components, including the compass,underwent a change. The inspection hatch onthe left side of the fuselage, which was usedto access both the radio equipment and thecompass, was also relocated.Due to the rush and the overall critical warsituation, the development of the aircrafttook place in a nontraditional way. Classicprototypes were not built, and test aircraft weretaken right off the already running productionline. Thus, some technical issues were identifiedat a time when they were already in productionand the aircraft were delivered with themto combat units. Understandably, difficultiesflowed from this setup. For example, there wasinsufficient rigidity in the locking mechanism ofthe tailwheel, which tended to loosen on its ownwhen the aircraft was moved, which led to theunexpected retraction of the unit. Therefore, thetailwheel was often locked in the down positionand the wells were permanently blanked off.This resulted in cases in where the position ofOriginal color photograph of the wreckage of aircraft at Kaufbeuren Airport, Germany. In the center rear is a Bf 109K-4 “Black Chevron 1” from Stab III./JG 53. Lt Ernst-Dieter Bernhard crashed this aircraft on April 19, 1945. Note thecolors RLM 74 and 75 on the fuselage, the vertical stripe of III. Gruppe and also the black identification band of JG53. On the left side you can see Bf 109 G-10 “Yellow 2” KG(J) 27 with the white and green checkerboard stripe.A photograph of Wunstorf airfield from May 1945 showing two Bf 109 K-4s with different camouflage patterns.On the left is WNr. 330 255 “Black Chevron” Stab III./JG 27 with early style camouflage and on the rightis WNr. 332 700 with late style camouflage.Photo: Jeffrey Ethell CollectionPhoto: SDASMHISTORYINFO Eduard11September 2023Page 12
the tailwheel differed, and three configurationscan be found. There were also problems withthe outer covers of the main wheel wells, andthey were often removed. This rendered theseaerodynamic features useless, and the Bf 109K-4 reverted to the undercarriage configurationidentical to the older versions of the Bf 109. Therewere also difficulties with the MK 108 cannonoperation, which was already an establishedphenomenon. The cannon carriage, including themounting points in the fuselage, was thereforedesigned to allow an alternative installationof the proven MG 151/20 cannon available insufficient quantity.Despite the deteriorating supply situation andthe pressure of the Allied bombing offensive onproduction and logistics, the production of the Bf109 K-4 began more or less successfully duringthe autumn and winter of 1944, and continuedinto early 1945, together with the production ofother types of fighter aircraft, mainly the Fw 190of various versions and especially the Me 262.Production continued until March 1945, whenunder the pressure of Allied advances on allfronts, relentless bombing and the intensifyingchaos that it brought with it, the disruption andgeneral lack of material and food, it graduallyground to a stop. The deliveries of fighter jets tocombat units continued during April, both fromOKL warehouses and from repair companies.It must be added that the Luftwaffe never hada shortage of aircraft during the war, until itsfinal days. The big problem was the graduallyincreasing shortage of well-trained pilots fromabout the middle of the war and especially, in thelast year, the lack of fuel. Both of these problemswere related to the Allied bombing offensive,which from the beginning of 1944 concentratedon the liquidation of the fuel industry and theelimination of communication hubs. By thesecond half of 1944, this led to a sharp dropin fuel stocks for all armed forces as well asfor industry and transport. The destruction ofcommunication hubs, especially large railwaystations, further aggravated this problem, andcaused interruptions in the supply of all rawmaterials and semi-finished products fromscattered production enterprises to factoriesand military repair centers, where equipmentwas assembled. As a result, there wasa reduction in fuel supplies for non-combat units,including training centers, which eventually hadfatal consequences for the quality of trainingof new crews of any combat equipment, notonly aircraft. Logically, it also had an effecton the operational capabilities of combatunits. Nevertheless, the German armed forcesremained fully combat-ready until the first daysof May 1945. However, it must be rememberedthat this German tenacity came at the enormouscost of life of both soldiers and civilians in thelast year of the war. It is a little known fact thathalf of all loss of life on the European battlefieldbetween 1939 and 1945 occurred in the last yearof the war, from the Allied landings in Normandyto the unconditional surrender of the Germanarmed forces on May 8, 1945. That amounted tomillions of human lives lost.Bf 109 K-4 Combat UseMesserschmitt Bf 109 K-4s began to bedelivered to combat units in October 1944,and until the end of the year these aircraftwere allocated to units on the Western Front.III./JG 27 and III./JG 77 were the first fighterunits to upgrade to the new version of the 109.For a number of months, they were the onlyJagdgruppe that had Bf 109 K-4 machines inlarge numbers. In smaller numbers, the K-4version appeared in II./JG 2, III./JG 3, I., III.and IV./JG 4, II./JG 11, III./JG 26, I. and II./JG 27,II./JG 53 and I./JG 77. These units simultaneouslyused the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G, often even inseveral versions. However, few of these wereplaced under Luftflotte Reich command forthe defense of key targets against four-enginebomber formations. Most of them were taskedPhoto: PhDr. Miroslava Holubová, Memory of the NationChrudim airport in liberated Czechoslovakia. On the right behind the Fw 190 Ffighters are two Bf 109 K-4s from the armament of III./JG 77, which operatedfrom Dolní Benešov in the Hlučín region at the end of the war.Allied soldiers at Wunstorf in the second half of 1945 in front of a Bf 109 K-4 WNr. 332 700. The machine shows latestyle camouflage and simplified crosses on the lower wing surfaces. WNr. 330 255 “Black Chevron” from Stab III./JG27 is seen in the background with early style camouflage and black and white crosses on the lower surfaces.Photo: SDASMHISTORYINFO Eduard12September 2023Page 13
with combating Allied ground attackers andmedium bombers. The new year of 1945 broughtheavy losses to the Germans in the OperationBodenplatte, both in terms of equipment and inthe ranks of experienced veterans. Another blowto the Luftwaffe was the Soviet Vistula-Oderoperation, which began in mid-January 1945. TheGerman command in the east hastily relocateda number of units, including ones equipped withBf 109 K-4s. In the following months, K-4s alsoreached units deployed on the Eastern Front formany years, such as Stab, III. and IV./JG 51, orStab, I. and III./JG 52 in Silesia. In the last weeksof fighting against the Red Army, the unique Karlversion also entered service with II./JG 52 andStab JG 6.The only unit that had Messerschmitt Bf109 K-4s in the Luftflotte Reich (part of theReichsverteidigung) from the beginning of 1945was IV./JG 300. Later, its sister unit III./JG 300also received a few Ks. This version of the Bf109 also entered the arsenal of bombing unitsconverted to fighter units. These were II./KG(J)6, II./KG(J) 27 and II./KG(J) 55. If these formationscame into contact with the enemy, they usuallysuffered fairly significant losses.On the Western Front, from the beginning of1945, the Bf 109 K-4 gradually came into servicewith III. and IV./JG 53, while in April 1945, theyalready represented a significant part of theirflight fleet. Rare specimens of the K-4 versionalso reached the night fighter unit I./NJG 11.The Bf 109 K-4 machines were also part ofthe equipment of the Sonderkommando Elbe,which was organized for a mass attack againstformations of four-engine bombers. The pilotswere supposed to crash into enemy aircraftand then take to their chutes. The unit's onlydeployment took place on April 7, 1945 and didnot meet with significant success.One of the last aerial victories of theLuftwaffe was scored by a pilot of a Bf 109 K-4.After an emergency scramble on May 8, 1945, at11.00 from the base at Žatec (Saatz) in Bohemia,Uffz. Eugen Maier of 14./JG 300 shot downa low-flying Soviet twin-engine aircraft,probably a Pe-2.In Foreign ServiceIt is not known if the Bf 109 K-4 was used bythe Royal Hungarian Air Force (MHKL) or thevolunteer units of the Russian Liberation Army(ROA). However, they found their way into theair units of two other air forces that stood byHitler’s Germany.The fighter units of the National RepublicanAir Force (ANR) in northern Italy were the onlyAxis units operating fighter aircraft on thisbattlefield since the autumn. These were IoandIIoGruppo Caccia, which were equipped with theMesserschmitt Bf 109 G-6, G-14 and G-10. ThreeBf 109 K-4s at the end of February 1945 werereceived by IoGr. C., specifically its 3aSquadrigliaat the base at Malpensa. Another three Bf 109K-4s were acquired in April by 6aSq., whichbelonged to IIoGr. C. at Maniago Airport. Thethird fighter unit of the ANR, IIIoGr. C., was inthe middle of organizing at the end of the war.Before the end of the war, on April 22, the ANRhad only three Bf 109 K-4s in service. Two werelocated at staff headquarters of Io Gr. C. and onewas with 6aSquadriglia. The remaining threemachines were lost in combat with Americanairmen.A little known fact is that the Bf 109K-4entered service with the Air Force of theIndependent State of Croatia (ZNDH). Evenwith the approaching end of the war, Germanycontinued to provide its Croatian ally with aircrafttechnology, so in February 1945, in addition toten Bf 109 G-6, G-14 and G-10 airframes, the2. ZLJ also took over four examples of the Bf 109K-4. However, two of them were damaged onFebruary 20 when landing in a blizzard at LučkoAirport. Another three K-4s were received bythe 2. ZLJ during April. One of them, deliveredon April 23, was hidden near Borongaj airport bysupporters of Tito's army from among the ZNDH.Croatian aircraft participated in the fightingaround Zagreb until May 6, 1945, and ZNDH pilotscame into conflict with American and Britishfighters. The Bf 109 K-4 hidden at Borongaj wastested in the air in mid-May by a Yugoslav pilot,Lt. Boris Cijan. According to his memoirs, themachine was marked with red stars. Apparentlyanother pilot made an emergency landing withthe same plane a few days later. There are norecords of further post-war use of the Bf 109K-4 in the Yugoslav Air Force.Bf 109K-4 SchemesThe coloring of the Bf 109 K-4 is among themost popular topics among modelers andaviation researchers who deal with the historyof the Luftwaffe. Unfortunately, documentationspecifying the fields of camouflage colorsand the identification of their shades as theypertain to the Bf 109 K-4 has not survived.When reconstructing the coloring of individualmachines, it is therefore necessary to start fromblack-and-white and limited color photographsand also take into consideration the situationthe manufacturer and various subcontractorsfound themselves in at the time.The vast majority of Bf 109 K-4s weremanufactured by Messerschmitt GmbH basedin Regensburg. The production of structuralassemblies took place at three plants, and theirfinal assembly was carried out in three otherlocations. Subassemblies were painted withcamouflage colors at the subcontractor level,so that a given aircraft could have, for example,a wing colored differently than the fuselageafter final assembly.So far, only one aircraft is known from thesmall series of Bf 109 K-4 aircraft produced atthe Erla factory from the spring of 1945 (WNr.570xxx). One documented piece probablycarried a dark green camouflage on all surfacesand had the engine cowl shape characteristic ofthe Erla factory Bf 109 with the DB 605 D engine.Due to design differences, this variant is notincluded in this kit.The K-4 version from the first two productionblocks (WNr. 330xxx and 331xxx) were painted ina similar manner to the Bf 109 G-14, G-14/AS andG-10 aircraft that Messerschmitt Regensburgproduced in parallel with the K-4. These Bf 109A warehouse of parts for the tail surfaces of the G and K versions of the Bf 109, found by the Red Army inStrasbourg, West Prussia, in early 1945. These were produced in the system of the decentralized aircraft industry.Photo: GoskatalogHISTORYINFO Eduard13September 2023Page 14
K-4s are highly likely to have been finished inan RLM 76, 75 and 74 camouflage and had lightcolored fuselage sides.The other K-4 blocks (WNr. 332xxx and333xxx) usually had a camouflage schemewith large fields of dark colors on the fuselage.From the color photographs as well as the colorcontrast in the black and white photographs,it is evident that a number of these aircraftcontinued to be camouflaged with RLM 74 and75 on the upper surfaces.However, there are also later series aircraftthat carried colors similar to the Bf 109 K-4s fromthe two initial ones. One possible explanationis that the delivery of the subassembly unitswas delayed for final assembly, and they wereallocated a higher serial number.Bf 109 K-4 aircraft that were painted witha combination of RLM 81 and 82 on the uppersurfaces were quite rare. In addition, the RLM81 was produced in two versions. Simply put,it was a dark brown and dark green variant.The reason was that there were two formulaswith a significantly different composition ofraw materials, which was related to the criticalstate of Germany's supplies in the last year ofthe war.When the new shades were introduced intoproduction, the aircraft manufacturers wereinstructed to use up the stocks of old paints,and in the case of the Bf 109 K-4, these werethe gray shades of RLM 74 and 75. However, thecomposition of these colors changed in 1944thanks to a new formula, so that these shadeswere darker when compared to 1941 producedpaints, for example. So one aircraft could havea fuselage painted with lighter colors madewith the older formulas and tail surfaces fromanother subcontractor could be painted with thedarker 1944 shades. RLM 81 and 82 colors wereallowed as older paint stocks were used up incombination with other shades. For example,there could have been aircraft painted RLM 81and 75.Paint manufacturers worked under extremelycomplicated conditions, both in terms of logisticsand the quality of raw materials. The shades ofcolors from their production could thereforediffer even for the same manufacturer. This canalso explain the different variants of the grey-blue color, which is documented in photographsand remains of German aircraft from the endof the war. As a cost saving measure overthe final year of the war, paint was graduallyomitted on the lower surfaces, aside from thekey components that needed to be protected,for example the canvas-covered surfacescontinued to be painted with camouflage paint.When preparing our color schemes for thekit No. 11177, we worked closely with Mr. TomášPoruba (JaPo Publishing), and we incorporatedthe latest findings from research of thedevelopment of the Bf 109 K-4 color schemes.When reconstructing the coloring of individualaircraft, we took into account not only theirphotos, but also photos of other machines of therelevant production series, the approximate timeof their production and the customs prevailingat the time in production, relevant regulationsand other known facts. We are aware that thereare also other interpretations of the coloring ofthe planes depicted by us. You are certainly freeto follow your own research and findings if ourpresentation does not quite suit you.We would like to thank Mansur Mustafin andTomáš Poruba (JaPo) for their invaluable helpwith the article.Sources:BAUMGARTL, Michael: Das JagdflugzeugMesserschmitt Bf 109. Technik / Eigenschaften /Leistung / Stückzahlen / BewährungBEALE, Nick, D´AMICO, Ferdinando, VALENTINI,Gabriele: Air War Italy 1944-45: The Axis Air Forcesfrom the Liberation of Rome to the SurrenderCIGLIĆ, Boris, SAVIĆ, Dragan, MICEVSKI, Milan:Messerschmitt Bf 109: The Yugoslav Story; Volume II;Operation records 1939-1953GÓRALCZYK, Maciej, HÖGL, Gerald T., KIROFF, Jürgen,MILLMAN, Nicholas, ORLOV, Mikhail V.: Real Colors ofWWII AircraftHALDIMANN, Marc-André: Flickr Bf 109 fotoarchivhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/28092068@N03/MOMBEEK, Eric: Storming the Bombers: A Chronicle ofJG 4 : the Luftwaffe's 4th Fighter Wing; svazek 2PORUBA, Tomáš, JANDA, Aleš: Messerschmitt Bf 109KPORUBA, Tomáš, MOL, Kees: Messerschmitt Bf 109Kcamouflage & markingyPORUBA, Tomáš, VLADAŘ, Jan: Messerschmitt Bf 109sof KG(J) 6PRIEN, Jochen, RODEIKE, Peter: Messerschmitt Bf 109F, G, K Series An Illustrated StudyPRIEN, Jochen a spoluautoři: různé díly svazkůjednotlivých Jagdgeschwader a JagdfliegerverbändeULLMANN, Michael: Luftwaffe Colours, 1935-1945VALTONEN, Hannu: Messerschmitt BF 109 ja SaksansotatalousVOGT, Harald Helmut: Messerschmitt Bf 109 VersuchsErprobungsträger Weg zur SerienproduktionVOGT, Harald Helmut: Messerschmitt Bf 109Einsatzmaschinen - Das Nachschlagwerkwww.ww2.dkPhoto: GoskatalogAmong the aircraft that Soviet photographer V. P. Grebnev captured after the occupation of Finow airfield in Germany, was a Bf 109 K-4 “Yellow 4” from III./JG 3.The design of the digit 4 suggests that this could be the aircraft flown by Fw. Hans Strebel of the 11. Staffel.HISTORYINFO Eduard14September 2023Bloodstained Messerschmitts - Bf 109 production at the Flossenbürg concentration camp
The war industry in the Third Reich did not function only thanks to corporate employees and forced labourers from the occupied territories. A huge part of the production work was provided by prisoners working in slave-like conditions in concentration camps where they died of starvation, exhaustion, hypothermia, disease or were murdered by the Nazis. This criminal machine included the production of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters and it is a subject that is neglected by most aviation historians. This article does not aim to cover the entire scope of the Nazi genocide, which gradually targeted political opponents of Hitler's regime, religious groups, physically or mentally disabled people, homosexuals, members of the resistance, Jews, Roma and Sinti, Poles, citizens of the Soviet Union and other Slavs. The article focuses only on the human sacrifices in one part of the supply chain of an aircraft manufacturing plant. More than 70,000 inmates perished in the Flossenbürg concentration camp in the Upper Palatinate Forest and its sub-camps. Their tragic fate was the result of the inhuman exploitation of human beings, which the Nazis called “Vernichtung durch Arbeit”, or “extermination through labour”.
Photo: Flossenbürg MemorialIn this 1940 photograph of Flossenbürg, the proximity of the concentration camp quarters to the citizens’ homes is clearly visible.The first records of the Bavarian village ofFlossenbürg date back to the 10th century. Thecastle was probably completed at the beginningof the 12th century and during the followingtwo centuries it was in the possession of theBohemian kings.At the end of the 19th century, severalquarries were established in the vicinity ofFlossenbürg, where granite was mined. In 1938,the SS leadership decided to make economicuse of the concentration camp system, untilthen, the camps had been used primarily forthe internment and oppression of politicalprisoners. Building materials became a priorityfor the SS. That is why the Nazis started to buildthe concentration camp at Flossenbürg in thesame year. The work was started by prisonersfrom the Dachau concentration camp. At the endof 1938, 1,500 prisoners, mostly Germans, wereforced to work on its preparation, and over thenext two years more than 300 of them died. In1940, the first Jewish prisoner was assignedto Flossenbürg. From 1944 large numbers ofJewish, Polish and Soviet prisoners beganarriving , mainly from the concentration campsat Auschwitz, Gross-Rosen and Plaszow.At the beginning of the camp's productionoperation, 2,600 prisoners were exploitedin the concentration camp, and the numberof deaths was so great that the Nazis set upa crematorium on its premises. Twelve-hourwork shifts were held in the quarry, andprisoners lived in oppression and humiliationunder the constant threat of death by starvation,exhaustion, cold, injury, illness, or execution.They were given only one thin soup during theirwork shift. In mid-1939, 850 prisoners workedin the quarry, two years later, the number wasalready 2,000. Several dozen German civilianThe war industry in the Third Reich did not function only thanks to corporate employeesand forced labourers from the occupied territories. A huge part of the production workwas provided by prisoners working in slave-like conditions in concentration campswhere they died of starvation, exhaustion, hypothermia, disease or were murdered bythe Nazis. This criminal machine included the production of Messerschmitt Bf 109fighters and it is a subject that is neglected by most aviation historians. This article doesnot aim to cover the entire scope of the Nazi genocide, which gradually targeted politicalopponents of Hitler's regime, religious groups, physically or mentally disabled people,homosexuals, members of the resistance, Jews, Roma and Sinti, Poles, citizens of theSoviet Union and other Slavs. The article focuses only on the human sacrifices in onepart of the supply chain of an aircraft manufacturing plant. More than 70,000 inmatesperished in the Flossenbürg concentration camp in the Upper Palatinate Forest and itssub-camps. Their tragic fate was the result of the inhuman exploitation of human beings,which the Nazis called “Vernichtung durch Arbeit”, or “extermination through labour”.Text: Jan BobekBloodstainedMesserschmittsBf 109 productionat the Flossenbürgconcentration campHISTORYINFO Eduard15September 2023Page 16
workers, including construction apprentices,were in daily contact with them.The command staff of the Flossenbürgconcentration camp consisted of about 90SS members. The SS-Totenkopf guard unitsnumbered about 300 men in the spring of 1940.During the building of the 94 sub-camps thatfell under Flossenbürg, their number grew toabout 2,500 men and 500 women by 1945. Afterthe beginning of the war, some SS memberswent to the front, so the command deployedolder men, Luftwaffe soldiers, members ofother nations and women as guards to theconcentration camps. There any attempt toescape was punishable by death, and in 1941mass executions began to take place.Between 1938 and 1945, some 84,000 men and16,000 women from more than 30 countries wereimprisoned in the Flossenbürg concentrationcamp and its sub-camps, most of them Jewsfrom occupied Europe, Soviet prisoners of war,and, after the Warsaw Uprising, a large numberof captured Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa)fighters. During the war, members of the SSwere involved in more than 2,500 murders inFlossenbürg and its sub-camps. After the warmost SSguards received no or little punishmentfor their crimes in Flossenbürg , often due toinsufficient evidence or lack of direct witnessesto the murders.The Flossenbürg concentration camp wasunfortunately a significant economic factor inthe region during the war. A number of localcompanies became its suppliers, and many ofthem borrowed prisoners for forced labour,mainly of a craft and agricultural nature.From 1942 onwards, prisoners were usedin this way in the weapons industry, and inearly 1943 a Messerschmitt factory based inRegensburg set up production facilities right onthe concentration camp site. By the end of thewar, 5,000 prisoners were already working inA picture of Flossenbürg inmates waiting for food to be served, the ruins of the castlecan be seen in the background. The photograph was taken in approximately 1942.For eight years, the castle became the backdrop for the inhuman suffering and deathof thousands of people.Shot of the Flossenbürg concentration camp quarters with the ruinsof the castle in the background.Photo: Niederländisches Institut für Kriegsdokumentation via KZ-Gedenkstätte FlossenbürgPhoto: Niederländisches Institut für Kriegsdokumentation via KZ-Gedenkstätte FlossenbürgPhoto: Amit Jerusalem Yad VashemThis photograph, probably taken in 1942, shows the slavelabour of inmates in the stone quarry on the Flossenbürgsite. During twelve-hour shifts in harsh conditions, many losttheir lives due to exhaustion, accidents or execution.HISTORYINFO Eduard16September 2023Page 17
In this aerial photograph of Flossenbürg from March 1945, the quarry can be seen on the left, the prison barracks on theright, and the main production hall for Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircraft can be seen in the top centre of the image.Photograph of the main production hall at Flossenbürg, taken after liberation. It shows the fuselages of Bf 109 G of variousversions and on the right, closest to the lens, is probably a Bf 109 K-4. The image shows that in addition to the productionof parts for new machines, repairs were also carried out at Flossenbürg on aircraft that had passed through the air service.Photo: Flossenbürg MemorialPhoto: United States HolocaustMemorial MuseumHISTORYINFO Eduard17September 2023Page 18
Map: KZ-Gedenkstätte FlossenbürgMap: OpenStreetMap-MitwirkendeMap of some of the sub-camps of the Flossenbürg concentration camp according to the state of historical research as of September 2019.Map of the Flossenbürg concentration camp from 2022. The red colour indicates the buildings that still exist.HISTORYINFO Eduard18September 2023Page 19
the production process at Flossenbürg and itssubsidiary camps, and work in the quarry wasthen minimised. At Flossenbürg, Messerschmittproduced fuselages and wings for the Bf 109G and K. Production ran continuously in threeeight-hour shifts. The final assembly of sub-deliveries from this concentration camp wascarried out in an assembly plant hidden in thewoods (Waldwerk) in Vilseck, with test flightsand handovers carried out at Amberg-Schafhofairfield.In mid-1944 due to the Allied advance, theSS began to clear the concentration camps, leading to an increase in mass murders andhuge prisoner transports. At Flossenbürg, thenumber of prisoners gradually increased from3,300 at the end of 1943 to 8,000 a year later.By the end of the war, nearly 15,000 people wereconfined there.The largest number of prisoners atFlossenbürg died in the last year of the war,especially from the winter of 1944 onwards. Theprisoners were crammed into quarantine blocksof 1,500 people each, and those who were unableto work for Messerschmitt or other companiesin the subsidiary camps were sent to the dyingblocks.By the spring of 1945, the supply situation haddeteriorated dramatically due to the disruptionin transportation and general chaos in theshrinking territory of the Nazi Third Reich. Therewas essentially a famine in the concentrationcamps, which worsened the already diresituation of the prisoners. The Nazi command,which wanted to keep the situation in the campssecret, made no effort to stabilize or improvethe supply of prisoners. The consequences ofthe last months are known from film footageand photographs of malnourished prisonersor their remains, taken by Allied soldiers andreporters in the liberated camps.At the beginning of April 1945, the Flossenbürgconcentration camp and its sub-camps beganto be closed down. The SS took 40,000 peoplefrom the main camp and the branch camps tocover their tracks. Unfortunately, April 1945was accompanied by harsh winter weather inthis part of Europe. Just before the end of thewar, therefore, thousands of prisoners diedneedlessly in transports, death marches andexecutions. In the last weeks of the war, Jewishand Christian clergymen, and the former headof the Abwehr, Wilhelm Canaris, also lost theirlives in Flossenbürg.When members of the 3rd Battalion, 358thInfantry Regiment, U.S. 90th Infantry Divisionarrived at Flossenbürg on April 23, 1945, theyfound 1,160 prisoners in this horrible place.The unit's diary also mentions the seizure ofthe Messerschmitt 109 aircraft factory. Of theapproximately 100,000 people imprisoned atFlossenbürg and its sub-camps, more than70,000 did not live to see the end of the war.More than 21,000 prisoners lost their lives atFlossenbürg itself.Only fifty-one guards and camp staff wereindicted after the war, fifteen were sentencedto death and eleven received life imprisonment.Thirteen of the convicts were executed. In othercases, shorter sentences were given, but by1957 all the convicts were released.In 2007, the first of several sections ofa memorial commemorating the victims of thisterrible period of history was opened on the siteof the former concentration camp.Sources:Association des Déporté.e.s et Famillesde Disparus du Camp de Concentration deFlossenbürg & KommandosJewishGen, The Forgotten CampsKZ-Gedenkstätte FlossenbürgUnited States Holocaust Memorial MuseumThe fuselages of Bf 109 K-4 aircraft photographed by American soldiers at theFlossenbürg train station in April 1945. In the rear right, part of the village behindwhich the concentration camp was located can be seen, and the ruins of the castlethat has dominated the local landscape for centuries can be seen on the horizon.When the first American soldiers arrived in snow-covered Flossenbürg camp on April 23,1945, they were greeted by this banner.A picture of inmates who were lucky enough to live to see the liberation of Flossenbürg.A photograph taken on May 3, 1945, showing local German civilians exiting the main gateof Flossenbürg concentration camp with the bodies of deceased inmates for burial.Photo: JaPoPhoto: Yad VashemPhoto: US Army Signal CorpsPhoto: US Army Signal CorpsHISTORYINFO Eduard19September 2023Identifying a Zero: A6M3 32 m/n 3305 from 204 Kōkūtai
Most of the aircraft lost during the fighting in the Pacific, whether Japanese or Allied, will remain forever in the ocean waters or impenetrable jungles. Some, however, were recovered while the war was still in progress for the purpose of examining enemy technology. One such was Zero with manufacturing number 3305.
HISTORYIn May of 1944 Army-Navy Crash Intelligence,South Pacific Area (ANCISPA) raised a wreckedA6M3 Type 32 from forty feet of water offKolombangara Island. The report on this salvageoperation was primarily concerned with the long-barreled 20mm wing guns found on this aircraft.This was one of the first wrecks recoveredwith this weapon and the report concludedthat Japanese fighters were being equippedwith a new high velocity cannon.1)The salvagedZero was reported to have the manufacturernumber of 3305, which indicates a completiondate of approximately 25 November 1942. Atranslated Japanese document states that fromDecember 1942 half of the Zeros manufacturedby Mitsubishi were to be armed with the long-barreled Type 99 Mark 2 20mm wing guns.2)ThusA6M3 m/n 3305 must have been one of the firstMitsubishi Zeros so equipped.Photos of the recovered Zero are alsointeresting in that they indicate that this A6M3Type 32 was manufactured with an adjustablerudder trim tab. This substantiates a listing ofproduction changes in the Zero inRekishi GunzōNo. 33, which states that such a change wasimplemented beginning with A6M3 Type 32 m/n3304.3)While the ANCISPA report does not mentionany markings, photos of this plane can alsobe found in the collection of Michael Freeman.Freeman was a member of ANCISPA and wrotea memoir about his wartime service. Severalof his photos illustrate the recovery of a ZeroType 32 with the tail code of T2 133 that clearly isA6M3 m/n 3305.4)The ANCISPA report states that 3305 wasbelieved to have crashed in September 1943, butthis date is almost certainly incorrect. The tailcode prefix T2 was that of the 204Kōkūtai, usedby that unit from 1 November 1942 until aboutmid-summer of 1943. Furthermore, from aboutMarch 1943 the 204Kūbegan to apply darkgreen camouflage to their aircraft; T2 133 is inthe earlier overall olive-gray paint scheme.The tail fin also had two horizontal stripesbelow the tail code which help to point to theidentity of its pilot. Markings like these wereusually those of aChūtaichō. Such a positionwas usually filled by an officer or at leasta warrant officer. Looking at the pilot losseslisted in Hata, Izawa and Shores, the 204Kūonly lost two officer pilots in the time frombetween 1 November 1942 and 31 March 1943:Lt. (jg) Tanoue Tatenoshin lost over Munda on 15January 1943 and Lt. (jg) Shibuya Kiyoharu lostover Guadalcanal on 23 January 1943.5)Fight over the convoyLt. Tanoue's loss over Munda would put himin the right location - was he the pilot of T2 133?It is possible to at least partially reconstructthe 15 January combat. On that day the Japaneseput up aChūtaiof nine 204KūZeros under thecommand of Lt. Tanoue Tatenoshin as well asabout a dozen Oscars from either the 1st or 11thSentaito provide air cover to a Japanese convoymoving northwards up the New Georgia Sound.The Zeros departed from Buin at 0625 andarrived at their CAP station at 0700. The convoyof ships was the target of fifteen SBD DauntlessMost of the aircraft lost during the fighting in the Pacific, whetherJapanese or Allied, will remain forever in the ocean waters orimpenetrable jungles. Some, however, were recovered while the warwas still in progress for the purpose of examining enemy technology.One such was Zero with manufacturing number 3305.IDENTIFYINGA ZEROA6M3 32 m/n 3305from 204 KōkūtaiText: Ryan ToewsExcerpts from the ANCISPA Report on Hamp 3305.INFO Eduard20September 2023Page 21
of VMSB-142 escorted by six USAAF P-39s fromthe 12th Fighter Squadron and twelve MarineWildcats from VMF-121 and VMO-251. ThisWildcat escort was comprised of two divisionsunder Capt. Hunter Reinburg and Lt. Herb Longdeployed on the left side of the escort formation.A third division under Maj. Joe Renner fromVMO-251 was in place on the formation’s right.Contact with the Japanese occurred justoff the coast of New Georgia, 140 miles fromHenderson Field on Guadalcanal and twentymiles from Vanguna Island. The Marine Wildcatswere at an altitude of approximately 16,000 feetwhen the Japanese Zeros were first spottedat 0705 by Capt. Francis “Effie” Pierce. Pierceradioed a warning to his fellow Wildcat pilots.Capt. Reinburg, to the left and above Pierce,moved to attack. With the sun to his back,Reinburg flew head-on towards the lead Zero.When he opened fire, he observed his “gunfireconverge on the Zero’s engine and kick offsparks like a grinding wheel does”.6)The ensuing melee then moved northwardsuntil combat broke off at 0730. American claimsof fifteen Japanese losses far exceeded theactual total. Allowing for the fact that some ofthe American claims were for Ki-43 Oscars the204Kūlosses were only three Zeros. The sixsurviving 204KūZeros touched down at Mundaat 0815, left Munda at 0835 and finally landedat Buin at 0925. US losses were three Wildcats,two P-39s, and two Dauntless dive bombers,one of which ditched off the mouth of MorovoLagoon.7)Question marks and uncertaintiesThe argument can be made that one of thesethree downed Zeros was flown by Lt. (jg)Tanoue. However, there are some issues thatfirst need to be resolved. The first is the actuallocation of Hamberi Cove. Maps show a HamberiCove (or more commonly Hambere Cove) onthe west coast of Kolombangara Island. Butwartime documents also refer to Hamberi Coveas an alternative name for DisappointmentCove, located near Vila on Kolombangara Islandand used as a barge anchorage for the newJapanese base at Vila. Additionally, a photocaption in Freeman’s article states that T2 133was “pulled out of the water off New Georgia,across from Munda”. It is therefore most likelythat this location near to Vila was where T2 133was found.8)While this location is indeed closer to theaction of 15 January than the Hamberi Coveon the west coast of Kolombangara, one muststill question why the pilot of this presumablydamaged plane tried to ditch in this locationinstead of the closer airfield at Munda.Secondly, the loss of only three Zeros arguesthat all of these were lost at the scene of theair battle. The various American reports claimHISTORYRecovery of A6M3 Type 32 Tail Code T2 133 from Hamberi Cove, Kolombangara Island, May 1944.After its recovery A6M3 Type 32 T2 133 was taken to Munda on New Georgia Island.INFO Eduard21September 2023Page 22
HISTORYto have witnessed the explosion of at least fourplanes and at least one of these was seen tohave then crashed into the sea. While some ofthese could have been Oscars instead of Zeros,it does seem to indicate that no Zeros weredamaged and then lost away from the scene ofcombat.The answer may lie in the fact that Hata andIzawa are incorrect in listing Lt. (jg) ShibuyaKiyoharu as being lost over Guadalcanal on23 January 1943. On that date theToa Maru 2,escorted by the destroyerŌshio, saileddown the New Georgia Sound with the task ofevacuating an engineer detachment from Vilaon Kolombangara Island. The two ships wereprovided with a CAP of nine Zeros from the204Kōkūtaiand two F1M2 Petes from 958Kū.A strike force of twelve VMSB-233 Dauntlessesand four VMSB-131 Avengers with an escort oftwelve Wildcats from VMO-251 was sortied fromGuadalcanal. They intercepted the small convoyat 1815 “mid-channel abeam of central Choiseul”at 7° 22” S / 156° 51” E.The Japanese Zeros were strung out ina single line as the American Wildcats were ledinto the attack by Maj. Joe Renner. When Renneropened fire, 1st Lt. Robert Bryson noted one ofthe Zeros at the front of the Japanese formationbegan to “sparkle and then start to smoke”.This is assumed to have been Lt. (jg) Shibuya.A second Zero at the rear of the formation wasfired upon by 1st Lt. Glen Loban and was seen tohave “chunks come flying off”.The Japanese quickly recovered to engagethe attacking Wildcats. In the end the Americanssuffered the loss of two Wildcats and wereunable to successfully attack the two Japaneseships. In turn the Japanese lost two Zeros andone Pete. These three losses included the Zeroflown by Lt. (jg) Shibuya Kiyoharu.9)Shibuya KiyoharuGiven the description of the damage in theinitial attack on the Japanese Zeros, as well asthe location of the 23 January engagement, itis very likely that T2 133 was flown by Lt. (jg)Shibuya Kiyoharu. It is very possible that a planethat took some hits and started to smoke was stillable to have limped towards safety at Japanese-After its inspection by Crash Intelligence T2 133 was heavily souvenired by other troops at Munda.INFO Eduard22September 2023Page 23
HISTORYoccupied Hamberi Cove near Vila. Furthermore,it should be noted that Hamberi Cove/Vila is ona direct flightpath to the Japanese airfield atMunda. Finally, as mentioned below, Shibuyais listed as having actually been downed overKolombangara Island.Unfortunately, only a basic outline of Lt.Shibuya’s background can be found in theavailable sources. He was born in Kagoshimaand graduated in July 1937 as part of the 67thClass of the Etajima Naval Academy. He thenwent on to complete his flight training inNovember 1941. As a new Lt. (jg) he was assignedto Tainan Kōkūtai and on 23 February claimed tohave shot down a P-40 over Malang in westernJava. In April 1942 Shibuya was transferredto GenzanKū. and then at some point later in1942 was reassigned to 204Kū. Finally, Shibuyais stated to have been lost over Kolombangara Island.10)Endnotes:1) Army-Navy Crash Intelligence, South Pacific Area (ANCISPA)Report on Hamp 3305, p. 32) Firing Equipment of the Type Zero (Mark 1, Mark 2) ProvisionalHandling Manual, August 1943, p. 2.3) Rekishi Gunzou No. 33, (November 1, 2001), p. 1714) Michael Freeman, Behind Enemy Lines, (1997); MichaelFreeman “Behind Japanese Lines”, Airpower, Vol. 24, No. 4 (July1994), pp. 10-23, 44-55.5) Ikuhiko Hata, Yasuho Izawa, Christopher Shores, JapaneseNaval Air Force Fighter Units and Their Aces 1932-1945, (2011),p. 3916) Hunter Reinburg, Aerial Combat Escapades, A Pilot’s Logbook,(1988), p. 50.7) Roger Letourneau, Dennis Letourneau, Operation KE,The Cactus Air Force and the Japanese Withdrawal fromGuadalcanal, (2012), pp. 111-114; Hunter Reinburg, Aerial CombatEscapades, pp. 48-51; Francis (Effie) Pierce, “Ace the Hard Way”,in Eric Hammel, Aces in Combat: The American Aces Speak,(1998), p. 41; E-mail from Dennis Letourneau, September 28, 20158) Freeman “Behind Japanese Lines”, p. 179) Letourneau and Letourneau, Operation KE, pp. 93-94; For themost part, however, this account is based on research done byMr. Brandon Wood. He kindly shared his information with theauthor in a number of e-mails on 24 and 25 November 2015.Here he stated that he utilized “multiple sources to include wardiaries, a couple of articles from newspapers and interviewswith Col. Robert Bryson.”10) Brian Cull, Yasuho Izawa, Christopher Shores, BloodyShambles, Vol. 2: From the Defence of Sumatra to the fall ofBurma, (1993), p. 220; Summary of Etajima Graduates.Official USMC photograph of Joseph Niel Renner.A6M3 Type 32 T2 133 (m/n 3305) flown by Lt. (jg) Shibuya Kiyoharu of 204 Kōkūtai on 23 January 1943. Profile image courtesy of Dave Douglass.INFO Eduard23September 2023Air war over Ukraine - Grains in Flames
Monday, July 17, was a pivotal date in the period under review in this part of the series. On that day, Ukrainians once again successfully attacked the Kerch Strait Bridge leading to Crimea. At the same time, the agreement on grain trade expired, triggering another wave of Russian air attacks on Ukrainian ports.
HISTORYText: Miro BaričPhotos: Ukrainian armed forces, socialmedia and other public sourcesAir war over UkraineGrains in FlamesCzech MR-2 Viktor systems proved their worth in the fight against suicide drones in Ukraine.Monday, July 17, was a pivotal date in the period under reviewin this part of the series. On that day, Ukrainians once againsuccessfully attacked the Kerch Strait Bridge leading to Crimea.At the same time, the agreement on grain trade expired,triggering another wave of Russian air attacks on Ukrainian ports.The Kerch Strait Bridge was rocked by twoexplosions early on the morning of July 17. Theresult was damage to at least one lane of thebridge. As a result, only one lane is availablefor automobile traffic. Coupled with attackson bridges on the opposite side of Crimea,connecting the peninsula to southern Ukraine,this spells complications and delays forRussian logistics.The Kerch Strait Bridge was first damagedlast year in October. Ukraine did not claimresponsibility for it for a long time. For theJuly attack, the Ukrainian intelligence agencyhas now claimed responsibility, followingseveral months of preparation. Naval dronesequipped with a 750 kg explosive payload wereused. They had to cover a distance of 700 kmfrom the Ukrainian coastline, which in itself isa remarkable feat.On the same day, the agreement regardinggrain exports expired, which allowed theexport of grain from Ukrainian ports undercertain conditions. This was especiallycrucial for African and Asian countries thatrelied heavily on Ukrainian supplies to meeta significant portion of their food consumption.Since this date, Russia has been doingeverything possible to use food scarcityas a means of coercion on the world stage.As several ships ignored Russian threats ofa Black Sea blockade, the Kremlin focusedon destroying the infrastructure of Ukrainianports to prevent these ships from utilizingthem. Repeated rockets, glide bombs, anddrones strikes targeted Odessa, Mykolaiv, andChornomorsk. The targets were port buildingsand grain storage facilities.Southern Ukraine doesn’t possess as robustan anti-aircraft defense as Kyiv, so a portionof Russian missiles often penetrated. Duringthe night of July 18 to July 19, some 60,000tons of grain destined for China and Africancountries went up in flames in Odessa. Some ofthe missiles missed the port and hit objects inthe historical center of the city, which is listedas a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Chineseconsulate was hit, and on the night of July 22to July 23, the largest cathedral in Odessawas severely damaged. The Cathedral of theTransfiguration was consecrated in 1809. In1939, Stalin ordered its demolition, but in 2003,Ukrainians rebuilt it. The projectile that hit itpierced through the roof, vaults, and floor. Itthen exploded in the cathedral's basement. Theexplosion and subsequent fire destroyed theinterior of the cathedral.Russian drones also attacked Ukrainianports Reni and Izmail, situated on the DanubeRiver. These were considered safe, as acrossthe river lies Romania, a NATO member state.The attacks there also targeted grain storagefacilities.INFO Eduard24September 2023Page 25
HISTORY“Beavers” AttackUkrainians are trying to respond within theircapabilities. A massive campaign has beenunderway in Crimea and the southern part ofthe Zaporizhzhia region, targeting Russianlogistics and command centers with HIMARSmissiles and Storm Shadow glide bombs. Toa lesser extent, systematic attacks are alsobeing carried out deep within Russia, whichcould be termed disruptive in nature. Ukrainecannot use Western weapons for theseattacks, as it has committed to deploying themonly on its own territory. Instead, it employsdomestically produced drones for thesepurposes. Several types have been developed,though there is limited information available.The most successful type appears to be the“Bober” (Beaver), named after the animal.It has duck-like wings and a push propeller atthe end of the fuselage. Its range is reportedto be around 600 to 1,000 km, and it carriesa cumulative explosive warhead in the frontof its fuselage.The Bober drones were used in an attackon July 24, when at least two buildings weredamaged in Moscow, and one drone crashedonto Komsomolsky Prospekt near the Ministryof Defense. The attacks of the Bobers on July30 and August 1 can be seen as almost trollingRussian air defense, as the same high-risebuilding in Moscow's business district washit repeatedly on two consecutive days. ThisStill from a video showing damage to the Kerch Bridge on July 17, 2023.Interior of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odessa after the hit on July 23, 2023.Grain bunkers damaged in the port of Odessa.Destroyed grain warehouse in the town of Reni on the Danube.Ukrainian Bober drone captured onvideo over Moscow.Ukraine developed the Bober droneon its own.INFO Eduard25September 2023Page 26
HISTORYbuilding houses, among other things, theMinistry of Economic Development. Accordingto official statements from Russian authorities,only the glass façade of the building wasslightly damaged. However, footage from theinterior revealed damaged offices beyond theshattered façade.Western Weapons on Soviet TechnologyIn addition to the mentioned Storm Shadowmissiles, more Western weapons are appearingon Ukrainian aircraft and helicopters. The firstwere AGM-88 HARM missiles, which MiG-29sand Su-27s launch against Russian radars.Attack Su-25 aircraft have started using LAU-10launchers for four 127 mm (5-inch) Zunirockets. For Czech readers, the use of M261launchers for 19 unguided Hydra 70 rocketson Mi-24 helicopters might be interesting. Theearliest video documenting their deploymentin Ukraine features an originally CzechMi-24V. During the observed period, Ukrainealso released footage of the deployment ofguided JDAM-ER bombs, which they receivedearly in the year. MiG-29 fighter jets weremodified to carry them, with specially extendedinternal underwing hardpoints.JDAM, developed in the 1990s, stands forJoint Direct Attack Munition, a GPS-guidedweapon. The term “joint” in the name indicatesthe involvement of both the U.S. Air Force andNavy in its development. JDAM itself is nota bomb but a kit that converts regular bombsinto guided munitions.JDAM-ER, with “ER” standing for ExtendedRange, was introduced in Australia in 2006,with Boeing’s Australian branch involvedin its development. The ER variant includesfolding wings, allowing it to glide for up to70 km. In Ukraine, a photo of a MiG-29 with thementioned extended hardpoints surfaced first.Later, pictures of JDAM-ER bombs on thesehardpoints emerged. The bombs are Mk.82swith a weight of 227 kg. The folding wings arelocated on the bomb’s underside, indicating anAustralian version. The American version hasthe wings on the top.It’s likely that Ukrainians are using themsimilarly to HARM missiles – all necessarydata is entered on the ground, and the fighterjet simply releases the bomb at the designatedlocation. It's also probable that Ukrainianfighter jets cannot approach the frontlinesat high altitudes. At such low altitudes, theJDAM-ER would have its greatest reach, butthe carrier would be vulnerable to Russianair defenses. Therefore, the UkrainianMiG-29 approaches at low altitude and onlyclimbs rapidly at the last moment, releasingthe JDAM-ER in an arched trajectory alonga ballistic curve.Ukrainian MiG-29 with hangers for JDAM-ER bombs.Originally Slovak Mi-17 helicopter with B-8-V20 blocks for 20 unguided missilesof 80 mm calibre. The machine had the Slovak service number 0844 and retainedits typical camouflage and the hippopotamus symbol on the port side.JDAM-ER on a pylon under the wing of a MiG-29.Block M261 with Hydra 70 missiles on a formerly Czech Mi-24V helicopter.INFO Eduard26September 2023Page 27
HISTORYCluster MunitionsThe most significant addition to the Ukrainianarsenal during the observed period is Americancluster munitions. The announcement of theirdelivery sparked controversial reactions.Cluster munitions consist of a large number ofsubmunitions that disperse in the air and covera wide area. A relatively high percentage ofthese submunitions, however, fail to detonateimmediately. On the ground, they pose a dangerto civilians for many years after the war. Thisled to the creation of the Convention on ClusterMunitions in 2008, which prohibits the use andproduction of such weapons. To this day, 123states have signed it, but Russia, the USA, andUkraine are not among them.Russia deployed cluster munitions fromthe first day of the war, and their use againsttargets such as apartment complexes inKharkiv is documented not only by numerousvideos but also by UN reports. Ukraine likelydeployed cluster munitions from old Sovietstocks in a smaller quantity. The country hasnow committed to using American clustermunitions only on its own territory and solelyagainst military targets, refraining fromusing them in populated areas. Each use willbe documented to aid in locating unexplodedsubmunitions. This is not a problem, consideringthe densely mined battlefield; demining effortswill be essential once the conflict ends.Ukraine needs cluster munitions to bridgethe gap until it can increase the production andsupply of conventional artillery ammunition.One projectile with submunitions can replacea larger number of shots from howitzers ormortars. The USA has several types of clustermunitions for howitzers, rocket launchers, andaircraft. Ukraine received 155 mm howitzergrenades. The M483A1 shell contains 88submunitions, and the M864 shell with longerrange contains 76 submunitions. These aredual-purpose improved conventional munitions(DPICM) that can be effective against bothinfantry and vehicles. Their developmentfocused primarily on minimizing malfunctions.The munitions were deployed in combat almostimmediately and proved highly effective inhalting Russian counterattack attempts.Machine Guns Against DronesThrough the destruction of Russianammunition depots and the suppression ofartillery radars with HARM missiles, Ukrainemanaged to establish local artillery superiorityon the southern front in the Zaporizhzhiaregion. The Russians are unable to destroyUkrainian howitzers with retaliatory artilleryfire, so they began to address this deficiencyby increasing the use of suicide drones likethe Lancet. This prompted the deployment ofTurkish SARP Dual system on M113 vehicle.Czech MR-2 Viktor systems proved their worth in the fight against suicide drones in Ukraine.INFO Eduard27September 2023Page 28
HISTORYmobile anti-aircraft units on the Ukrainian sideto protect vital heavy equipment, especiallyself-propelled howitzers and HIMARS rocketlaunchers.Among the simplest means are ordinarymachine guns mounted on the chassis of off-road vehicles. However, more sophisticatedsystems have also emerged, such as theTurkish SARP Dual. It is a remotely controlledturret with modular construction and two arms.These arms can accommodate different typesof weapons based on the mission, from lightmachine guns to 40mm grenade launchers.For anti-aircraft purposes, Ukrainians usea 12.7mm caliber machine gun in one arm anda 7.62mm caliber machine gun in the other. Theheavy machine gun has 500 rounds available,while the light machine gun has an ammunitionsupply of 1,500 rounds. In Ukraine, SARP Dualsystems have been mounted on Soviet MT-LBtracked vehicles and later on American M113transporters. In both cases, older equipment issuitable for such auxiliary purposes.Ukrainians highly praise the Czech MR-2Viktor systems. These involve a relativelysimple combination of a Toyota off-roadchassis and a pair of 14.5mm caliber KPVTmachine guns. They are equipped witha modern targeting system that allowsaccurate shooting even at night. The rate offire is 600 rounds per minute, and the effectiverange is 2 km. According to Lieutenant GeneralSerhiy Nayev of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,the Viktor systems achieve excellent results inshooting down suicide drones.In July, there was a lot of talk (once again)about the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s,or possibly other Western aircraft. Discussionson this topic had been ongoing for severalmonths. However, tangible results were onlyachieved in August. Therefore, we will discussF-16s in more detail in the next part of theseries.Ukrainian Air Force without LossesJuly is the first month since the start ofthe war in which the Ukrainian Air Force didnot suffer any losses. On the Russian side,however, there were several confirmed losses.The first two were non-combat related. OnThursday, July 6, a transport aircraft AntonovAn-72 with registration RF-46546 and the bortnumber “blue 46” was damaged during landingat Rostov Airport. The front landing gear andthe front part of the aircraft were affected.On Monday, July 17, a Sukhoi Su-25 crashedinto the Sea of Azov during a test flight. Theaircraft, with registration RF-94685 and bortnumber “yellow 08”, belonged to the 266thAttack Aviation Regiment. The crash occurredjust off the coast near the town of Yeysk,Three photos of firing the „Victors“.INFO Eduard28September 2023Page 29
HISTORYand many people on the beach witnessed theincident. The pilot, Senior Lieutenant TimurChismatullin, managed to eject but sufferedleg fractures in the process. According to somereports, his rescue vest either did not functionor malfunctioned. As a result, he drowned infront of vacationers who preferred to recordvideos rather than help him. Some evenapproached on jet skis to get a closer look. Bythe time someone finally pulled the pilot out ofthe water, it was too late.On Tuesday, July 25, members of theUkrainian 38th Marine Brigade managed toshoot down a Kamov Ka-52 helicopter inthe Donetsk region. Both crew members,Colonel Vitaly Tabachnikov and CaptainRoman Gavrikov, both from the 112th SeparateHelicopter Regiment, died in the wreckageof the aircraft. The number of helicopters ofthis type lost in Ukraine has now exceeded40. In July, Ukrainian soldiers also found thewreckage of a Russian Su-24 aircraft nearthe village of Klyshchyivka, south of Bakhmut.It might be the aircraft that belonged to WagnerGroup mercenaries and was shot down onMarch 29, 2003, or it could be the aircraft withregistration RF-93798, which was lost in thesame area on December 2, 2022.Originally Slovak MiG-29AS in Ukrainianservice. It can be identified by the RockwellCollins AN/ARC-210(V) digital radio antenna justbehind the cockpit and the camouflage of greyand green-grey paint. It carries two R-27ER(Alamo C) and four R-73 (Archer) missilesunder its wings.A Russian Su-25 with the number “yellow 08” crashed into the Sea of Azovnear the town of Yeysk on July 17. The cause of the crash was engine failure.Another shot of the MiG-29AS from the rear. The ex-Slovakian aircraft received yellowand blue markings on the directional and elevators and on the aerodynamic slots onthe leading edge of the wing.Pilot Timur Chismatullin was killed in the crash of the Su-25.A Ukrainian Mi-24 lurks in the bushes waiting for its victim.INFO Eduard29September 2023Page 30
BOXART STORYIn the first year of the WW2, Jagdgeschwader3 was one of several Luftwaffe units ledby veterans of the previous war. This wasnot unusual at the time. In November 1938the first JG 3 Kommodore was Obstlt. MaxIbel, who had served in the Bavarian Army,had secretly received, before Hitler cameto power, fighter pilot training in Lipetsk,Russia. He was not the only officer of JG 3 toundergo this mission in USSR. Among themwas a veteran of the First World War, Obstlt.Carl Vieck, who took command of JG 3 inSeptember 1939. Vieck is not known to havebeen involved in combat activity, but in June1940, during the fighting over France, his staffofficer, Major Theodor Quandt, was killed inair combat. He had achieved 15 victoriesduring the Great War with Jasta 36.During the Battle of Britain there wasa generational change in the leadershipof Luftwaffe fighter units and JG 3 was noexception. On 21 August, the twenty-seven-year-old Obstlt. Günther Lützow became thenew boss of JG 3. He had previously led theI./JG 3 and was a veteran of the Spanish CivilWar. Lützow had fifteen victories to his creditat the time (including five in Spain) and afterjust five days in his new role scored two killsin combat with Defiant crews. Another GreatWar veteran, Obstlt. Hasso von Wedel, wasassigned to Lützow’s Stab in September 1940.He had achieved five victories during WorldWar I and in 1940 was commissioned by theRLM to document the successful campaignagainst Great Britain. However, this took anunexpected turn when he was shot downin a dogfight on 15 September and becamePOW. After repatriation, he never returned tocombat duty and was killed in Berlin on May1, 1945.By the time JG 3 was based on the airfieldsof occupied Poland in June 1941, ready toattack the Soviet Union, the Geschwaderhad accumulated nearly 400 victories. OnJune 22, 1941, elements of JG 3, armed withMesserschmitt Bf 109 Fs, were based atHostynne and its satellite airfields northwestof Lwów, which had been in Soviet handssince September 1939. JG 3 was subordinatedto Luftflotte 4, which supported the advanceof ground forces in the invasion of Ukraineand what is now Moldova. The focus of JG 3’sactivities in the early months of the invasionlay in the area west of Kyiv, which was notcaptured until late September.JG 3 victories rapidly increased in thefight with the Soviet airmen. By 31 July, theyscored nearly 700 more kills, in which Lützowcontributed with 27 claims. The numberof victories was probably inflated, eitherbecause of the complexity of large air battlesor over-claiming. There were significantdifferences between the parts of JG 3 inthis respect. In that period III./JG 3 claimed300 victories, II./JG 3 reported 201, andI./JG 3 claimed 150. The Germans were verysurprised at how tenacious their opponentwas, namely the air units of the VVS KievSpecial Military District. Jagdgeschwader 3lost approximately 50 aircraft, completelydestroyed or damaged beyond repair, tovarious causes in the first five weeks ofthe campaign. Another 70 or so machineswere lightly damaged, but mostly thismeant sending the aircraft away for repairs.These numbers corresponded to the loss ofequipment of an entire Jagdgeschwader!In the boxart Antonis Karydis captured theduel between Günther Lützow and a pilotof Polikarpov I-16 of the 89th IAP VVS. Thisfighter regiment under the command of MajorNikolai M. Yelagin was one of the units thatfirst faced the German attack. In addition tothe I-16s, the 89th IAP also had a LaGG-3 typein its armament. The regiment operated fromthe Lutsk base, which was soon occupied byJG 3. Until early September, when the 89thIAP had to be disbanded due to losses, itspilots had flown 1,550 combat sorties andclaimed 27 victories while losing 62 aircraft.During the final phase of the fighting for Kyiv,individual fighters flew seven to nine combatsorties a day. One of the 89th IAP pilotswho survived this critical period was AlexeiI. Novikov, who by the end of WW2 had gainedeight individual victories and completednearly five hundred combat sorties. GüntherLützow, although he scored more than 100kills in some 300 combat sorties, did notlive to see the end of the war. He died in thecockpit of an Me 262 in combat over Bavariaon April 24, 1945.Illustration: Antonis KarydisThe Tenacious AdversaryText: Jan Bobek#70154INFO Eduard30September 2023Page 31
#8452BOXART STORYThe distant sound of an aerial battle echoesthrough the slowly dissolving fog above thetrenches. The machine guns bark, the engines howlat high revs as they come closer and closer. Out ofnowhere, just a few meters above the ground, anaircraft heaves into view, desperately zigzaggingin a shower of pursuers' bullets. It looks like it'sabout to land for a while, but suddenly its enginehits full revs and the pilot continues his flight forhis life. With a roaring engine, he overflies theGerman trenches and disappears in a haze of misttowards friendly fields.According to official statistics, Canadian AndrewEdward McKeever became the most successfulfighter pilot on the Bristol F.2B. He is credited with31 kills, all of which he achieved exclusively onthis type of aircraft. His reports state 13 of theseas OOC (Out Of Control), which in most casesmeant the escape of the pursued pilot. Another 12aircraft were credited to McKeever as destroyed(witnessed impact on the ground), and six arelisted as destroyed in flames, which were aircraftthat were already burning in the air. In the case ofthe “Brisfits” as the F.2B was nicknamed (but afterthe war only), many of the kills were achievednot by the pilots but by their gunners. The pilotswere usually given the total number of kills by thecrew, while the gunners were credited only withthose they had achieved themselves. The gunnersusually had a twin Lewis at their disposal and theeffectiveness of their fire was uncomfortably highfor German fighters. A well cooperating pilot andgunner pair was thus a mortal danger to even thebest German aces. McKeever started the war asan infantryman. He remained in the trenches untilNovember 1916, when he was recruited into theranks of the RFC and moved from France to theUK for pilot training. From May 28, 1917, he flewwith No. 11 Squadron, first the obsolete F.E.2s,then the F.2Bs. His first success came on June26, 1917, when he scored two Albatrosses D.V. Onewas stated OOC, the other DES (i.e., destroyed).Successively, McKeever flew with seven differentgunners and, together with the last of them, LesliePowell, they shot down a total of 18 enemies. Allof these victories were achieved on “Biff” numberA7288, which is depicted on Adam Tooby’s boxartfor kit No. 8452. The art depicts the last phaseof their final and epic battle, which occurred onNovember 30, 1917. The two airmen were patrollingbehind enemy lines that day and spotted a pairof German two-seaters accompanied by sevenfighters. McKeever attacked and reportedly shotdown one of the two-seater aircraft. He thenturned to his lines, but four of the Albatrossesswooped down on him like angry wasps. Theexperienced Powell hit two of them and shotthem down, McKeever then engaged the othertwo in dogfight and shot one down. Moments laterPowell’s machine guns jammed and McKeever fledat minimum altitude towards his own positions,pursued by the last enemy, who gave up furtherpursuit before reaching the British lines. So muchfor the British report and the British point of view.The fight occurred south of Cambrai in thesection of 17th German army. Three fighterJagdstaffeln were operating in the area withAlbatrosses sporting black markings (as theywere described by McKeewer and Powell). Jasta 37was based at Wynghene in the sector of adjacent4th Army, about 100 km north of Cambrai, a longway from the scene of the battle. Then there wasJasta 7, also in the 4th Army sector, stationed atAertrycke and therefore at a similar distance to thecombat in question as Jasta 7. And then there wasJasta 12 at Roucourt, in a section of also adjacent6th Army, which was only 20 km from Cambrai. So,presumably, McKeever and Powell fought fightersfrom Jasta 12. But this German fighter unit lost justa single pilot that day. He was Johann von Sengerund Etterlin, and according to German records hecollided east of Cambrai with Lt. G. E. Thomson ofNo. 46 Sqn RFC. Jasta 37 and Jasta 7 even reportedno losses ...So what happened? McKeever’s first kill wasa two-seater of unknown type from an unknownunit, its impact was confirmed. The next victims,three Albatrosses, are already very questionable,although they were marked as DES, for destroyed,which required testimony from other crew orground units. But it was foggy and who knowswhat the others saw ...There were no more victories for the pair asthey were withdrawn from operational service inJanuary 1918. McKeever subsequently started towork on the birth of the Canadian air force alongwith W. Bishop and R. Collishaw. He became COof No. 1 Sqn CAF, which was training for fightingwith their Sopwith Dolphins. But the war endedbefore that could happen. After the war, McKeeverbecame the director of the airfield at Mineola,New York, but before he could start work, he hada car accident in which he suffered a broken legand died of a cerebral thrombosis on December24, 1919.Text: Richard PlosIllustration: Adam ToobyQuestionable victoriesINFO Eduard31September 2023Page 32
BOXART STORY #84192The fast German S-Boot (Schnellboot) boatsposed a considerable danger to even muchlarger vessels during World War II. Their twotorpedo launchers were powerful weapons, aswere their high speed and agility.At the beginning of the war, the Kriegsmarinewas not yet clear on how to use these boatsand deployed them for various, sometimes notvery appropriate tasks, including escort duties,submarine hunting, fast landing operations andthe like. But as the war gathered momentum, theGerman naval command began to realize theirmerits, and as a result they were increasinglydeployed in operations against enemy vessels.Thus, on May 9 and 10, 1940, four S-Boot weredispatched to make a coordinated attack onBritish ships in the Skagerrak strait. Althoughtwo of them had to withdraw quickly due toheavy defensive fire and the third collided witha destroyer, the last one, S-31 commandedby Oblt.z.S. Opdenhoff, managed to fire twotorpedoes and seriously damage HMS Kellycruiser. During the evacuation from Dunkirk,S-Boots attacked British and French vessels. TheFrench torpedo cruiser Jaguar and the Britishcruiser HMS Wakeful, carrying 640 British troops,were among the casualties. Two torpedoesripped HMC Wakeful apart and 638 soldiers and85 crew members were killed.In June 1940, the German naval commandalready had under its control all the Belgian andDutch ports and also most of the French ones.This allowed them to launch dangerous foraysinto the Atlantic as well as into the waters of theEnglish Channel as far as to the north-east coastof Great Britain. The S-Boats operated in groupsof pairs (Rotten) and attacked individual vesselsas well as convoys. During the Battle of Britain,they also served as lifeboats for downed Germanpilots and in July they penetrated as far as theThames Estuary, laying mines.The RAF responded by bombing the S-Bootbases at Ostend and Vlissingen. Two boats weredestroyed, five others damaged. By October, thetwo Flotillas operating S-Boots had only sevenof them in operation state, and this number wasfurther reduced by the sinking of S-38, whichbecame a victim of the destroyers HMS Garth andHMS Campbell. Even so, by the end of 1940 theGerman Navy could be satisfied with the resultsof their S-Boot units, as they had destroyed 26freighters and 10 destroyers. Subsequently, allS-Boots were united under one command asKapitän zur See Hans Bütow was the new “Führerder Torpedoboote”. He successfully coordinatedactivities of his forces with the Luftwaffe or withminesweeper formations, and the danger toAllied vessels from the fast boats increased. TheRAF therefore resorted to patrols to seek out anddestroy these dangerous predators. The variousSquadrons took turns to scour the waters of theChannel, but the S-Boots were no easy prey.They could both maneuver sharply to evade theattacking fighters’ fire and return defensivefire. Such a situation was captured by PiotrForkasiewicz in his painting for kit No. 84192.A Patrol of No. 91 “Nigeria” Squadron is led byS/Ldr Robert Oxspring flying his Spitfire Mk.Vcinto an attack against a pair of maneuveringS-Boots.Bobby Oxspring was born on May 22, 1919, inSheffield, Yorkshire, his father flew in the GreatWar as a reconnaissance aviator. Oxspringjoined the RAF in March 1938 and by Decemberhe was transferred to the same unit his fatherfought with, i. e., No. 66 Squadron. In its ranks hesubsequently took part in the Battle of Britain,during which he scored eight confirmed killsand was awarded the DFC. In April 1941 he wastransferred to No. 59 OTU, where he flew as aninstructor and began his second operationaltour in September 1941 with No. 616 Squadron.However, he was only there for a week, afterwhich he was transferred to No. 41 Squadron,where he led a flight. In January 1942 he tookcommand of No. 91 “Nigeria” Squadron andthen in July moved to the same post with No.72 Squadron. Oxspring achieved five morevictories during the early months of 1943, one ofhis victims being the famed German ace AntonHafner of JG 51. In March 1944, he began his thirdtour, already as Wing Leader with No. 24 Wing,flying Spitfires Mk.XIV. During June and July, heshot down five V-1 flying bombs. In Septemberhe was transferred to No. 141 Wing and then toDetling Wing. He ended the war with 14 confirmedvictories, two probable, 13 damaged enemyaircraft and added five V-1s destroyed.The Germans built a total of 239 S-Boots ofseveral types between 1930 and 1945. Only 99survived the war. In service on these boats, 767men died, 620 were wounded, and 322 weretaken prisoner.Illustration: Piotr ForkasiewiczHunting predatorsText: Richard PlosINFO Eduard32September 2023Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
WNr. 8117, Maj. Günther Lützow, CO of JG 3, Polonnoye, The Soviet Union, Summer 1941WNr. 6720, Oblt. Egon Mayer, CO of 7./JG 2, St. Pol-Brias, France, September 1941WNr. 6797, Hptm. Hartmann Grasser, CO of II./JG 51, Orel-North, The Soviet Union, Autumn 1942Günther ”Franzl” Lützow began his servicecareer in the skies over Spain when, servingin the Legion Condor, he downed five enemyaircraft during the Civil War. His combat victoriesmounted over the course of the Second WorldWar while serving in the ranks of JG 3, JG 51 andJV 44. He ended up with a total of 110, gained overmore than 300 combat flights. His life was endedby Thunderbolts of the 365th FG. The P-47 pilotsshot down the Me 262 flown by Lützow, and hisdamaged Schwalbe crashed into the Danube. Forhis service, Lützow was awarded the Knight’sCross with Oak Leaves and Swords. This aircraft,wearing the standard scheme composed of RLM74/75/76 with non-standard Geschwader COmarkings, was flown by Günther Lützow in theinitial phases of the war against the Soviet Union.The camouflage scheme was supplemented bythe usual quick recognition markings carried onthe Eastern Front – the yellow rudder, fuselageband, wingtips and engine cowl.Egon Mayer fought the entire Second World Waras a member of the famous JG 2. He began hiscareer as a fighter pilot at the end of 1939 in theBattle of France, continued in the Battle of Britain,and later fought over occupied France until March2, 1944, when he was shot down by Thunderboltsof the 358th FS while on an escort mission nearMontmedy in France. Over the course of 353combat flights, he achieved 102 victories, all ofthem at the Western front. He was posthumouslyawarded the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leavesand Swords. The depicted aircraft was flown byEgon Mayer over the second half of 1941 duringthe defense of occupied French territory againstBritish aerial attacks. This “Friedrich” was paintedin RLM 74/75/76, typical for Luftwaffe fighters ofthe time. With this aircraft Mayer achieved onevictory over a Spitfire on September 20, 1941,but he had to belly-land it at Arques due to thedamage sustained in combat.Hartmann Grasser was born on August 23, 1914,in Graz, Austria. For political reasons he left in1934 to live in Germany and joined the Luftwaffein 1936. At the beginning of the war in Poland heflew with 3./JGr 152 (3./ZG 2). In mid-September1939, the unit was moved to the French borderand there he shot down a French observationballoon. He shot down his first enemy aircraft,a French Curtiss H75, on September 24, 1939.In the fighting over France and in the Battle ofBritain he shot down six more opponents and wasassigned to the staff of JG 51 in October 1940. Onthe first day of Operation Barbarossa, he shotdown a Tupolev SB-2 and in the following monthsthe number of Soviet aircraft shot down by himincreased. Grasser then became commander of5./JG 51 in August and the next month he wasawarded the Knight’s Cross and took commandof II./JG 51. After he achieved his 45th kill onJanuary 24, 1942, he was shot down in combathimself and seriously wounded in the eye. He wastreated until May 1942 and scored his 50th kill onaMay 21. In November 1942 he was transferred withII./JG 51 to Tunisia. At that time, he had 92 kills onhis account and added 11 more till the end of thewar, as he served in senior staff positions fromJune 1943. After the war he was a prisoner of warin the USSR until 1949. His Eastern Front aircraftwas camouflaged by RLM 74/75/76 shades. Onthe nose, there was the emblem of JG 51, staffmarkings and identification elements of theEastern Front. On the left side of the rudder thekill marks were applied.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard35September 2023Page 36
WNr. 8326, Maj. Günther von Maltzahn, CO of JG 53, Bila Tserkva, The Soviet Union, July 1941Hptm. Dietrich Hrabak, CO of II./JG 54, Ostrov, The Soviet Union, July 1941Hptm. Hans Philipp, CO of I./JG 54, Krasnogvardeysk, The Soviet Union, March 1942Günther “Henri” von Maltzahn was born on October20, 1910 in Wodarg, Pomerania. He started his militarycareer in 1931 as a member of a cavalry regiment.In 1935 he was transferred to the Luftwaffe. At thebeginning of the war he was in command of II./JG53 at the rank of Hauptmann. After achieving tenvictories, he was promoted to Major and appointedas Kommodore of JG 53 in October 1940. At the endof the year, he was awarded the Knight’s Cross.After the attack on the USSR, he achieved his 42ndvictory on July 24, 1941 and received the Oak Leavesto the Knight’s Cross. From the autumn of 1941 untilJune 1943, he led Geschwader in the Mediterranean.During aerial combat over Malta, he was shot downoff Valletta on May 11, 1942 and was rescued from thesea by the crew of Dornier Do 24. In total, he achieved68 victories. He had to relinquish command of JG 53after he contracted malaria and served in senior staffpositions in Italy and Germany until the end of thewar. He was one of the Luftwaffe’s most prominentfigures and did not hesitate to be publicly critical ofthe German command. He died in Düsseldorf in June1953. His aircraft was camouflaged by RLM 74/75/76shades. On the nose the emblem of JG 53, staffmarkings and identification elements of the EasternFront were applied. On both sides of the rudder thekill marks were applied.Dietrich Adolf “Dieter” Hrabak was born onDecember 19, 1914, in Gross-Deuben near Leipzig.He originally served in the navy and joined theLuftwaffe in 1935. At the beginning of the war hecommanded 1./JG 76 and was shot down duringthe Polish campaign on September 3, 1939, butescaped capture. He achieved his first aerialvictory on May 13, 1940, when he shot downa French twin-engine reconnaissance Potez 630.In total, he scored six kills in the French campaign.In the Battle of Britain, as the commander ofII/JG 54, he scored 10 kills and was awarded theKnight’s Cross in October 1940. He flew on theEastern Front from the first day of the attackon the USSR. This aircraft dates from this periodand was camouflaged with RLM 74/75/76 shades,darkened on the sides with RLM 02 patches andRLM 70 stripes. On both sides of the rudder killmarks were painted. Hrabak was appointedCommodore of JG 52 fighting in the southernpart of the Eastern Front in November 1942 andachieved his 100th victory on August 2, 1943. Hewas awarded the Oak Leaf Cluster in November.In October 1944 he became Commodore of JG 54and at the end of the war he managed to evacuatea significant part of this unit from Kuronsk in theBaltic. In total, he achieved 125 victories. Afterthe war he participated in the formation of theBundeswehr and retired in 1970 in the rank of MajorGeneral as the Gen. der Kampffliegerverbände imFührungsstab der Luftwaffe.Hans “Fips” Philipp, an ace with 206 kills to hiscredit over the course of some 500 sorties, wasborn on March 17, 1917, in Meissen. He joined theLuftwaffe in 1936. At the beginning of the SecondWorld War, he served with I./JG 76, redesignatedII./JG 54 in July 1940. As a member of this unit,he participated in the fighting over Britain andthe Balkans. He also took part in OperationBarbarossa and was appointed CO of JG 1 in April1943. For his combat success he was awardedthe Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.Philipp was shot down on October 8, 1943, and didnot survive his attempt to bail out. The aircraftflown by Hans Philipp was camouflaged withwhite color over the upper and side surfaces tobetter suit the conditions of the winter of 1942 inthe vicinity of Leningrad. The Gruppe Commandermarking was carried on the fuselage, as werethe II. Gruppe and JG 54 (Green Heart) identifiers.Both sides of the rudder carried kill marks. Thelanding gear covers were removed due to theirtendency to pile up snow.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard36September 2023Page 37
Recommended:for Bf 109F-2 1/72672313 Bf 109F propeller early PRINT (Brassin)672314 Bf 109F propeller late PRINT (Brassin)672315 Bf 109F gun barrels PRINT (Brassin)672316 Bf 109F wheels PRINT (Brassin)672317 Bf 109F undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)672318 Bf 109F radio compartment PRINT (Brassin)672321 Bf 109F/G external fuel tanks (Brassin)672322 Bf 109F wheel bays rounded PRINT (Brassin)672323 Bf 109F/G wheels bays angular PRINT (Brassin)672324 Bf 109 SC250 bomb (Brassin)672325 Bf 109F/G exhaust stacks PRINT (Brassin)672326 Bf 109F/G/K gun pods PRINT (Brassin)672327 Bf 109F cockpit (Brassin)672329 Bf 109 balance weights PRINT (Brassin)3DL72018 Bf 109F SPACE (3D Decal Set)#672329OVERTREES#70154XBf 109F-21/72Product pageOVERLEPT#70154-LEPTBf 109F-2 PE-Set1/72Product page#672327#672318#672326KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard37September 2023Page 38
KURFÜRSTThe Limited edition kit of the German WWII fighter plane Bf 109K-4in 1/48 scale. The TWIN DECAL sheet included. Allows to build modelsin any two marking otions with the use of OVERTREES plastic partsand accessories.plastic parts: Eduardmarking options: 9decals: EduardPE parts: yes, pre-paintedpainting mask: yesresin parts: no#111771/48Product pageKITS 09/2023INFO Eduard38September 2023Page 39
Fw. Hans Strebel, 11./JG 3, Franzfelde airfield near Pasewalk,Germany, March 19459./JG 4, Flensburg airfield, Germany, May 19456./KG(J) 6, Klecany airfield, Protectorate of Bohemiaand Moravia, May 1945Hans Strebel originally served with 9./JG 3 andachieved his second victory during OperationBodenplatte. In early 1945 he was transferredto 11./JG 3, which was also part of III./JG 3 Udet.From the end of January 1945, this unit wasdeployed in combat against the Red Army andby the end of the war had achieved at least 80victories. Its missions included also attackingsupply columns or escorting anti-tank Ju 87s.The last commander of 11./JG 3 was Lt. RudolfEscherich, who originally served on He 177s withKG 1. In mid-April, 14 pilots of III./JG 3 volunteeredfor suicide deployment as part of OperationFreiheit. These were attacks by crashing intobridges over the Oder River. Their suicide actionscheduled on April 16 ended in failure and theformation under Escherich's command lost sixairmen. The C3 label on the fuel tank indicatesengine that required 100-octane fuel. At the endof the war, machine with same design of fuselagenumber was photographed by a Soviet reporterat Finow airfield. Fuselage was probably paintedin RLM 81 (dark brown variant) and RLM 82 withyellow-grey version of RLM 76. Vertical tail waspainted in darker version of RLM 74 and 75, theRLM 74 had a tinge of green. Wing was paintedwith lighter shade of colors RLM 74, 75 and 76.On the cowling is painted the emblem of JG 4 witha knight's helmet. The machine probably belongedto 9. Staffel of III./JG 4. It is possible that its pilotwas Fw. Hans Braun, who used the same markedaircraft in late 1944. The Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4swere received by III./JG 4 in October 1944 andused along with the G-14 and G-10 versions.At that time, temporary commander of 9./JG 4 wasLt. Hans Klaffenbach (21 victories), who brieflyrepresented Hptm. Johannes Kaufmann (10 v.).Hans Klaffenbach became commander of JaboG32 with F-104s in 1964 and led it for eight years. In1997 he was one of the most prominent guests atthe opening of the Museum of the Air Battle overthe Ore Mountains in Czech Republic, in which hetook part on September 11, 1944. Kaufmann ledhis unit from the end of January 1945 in battlesagainst the Red Army, and on several occasionshis unit escorted airmen in suicide attacks onbridges on the Oder River. His daughter was thefamous German actress Christina Kaufmann.Fuselage was probably painted in RLM 74 andRLM 75 with yellow-grey version of RLM 76.Vertical tail was painted in darker version of RLM74 and 75, the RLM 74 had a tinge of green. Wingwas painted with lighter shade of colors RLM 74,75 and 76.This aircraft, probably produced in the 332xxxseries, found at the end of the war, bore signsof damage probably caused by an American airraid. KG(J) 6 was being retrained from bombersto fighter aircraft at bases in and around Prague.Eventually it was to be armed with Me 262 jets,but the retraining was done on single-enginefighters. The I. and II. Gruppe were equippedwith Messerschmitt Bf 109G and K. For most ofthe time II./KG(J) 6 was undergoing retraining forfighters, its commander was Hptm. Hans-JoachimFaulhaber, who had previously served with KG 77and was awarded the Knight's Cross. In 1942 heescaped night fighter over England and returnedwith a damaged plane. Faulhaber was replacedat the end of March 1945 by Hptm. Wilhelm Kunze,who had seen combat on the Western Front withKG 2 and was also shot down by a British fighter,in December 1943, during a training flight nearEindhoven. His unit was defeated in aerial combaton March 31, 1945, against Mustangs from the309th FS, 31st FG. Fuselage was probably paintedin RLM 74 and RLM 75 with yellow-grey versionof RLM 76. Vertical tail was painted in darkerversion of RLM 74 and 75, the RLM 74 had a tingeof green. Wing was painted with lighter shade ofcolors RLM 74, 75 and 76.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard39September 2023Page 40
5./JG 11, Strausberg Airfield, Germany, early 194512./JG 27, Prague-Kbely airfield, Protectorate of Bohemiaand Moravia, May 1945Maj. Wilhelm Batz, CO of II./JG 52, Zeltweg,Austria, May 1945By the end of 1944, II./JG 11 was equipped mainlywith Messerschmitts Bf 109G-14/AS. DuringDecember this unit lost 42 machines in combatand due to accidents. In the same month firstdelivery of K-4 version arrived. During OperationBodenplatte the II./JG 11 lost nine more planes,including the first two K-4s lost in combat. Thisunit was deployed from late January 1945 toStrausberg air base east of Berlin against theSoviet Air Force. The machine probably carrieda yellow band as a quick identification featureof JG 11 among Luftwaffe fighter units. Thecommander of II./JG 11 from August 1944 until itsdisbandment in early April 1945 was Hptm. KarlLeonhard. Born in 1913, he served with I./JG 53 atthe start of the war and achieved his first victory,Potez 63, on May 26, 1940. His last victories(21st-23rd) were achieved on April 16, 1945, inan Fw 190A against Soviet bombers, as the lastcommander of I./JG 11. After the war he moved tothe USA and died in San Diego in 1995. Fuselagewas probably painted in RLM 74 and RLM 75 withyellow-grey version of RLM 76. Vertical tail waspainted in darker version of RLM 74 and 75, theRLM 74 had a tinge of green. Wing was paintedwith lighter shade of colors RLM 74, 75 and 76.The commander of III./JG 27 from October 1944until the end of the war was Austrian Hptm. Dr.Peter Werfft (26 victories). During the same monthhis unit received Bf 109K-4s. From February1945 his deputy was CO of 12./JG 27, Oblt. EmilClade (27 victories). While serving in Africa withII./JG 27, Clade and his Schwarm attacked a lonelow-flying Bristol Bombay transport from No.216 Sqn RAF on August 7, 1942 in the Allied rear.He managed to shoot it down and on the groundthe machine was destroyed by Uffz. Schneider,who was awarded the victory. The commanderof the British Eighth Army, Lt. Gen. W. H. E. Gottwas killed on board. In his place was appointedLt. Gen. Montgomery, for whom Gott’s deathbecame a major milestone in his career. Clade led12./JG 27 from November 1944 during the fightingin western Germany until its disbandment inearly April 1945. In the last month of the war, hecommanded I./JG 27. After the war, he worked asan airline pilot, took up sport flying, and publisheda memoir in 1996. Fuselage was probably paintedin RLM 74 and RLM 75 with yellow-grey versionof RLM 76. Vertical tail was painted in darkerversion of RLM 74 and 75, the RLM 74 had a tingeof green. Wing was painted with lighter shade ofcolors RLM 74, 75 and 76.This aircraft (probably 334xxx series) wasthe personal mount of the CO of II./JG 52, Maj.Wilhelm Batz. In February 1943 he was assignedto the Stab II./JG 52 on the Eastern Front andachieved his first victory on March 11. In May hewas appointed CO of 5./JG 52. By March 1944 hehad already achieved his 100th victory and inApril he was appointed CO of III./JG 52. In earlyFebruary 1945 he became commander of II./JG 52in Hungary. He scored his last victory (237th)on April 16, 1945. Five days later he received theSwords to the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves.Batz and his unit flew from Zeltweg, Austria, toBad Aibling, Bavaria, on May 8, 1945, to surrender,escorted by a formation of Thunderbolts inthe final part of the route. After the war hejoined the Bundesluftwaffe and successivelycommanded Flugzeugführerschule S andLufttransportgeschwader 63. Yellow markingswere introduced by Luftflotte 4 in March 1945.The fuselage and vertical tail were painted withRLM 81 (dark brown variant) and RLM 82. Thelower part of the fuselage was left unpainted, thejoints were filled. Fuselage sides were sprayedwith RLM 76, which is also used on the oil coolercowling. The wing was camouflaged with RLM 74,75 and 76.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard40September 2023Page 41
Lt. Horst Potreck, Stab III./JG 53, Kreuzstrasse near Holzkirchen,Germany, AprilWNr. 330177, Uffz. Alfred Nitsch, 12./JG 77, Neuruppin,Germany, November 1944WNr. 333878, S. Ten Umberto Gallori, 3aSquadriglia,IoGruppo Caccia, Lonate Pozzolo,Italy, March 1945Twenty-year-old Horst Potreck served in the11./JG 53 in 1944 and later was assigned to StabIII./JG 53. The CO of III./JG 53 at that time wasHptm. Siegfried Luckenbach. In the summer of1943, at the age of thirty-one, he began servingwith Stab III./JG 1 in the Netherlands and scoredthree victories. A year later, he briefly commandedI./JG 27 on the Western Front. In September 1944he was reassigned to Stab III./JG 53 and tookover 12. Staffel. During Operation Bodenplattehe was shot down by an American fighter butescaped. At the end of January 1945 he becamecommander of III./JG 53 and scored several morevictories. In February he was again shot down incombat with the Americans. His career endedin April accident when Luckenbach unexpectedlystopped after landing and climbed onto the wing.Potreck apparently did not see him, rammed hisaircraft and Luckenbach was severely wounded.The wreckage of the machine Chevron 4, probablyPotreck’s, was found by Allied soldiers after thefighting ended. Fuselage was probably paintedin RLM 74 and RLM 75 with yellow-grey versionof RLM 76. Vertical tail was painted in darkerversion of RLM 74 and 75, the RLM 74 had a tingeof green. Wing was painted with lighter shade ofcolors RLM 74, 75 and 76.In October 1944, III./JG 77 became the first Luftwaffefighter unit to be completely re-equipped with theBf 109K-4. They received 68 of these aircraft. Itscommander was the experienced JG 77 veteranMajor Armin Köhler (40 victories, KC). Uffz. AlfredNitsch was photographed with the “Blue 3” inNovember 1944. It is highly likely that the aircraftwas serial number 330177. Fw. Hans Rössner (12victories) was lost in this plane during a dogfightwith Thunderbolts on December 23, 1944, nearMünstereifel. Although the Germans claimedthree P-47s as shot down, 13 Bf 109K-4s weredestroyed or damaged. Two pilots were killed andfour were wounded. During December 1944, III./JG77 lost about half of its aircraft. During OperationBodenplatte, in which III./JG 77 lost a further 11machines and pilots, again part of its armamentwas various versions of the Bf 109G. From mid-January 1945 it was deployed on the Eastern Front.At the end of the war this unit fought in UpperSilesia, based at Beneschau in the Hlučín region(today Dolní Benešov, Czech Republic). Fuselagewas probably painted in RLM 74 and RLM 75 withyellow-grey version of RLM 76. Vertical tail waspainted in darker version of RLM 74 and 75, theRLM 74 had a tinge of green. Wing was painted withlighter shade of colors RLM 74, 75 and 76.This aircraft, produced in February 1945, was oneof six Bf 109K-4s received by the AeronauticaNazionale Repubblicana in Northern Italy. DuringFebruary it was assigned to 3aSquadriglia“Arciere”, which was part of IoGruppo Caccia“Asso di Bastoni” under the command of MaggioreAdriano Visconti (10 victories). The aircraft, WNr.333878 “3-14”, was damaged in aerial combat onApril 10, 1945. In the early morning hours, three Bf109s from Io Gr. C. were sent against four P-47sfrom the 65th FS, 57th FG, which were conductinga weather reconnaissance in the Milan-Lago diComo area. In the aerial combat a Bf 109G-14/AS“1-7“, piloted by M.llo Veronesi, and a Bf 109K-4 “3-14”, piloted by S. Ten Gallori, were damaged. OneP-47 was reported damaged by M.llo Forlani. TheAmerican pilots did not claim any victories. In lateApril, the IoGr. C. moved to Malpensa and on April29, after receiving security guarantees, laid downits arms and surrendered. Visconti and his aide,however, were shot dead by Russian bodyguardsof resistance commander Aldo Aniasi. Fuselageand vertical tail was probably painted in RLM 81(dark brown variant) and RLM 82 with yellow-grey version of RLM 76. Wing was painted withcolors RLM 74, 75 and 76, the RLM 74 was darkerversion with tinge of green.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard41September 2023KURFÜRST and its design improvements
The design of the kit has been reworked according to our current technological standards and includes improvements according to the latest development of our kits. We have created a completely new set of molds. There’s not a single carry on in the plastic parts. Even if some of them look similar to the ones of our previous kits of the Bf 109s, they have design and technological modifications. The improvements are presented in the photos below.
Kurfürst and its design improvements• Position lights• Wheel baysThe position lights are molded separately from transparent material.The wheel bays have a redesigned section for the landing gear legs. This also includes the perforation of the part.The design of the kit has been reworked according to our currenttechnological standards and includes improvements accordingto the latest development of our kits. We have created a completelynew set of molds. There’s not a single carry on in the plastic parts.Even if some of them look similar to the ones of our previous kitsof the Bf 109s, they have design and technological modications.The improvements are presented in the photos below.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard42September 2023Page 43
• Exhausts• Fuselage and wing centerplane divisionThe exhausts are newly designed, they can be glued from the outsideat the end of the build.The division between the fuselage and wing centerplane has been moved back, beyond the first fuselage bulkhead. This allows the details on the rearof the centerplane (on the “belly” of the aircraft) to be molded cleanly, especially the large access cap for the water/methanol mixture tank.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard43September 2023Page 44
• Cockpit• Tail landing gearAn auxiliary box was designed for the tail landing gear. This allows to glue the part into the fuselage at the end of the build.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard44September 2023Page 45
Kurfürst- Sprues in detailSprue AKSprue BKKITS 09/2023INFO Eduard45September 2023Page 46
Sprue CKSprue DKKITS 09/2023INFO Eduard46September 2023Page 47
Sprue EK Sprue DKKITS 09/2023INFO Eduard47September 2023Page 48
Kurfürst - TEST BUILTbuilt by Jakub NademlejnskýKITS 09/2023INFO Eduard48September 2023Page 49
KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard49September 2023STEP by STEP - KURFÜRST
The kit includes an etched fret with parts that improve on the details in the cockpit. The 3D printed rudder pedals from set 648778 just need to be separated from their supports and glued in place. The kit cockpit prior to painting
STEP BY STEPSTEP STEPBYKurfürst1/48built by Jan Baranec#11177MARKING AThe kit includes an etched fret with parts that improve on the detailsin the cockpit.The 3D printed rudder pedals from set 648778 just need to be separatedfrom their supports and glued in place.Follow me: https://instagram.com/48_scale_hangarINFO Eduard50September 2023Page 51
STEP BY STEPThe details are painted with Vallejo brush paints. The LööK instrumentpanel from set 644227 fits very precisely.The kit cockpit prior to paintingThe left side of the cockpit afterpainting with Gunze paints. Thesteel etched seatbelts hail fromLööK set 644227 cockpit package.The kit cockpit can be improved with placards and dials, eitheretched parts or decals. I chose the decal option. Depth and highlightsare brought out using oil paints.The retraction mechanism for the tail wheel together with the right halfof the part for anchoring it in place. Contrary to previous versions of theBf 109, the tail wheel is glued in place after fuselage assembly.INFO Eduard51September 2023Page 52
STEP BY STEPBefore gluing the fuselage halves together,I recommend slightly “knocking down” theedge of the upper and lower contact surfaces.This, in conjunction with using a thin type ofglue, will result in the creation of the join linedown the length of the top and bottom fuselagecenterlines.The kit contains two options for attaching theantenna wire to the fin of the aircraft.I replaced the thick glass of the kit Revi16B plastic with thinner ones made oftransparent sheet.The joint between the rear cockpit bulkhead (DK30) and thefuselage was puttied and sanded before painting with RLM 66.Unlike previous versions of the Bf 109, the rounded section of the wells have four thinned perforations.The wheel wells are very detailed, and their fit is a precise affair. Therefore,it is best to use a thin solvent type glue.INFO Eduard52September 2023Page 53
STEP BY STEPThe wheel wells are painted and highlighted with GunzeRLM02 (C60) and Off White (C69).Wash mixed with oil paints beautifully brings out thedetails of the wells.The wheel wells after assembly, dry fitted into the wing.The precise fit of the wheel wells allows them to be painted before the wing halves arejoined together. This has the benefit of easy access to paint and weather the beautifuldetails, bringing them out to great benefit of the final outcome.I painted the raised details with a lightened shadeof RLM 02 applied with a brush.The well ceiling details are molded in the upper half of the wing.INFO Eduard53September 2023Page 54
STEP BY STEPThe joint between the wing bottom and fuselage is a new design concept.Part of the lower wing extends to the third fuselage bulkhead. Therefore,only two L-shaped joints around the screws in the lower part of the wingneed to be addressed. The screws are molded quite prominent and deep,so they won't disappear after sanding these joints.Joints extending into the fuselage must be filled between bulkheadsNo.1 and No.3. Thanks to this solution, the cover on the bottom of thefuselage is very nicely preserved. With a bit of careful sanding, you won'tdamage the cover and you don’t have to go through the task of rescribingit. The kit also includes a variant of this cover in etched form.The assembled model before painting. The transition of the wingand the fuselage is a precise fit and no further remedial workis necessary.INFO Eduard54September 2023Page 55
STEP BY STEPBefore painting, I recommend priming the model to improvethe adhesion of the camouflage colors to follow.Before applying the decals, I sprayed the model with Gunze gloss varnish.Propeller from set 648903 before painting. I removed the slight, barely noticeable layering on thespinner from set 648903 using a fine sanding sponge.I chose one of the mostcolorful schemes offeredin the kit and that is the “A”option. I used AK Real Colorsand Gunze paints.As I normally do, I opted to use the removable carrier film featureof the Eduard decals and carefully rolled off the film with a pointedcotton swab dipped in oil paint thinner.INFO Eduard55September 2023Page 56
STEP BY STEPThe only TLC I was compelled to add to the undercarriage legswas in the form of brake lines.I improved the hinges of the outer well coversusing a fine drill bit.The 3D printed aileron mass balances from the set 648894 were onlypartially removed from the support system and cut from the other partsso that I could paint them separately and glue them in as part of my finalassembly.Eduard also improved the position lights located at the wing tips. Thereare even two extra parts on the clear sprue in case one boldly goeswhere no man has gone before. I painted these parts with clear Gunzepaints according to the instructions.INFO Eduard56September 2023Page 57
STEP BY STEPPainted and weathered propeller from set 648903. The spiralis sprayed on using template EX512.Virtually completed model before final assembly.Undercarriage legs after spraying with RLM23 red. The lower part withthe torque links is brush painted with RLM02. The same applicationmethod was used on the black brake lines. The oleo piston was paintedGunze Chrome (SM206).INFO Eduard57September 2023Page 58
Page 59
KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard59September 2023Page 60
KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard60September 2023Page 61
Fw. Hans Strebel, 11./JG 3, Franzfelde airfield near Pasewalk, Germany, March 1945Hans Strebel originally served with 9./JG 3 andachieved his second victory during OperationBodenplatte. In early 1945 he was transferredto 11./JG 3, which was also part of III./JG 3 Udet.From the end of January 1945, this unit wasdeployed in combat against the Red Army andby the end of the war had achieved at least 80victories. Its missions included also attackingsupply columns or escorting anti-tank Ju 87s.The last commander of 11./JG 3 was Lt. RudolfEscherich, who originally served on He 177s withKG 1. In mid-April, 14 pilots of III./JG 3 volunteeredfor suicide deployment as part of OperationFreiheit. These were attacks by crashing intobridges over the Oder River. Their suicide actionscheduled on April 16 ended in failure and theformation under Escherich's command lost sixairmen. The C3 label on the fuel tank indicatesengine that required 100-octane fuel. At the endof the war, machine with same design of fuselagenumber was photographed by a Soviet reporterat Finow airfield. Fuselage was probably paintedin RLM 81 (dark brown variant) and RLM 82 withyellow-grey version of RLM 76. Vertical tail waspainted in darker version of RLM 74 and 75, theRLM 74 had a tinge of green. Wing was paintedwith lighter shade of colors RLM 74, 75 and 76.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard61September 2023Page 62
Recommended:for Bf 109K-4 1/48644227 Bf 109K-4 LööK (Brassin)648902 Bf 109K-4 engine (Brassin)648903 Bf 109K-4 propeller PRINT (Brassin)648913 Bf 109K-4 exhaust stacks PRINT (Brassin)648914 Bf 109K-4 wheels (Brassin)3DL48135 Bf 109K SPACE (3D Decal Set)EX976 Bf 109K TFace (Mask)OVERTREES#82166XBf 109K-41/48Product pageOVERLEPT#11177-LEPTKURFÜRST PE-Set1/48Product page#648902#648913#648903#644227KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard62September 2023Page 63
Page 64
A7288, Capt. Andrew E. McKeever; 2Lt. Leslie A. Powell, No. 11 Squadron,Fére-en-Tardenois, France, November 1917A7194, Capt. Arthur H. Peck; Capt. John J. Lloyd-Williams, No. 111 Squadron, Deir el-Balah, Palestine, October 1917Canadian Andrew Edward McKeever becamethe most successful fighter pilot on F.2B. Heis credited by various sources with as manyas 31 kills, but some of these were achieved byhis gunners. McKeever joined the army as aninfantryman, and remained so until November1916, when he was recruited into the RFC ranksand moved from France to the UK, where heunderwent pilot training. From May 28, 1917, heflew with No. 11 Squadron using the obsoleteFE2s, but the unit received the new F.2Bs shortlyafterwards. McKeever achieved his first kill onJune 26, 1917, when he shot down two AlbatrosesD.V. Ten days later he was already a fighter acewhen he shot down three more D.V.s on July 7.His last success came on November 30, when heand his gunner shot down four of these enemyfighters in a dogfight. McKeever achieved hisvictories with seven different gunners duringhis career. With Leslie Powell, they shot down 18enemies. McKeever was retired from operationalservice after his last success, and he workedtogether with W. Bishop and R. Collishaw onthe birth of the Canadian military aviation. Hebecame commander of No. 1 Squadron CAF,which was preparing to join fighting with SopwithDolphins, but the war ended, and the squadronwas disbanded. After the war, McKeever becamedirector of the airport at Mineola, New York. Butbefore he started work, he suffered broken leg ina car accident and died of cerebral thrombosis onDecember 24, 1919.Arthur Hicks Peck was born in India and, afteryears spent studying in Great Britain, lived inAustralia from 1908 to 1914. With the rank of 2ndLieutenant, he served as an infantryman with theDevonshire Regiment in France from December 7,1914. After moving to the RFC and pilot training,he rose to the rank of Captain on June 23, 1917and became a Flight Leader with No. 111 Squadron,which was deployed in Palestine. He achieved hisfirst victory on October 30, 1917, when he shotdown an observing plane in crew with Capt.Lloyd-Williams as a gunner. On F.2B, Peck scoredone more kill and also forced one aircraft to landon the British side. Thereafter No. 111 Sqn. wasequipped with single-seaters SE.5a and on thisfighter Peck scored five more victories. After thewar he continued in service and was graduallypromoted to the rank of Group Captain. DuringWorld War II, he served in staff positions beforeretiring in 1944. He died in February 1975. His“Brisfit” bore the distinctive coloring of aircraftoperating in the Middle East region. The PC10livery was complemented by white paint on thefuselage and wings. There were several schemesof these colors on the different aircraft.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard64September 2023Page 65
D8084, Capt. Sydney Dalrymple; 2Lt. G. Beagle, No. 139 Squadron, Villaverla, Italy, September 1918A7300, Lt. Sydney A. Oades; Lt. D. N. G. Brampton, No. 22 Sqn., Villeneuve-des-Vertus, France, January 1918Sydney Dalrymple left his native Australia at theage of 30 in 1915. He headed for the UK, where hejoined the ranks of the RFC and underwent pilottraining. He was subsequently promoted to therank of 2nd Lieutenant on January 8, 1916 and onMay 22 he reported himself to No. 27 Squadron,which was flying single-seaters MartinsydeG.100, originally intended as long-range fighters,but used as bombers instead in France. With thiscumbersome machine he scored his first kill onJuly 1 when he destroyed a two-seater Roland C.He was subsequently transferred to No. 24 Sqn.and on July 1, 1917, was promoted to the rank ofLieutenant. Another reassignment in mid-1918took him to Italy to No. 139 Sqn. where he flewwith F.2Bs and scored four more kills, earninghim ace status. The “Brisfits” of No. 139 Sqn.were, like the Camels of that unit, identified bya black and white striping of the rear fuselage,and possibly a white-black-white stripe on thewing. On some machines, however, the blackpaint was omitted, which was also the case withthe D8084.Sydney Arthur Oades enlisted at the age oftwenty-five in 1915 with the Royal Engineers andserved as a Sapper. He then joined the RFC andwas promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on June22, 1917. At the end of the year, he was transferredto No. 22 Squadron, flying with F.2Bs. He scoredhis first of eleven victories on October 27, when heshot down a Rumpler reconnaissance aircraft. Bythe end of the year, he had added two more kills,all of his victims being reconnaissance aircraft.He then achieved his first victory over an enemyfighter on January 6, 1918, when he shot down anAlbatros D.V. Oades´ fighter career was ended bya crash on March 13, 1918. He was wounded inthe crash and added no further successes to hisrecord afterwards. It was with this aircraft thatOades shot down his first Albatros D.V. on January6, 1918, with Lt. Brampton as his gunner. Shortlyafterwards Oades began flying with 2Lt StantonWilliam Bunting as his usual crew member. TheA7300 was one of the aircraft acquired with fundsprovided by Maharaja Rameshwar Singh, as theinscription on the fuselage conveyed.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard65September 2023Page 66
Spitfire Mk.VcThe Weekend edition kit of British WWII fighter plane Spitfire Mk.Vcin 1/48 scale. Kit offers to build Spitfire Mk.Vc flying in RAF, USAAFor Free French Forces.plastic parts: Eduardmarking options: 4decals: EduardPE parts: nopainting mask: noresin parts: no#841921/48Product pageKITS 09/2023INFO Eduard66September 2023Page 67
AB216, S/Ldr Robert W. Oxpring, No. 91 “Nigeria“ Squadron, RAF Hawkinge, Great Britain, April–June 1942EE613, S/Ldr Michel G. B. Donnet, No. 350 Squadron, RAF Friston, Great Britain, June 1944Spitfire serial number AB216 was one of thefirst Mk.Vc Spitfires manufactured. From themid-March 1942 it flew with the No. 91 “Nigeria“Squadron where it was a personal mount ofS/Ldr Rober Oxpring who saddled it until June1942. After its service with No. 91 Squadron, SpitfireAB216 was withdrawn from the operational flyingand a towing device was installed on the tailwheel. Then it was tested for towing the Hotspurand Horsa gliders. Bobby Oxpring was born onMay 22, 1919 in Sheffield, Yorkshire and duringthe Great War, his father had flown with an airreconnaissance unit. In March 1938, Oxpring joinedRAF and as early as in December was transferredto the No. 66 Squadron, the same unit his fatherhad flown with. He flew with this unit during theBattle of Britain where he scored eight confirmedvictories a was decorated with DFC. In April 1941he finished his tour of duty and was transferredto the No. 59 OTU where he flew as an instructor.In September 1941 he started his second tour ofduty with the No. 616 Squadron but a week laterhe was ordered to the No. 41 Squadron where heled a flight. In January 1942 he assumed commandof the No. 91 “Nigeria“ Squadron and in June thecommand of the No. 72 Squadron where he wasawarded a bar to his DFC. In November 1942 theunit was relocated to the North Africa where itwas, as one of the first units, equipped with thenew Spitfires Mk.IX. During the first months of1943, Oxpring scored further five victories and oneof his victims was the famous German ace AntonHafner from JG 51. Having received the secondbar to his DFC in the end of April, he finishedhis second tour of duty and was transferred tothe No. 242 Group Headquarters. In the end ofthe year he returned to Great Britain and wasassigned to the Fighter Command Headquarters.In March 1944 he commenced his third tour ofduty as a Wing Commander with the No. 24 Wingflying Spitfires Mk.XIV and during June and Julyhe shot down five V-1 flying bombs. In Septemberhe was ordered to the No. 141 Wing and then tothe Detling Wing. He finished his wartime servicewith 14 confirmed kills, two probable, 13 aircraftdamaged and five V-1 flying bombs destroyed.Mike Donnet was born in 1917 in Richmond,Great Britain. On March 1, 1938, he joined theAviation Militaire Belge. He flew a Renard R.31reconnaissance airplane with 9/V/1Ae based atBierset. After the German invasion of Belgium onMay 10, 1940, he flew several combat missions.After his country was occupied, he decided to fleeand during the night of July 4–5 he managed toreach the Great Britain on a stolen Stampe SV-4b.On July 24, 1941, Michel Gabriel Libert Donnet wasadmitted to the ranks of the RAF and assigned tothe No. 61 OTU to train on Spitfires. In September1941, he was transferred to the No. 64 Squadron.Flying with this unit he took part in the missionsagainst the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau battlecruisers and in the operation Jubilee at Dieppe. In1943 he assumed command of the No. 64 Squadron.On March 23, 1944, he assumed command ofthe No. 340 Squadron and participated in theNormandy landing flying Spitfires Mk.Vc andIX. After the No. 350 Squadron converted toSpitfires Mk.XIV he flew missions against V-1flying bombs, retreating German ground forcesand providing the air cover at Arnhem. He ledthe unit until October 23, 1944, when he wasdecorated with DFC and promoted to the WingCommander. In the beginning of 1945, he assumedcommand of the Hawkinge and Bentwater Wingsflying Mustangs Mk.III. Leading the unit, heprovided escort for the Mosquitos attacking theGestapo Headquarters in Copenhagen. Duringhis wartime career, Donnet flew 375 missionsachieving the score of three confirmed kills,one probable and four damaged, all while flyingwith the No. 64 Squadron. After the war heserved at the Belgium Department of Defenseand reorganized the Belgium Air Force for thenew jet equipment. Then he was given the job asa Chief of Staff of the 2nd Allied Tactical Air Forceresponsible for the Western Europe AA defense.In 1972 General Lieutenant Donnet was appointedthe Belgium Military Attache at NATO. On June1, 1975, he retired from the Belgium AF with therank of General Lieutenant having logged 5000flight hours. In 1968 he published a book abouthis many famous adventures titled “J’ai volé laliberté” (a Flight to Freedom).KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard67September 2023Page 68
Recommended: Spitfire Mk.Vc 1/48481065 Spitfire Mk.V landing flaps (PE-Set)FE1380 Spitfire Mk.Vc Weekend (PE-Set)644113 Spitfire Mk.V LööK (Brassin)648640 Spitfire Mk.V engine (Brassin)648663 Spitfire Mk.V cockpit (Brassin)648664 Spitfire Mk.V wheels (Brassin)648666 Spitfire Mk.Vc gun bays (Brassin)648667 Spitfire Mk.V three-stacks exhausts rounded (Brassin)648668 Spitfire Mk.V three-stacks exhausts fishtail (Brassin)648669 Spitfire Mk.V six-stacks exhausts fishtail (Brassin)648671 Spitfire Mk.Vc undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)648738 Spitfire Mk.V landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)3DL48031 Spitfire Mk.V SPACE (3D Decal Set)D48088 Spitfire Mk.V stencils (Decal Set)D48101 Spitfire Mk.V national insignia (Decal Set)EX914 Spitfire Mk.V TFace (Mask)EX977 Spitfire Mk.Vc Weekend (Mask)Lt. Robert C. Curtis, 2nd FS, 52nd FG, 12th AF, Corsica, December 1943JK661, Cne. Georges Valentin, No. 326 Squadron (GC.II/7), Armée de l'Air, Corsica, September 1943Spitfire Mk.Vc carrying a white inscription JulieII on the starboard engine cowling featured theclipped wings and according to the memoirs ofits pilot, Bob Curtis, it sported a non-standardcamouflage of two shades of green, probablyDark Green and Olive Drab, on the upper surfaces.On February 19, 1944, Bob Curtis at its controls,shot down a Bf 109 and his opponent was mostprobably Oblt. Klippigen from 7./JG 53. Severaldays later he lost his Spitfire when the target hewas attacking exploded and damaged his aircraft.After the 52nd FG converted to P-51 Mustangs,Curtis shot down another 13 enemy airplanes.After the war, until 1950, he served with USAFReserves as a Meteorological Officer.Georges Valentin was born on May 19, 1908, in LaVille, France. Since the early childhood he wasa passionate aviation fan and won a scholarshipenabling him to attend the courses at the RichardAviation School where on February 6, 1927 heobtained his pilot’s licence. During that month, asa soldier he joined the 2nd group of the aviationworkers in Istres. In the end of May he was attachedto the 6e Escadrille 3e Regiment D’Aviation Mixte inThionville. In November 1927 he was accepted tothe professional warrant officers ranks. On April 1,1933, he was promoted to S/C rank and in January1936 he joined GC II/7. When on September 3, 1939,France declared war on Germany, Adj/Chef Valetinserved as a pilot with 3. escadrille GC II/7 at theLuxeuil base equipped with MS.406. During theFrench campaign sous lieutenant Valentin flew27 combat missions during which he scored eightconfirmed victories and one probable. One of hisvictims was a Do 17 from Stab./KG 77 with a KG 77commander, Gen. Maj. Wolff von Stutterheim onboard, who succumbed to his wounds. After thearmistice Valentin remained with the unit. Afterthe Anglo-American landing and surrender of theFrench troops in Africa (operation “Torch”) his unitconverted to Spitfires Mk.V a was renamed GC 2/7“Nice”. In April 1943 the unit participated the finalstage of the Tunisian campaign and then liberationof Corsica. During these battles, in the fall of 1943,lieutenant Valentin scored three victories. On June1, 1944, he was promoted to Capitaine and on June6 he assumed command of the 1 escadrille GC 2/7“Nice”. In the beginning of September, the unit wasrelocated to France to support the Allied troops. OnFriday September 8, 1944, around 5:20 pm, flyinghis 328th combat mission at a very low altitude,in Dijon sector, Capitaine Georges Valentin wasshot down by a German AA fire. His Spitfire burstin flames and hit a house on Rue Auguste-Brullenr. 12 in Dijon. Georges Valentin was a recipient ofthe Knight of Honorary Legion and Croix de Guerredecorated with seven palm trees and five stars.He flew 328 combat missions having logged 2,902flight hours and was credited with eleven victoriesand two probable kills.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard68September 2023Page 69
Czechoslovak WingCommanders on SpitfireMark VcThe Weekend edition kit of British WWII fighter plane Spitfire Mk.Vc in 1/48 scale.Kit offers to build Spitfire Mk.Vc flying in RAF, USAAF or Free French Forces.Bonus decals are for Spitfires of the Czechoslovak Wig Commanders, W/Cdr Karel Mrázekand W/Cdr František Doležal.plastic parts: Eduardmarking options: 4 + 3decals: EduardPE parts: nopainting mask: noresin parts: no#BFC1151/48Product page+KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard69September 2023Page 70
AR502, W/Cdr Karel Mrázek,CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, Great Britain, July–October 1942EE626, W/Cdr Karel Mrázek, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, Great Britain, October 1942–January 1943EE626, W/Cdr František Doležal, CO of Ibsley (Czechoslovak) Wing, Great Britain, October–November 1943Second Mrázek’s “Wing Commander” Spitfire is,thanks to the survived film archive, fairly welldocumented. He flew his new Spitfire Mk.Vc s/nAR502 from the end of July till October 1942.On August 28, at its controls he achieved hislast combat success when, in the cooperationwith S/Ldr František Doležal, No. 310 Squadroncommander, he shot down a Bf 109F-4 fromthe 1.(F)124 reconnaissance unit. Same as hispredecessor, this personal aircraft carried thepilot’s initials, “KM” painted on both sides of thefuselage, between the fuselage cockade andSky S fuselage band sprayed in front of the tailssurfaces. The letters “KM” were also painted inyellow on the lower part of the engine cowling.In October “Charlie” Mrázek was assigned a new“C“ model serial number EE626 with which he flew16 combat missions. Also In this case, thanks to thefilm archive, the appearance of this aircraft canbe fairly well documented. Besides the standardcamouflage of Dark Green/Ocean Grey/MediumSea Grey the code letters “KM” were this timepainted in Sky on both sides of the fuselage in frontof the fuselage cockade and in the smaller size onthe lower part of the engine cowling. Under thewindshield, on the port side, a Wing Commanderpennant was painted as a new marking. Unlikeall Mrazek’s previous Spitfires, this aircraftfeatured de Havilland propeller with the shortspinner. EE626 flew with No. 310 Squadronuntil February 3, 1943, when it was rammed bea No. 307 Squadron’s Mosquito. It was repaired atthe Air Service Training and the repair includedthe wind modification consisting of removing thewingtips and thus shortening the wingspan to 9.93meters. A circular rear mirror was installed aswell. During the months of October and November1943, such modified EE626 flew as a personalmount of Mrázek’s deputy, W/Cdr František Doležalwho had it marked by his initials “FD”. EE626remained in the No. 310 Squadron inventory untilDecember 24, 1943, when it was handed over to thePolish No. 316 Squadron. The service with No. 63and No. 587 Squadrons followed and on August 14,1945, the aircraft was officially struck off charge.The first pilot of EE626 was W/Cdr Karel Mrázek,commander of the Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing whoflew it from October to November 1943. On February3, 1943, in Exeter, the aircraft was rammed bya Mosquito from the No. 307 Squadron. The airplanewas repaired by the Air Service Training and thejob included the wing modification consisting ofremoving the wingtips and thus shortening thewingspan to 9.93 meters. A circular rear mirrorwas also installed. During the months of Octoberand November 1943, such modified EE626 flew as apersonal mount of Mrázek’s deputy, W/Cdr FrantišekDoležal who had it marked with his initials “FD”painted in Sky color on both sides of the fuselagein front of the fuselage cockade and in smaller sizein black on the lower part of the engine cowling.Under the “FD” fuselage code letters the originalMrázek’s initials “KM” can still be recognized havingbeen repainted in Dark Green. Under the windshield,on both sides, a Czechoslovak national insignia anda Wing Commander pennant, moved to the fuel tankaccess panel, were painted. The port engine cowlingshows a fresh repaint on the entire surface, mostlikely in Ocean Grey.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard70September 2023Page 71
Page 72
MiG-21bisD, Eskadrila borbenih aviona, HRZ i PZO, Zagreb – Pleso,Croatia, December 2016MiG-21bis, 115th GIAP, Soviet VVS, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, 1980MiG-21BIS, HävLLv 31, Suomen ilmavoimat, Kuopio-Rissala AB, Finland, 1980The Croatian Air Force purchased forty MiG-21bisfighters and MiG-21UM trainers from Ukrainein 1995. In 2003, eight MiG-21bis aircraft weremodernized to bisD standard in Romania. Themodernization program included upgrade of thenavigation, communication and IFF equipment. In2014, another modernization took place involvingseven Croat MiG-21bisD/UMD aircraft, alongwith a purchase of another five aircraft fromrepair facility in Odessa. The modernized aircraftreceived an all-grey camouflage scheme. Aircraftcoded 116 received a stylized “25” on the left sideof the fin to commemorate 25th anniversary ofthe Croatian Air Force.Fighter cover duties during the Soviet invasionof Afghanistan were conducted by the 115thGuards' Regiment at the end of 1979. The unit wasequipped with the MiG-21bis and was based atKokaity in Uzbekistan, a Soviet Socialist State atthe time. Three days after the invasion beginning,the 1st Squadron moved to Bagram Air Base,followed by a second Squadron on January 23,1980. Due to the lack of any enemy fighters, the115th GIAP became involved in ground supportduties together with the 136th APIB. MiG-21bisaircraft of the 115th GIAP used in Afghanistanwere painted in green and brown on the uppersurfaces at the beginning of the war, with lowersurfaces in a blue-grey tone.The newest version of the MiG-21, the “bis”, waspurchased to the tune of twenty-six pieces by theFinnish Air Force in the latter half of the seventies.The first aircraft were delivered in 1978, and atthe beginning of the eighties, these aircraft beganto be westernized. The process included a newinstrument panel and radio equipment compatiblewith those of west European aircraft. The aircraftcoded MG-130 was delivered to Finland on July17th, 1980, and its westernization was conductedduring 1982. It made its last flight on March 7th,1998, and it can currently be seen on the roofterrace of the Verkkokauppa Oy Shopping Centerin Helsinki. At the beginning of the eighties,MG-130 carried the camouflage scheme in whichit was delivered from the Soviet Union, i.e. brownand green on the upper and side surfaces, whilethe lower surfaces in light grey.KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard72September 2023Page 73
MiG-21bis, C2283, No.3 Squadron „Cobras“, Pathankot AB, India, early ´90sC2283 displays a unique combination ofcamouflage scheme and colorful ID markings. Theunit personnel named their aircraft after snakes,among which “Rattler”, “Mamba” and “Cobra”are known. The dorsal section of the fuselagewas taken from another MiG-21bis, probablyfrom a “Mamba”. The history of No.3 Squadrongoes back to October 1941, when the unit wasactivated in Peshawar, equipped with the HawkerAudax. During the second half of the TwentiethCentury, the unit took part in every conflict thatIndia was involved in with neighboring states.The No.3 Squadron used the MiG-21bis from July1980 to 2002, when it was re-equipped with themodernized MiG-21 “Bison”.Recommended:for MiG-21bis 1/4848704 MiG-21 ladder (PE-Set)48994 MiG-21 surface panels (PE-Set)48999 MiG-21bis exterior (PE-Set)49065 MiG-21 KM-1 seatbelts FABRIC (PE-Set)49110 MiG-21 seatbelts STEEL (PE-Set)491036 MiG-21bis interior (PE-Set)FE1149 MiG-21bis Weekend (PE-Set)644033 MiG-21bis LööK (Brassin)648025 Rocket launcher UB-16 and UB-32 (Brassin)648026 MiG-21 wheels (Brassin)648030 MiG-21 seat late (Brassin)648049 MiG-21 wheel wells (Brassin)648050 MiG-21BIS interior (Brassin)648051 MiG-21BIS exhaust nozzle (Brassin)648064 MiG-21 late airbrakes (Brassin)648080 MiG-21 undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)648082 R-60 / AA-8 Aphid (Brassin)648125 R-3S / AA-2 Atoll-A (Brassin)648126 OFAB-100 Soviet bombs (Brassin)648127 OFAB-250 Soviet bombs (Brassin)648136 S-24 rocket (Brassin)648173 UB-16 rocket launcher (2 pcs) (Brassin)648424 FAB-500 M54 bombs (Brassin)648445 R-13M missiles Brassin)648490 MiG-21 F.O.D (Brassin)3DL48026 MiG-21bis SPACE (3D Decal Set)EX751 MiG-21bis Weekend (Mask)#644033#648050#648490#648064#648049KITS 09/2023INFO Eduard73September 2023Page 74
BRASSINLööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboardsand STEEL seatbelts for F-4E in 1/48 scale.Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.Recommended kit: MengSet contains:- resin: 5 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details:yes, pre-painted- painting mask: no.LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboardand STEEL seatbelts for A-10C in 1/48 scale.Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.Recommended kit: AcademySet contains:- resin: 2 parts- 3D print: 1 part- decals: yes- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted- painting mask: no644224F-4E LööK1/48 Meng644225A-10C LööK1/48 AcademyProduct pageProduct pageINFO Eduard74September 2023Page 75
644227Bf 109K-4 LööK1/48 EduardLööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEELseatbelts for Bf 109K-4 in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: EduardSet contains:- resin: 1 part- decals: no- photo-etched details:yes, pre-painted- painting mask: noBRASSINCollection of 3 sets for A-20G in 1/32 scale.Recommended kit: HKM- LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)- TFace painting mask- undercarriage wheels634041A-20G LööKplus1/32 HKMProduct pageProduct pageINFO Eduard75September 2023Page 76
BRASSINCollection of 4 sets for FM-2 in 1/48 scale.Recommended kit: Eduard- LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)- TFace painting mask- undercarriage wheels- gun barrelsBrassin set - radio equipment for Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. Cin 1/35 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.Recommended kit: AcademySet contains:- 3D print: 14 parts- resin: 1 part- decals: yes- photo-etched details: yes- painting mask: no644226FM-2 LööKplus1/32 Eduard635035Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. C radio equipment dark yellow PRINT1/35 AcademyProduct pageProduct pageINFO Eduard76September 2023Page 77
BRASSINBrassin set - ejection seats for F-16D in 1/48 scale.The set consists of 2 seats. Made by direct3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.Recommended kit: KineticSet contains:- 3D print: 10 parts- decals: yes- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted- painting mask: noBrassin set - gun bays for A6M3 in 1/48 scale.Designed for Zeroes Type 32 and 22 with long-barreledwing guns (guns protruding from the leading edgeof the wing). Made by direct 3D printing.Recommended kit: EduardSet contains:- 3D print: 18 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: yes- painting mask: no648884A6M3 gun bays long barrel PRINT1/48 EduardProduct pageProduct page648893F-16D ejection seats PRINT1/48 KineticINFO Eduard77September 2023Page 78
648894Bf 109 balance weights PRINT1/48 Eduard648896FM-2 cockpit w/ armoured headrest PRINT1/48 EduardBRASSINBrassin set - wing balance weights for Bf 109in 1/48 scale. The set consists of 10 balanceweights. Easy to assemble, replaces plasticparts. Made by direct 3D printing.Recommended kit: EduardSet contains:- 3D print: 10 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: no- painting mask: noBrassin set - cockpit for FM-2 in 1/48 scale.Made by direct 3D printing.Recommended kit: EduardSet contains:- 3D print: 13 parts- decals: yes- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted- painting mask: no- SPACE 3D decals: noProduct pageProduct pageINFO Eduard78September 2023Page 79
BRASSINBrassin set - exhaust stacks for Hurricane Mk.Iin 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.Recommended kit: Hobby BossSet contains:- resin: 2 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: no- painting mask: no648898Hurricane Mk.I exhaust stacks PRINT1/48 Hobby BossBrassin set - the undercarriage wheels for HurricaneMk.I in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheelsand a tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plasticparts. Recommended kit: Hobby BossSet contains:- resin: 3 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: no- painting mask: yes648897Hurricane Mk.I wheels1/48 Hobby BossProduct pageProduct pageINFO Eduard79September 2023Page 80
BRASSINBrassin set - the undercarriage wheels for MiG-17in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels anda nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.Recommended kit: AMMOSet contains:- resin: 3 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: no- painting mask: yesBrassin set - gun bays for FM-2 in 1/48 scale.Made by direct 3D printing.Recommended kit: EduardSet contains:- 3D print: 16 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: yes- painting mask: no648900FM-2 gun bays PRINT1/48 Eduard648899MiG-17 wheels1/48 AMMOProduct pageProduct pageINFO Eduard80September 2023Page 81
BRASSINBrassin set - the propeller for Bf 109K-4 in 1/48 scale.The spinner could be removed. Made by direct 3D printing.Recommended kit: EduardSet contains:- 3D print: 2 parts- resin: 4 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: no- painting mask: no648903Bf 109K-4 propeller PRINT1/48 EduardBrassin set - the engine for Bf 109K-4in 1/48 scale. The cowling are included.Recommended kit: EduardSet contains:- resin: 72 parts- decals: yes- photo-etched details: yes- painting mask: no648902Bf 109K-4 engine1/48 EduardProduct pageProduct pageINFO Eduard81September 2023Page 82
BRASSINBrassin set - exhaust stacks for Bf 109K-4 in 1/48 scale.Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plasticparts. Recommended kit: EduardSet contains:- 3D print: 2 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: yes- painting mask: noBrassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Bf 109K-4in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels anda tail wheel (two versions). Easy to assemble,replaces plastic parts.Recommended kit: EduardSet contains:- resin: 4 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: no- painting mask: yes648914Bf 109K-4 wheels1/48 Eduard648913Bf 109K-4 exhaust stacks PRINT1/48 EduardProduct pageProduct pageINFO Eduard82September 2023Page 83
BRASSINBrassin set - ejection seat for MiG-29Ain 1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.Recommended kit: Great Wall HobbySet contains:- 3D print: 3 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted- painting mask: no672331MiG-29A ejection seat PRINT1/72 Great Wall HobbyBrassin set - cockpit for Bf 109F in 1/72 scale.Made by direct 3D printing.Recommended kit: EduardSet contains:- 3D print: 9 parts- decals: yes- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted- painting mask: no- SPACE 3D decals: no672327Bf 109F cockpit PRINT1/72 EduardProduct pageProduct pageINFO Eduard83September 2023Page 84
BRASSINBrassin set - exhaust nozzles for MiG-29 in 1/72 scale.Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Great Wall HobbySet contains:- 3D print: 6 parts- decals: no- photo-etched details: yes- painting mask: no672332MiG-29 exhaust nozzles PRINT1/72 Great Wall HobbyProduct pagePage 85
www.eduard.com/bfcBUNNY BUNNY FIGHTERFIGHTERCLUBEduard's special membership club for all modeling enthusiasts!15% Permanent Club discount at Eduard Store – you will receive permanent 15% discount on all Eduardproducts and also discount on various other non-Eduard products. Fixed, permanent, forever!Unique valuable Club kits and accessories – you will gain access to unique and nowhere else to be soldproducts, specially made for BFC members.Even better prices at Eduard events stand – do you know that Eduard usually has huge discounts ontheir products at fairs and events all over the world? BFC members will have even higher discount atthese events.Club T-shirt – you will receive fancy BFC T-shirt with unique design and special barcode(used for event discounts). This exclusive T-shirt will be only availableto the members of BFC.Free entry fee on E-day – you will not have to pay a penny to visit Eduard's E-day.That means lot of fun at E-day for two days and entry kit, absolutely free!* E-day - INTERNATIONAL SCALE KIT EXHIBITION - IPMS Czech Republic ChampionshipBOX CONTENT:Plastic parts, Marking options 6, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassinparts (two different types of wheels, landing flaps, dust filter witheyelid, intake ring and RP-3 60lb rockets), 3D decals for main and si-dewalk instrument and control panels with photo-etched details andseat belts.BOX CONTENT:Plastic parts, Marking options 4, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassinparts (undercarriage wheels, cockpit, exhaust nozzle, FOD).How to become a member of BFC?How to become a member of BFC?Simply by purchasing the Activation product. You will be given 15% discount on (almost) every Eduardproduct in your shopping cart. To apply this discount, the Activation product has to be in your shoppingcart. Activation product is excluded from this calculation.Activation products:Activation products:Tempest Mk. V + T-shirt 1/48MiG-21MF + T-shirt 1/72Page 86
BRASSINCollection of 4 sets for Anson Mk.I in 1/48 scale.Recommended kit: Airfix- undercarriage wheels,- radiators,,- guns,- engines.All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.SIN648110Anson Mk.I1/48 AirfixProduct pageINFO Eduard86September 2023Page 87
BRASSINCollection of 9 sets for A-10C in 1/48 scale.Recommended kit: Academy- AGM-65 Maverick- TER- LAU-3/A- GBU-10 Paveway II- AIM-9M/L Sidewinder- Mk.82 bombs w/airbrake early- GBU-12 bomb- Sniper ATP- AN/ALQ-131 (deep) ECM podAll sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.SIN648111A-10C armament1/48 AcademyProduct pageINFO Eduard87September 2023Page 88
Page 89
Page 90
Page 91
Page 92
Page 93
Page 94
Page 95
Page 96
Page 97
Page 98
BIG EDAll sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30%.BIG33153 Spitfire Mk.I 1/32 KotareBIG33154AH-64E 1/35 Takom32483 Spitfire Mk.I landing flaps 1/32321009 Spitfire Mk.I 1/3233350 Spitfire Mk.I seatbelts STEEL 1/32JX309 Spitfire Mk.I 1/32321010 AH-64E 1/3533352 AH-64E seatbelts STEEL 1/35JX311 AH-64E 1/35Product pageProduct pageINFO Eduard98September 2023Page 99
All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30%.BIG EDBIG49377 PV-1 PART II 1/48 AcademyBIG49378Mi-8MT 1/48 TrumpeterBIG49379Mi-8MT CARGO INTERIOR 1/48 Trumpeter481106 PV-1 exterior 1/48481107 PV-1 bomb bay 1/48481108 PV-1 undercarriage 1/48491356 Mi-8MT 1/48FE1357 Mi-8MT seatbelts STEEL 1/48EX947 Mi-8MT 1/48481111 Mi-8MT cargo floor 1/48481112 Mi-8MT cargo seats 1/48491357 Mi-8MT cargo seatbelts STEEL 1/48Product pagestránka produktuProduct pageINFO Eduard99September 2023Page 100
MASKSIT FITS!EX971 FM-2 US national insignia1/48 EduardEX972 F-4G1/48 MengEX973 F-4G TFace1/48 MengEX974 Yak-9T1/48 ZvezdaEX975 Yak-9T TFace1/48 ZvezdaEX976 Bf 109K TFace1/48 EduardEX977 Spitfire Mk.Vc Weekend1/48 EduardEX978 F-4G surface panels1/48 MengEX979 F-4G wheel bays1/48 MengEX974 1/48 ZvezdaEX974 1/48 ZvezdaEX975 1/48 Zvezda TFaceEX975 1/48 Zvezda TFace