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Bf 109 G-10 1/72 - What the new kit offers
When I submitted an article about the 72nd scale Mustang kit and its benefits to modelers, I was not reprimanded for it, and on the back of it I promised that if the opportunity arose and I was asked, I would write something else similar. Little did I know that the opportunity would arise the very next month and that I would be asked almost immediately. I understood right from the get go that it would not be so easy and that it would be better to stick to the spirit of a famous quote from an equally famous play. How can I write something that will differ from the previous article in more than just the name of the kit? I thought about it for three weeks, put together two Bf 109 G-10s in the meantime and one other Messerschmitt from a competitor to have some comparison and benchmark of quality, value and the like. The third in the party was the Japanese Bf 109 G-6, but that's okay. While building two G-10 kits, I found two minor errors, one on the molding and one in the instructions. The result of my efforts and thinking is the following writeup.
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Unordnung – Late Versions of the Bf 109 G
The development of these late versions of the Bf 109G, manufactured in a series of related and therefore similar versions, was the German aviation industry’s response to a requirement to quickly supply Luftwaffe units with high performance fighters to combat the Allied bombing offensive of the spring of 1944. The appearance of the P-51B and D Mustang with the 8th and 15th American Air Forces showed that the need to offset the increasing obsolescence of German fighters was becoming critical. The anticipated replacement of the then standard Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/G-14 with the Bf 109K, powered by the DB 605D, was not yet possible in the spring of 1944 due to the protracted development of the airframe and engine alike. The design element of Messerschmitt in Regensburg found an interim solution by installing the DB 605AS into the Bf 109G-6, and this modification made use of items that were already designed and were construction ready, intended to be used in the engine installation in the Bf 109K.
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Bernie Lay and Piccadilly Lily
We ended the first part of Bernie Lay's story with his return from the ill-fated Regensburg mission on August 17th, 1943. Despite the title of this article and its reference to Piccadilly Lily, Lily does not appear again in this continuation. Indeed, Bernie Lay finished his internship with the 100th BG and returned to VIII. Bomber Command HQ. Piccadilly Lily was then shot down less than two months later, killing Bernie's partner on the mission to Regensburg, Frank Murphy, and part of his crew. For journalist, pilot and writer Bernie Lay, his involvement in the battles over Europe was far from over. In fact, more dramatic moments were yet to come.
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Air War in Ukraine - F-16s with Yellow-Blue Roundels
In our series on the aerial war in Ukraine, we usually map the events of each month chronologically. However, we will make an exception for this period (from July 1 to July 31). A significant event took place at the very end of July, and it deserves attention at the beginning of this article. Ukraine has taken an important step to strengthen its air force by starting to use F-16 fighter jets over its territory.
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Highlights of the Bf 109 F/G family in 1/72 scale
The Bf 109 F/G family in 1/72 scale has brought a number of improvements over the 1/48 scale models of the same type. With a focus on easier buildability, low parts count and a more modeler friendly build, we have incorporated the following changes and improvements to the model:
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EAA Oshkosh 2024
When an American tells you that something is ‘huge’, as European, your curiosity will be aroused. Foe the European used to European standards, there are many things in America that can be considered huge. They have, for example, big cars, big roads, huge houses and skyscrapers in every big city, and even pretty massive portions of food, which after our annual trip to America, we are reminded of when we try to button up our pants. But when our American friend Ed Mautner told us that the Oshkosh Air Show was going to be huge, my colleagues and I knew right away that we definitely had something to look forward to. And it certainly was!
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Editorial
Bf 109 G-10 1/72
Convoy off Okinawa
Beginning in Africa
Markings for Bf 109G-10 1/72
Markings for FM-2 Wildcat 1/48
Markings Bf 109G-2 1/48
Markings P-39Q Airacobra 1/48
Tail End Charlie
Air War in Ukraine
Unordnung – Late Versions of the Bf 109 G
Bernie Lay and Piccadilly Lily