09/2024

INFO Eduard is a monthly scale model-historical magazine published in Czech and English by Eduard Model Accessories since 2010. The magazine is available for free on the Triobo platform and can be downloaded in PDF format. Eduard is a manufacturer of plastic models and accessories with over 30 years of tradition. Throughout its history in the plastic modeling industry, Eduard has become one of the world's leaders. Further details about the company and its product range can be found at www.eduard.com. You can subscribe to the INFO magazine and receive product information for free at: https://www.eduard.com/cs/info-eduard/

• Page 1

  INFO Eduard

  # 175

  e-magazine FREE Vol 23 September 2024

• Page 2

  INFO Eduard

  # 175

  e-magazine FREE Vol 23 September 2024

  © Eduard - Model Accessories, 2024

  FREE FOR DOWNLOAD, FREE FOR DISTRIBUTION!

  This material may only be used for personal use. No part of the text

  or graphic presentations can be used in another publication in any other media

  form or otherwise distributed without the prior written

  permission of Eduard - Model Accessories and authors involved.

  Editorial and Graphics - Marketing department, Eduard - Model Accessories, Ltd.

• Page 3

  eduard

  eduard

  SEPTEMBER 2024

  CONTENTS

  Published by Eduard-Model Accessories, spol. s.r.o.

  Mírová 170, Obrnice 435 21

  support@eduard.com www.eduard.com

  EDITORIAL

  KITS

  BRASSIN

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED SETS

  SPACE

  BUILT

  ON APPROACH

  –

  October 2024

  TAIL END CHARLIE

  ARTICLES

  BOXART STORY

  Bf 109G-10 Royal Class 1/72

  FM-2 Wildcat ProfiPACK 1/48

  Bf 109G-2 ProfiPACK 1/48 Re-Release

  P-39Q Airacobra Weekend 1/48 Re-Release

  Fw 190F-8 1/72

  Bf 109 G-10 1/72

  Unordnung – Late Versions of the Bf 109 G

  Bernie Lay and Piccadilly Lily

  Air War in Ukraine

  -

  F-16s with Yellow-Blue Roundels

  Highlights of the Bf 109 F/G family in 1/72 scale

  Convoy off Okinawa

  Beginning in Africa

  4

  6

  36

  38

  64

  78

  90

  100

  102

  116

• Page 4

  Good evening, dear Friends!

  Over the summer period, I was asked on

  a discussion forum to write in today's editorial

  what new kits we have in store for the last quarter

  of this year. After careful consideration, I decided

  not to do it, and that's because E-day is coming

  up, as well as the Czech Republic Plastic Modeling

  Championship. At both events, I will present news

  not only for the rest of this year, but also for the

  first half of the next. The problem is that revealing

  these plans here and now would rob me of what

  I have already planned for E-day and the way

  I want to present them, including any surprises we

  might have up our sleeves!

  So today I will limit myself to September

  releases, and also to October’s, as they will be

  available at E-day at the end of this month.

  NEW RELEASES FOR SEPTEMBER

  New releases for September are no secret,

  since they have already been available for a week

  now. The centrepiece of the list is the Royal Class

  Bf 109 G-10 in 1:72. If you want to know my opinion

  about this kit, you can find it in a column I wrote

  about it for today's newsletter. It's written in a bit

  of an American style, inspired by my being in the

  States for three weeks on holiday and I always

  soak up the attitude to life there. In the Czech

  Republic, for about two centuries now, American

  attitudes have been considered to smack of

  a certain level of self admiration. According to the

  widely held cultural belief by the Czechs (and not

  just), a good creator should sit nicely in a corner

  somewhere and wait for praise. Typically, that

  takes a decade or two after the person’s death.

  This is the tale that Antonín Dvořák could tell. But

  we Czechs, the proud nation of F.X. Šalda, know

  our stuff. It’s an attitude with a stifling quality to

  it alien to Americans, and it's one of the reasons

  why I always feel freer in America. Much more

  free. I enjoy it there, because there, I can say that

  I did something well, even extremely well, and no

  one will accuse me of being an arrogant bragger

  if the results are there to see. In fact, I would urge

  Czech modellers to adopt a bit of the American

  perspective. What if we included a national self-

  confidence and a healthy pride in one's own work

  among those American innovations we have

  already managed to adopt. If we could adopt

  things like a food processor, air conditioning, big

  cars, hot dogs, McDonalds, hockey (Canadian,

  I know, but hey!), good rock and even F-35s, why not

  add that sense of self worth and make it our own?

  God bless America!

  In addition to the aforementioned Royal Class

  kit, we are also releasing an FM-2 Wildcat in 1:48th

  scale as a Profipack boxing. It comes out of the

  older Limited Edition releases we dubbed ‘Wilder

  Cat’, and we have two other older pieces in the

  form of a reissued Bf 109 G-2 in 1:48th, also in

  the Profipack line, and a P-39Q Airacobra, also in

  1:48th, but as a Weekend kit. It may surprise you

  that we are re-releasing the Airacobra that is over

  twenty years old at a time when a new kit from

  Poland is coming to the market. Well, releasing it

  we are. Ours is not a bad kit, has its own qualities

  and has survived Japanese competition, so

  I think it can and will do the same here. Otherwise,

  however, we wish our colleagues from Poland good

  luck and will be watching with interest how they

  fare with their effort. This is in no way an act of

  us going after someone else’s product. In fact, we

  are wishing them success, because their success

  is our success. After all, we make accessories for

  their kits, and we don't make them to not sell!

  NEW RELEASES FOR OCTOBER

  October's new releases will be here lickity split,

  and I don’t much believe you don’t now about them

  by now. One of these are raising some eyebrows.

  Yes, I mean the old 1:72nd scale Turbolet, originally

  released by Gavia and in October in the new-ish

  Eduard Heavy Retro line. The kit is very original and

  an unadulterated retro, and the era from which it

  hails is clearly visible on it. It has its flaws, and

  they are not few in number. But even with them

  it's good old-fashioned, honest work. That model

  didn't come about because some geek bought a

  kit, cut it up to look different, bathed it in epoxy

  and released it as a super 3D new tool kit of the

  year. Its creators honestly worked on the creation

  of this model with determination, from the drawing

  to the wooden masters, through the design of

  decals, instructions and the box, all the way to

  releasing it. That kit contains a large portion of

  the work and a piece of life of its designers, Michal

  Vláčilík and Petr Podvala, and the same portion

  of honest work, artistic finesse and care of the

  creator of the molds, Pavel Vandělík, who kept

  them in good functioning condition throughout

  their existence. Now, after almost a quarter of

  a century since the creation of the original kit, we

  are offering it once again with the addition of a few

  modern details, mainly a printed landing gear, new

  transparencies, some photoetched, quality decals

  and contemporary box art. Among other things, we

  did this to make everyone who bought a copy of the

  Gavia kit from the people at AZ/KP Models realize

  that buying rip-offs is not cool nor necessarily

  the only way to get a specific kit. We actually own

  those molds and have for some twenty years now.

  Patience is a virtue and it is always good to support

  good, honest work. Ultimately, when you purchase

  pirated kits from the people who shamelessly and

  blissfully rip off other peoples’ efforts, you support

  and reward that behavior. It’s a lot better to lay in

  the tall green grass than drown in scum….

  This L-410 is specifically the UVP version.

  If these do well in terms of sales, we’ll do others

  as well. At the moment, we are ready for the L-410

  UVP

  -

  E.

  You may have noticed the distinctly Czech flavor

  of the new releases coming up. That can’t be

  a surprise to anyone, with E-day just around the

  corner. In addition to the Turbolet, we also have an

  L-39ZA Albatros in 1:72, and a 48th scale Spitfire

  Mk.Vb in a Limited Edition format dedicated to

  the legacy built by members of the Czechoslovak

  Air Force who served in the RAF during World

  War II. The kit, named THEY FOUGHT TO REBUILD,

  conceptually belongs to The Spitfire Story series,

  even if it is not strictly portrayed as such. We are

  releasing it in a Dual Combo format and I believe

  that it will interest not only Czechs and Slovaks.

  So that the lineup of October new releases is

  not exclusively Czech or Czechoslovak, we have

  another classic, the P-51B/C Mustang in a 48th

  scale Profipack rendition. It differs from the

  previous P-51B, released in August, by the fin fillet.

  This is not such a small change, and precipitated

  a new sprue frame with a fuselage on it. It's

  a classic Profipack with six marking options, and

  you can see what these are below.

  EDITORIAL

  INFO Eduard4

  September 2024

• Page 5

  E

  -

  DAY 2024

  E-day is taking place again this year and for

  the third time at the Milovice Tankodrom museum.

  The main exhibition day is on September 28th,

  2024. As usual, the hall will be open on Friday,

  September 27th for competing modelers and

  for everyone who wants to chat and watch the

  presentation of Eduard’s new releases for the next

  year in peace. But you won't miss them even if you

  don't arrive until Saturday, since on that day, this

  part of the program will be repeated. Otherwise,

  the program schedule is standard; there are

  discussions with interesting guests planned, two

  ‘the Pot’ Q & A sessions, one with me about Eduard

  and the other with Fredy Riedel about Special

  Hobby. The space allocated for these discussions

  and announcements will again be different this

  year than last, and will be on the ground floor.

  We have been looking for a suitable location and

  hope that it will finally work out this year. A better

  sound system has been ordered; I think that is also

  important information. Catering will be largely in

  the gallery, where the Pot Q & As were last year.

  The cafe, which was under construction last year,

  is finished and functional, and the elevator from

  the ground floor to the gallery is also working.

  There will also be a flight demonstration, with the

  L-410 Turbolet in the works, but I will admit frankly

  that at the moment we do not have any of the

  expected aircraft 100% confirmed, with everyone

  having something to sort out one way or another.

  There is a significant change in the structure

  of the competition categories. We implemented a

  reform, the essence of which is the reduction of

  the number of the competition categories. This

  means that we have incorporated some categories

  into other, related ones. Incorporated categories

  are those in which there were few entries last year,

  in the order of single digit or very low double digit

  competitors. This typically happened with ships

  where there were, for example, six sailboats that

  had their own separate category. Similar is the

  case with helicopters, where last year there was

  only one competitor in 32nd scale. But you don't

  have to worry about contestants in these canceled

  categories losing their awards. We have introduced

  several award levels. One level will be the classic

  first, second and third. The next level will number

  around forty this year, intended for models that

  deserve an award for their quality, even if they do

  not reach the podium by gaining the necessary

  points due to one handicap or another. Another

  important part of the award structure will be the

  special theme awards, for twelve models with

  precisely defined characteristics, such as the Best

  Bust or the Best Submarine. The next level of award

  will be those of companies, clubs and individuals.

  For example, the Aero Vodochody award for the

  best aircraft model of a Czechoslovak produced

  aircraft or the Iron Bunny award. In addition to

  the championship cup, the overall winner will

  also receive an interesting and valuable award.

  It will be an ultrasonic knife, donated by Annetra.

  The awards presentation system will also change.

  Only first place category awards, theme awards,

  some corporate and club awards, and the overall

  winner award will be presented on stage during

  the medal ceremony. The rest of the hardware

  will be handed over at the counter where the

  models will be accepted at the beginning of the

  exhibition. You don't have to worry that this method

  of delivery being somehow impersonal, informal or

  undignified. Trust me, it will have its own quality

  and level! We will describe the awards presentation

  system in more detail on our Facebook page, our

  E-day page and other places as well. I will be

  explaining all the changes and new elements in

  both the judging system and presentation at the

  National Championship in Prague this Saturday,

  September 7th. And lest I forget, each contestant

  will receive a model for the exhibiting modelers

  this year. Not a standard ticket item, but a model

  specially prepared for exhibiting modelers only.

  You can also find a list of the competition

  categories and special prizes in today's newsletter

  issue. The author is Luboš Kuna. This is the man

  without whom and his ingenious management

  and evaluation system there would be no model

  competition in the Czech Republic today.

  A small flame has already broken out on

  Model Forum around the upcoming changes.

  I understand that the modeling community is quite

  conservative and doesn't like change. We, on the

  other hand, like changes and often implement

  them. While it is important to recognize how and

  when to evolve for the better, this also creates

  friction, tension and unrest. I would therefore like

  to ask you for patience and foresight, and above

  all for the decency to not jump the gun and start

  criticizing what has yet to be, until it becomes

  a past event that can be discussed rationally

  backed up by actual real information.

  ARTICLES AND OTHER PUBLISHED ITEMS

  As usual, and it must be stated again that,

  unfortunately, we have the next installment of

  the Air War over Ukraine series by Mira Baric.

  Something tells me that a twist is coming, but we

  won't see it in Mira's articles until at least a month

  after the fact.

  From me, we have ‘Unordnung’ an article on the

  development of the late versions of the Bf 109 G

  with DB 605AS and DB 605D engines...the Bf 109

  G-6/AS, G-14/AS and G-10, as well as a feature on

  the qualities of the Bf 109 G-10 Royal Class kit. Next,

  we have the second part of the article about Bernie

  Lay by Jan Zdiarsky. I also recommend the report

  from this year's aviation day in Oshkosh by Jakub

  Nademlejnsky. You won't be bored here, I've been

  there and I know what it’s about!

  We have two Boxart stories, both by Jan Bobek.

  The first, dedicated to the Bf 109 G-2, is about the

  opening battles of I./JG77 in Africa in the autumn

  of 1942. The second deals with the escort aircraft

  carrier USS Petrof Bay and the combat deployment

  of its onboard fighters against the Japanese

  Kamikaze pilots on April 6, 1945.

  While I was writing this editorial, Most and its

  surroundings, specifically the chemical factory

  located between Most and Litvínov, once again

  made it to the front pages of the news. That doesn't

  happen often here, and in our circumstances, such

  media interest signals some kind of trouble. We

  are a bit of a strange, somewhat wild region here.

  Although in July, during the Paris Olympics, we were

  also on TV every day, and it was entirely positive

  thanks to the Olympic Park at the Most lake. This is

  a lake that was formed by the flooding of a former

  mine that displaced the beautiful historic town at

  its original spot. That was a big mess and a crime,

  really. That's common here. And now, compared to

  the destruction of the old Most, we currently have

  a rather small but interesting problem. A bomb

  has been discovered unexploded, a 100 kilogram

  British aerial bomb from the Second World War. It's

  not just any bomb. It's unique because it's timed.

  This type has not been found in Bohemia since the

  war, and only explosives experts in Germany have

  experience with this type. The timer should have

  detonated the bomb after 144 hours at the latest,

  but it didn’t, and it is eighty years late. The bomb

  had been in the ground a short distance from

  the wall of the old power station since February,

  1944, when the largest raid took place on the

  synthetic gasoline plant in Záluží near Most, then

  known as STW Brüx. The raid was carried out by

  the RAF, about 600 Lancasters destroyed not only

  the factory, but also several villages in the vicinity

  of the factory and seriously damaged the towns

  of Most and Litvínov. It was the air raid with the

  greatest loss of civilian life out of all eighteen air

  raids against Most, the chemical facility in Záluží.

  Of these, sixteen were American and two were

  British. The first British attempt failed due to

  bad weather, the second succeeded by stopping

  the production of fuel at STW Brüx until the end

  of the war. It was only restored in 1947, when the

  factory was already named after Stalin, popularly

  known as Stalinák. That was another chapter in

  the dramatic history of our region. We will write

  more about that sometime in the future.

  Happy Modelling

  Vladimir Sulc.

  PS. The bomb was successfully detonated without

  loss of life on August 30th 2024, at 1213h.

  God save the King!

  EDITORIAL

  INFO Eduard

  5

  September 2024

• 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.

  Bf 109 G-10 1/72

  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.

  There really isn't much to add to the kit and

  its construction either compared to the Mustang

  or compared to the previous ‘109s. In terms of

  every aspect, it is very much an Eduard kit. The

  plastic sprues are cleanly molded and the parts

  fit together perfectly. The first kits from the

  series of Bf 109 F/G/K in 1:72nd, the Bf 109 F and

  G-2/G-4 had one questionable part from this

  point of view in the gun troughs for the fuselage

  machine guns, which were glued separately into

  openings in the engine cowl on each fuselage

  half. The designers stuck to this solution, already

  used on the 1:48th scale kits. They had a pretty

  good reason for that, keeping the engine cover

  compact. But the problem is that this created

  a complex parting line on the mold along the

  contour line of the openings for the troughs in the

  engine cover, which is also the contact plane for

  gluing the parts together. Any imperfection in the

  molding here causes a problem with the parts

  fitting together. And, unfortunately, that’s what

  happened, even though we played with the fine

  tuning of the mold for a really long time, we even

  redid the inserts for the Bf 109 F and adjusted

  the technological process of mold production for

  the G-2 and G-4. This helped, but many modelers

  and reviewers continue to report a problem with

  this aspect of the kit. For the Bf 109 G-6 and G-10,

  the approach has been altered, with the upper

  part of the nose with the gun troughs is glued as

  a separate part into the hole in the upper part of

  the fuselage.

  The problem with the alignment of the gun

  troughs is solved by using this method, but on the

  other hand, it results in a visible joint between

  the fuselage halves and panel that contains the

  troughs. It was not a feature on the real plane, so

  on the model the line needs to be lightly puttied

  and sanded. It's no Grand Canyon, it's a line in

  the order of a fraction of a millimeter that looks

  just like an engraved line on the assembly. If you

  don't cut into the plastic somewhere or damage

  the part, you won't be able to putty much, unless

  you really want to be absolutely historically and

  technically accurate. In that case, on the Erla and

  Messerschmitt models, you can putty the access

  cover to the compressed air cylinder for the

  MK 108 fuselage gun in front of the fifth fuselage

  bulkhead on the right side of the fuselage, which

  was only present on the Bf 109 G-10/U4, the

  WNF machines. There is no need to putty the

  joint between the fuselage and the vertical fin,

  which is glued in the same way as the Bf 109 F

  and G, as well as the Mustang...just inserting it

  inbetween the fuselage halves before they are

  glued together. In fact, this part does not even

  need to be glued in place at all, just inserted

  between the fuselage halves just before they

  are cemented together. The fin pulls itself into

  the correct position and locks in place. Similarly,

  the undercarriage legs settle into their correct

  position. These are again glued into a tunnel in

  the wheel wells that creates a housing for the

  pins located on the landing gear leg that seats

  them in the correct position.

  There is even no need to putty the joint

  between the wing assembly and the fuselage.

  At its trailing edge, the joint connects to the

  engraving of the fuselage bulkhead and, after

  installing the wing in the fuselage, creates a line

  of width identical to the width of the panel line.

  This is actually one of the innovations employed

  since the 48th scale kit, where the joint between

  the wing and fuselage was a constant target

  of criticism. The same can be said of the older

  solid position lights. In the 72nd scale kit, these

  are transparent and separate items. By the way,

  this is an element that we included in the kits at

  the request of modelers and reviewers. We didn't

  really want to get into the separate position lights.

  I myself was against it for a long time, because

  I considered it, and still do, a difficult element

  that complicates the construction of the model,

  and offers no major advantage when considering

  the additional construction complexity. Even

  separating the part from the frame and cleaning

  the sprue gate is a demanding operation for me,

  requiring strong nerves and a steady hand. I'm

  nervous doing that, and at least one of those

  slippery little buggers are guaranteed to escape

  the grip of my tweezers and disappear into the

  oblivion of the cosmos. Irreversible. I've never

  found one of these after the fact. However, I'm not

  lamenting and you shouldn't be lamenting either,

  you got what you wanted. Most of you, anyway.

  To make things a little easier for you, you have

  spare lights on the clear sprue. Who else will do

  that for you?

  I consider the wing solution to be the highlight

  of this kit, especially when it comes to its design.

  It is completely separate, and allows the control

  What the new kit offers

  INFO Eduard6

  September 2024

• Page 7

  surfaces to be positioned. For the Bf 109 G, this

  means separate slats on the leading edge, and on

  the trailing edge, the ailerons, flaps and radiator

  flaps. I understand that this element may appear

  to some as controversial and a complication of

  assembly, but I can assure you that this is not

  the case. All these parts fit absolutely perfectly,

  they have few sprue gates, and gluing this whole

  assembly in place is easy even for beginners.

  I understand that due to our release schedule

  surrounding the Royal Class and Limited Edition

  kits, the former in a Dual Combo boxing, with two

  sets of molds and covering a number of subtypes

  with different combinations of details, these kits

  seem complex. The instructions are complex and

  require a thorough familiarization. But if you also

  take into consideration the later editions, namely

  the Profipack and especially Weekend releases,

  then there is nothing dramatically complicated

  about these kits, which can be considered pretty

  typical for 72nd scale. Yes, unlike the competition,

  the kit has a unique wing dynamic, which means

  some six extra parts. However, I do not consider

  it unreasonable, and certainly not impossible,

  to make a kit today, even in this scale, with

  not offering the option of lowered flaps. I am

  quite sure that we would then record the same

  frequency of complaints about the outdated

  concept of the kit, as we now record about its

  perceived and constantly justified complexity.

  One of the essential attributes of our kits is the

  large number of alternative parts. It is in them

  because we create complete lines of subtypes

  of selected aircraft, and that simply cannot be

  done without alternative part options. This is

  the essence of the technical development of

  every type of machine used over a longer span

  of service career, not only aircraft. It is no longer

  well possible to complete this development with

  one or two versions out of many. After all, we

  have worked for many years to ensure that our

  kits map the development of individual types of

  aircraft in this way. In theory, we could divide the

  alternative parts into several smaller frames

  and put only the one correct frame in the kit

  of a specific subtype and thus save on plastic

  that would otherwise be thrown away later.

  But if you take the time to study the technical

  development of a historically significant aircraft,

  which you have a great opportunity to do in this

  issue of our newsletter, you will find that thanks

  to the interweaving of the characteristics of

  many development and production versions, it

  would actually be one helluva road map. So, in

  the interest of preserving the sanity of all kit

  designers, to say nothing of those who package

  the kits, we just do it the way we do it. I believe

  it's called logistics. In the case of the Bf 109 G-10,

  this means that I used 68 parts from the kit to

  build one Bf 109 G-10 WNF and had 104 left over.

  This includes small parts that are duplicated or

  tripled in the kit to account for parts that going

  flying off in some direction from tweezers that

  had just that much more pressure applied to

  them than they should have. Now that I've written

  it like that, I'm wondering if I counted the unused

  parts correctly. But that’ll be a right ballpark

  figure. In short, don't worry about it. Just keep

  the rest of the parts in your spares box, which

  is a lot better than being an environmental

  terrorist and throwing them in a river for the fish

  to wonder what the hell’s going on. They can be

  used, ultimately, to spruce up older kits that are

  not quite up to the same standard, such as the

  aforementioned Bf 109 G-6. So, despite all the

  ecologists, I still believe that no carp or whale

  has yet died as a result of eating the rest of the

  plastic from a kit, and I simply believe that model

  makers will never voluntarily throw any plastic

  part out. The fact that something falls under the

  table and is instantly pounced upon by the carpet

  bastard is another story, as we all know.

  In recent years, the assessment of

  construction kits in the media has visibly shifted

  to a focus on the plastic. As if there was nothing

  else interesting about the kit, as if its value and

  quality were determined solely by the quality of

  the plastic parts. But when I watch the behavior

  of modelers working their way through the

  racks of kits at shows and take note of what

  they are interested in first when looking at

  the box, it is almost never the plastic. The first

  thing most modelers are interested in is color

  schemes. They look at them, study them, and

  then only briefly examine the plastic. That's how

  it's always been, and that's how it always will

  be. Camouflage, markings, pilots, preferably

  some aces and the action depicted on the box

  art, are the things that interest, entertain and

  attract modelers. That's what always comes

  first! Not every manufacturer understands this;

  that's why most kits have an average of three

  marking options, and often only two and not very

  imaginative ones at that. They are often many

  times repeated markings and very often simple

  schemes. One is sometimes more colorful, with

  some kind of emblem or nose art, and the rest

  is something simpler. It’s sort of like dangling

  that proverbial carrot before the donkey without

  getting him too excited. This style stagnated the

  nineties with heavy boredom, exactly what we do

  not intend to do. As I wrote last time in the article

  about the Mustang, the world is evolving, and

  even the modeler is looking for some enjoyment.

  Anyone who regularly follows Eduard knows

  where to find it.

  There are ten marking options in the initial

  Royal Class Bf 109 G-10 kit. These cover not just

  German versions….four of them are for foreign

  users. They are aircraft of the Hungarian, Italian

  and Croatian air forces, and the fourth non-

  German machine is a post-war Czechoslovak Avia

  S-99. Probably the most striking is the Croatian

  bird, which also has an interesting history behind

  it. Not that the other options are worse off, but

  the Croatian one is a bit of a breath of fresh air.

  Decals are ours, the so-called ‘peelable’ ones.

  I will remind you for the one hundred and sixtieth

  time that peeling is optional, strictly voluntary,

  decals provide the same quality performance

  without peeling off the carrier film. If there is

  anyone reading this who still has an aversion

  to our decals, please give them a chance. For

  example, here in the Royal Class kit, there is

  such a large sheet of decals that it would be a

  shame not to learn how to work with them using

  spares. It just takes training, practice and want.

  After all, you can't even peel an egg without it, so

  what are you waiting for??

  In this series of late Bf 109s, we have a set

  of molds for five subtypes: the Bf 109 G-6/AS,

  the Bf 109 G-14/AS, the Bf 109 G-10/R6 (Erla),

  Bf 109 G-10 (Messerschmitt), and the Bf 109

  G-10/U4 (WNF). We will release them gradually

  in different editions over the next two years or

  so. The entire series of 72nd Bf 109 F/G/Ks will be

  completed next year with the Bf 109 K-4. I believe

  that you will not be intimidated by their perceived

  complexity and that you will have royal fun

  building them, because, if I say so myself, Royal

  Class equals Royal Fun!

  Happy Modelling!

  Vladimír Šulc

  INFO Eduard

  7

  September 2024

• 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.

  HISTORY

  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.

  Unordnung – Late Versions

  of the Bf 109 G

  Bf 109 G-6/AS, Bf 109 G-14/AS, Bf 109 G-10

  Original color photograph of a Bf 109 G-14/AS from the Messerschmitt Regensburg factory at the Salzburg-Maxglan base in June, 1945. (Photo: National Archives)

  Vladimír Šulc

  INFO Eduard8

  September 2024

• Page 9

  Simply put, the DB 605AS and DB 605D

  were created by installing the larger

  supercharger from the DB 603 in the DB 605A.

  The performance of these superchargers was

  around 25% greater than the ones installed

  in the DB 605A. The first developmental

  version of the DB 605 outfitted with the

  larger supercharger was the DB 605AS,

  originally designated as the DB 605A (Sonder).

  The intended fuel for these engines was the

  B4 with an octane rating of 87. The first DB

  605AS engines were available at the beginning

  of 1944. As spring became summer that year,

  the DB 605ASM appeared, which burned C3

  fuel with a 96 octane rating. Other versions of

  the AS engine were developed (ASCM, ASMO,

  ASB, ASC) utilizing various combinations of B4

  and C3 fuels, and different GM-1 nitrous oxide

  boost systems and variations of the MW50

  injection system for short term power output of

  the engine. These included the GM-1 (injection

  of nitrous oxide into the engine cylinders),

  MW-50 (injection of a 50:50 mixture of

  methanol + water into the compressor intake),

  MW-30 (methanol + water at 70:30), EW-50

  (ethanol + water 50:50) and EW-30 (ethanol +

  water 70:30). The GM-1 and MW-50 systems

  could in some cases be installed together in

  the same airframe, but their simultaneous

  use was prohibited and practically impossible.

  Depending on the different sub versions of the

  engines used, the aircraft were equipped with

  different versions of radiator, oil tank and air

  intake to the supercharger compressor, too.

  DB 605AS engines powered the Bf 109

  G-6/AS and Bf 109 G-14/AS produced at

  Messerschmitt's Regensburg and Erla plants

  in Leipzig.

  The first version of the Bf 109 G powered by

  the DB 605AS engine was the Bf 109 G-6/AS.

  Its production began in April, 1944 at the

  Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg, where

  349 units were produced as new builds in the

  following production blocks:

  • Block 163,000 - 163,994, 226 units were

  produced from April to June 1944.

  • Block 164,380 – 164,999, 37 were produced

  from August to December 1944

  • Block 165001 - 165999, 47 units were

  produced from August to December 1944.

  • Block 166001 - 166644, 39 units were

  produced from August to December 1944.

  Added to these numbers were 104 Bf 109

  G-5 and 472 Bf 109G-6 airframes rebuilt to AS

  standard between February and August, 1944

  atErla, Mimetall and Blohm & Voss

  Besides a modified engine cowling with

  large oval fairings over the supercharger

  compressor and fuselage guns, known

  informally to Luftwaffe personnel as the

  ‘Horse’s Ass’, an updated and lightened canopy

  (Erlahaube), a larger diameter VDM 9-12159

  propeller (same as the later G-10 and K-4) and

  a tall fin and rudder, the original design of the

  Bf 109G-6 was left intact. They were equipped

  with a standard Fo 870 radiator used in the G-6,

  HISTORY

  Bf 109 G-10/U4 WNr. 611943, equipped with a DB 605 D engine, is currently part of the Planes of Fame Air Museum collection in Arizona. This aircraft displays the distinctive

  features of the WNF production series. It was captured in May 1945 following the group flyover and surrender of II/JG 52 from Austria to Neubiberg, Bavaria. This Bf 109

  probably bore the designation "Yellow 13" and, based on its serial number, is documented to have belonged to the Hungarian 101. Vadászezred unit. Photo: Vladimír Šulc

  INFO Eduard

  9

  September 2024

• Page 10

  HISTORY

  the bottom section of the cowling was smooth

  without the two small fairings covering the oil

  pump, and the oil tank was also the same as

  on the G-6. The difference from the later G-10

  came in the oil filler cap on the left side of the

  nose immediately above the small air intake

  which was in the same location as on the

  Bf 109G-6. In the G-10, the cover over the cap

  was placed higher due to the increase in size

  of the oil tank. The supercharger intake also

  remained the same as compared to the G-6,

  which was smaller than the later G-10. So that

  things weren’t all that simple, some airframes

  of later production, or during refurbishment,

  received the larger diameter supercharger

  intakes and larger Fo 987 oil cooler that

  appeared on the Bf 109G-10. The oil coolers of

  these aircraft, produced by Erla, had the Erla

  specific Fo 987 cover developed for the later

  Bf 109G-10. It wasn’t as deep as the same oil

  cooler mounted in the G-10 at Mtt. Regensburg

  and WNF. The cockpit canopy with a simplified

  Erlahaube frame was of the older type with

  sharp rear corners of the opening portion,

  new-build versions being equipped with

  a short antenna mast behind the cockpit. Some

  of the G-6 conversions had the mast mounted

  on the canopy frame. There were also versions

  without a mast altogether. The tailwheel strut

  was short and was with or without a dust cover,

  and the fairings above the wheel wells were

  as they were on the G-6. All aircraft were

  equipped with a FuG 25 IFF system with a small

  blade antenna on the bottom of the second

  fuselage section.

  The part of these aircraft that were

  designated Bf 109G-6/AS/y were equipped

  with a FuG 16ZY DF homing system, the whip

  antenna for which was located under the wing

  below the fuselage.

  Most aircraft had fuselage mounted MG

  151/20 cannon, but a number of converted

  Bf 109 G-6/U4s were armed with a MK 108

  30mm weapon firing through the propeller hub.

  These were designated Bf 109 G-6/U4/AS and

  according to H.H. Vogt, 153 were produced.

  In the Bf 109G-6/AS, the MW50 methanol

  water injection system installation was not yet

  a standardized feature, and would have been

  recognizable by a box shaped opening located

  in the rear cockpit wall. Of course, that doesn’t

  mean that the MW50 system was not installed

  in the Bf 109G-6/AS. Some aircraft were so

  equipped. Bf 109G-6/AS aircraft equipped with

  MW50 were designated Bf 109G-6/MW50/AS

  or Bf 109G-6/U3/AS, and later redesignated as

  Bf 109G-14/AS.

  Aircraft designated Bf 109 G-6/U2/AS, on

  the other hand, were equipped with the

  GM-1 injecting nitrous oxide into the engine

  cylinders, which increased engine power

  above 10,000m (32,800 feet), in contrast to the

  MW-50 system, which increased engine power

  at lower altitudes of up to 6,000m (19,700 feet).

  The Bf 109 G-6/U2/AS was to be built to the

  tune of 273 units. In addition to them, 23 photo

  reconnaissance Bf 109 G-6/U2/R2/AS were

  produced, and probably some Bf 109 G-8/AS

  airframes as well, but their production number

  is unknown.

  As already mentioned in the introduction,

  high-altitude Bf 109 G-5s were also converted

  to the Bf 109 G-5/AS standard. They were

  essentially the same as the G-6/U2/AS, but

  there was a larger air intake on the left side

  of the fuselage below the cockpit windcsreen

  for cockpit ventilation. H.H.Vogt states that

  the rear of the engine cowling bulges were

  shallower than on the Messerschmitt-built

  G-6/AS and G-14/AS. The Bf 109 G-5/AS

  equipped with the Erlahaube cockpit canopy

  was no longer pressurized, however, it cannot

  be ruled out that the functionality of the cockpit

  pressurization system was also maintained

  with this type of canopy. In any case, silica

  gel capsules were still installed in the glass

  of the canopy to help prevent fogging of the

  glass. Also documented on the Bf 109 G-5/AS is

  a special cylindrical tank located on a hanger

  beneath the fuselage, which was probably part

  of the GM-1 system.

  One Bf 109 G-6/AS was converted into a two-

  seat Bf 109 G-12/AS trainer. The fuselage code

  was DF+CC.

  The first aircraft were delivered to units

  in April and May, 1944 (III./JG1, I./JG3, I./JG5,

  II./JG11), and these were followed by I./NJGr.10,

  II./JG27, I./JG1 and III./JG300 in June and July,

  1944.

  INFO Eduard10

  September 2024

• Page 11

  The following is a breakdown of the

  general features of the Bf 109G-6/AS:

  1. Wide engine cowl side panels with riveted

  semielliptical aerodynamic fairings to fuselage.

  2. Radiator under the engine as on standard

  G-6, Type Fo 870.

  3. The use of the larger Fo 987 radiator is also

  recorded, with an Erla cover as on the G-10

  Erla built in the 15xxxx and 49xxxx blocks.

  4. Lower engine cowling minus bulge below the

  oil tank.

  5. Older aircraft with VDM 9-12087 propeller

  (as on standard G-6), later versions with larger

  VDM 9-12159 propeller with wider paddle

  blades (as on the G-10).

  6. Smaller supercharger intake on the left side

  of the cowling, as on standard G-6, although

  some aircraft (later production or overhauled/

  repaired aircraft) were given the larger intake

  (as on the G-10).

  7. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil

  pump on the right side of the engine cowl was

  in a lower position.

  8. Oil filler cap cover on the left side of the

  nose in lower position.

  9. Tall tail, Type 1.

  10. Short tailwheel (usually).

  11. Cockpit canopy with sharp inside corners

  at the rear and with a small antenna mast

  on the fuselage behind the cockpit. Aircraft

  converted from standard G-6s had the mast on

  the canopy frame and a number of these were

  without a mast altogether.

  12. The G-6/AS/y had a whip antenna

  associated with the FuG 16zy system below the

  fuselage(below the wing)

  13. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF

  system below the fuselage behind the wing

  trailing edge.

  14. Wing fairings over the wheel wells

  were of the small type, as on the G-6, with

  corresponding wheels.

  15. Some Bf 109G-5s were converted to the G-5/

  AS, serial numbers 110xxx. They were the same

  as the G-6/AS, but carried a special tank below

  the fuselage (associated with the GM-1?)

  16. Most aircraft carried fuselage MG 151/20

  cannons.

  17. The cover on the 5th fuselage segment were

  a feature of the Bf 109 G-6/AS/U4 with a MK 108

  30 mm fuselage cannon. A total of 151 of them

  were converted from the Bf 109 G-6/U4 built at

  WNF, of which one was built by Erla, 130 were

  made by Mimetall and twenty by Blohm & Voss

  18. The GM-1 system pressure cylinder filling

  neck cover, present on the Bf 109 G-6/U2/AS.

  A total of 265 Bf 109 G-6/U2 conversions were

  produced, of which 104 were performed by

  Erla, 98 by Mimetall and 63 by Blohm & Voss.

  In addition, 45 photo-reconnaissance Bf 109

  G-6/U2/R2/AS were also produced at Erla

  through conversion of Bf 109 G-6/U2s.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  11

  September 2024

• Page 12

  Bf 109 G-14/AS ERLA, Production

  Block 460 300 – 460 670 (50 Units)

  1. Wide engine cowl side panels with riveted

  semielliptical aerodynamic fairings to

  fuselage.

  2. Radiator under the engine as on standard

  G-6, Type Fo 870, though some aircraft

  received the larger Fo 987 unit with the

  same covering, as on the Erla G-10.

  3. Lower engine cowling minus bulge below

  the oil tank.

  4. VDM 9-12159 propeller with wider paddle

  blades.

  5. Supercharger air intake on the left side

  of the cowling as on standard G-6, although

  some aircraft were given the larger intake

  as on the G-10.

  6. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil

  pump on the right side of the engine cowl

  was in a lower position.

  7. Oil filler cap cover on the left side of the

  nose in lower position.

  8. Tall tail, Type 1.

  9. Short tailwheel (usually).

  10. Cockpit canopy with rounded inside

  corners at the rear and with an antenna

  mast on the canopy frame.

  Bf 109 G-14/AS

  The production of the Bf 109 G-6/AS was

  followed by the production of the Bf 109 G-14/AS

  version, powered by the DB 605ASM engine and

  equipped, as standard, with a system for injecting

  a mixture of methanol and water into the intake

  of the MW 50 compressor. The installation of this

  system can be recognized by the box-shaped

  bulge on the rear wall cockpit, covering the

  battery, moved forward from its original position

  between the 1st and 2nd fuselage bulkheads for

  the installation of the MW 50 system tank. The

  DB 605 ASM engine used 96 octane C3 gasoline

  as fuel. Another distinctive feature of the Bf 109

  G-14/AS was the standard installation of the FuG

  16ZY direction finding system and its associated

  Morane-type whip antenna (Moranmast), still

  installed under the leading edge of the left

  wing. The FuG 25a IFF system was also standard.

  The Bf 109 G-14/AS were produced as new at

  Messerschmitt and Erla. There is no evidence

  that they were purposely created by conversion

  from older Bf 109 G-6 and G-14, but it is likely that

  parts of the airframes of older machines were

  used in their production.

  Airframes produced in production block 460

  300 to 460 670 (50 units) by Erla had the smaller

  supercharger air intake and a smaller Fo 870 oil

  cooler as on the Bf 109G-6, and had an identicle

  lower engine cowl, meaning they did not have

  fairings around the oil pumps on the bottom

  of the nose. Most machines from production

  block 461 100 to 461 999 (73 pieces) then had the

  larger Fo 987 radiator, but with a specific fairing

  exclusive to Erla, which optically does not appear

  as deep as the fairing of the same Bf 109 G-10

  radiator produced by Messerschmitt and WNF.

  The lower engine cowl of these aircraft thus

  corresponds to that of the later G-10 airframes

  coming out of Erla.

  The aircraft from Messerschmitt in

  Regensburg had, in addition to a few airframes

  from August 1944 production blocks 165 xxx and

  166 xxx, a larger intake to the supercharger and

  a larger Fo 987 radiator (as the later G-10). Under

  the nose, two characteristic bulged fairings

  covering the oil pumps appeared for the first

  time. However, the nose oil tank remained of

  the small variety with the filler neck in a lower

  position just above the port suction pocket. The

  fin and rudder was of the tall variety. Later

  Messerschmitt production machines received

  rudders with a straight lower edge and three

  trims. The canopy was of the newer Erlahaube

  type with a rounded rear corner of the canopy

  frame and low antenna mast on the. The propeller

  was a VDM 9-12159 with wide blades. Some later

  aircraft received larger 660 x 190mm wheels,

  and with them large, elongated fairings on the

  upper surface of the wing. The tailwheel on the

  Erla aircraft (46xxxx) was short, and long on the

  Mtt. Regensburg version. The fill access cover

  to the supercharger clutch oil pump on the right

  side of the engine cowl was in a lower position,

  above the cowl fastener. Most, if not all, aircraft

  had fuselage mounted MG 151/20 cannons.. From

  the summer (July Erla, August Mtt) 1944 to the

  end of the year, around 1400 Bf 109G-14/AS were

  produced, 123 of them at Erla and the rest at

  Messerschmitt. The date of the end of production

  of the Bf 109 G-14/AS at Messerschmitt is unclear.

  H.H. Vogt states that production ran until March,

  1945. However, as early as October, 1944, Bf 109

  G-10s from production block 130 xxx were on

  the assembly line, with which G-10 production at

  Regensburg ended, again according to H.H. Vogt,

  in December 1944, and which produced only 123

  units. At the same time, from the end of August

  1944, serial production of the Bf 109 K-4 began.

  Of course, the completion of some Bf 109 G-14/

  AS still early in 1945 cannot be completely ruled

  out. It should also be taken into account that the

  airframes of the Bf 109 G-14/AS and the Bf 109

  G-10 from Regensburg were practically identical,

  the production of G- 14/AS and G-10 followed

  each other immediately. Some of the few G-10s

  produced are said to have been fitted with DB

  605 ASM engines and designated Bf 109 G-10/AS.

  There is some logic to be found in these largely

  conflicting timings, but it is probably wisest to

  close the matter with the understanding that it is

  very complicated at best.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard12

  September 2024

• Page 13

  11. A whip antenna associated with the

  FuG 16zy system was located under the

  left wing (protruding from a glass panel),

  as with the G-10.

  12. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF

  system below the fuselage behind the wing

  trailing edge.

  13. MW50 water-methanol injection system

  and its associated equipment – a box fairing

  on the rear wall of the cockpit behind the

  headrest, and an access panel on the right

  side of the spine behind the cockpit.

  14. Wing fairings over the wheel wells

  were of the small type, as on the G-6, with

  corresponding wheels.

  15. Most aircraft were armed with fuselage

  mounted MG 151/20 cannons. The cover

  located in the fifth fuselage segment only

  appeared on aircraft with MK 108 30mm

  cannons mounted in the fuselage.

  Bf 109 G-14/AS Mtt. Regensburg

  (Production Block 780 xxx

  to 787 xxx)

  1. Wide engine cowl side panels with riveted

  semielliptical aerodynamic fairings to

  fuselage.

  2. Radiator under the engine was the larger

  Fo 987 as on the G-10.

  3. Lower cowling with bulges below oil

  tank.

  4. VDM 9-12159 propeller with wider paddle

  blades as on the G-10.

  5. Supercharger air intake on the left

  side of the cowling was of the larger type,

  as on the G-10.

  6. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil

  pump on the right side of the engine cowl

  was in a lower position.

  7. Oil filler cap cover on the left side of the

  nose in lower position.

  8. Small wheel well fairing on the upper

  wing as on the G-6, with corresponding

  wheels, with corresponding 660 x0 160

  wheels.

  9. Taller tail Type 6 or Type 9 (later aircraft).

  10. Usually, a long tailwheel. Short

  tailwheel has been documented in later

  production blocks.

  11. Cockpit canopy with rounded inside

  corners at the rear and with an antenna

  mast on the fuselage behind the cockpit

  (usually).

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  13

  September 2024

• Page 14

  12. A whip antenna associated with the

  FuG 16zy system was located under the

  left wing (protruding from a glass panel),

  as with the G-10.

  13. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF

  system below the fuselage behind the wing

  trailing edge.

  14. MW50 water-methanol injection system

  and its associated equipment – a box fairing

  on the rear wall of the cockpit behind the

  headrest, and an access panel on the right

  side of the spine behind the cockpit.

  15. A number of later aircraft, manufactured

  at the end of 1944 received a DB 605D

  engine.

  16. Most aircraft were armed with fuselage

  mounted MG 151/20 cannons. The cover

  located in the fifth fuselage segment only

  appeared on aircraft with MK 108 30mm

  cannons mounted in the fuselage

  Bf 109 G-14/AS from the Messerschmitt Regensburg factory, with which Croatian pilot Vladimir Sandtner

  from the 2nd Fighter Squadron "Zrakoplovno lovačko jato" defected to Italy on April 16, 1945, landing at

  the Falconara base. (Photo: Fold 3)

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard14

  September 2024

• Page 15

  Bf 109 G-10

  In the summer of 1944, deliveries began of

  the DB 605D, in development since 1942, with

  an automatic barometric supercharger rpm

  control system, dictated by altitude. After

  the initial DB 605DM and DMO were produced,

  these engines were delivered in two main

  versions. The DB 605DB was used with B4 fuel

  in conjunction with the MW50 methanol water

  injection system, and the DB 605DC, burning

  96 octane C3 fuel, without the MW50 system

  installed. Nevertheless, the DB 605DC had the

  MW50 vents installed, enabling the conversion

  of the DB 605DC to the DB 605DB and vice versa.

  The DB 605D were installed exclusively with

  the larger Fo 987 oil cooler, a larger, 54 litre oil

  tank, and larger supercharger air intake.

  Production of the Bf 109G-10 powered by

  various models of the DB 605D, replaced the

  Bf 109G-6/AS and G-14/AS in the fall of 1944.

  A common feature of all Bf 109G-10s, besides

  the aforementioned installation of some

  version of the DB 605D and the associated

  wider engine cowl (‘Horse’s Ass’), was the

  installation of the larger Fo 987 oil cooler

  instead of the original Fo 870 in the G-6/G-14,

  larger ALF 907C wing radiators instead of

  the original ALF 750Bs, larger supercharger

  air intakes and VDM 9-12159 propeller. Also

  common features were the simplified

  Erlahaube canopy and tall fin. The Bf 109G-10

  was manufactured at three facilities: Erla

  Leipzig, Messerschmitt Regensburg and Wiener

  neustadter Flugzeugwerke. The G-10 was to be

  an interim aircraft, pending the production of

  the modernized Bf 109K, also powered by the

  DB 605D. In reality, the first G-10s did not begin

  to arrive from Erla Leipzig at their intended

  units until October, 1944, essentially at the

  same time as the first Bf 109K-4s. But it should

  be noted that Bf 109K-4 production remained

  limited up to the end of the war, and essentially

  was not initiated at Erla or WNF.

  The genesis of the G-10 can be said to be

  different for each of its three manufacturers,

  and each of these three manufacturers tackled

  production of the Bf 109 G-10 in a way that

  corresponded to their abilities and prevailing

  conditions. In this context, the shape of the

  engine cowl is typical for each of the three

  manufacturers. Both Messerschmitt and

  WNF had similar units, yet the two factories

  differed slightly in the shape of the large

  side fairings above the supercharger and the

  fuselage machine gun lugs. In contrast, the

  Erla solution was significantly different, and

  it can be said that it was aerodynamically

  more refined and sophisticated, but with the

  exception of the fairing on the right side of the

  engine cowl. Typical of the Erla machines was

  the left part of the upper engine cowl without

  a visible, retrofitted riveted bulge, the absence

  of fairings on the front bottom of the cowling,

  and the traditionally longer gun troughs of the

  fuselage machine guns.

  The first to go into production was the Erla

  G-10, which was entrusted the responsibility of

  producing the Bf 109G-10 as a quick, temporary

  replacement for the delayed Bf 109K-4 project.

  Production at Erla began in September, 1944,

  and 1709 aircraft were delivered in two

  production blocks.

  Messerscmitt produced 129 DB 605D

  installations for the Bf 109G-14/AS reportedly

  some in November and possibly even in

  December. This was to catch up to the

  production of Bf 109G-14/AS aircraft with

  the DB 605D, and were basically the same

  airframes with the 605D. Messerschmitt then

  turned its attention to Bf 109 K-4 aircraft solely.

  In December, 1944, production began of the

  Bf 109G-10/U4 at WNF Diana. Production of

  these aircraft came out of the mating of the

  DB 605D with the Bf 109G-14/U4 airframe

  then mounting the DB 605A, and became

  somewhat of a peculiarity, differing from the

  approach taken by Erla. The likely reason for

  initiating production of their own version of

  the Bf 1009G-10 instead of the Regensburg

  K-4s, at the time already in production, was

  the anticipated problems with startup of Bf

  109K-4 manufacture under conditions brought

  about by Allied bombings of the WNF facility.

  There were issues with implementing all the

  necessary changes required for the startup

  of the new version, and with the co-ordination

  of the supply chain from the various suppliers

  that would be involved. To understand this

  decision, it needs to be taken into account that,

  of all the firms involved in Bf 109 manufacture,

  the WNF plant was under the greatest pressure

  from Allied bombings and was the closest to

  the front. Production of the Bf 109 G-10 at WNF

  was probably just shy of a thousand units, and

  of that total, 650 Bf 109 G-10/U4 and 300 photo

  reconnaissance Bf 109 G-10/R2s were built.

  In all, 2600 Bf 109 G-10s were manufactured.

  Bf 109 G-10/R6 Erla Production Blocks 150 xxx,

  151 xxx, 490 xxx and 491 xxx

  Erla Leipzig was entrusted with making

  preparations for the change of manufacture

  from the Bf 109G-6 to the G-10 as an interim

  solution to the delay in Bf 109K-4 production

  at Mtt. Regensburg. This was likely influenced

  by the fact that Messerschmitt was fully

  immersed in not only the design of the Bf 109

  K, but especially on the completion of the

  development of the Me 262 fighter and getting

  into production. The new Bf 109G-10 from Erla

  differed from the G-6/AS and G-14/AS visually

  in the aerodynamic bulging of the engine

  cowl on the left side, where the standard (for

  the other versions of the G-10, G-14/As and

  G-6/AS) characteristic large riveted bulge

  was absent. The bulge on the right side of the

  cowl also differed in form from the other two

  manufacturers. It wasn’t as large, ended closer

  to the longitudinal axis od the aircraft, and was

  as smooth. In fact, the skin looked a bit ruffled,

  lacked a certain elegance, and was in direct

  contradiction of the aerodynamic finesse of

  the rest of the cowl. Perhaps, it was one of

  the items labeled as Bastardflugzeug, which

  appeared in connection to the Bf 109 G-10

  in the document Flugzeug-Baureihen Blatt

  Bf 109, issued in August, 1944 by the offices

  of TLT (Chef der Technischen Luftrustung).

  The oil cooler was of the Fo 987 larger type,

  with the specific Erla cover which was not as

  deep as the other variations with this radiator.

  Visually, the size of this unit lay between the

  standard G-6 with an Fo 870 cooler and the

  G-10 with the Fo 987 produced at WNF/Diana.

  Aerodynamically, the entire bottom of the

  engine cowl was clean, with no bulges under

  the oil pumps in the nose, characteristic for the

  G-10s produced at Mtt. Regensburg and WNF.

  Typical for Erla was also the upper engine cowl

  with longer gun troughs. Production began

  with Production Block 490 130 to 490 399 (270

  units of the Bf 109 G-10) in September, 1944, and

  was followed by Block 490 400 to 490 799 in

  Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNr. 491407, produced at the Erla factory, photographed in early 1945. This aircraft

  belonged to 3a Squadriglia, 1o Gruppo Caccia. On March 17th, 1945, Capt. Cesare Marchesi crashed the plane

  at the Ghedi base. (Photo: JaPo)

  HISTORY

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  October. All remaining airframes built up to the

  end of the war in blocks 491 xxx, 150 xxx and

  151 xxx were to Bf 109 G-10/R6 standard. The

  R6 suffix indicated the presence of an PKS 12

  autopilot. The first planes reached Luftwaffe

  units in the second half of October. In all, Erla

  buiilt 1,520 Bf 109 G-10s.

  The identifying features of this

  version are:

  1. Engine cowl – left side wide cowl without

  the elliptical bulged structure; right side

  with elliptical aerodynamic feathering to the

  fuselage.

  2. Bottom of engine cowl without bulges below

  the oil tank, but with a wider front section

  than seen on the standard G-6 and G-10 from

  Mtt. Regensburg and WNF.

  3. Radiator under the engine was the larger

  Fo 987 with a specific covering.

  4. Large supercharger intake on the left side of

  the cowl.

  5. Oil tank filler cap access placed higher up on

  the left side of the nose.

  6. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil

  pump on the right side of the engine cowl was

  in a higher position (extending to the gun trough

  panel).

  7. VDM 9-12159 propeller with wide blades.

  8. Small wheel well fairing on the upper wing

  as on the G-6, with corresponding wheels. Could

  also have larger wheels with larger fairings.

  At least a part of the 150 xxx and 151 xxx

  Production Blocks had the larger wheels (660

  x 190) and the corresponding larger upper wing

  fairings, as were seen on G-10s produced by

  WNF.

  9. Cockpit canopy with rounded inside corners

  at the rear.

  10. Antenna mast on the canopy frame on 49xxxx

  aircraft, without a mast on 15xxxx aircraft.

  11. Longer gun troughs for the fuselage guns and

  typical form of skinning around them.

  12. Long tailwheel.

  13. Type 1 tail (could have had an additional trim

  tab on the upper trailing edge) or Type 6 (later

  machines) in the 490 xxx and 491 xxx range.

  14. Type 6 or 9 tail in the 150 xxx and 151 xxx

  range.

  15. A whip antenna associated with the FuG 16zy

  system was located under the left wing (glass

  cover).

  16. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF

  system below the fuselage behind the wing

  trailing edge.

  17. MW50 water-methanol injection system and

  its associated equipment – a box fairing on the

  rear wall of the cockpit behind the headrest

  (with, in this case, the PKS 12 Autopilot unit

  below it), and an access panel on the right side

  of the spine behind the cockpit.

  18. The cover located in the fifth fuselage

  segment only appeared on aircraft with MK 108

  30mm cannons mounted in the fuselage. Erla

  produced Bf 109 G-10s had a fuselage mounted

  MG 151/20 cannon, and typically lacked the

  access cover. There could be cases where the

  production of the fighter used the fuselage of

  an older airframe that had the access cover in

  place, though.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard16

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  Bf 109 G-10 Messerschmitt Regensburg,

  Production Block 130 100 to 130 700

  The Messerschmitt mother plant in

  Regensburg produced 123 Bf 109G-10s through

  November and December, 1944, switching

  over from the Bf 109G-14/AS by replacing the

  DB 605AS with the DB 605D. the last three

  pieces were evidently delivered in January, 1945.

  This aircraft were externally virtually identical

  to later G-14/AS aircraft coming out of

  Mtt. Regensburg (780 xxx to 787 xxx Production

  Block), and differed only in small details.

  General identifying features of this

  version were:

  1. Wide engine cowl side panels with riveted

  semielliptical aerodynamic fairings to

  fuselage.

  2. Bottom cowl panel with small bumps under

  the oil tank.

  3. Radiator under the engine was the larger

  Fo 987.

  4. Larger supercharger intake on the left side

  of the cowling.

  5. Oil filler cap cover on the left side of the

  nose in higher position.

  6. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil

  pump on the right side of the engine cowl

  was in a higher position. The original lower

  position was patched over.

  7. Wide blade propeller as on the G-10

  (VDM 9-12159)

  8.Tall tail Type 6.

  9. Cockpit canopy with rounded inside corners

  at the rear and without an antenna mast on

  the fuselage behind the cockpit, with the

  antenna lead going directly into the fuselage

  (or could also be attached to a mast on the

  canopy frame on some aircraft).

  10. Long tailwheel.

  11. A whip antenna associated with the

  FuG 16zy system was located under the left

  wing (glass panel).

  12. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF

  system below the fuselage behind the wing

  trailing edge.

  13. MW50 water-methanol injection system

  and its associated equipment – a box fairing

  on the rear wall of the cockpit behind the

  headrest, and an access panel on the right

  side of the spine behind the cockpit.

  14. Small fairing covering the wheel wells on

  the upper surface of the wings, as on the G-6,

  with corresponding wheels.

  15. Fuselage mounted MG 151/20 cannons. The

  cover located in the fifth fuselage segment

  only appeared on aircraft with MK 108 30mm

  cannons mounted in the fuselage, and

  Messerschmitt did not install that weapon

  on their G-10s, only the MG 151/20. There may

  have been instances where the cover was

  present as a result of using older airframes,

  such those of the Bf 109G-4.

  HISTORY

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  Bf 109 G-10/U4 WNF/Diana

  Production Blocks 610 xxx to 612 xxx and

  Bf 109 G-10/R2 Production Block 770 xxx

  Bf 109G-10/U4 coming out of the production

  facility at Wiener Neustadter Flugzeugwerke

  came about as a modification to the

  Bf 109G-14/U4 made by WNF, powered by

  a DB 605A and armed with fuselage mounted

  MK 108 30mm cannon. For this modification,

  experience gained by Messerschmitt in the

  production of the Bf 109G-14/AS was used,

  from which the G-10/U4 differed only in

  some minor details: standard installation

  of the MK 108s and their associated access

  to the compressed air bottles in the fifth

  fuselage segment on the right side and the

  shorter tailwheel. The installation of the

  fuselage mounted cannon allowed for the

  alternate mounting of MG 151/20 weapons.

  The Bf 109G-10/U4 received, likely due to

  the higher weight of the aircraft, larger

  wheels measuring 660 x 190mm and the long,

  elongated (rectangular) upper wing fairings

  over the wheel wells. The shorter tailwheel

  was probably due to an effort to simplify the

  supply chain from sub-contractors. Because

  the production plant in Vienna was essentially

  destroyed along with the city proper by

  Allied bombings begun in the summer of 1943,

  Bf 109G-10/U4 production was limited to

  dispersed sub-contractor facilities and

  isolated plants. One of the isolated plants was

  Diana, constructed in three railroad tunnels

  that were a part of the line between Brno and

  Havlickub Brod in Moravia. Final assembly

  and verification flights were made at Prague-

  Letnany and in Olomouc. Production continued

  from December, 1944 to March, 1945. This

  variant also formed the basis of the postwar

  Czechoslovak Avia S-99/C-10. In total, up to

  the termination of production in March, 1945,

  650 Bf 109 G-10/U4s were made. Besides

  these, WNF also produced some three hundred

  reconnaissance Bf 109 G-10/R2s equipped

  with Rb 75/30 or Rb 50/30 cameras, located

  behind the cockpit between bulheads 1 and

  2. That was the space occupied by the tank for

  the Mw 50 system in the standard Bf 109 G-10,

  which in this version was moved to between

  the 2nd and 3rd fuselage bulkheads. The

  fuselage armament remained the same as in

  the standard fighter, but it is not clear if this

  was the MK 108 or the MG 151/20.

  The general identification features

  of this version are:

  1. Wide engine cowl side panels with riveted

  semielliptical aerodynamic fairings to

  fuselage.

  2. Lower cowling with bulges below oil tank.

  3. Radiator below the nose was the larger

  Fo 987 type.

  4. Larger supercharger intake on the left side

  of the cowling.

  5. Oil filler cap cover on the left side of the

  nose in higher position.

  6. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil

  pump on the right side of the engine cowl

  was in a higher position. The original lower

  position was patched over (on some aircraft).

  A photo taken at the Neubiberg base in Bavaria after the end of the war in Europe, May 1945, shows a Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNr. 610783,

  "Black 21" from 7./JG 52, produced by WNF. (Photo: JaPo)

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard18

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  7. Wide blade propeller as on the G-10

  (VDM 9-12159)

  8. Tall tail Type 9.

  9. Cockpit canopy with rounded inside

  corners at the rear and without an antenna

  mast on the fuselage behind the cockpit,

  with the antenna lead going directly into

  the fuselage (or could also be attached to

  a small mast on the canopy frame as was

  the case with the postwar Czechoslovak

  C-10/S-99).

  10. Short tailwheel.

  11. A whip antenna associated with the

  FuG 16zy system was located under the

  left wing (glass panel).

  12. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF

  system below the fuselage behind the wing

  trailing edge.

  13. MW50 water-methanol injection system

  and its associated equipment – a box fairing

  on the rear wall of the cockpit behind the

  headrest, and an access panel on the right

  side of the spine behind the cockpit.

  14. Fairings covering the wheel wells

  were of the large variety and had the

  corresponding 660 x 190mm wheels.

  15. All aircraft were built as U4 mods, with

  30mm MK 108 cannons and associated

  equipment: a large cannon cover below

  the instrument panel in the cockpit and

  an access hatch to compressed air bottles

  in the fifth fuselage segment on the

  right side. The installation of the engine

  mounted weapon allowed for the use of the

  MG 121/20. This was because there were

  issues with the MK 108 cannon that arose

  during production.

  CONCLUSIONS:

  It’s all pretty complex, isn’t it? It appears

  to all be a mixed bag of almost ‘non-German’

  chaos. It’s one thing to get a handle on the

  features differentiating individual versions,

  but it’s another thing altogether grasping

  where they came from and why there were

  simultaneously so many versions of essentially

  one type. Where was that German attempt at

  type unification? Add to that that the Bf 109K-4

  was only mentioned in a peripheral way and the

  fact that other simultaneously produced fighters

  for the Luftwaffe was ignored altogether. Even

  the grasping of the specifications of individual

  versions is no simple matter. The entire situation

  only begins to gain some clarity only when all of

  this chaos is considered with an understanding of

  the historical context that defined the conditions

  under which development of the aircraft took

  place.

  The aforementioned Allied bombing campaign

  had a dramatic impact on the overall situation

  that Germany found itself in. The German war

  effort was increasingly crippled as the bombings

  intensified. Despite a marked decrease in the

  intensity of the attacks in June and July, when

  the Allied air forces operating from the British

  Isles focused their efforts on supporting the

  Normandy landings and the push into southern

  France, German industry was succumbing to

  increasing pressure. As mentioned earlier, the

  Vienna and WNF firms were virtually wiped off

  the face of the earth by the American 15th Air

  Force in mid 1944. As time went on, Luftwaffe

  fighter units were pulling on an ever decreasing

  length of rope. The Allied air superiority

  manifested itself in every aspect of life over

  German occupied Europe through 1944. Added to

  the overall devastation, there were supply and

  logistical problems, thanks to which the situation

  worsened from month to month, even week to

  week, and in some cases, literally day to day.

  In the second half of the year, there was

  a dramatic decline in the situation on all fronts,

  leading to rapid Allied advances on the Western

  Front and in Italy, and even more so in terms of

  both military and civilian losses following Red

  Army offenses on the Eastern Front. Germany

  lost vast areas with significant industrial and

  economic potential. After the Red Army attack

  on Eastern Prussia, and the subsequent push

  into Poland, there was a massive exodus of

  migrants into Silesia in the winter of 1945. This

  was the quite literally apocalyptic scenario that

  accompanied the development and production of

  the above mentioned aircraft.

  The progress, weather under conditions of

  perceived or actual chaos, of the designating

  of the later versions of the Bf 1090G, is, in my

  opinion, as follows: It began with the delays in

  the development of the Bf 109K, and, by extension,

  the DB 605D powerplant. When it became clear

  that there would be serious delays in the

  supply of the Bf 109K, interim solutions were

  sought. These were entrusted to Erla , which

  was responsible for the mating of the DB 605D

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  19

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  with the Bf 109G-14 airframe, and was making

  preparations for production. But, because the

  DB 605D was not yet in production by the spring

  of 1944, Messerschmitt in Regensburg prepared

  an interim solution involving the installation

  of the available DB 605/AS into the Bf 109G-6,

  which was put into practice at Messerschmitt

  in the production of new aircraft, while at Erla

  and other manufacturing and repair facilities,

  the installation of the DB 605/AS was installed in

  Bf 109G-6 and G-14 airframes during overhauls

  and repairs. This is why the majority of G-6/AS

  aircraft built by Erla in Antverp, which was

  not a manufacturing plant, but rather one that

  performed overhauls and major repairs of

  Bf 109s. After the supply of Db 605Ds began

  to flow, production of the Bf 109G-10 at Erla

  was started up on the basis of the planned

  modifications. During the production of these

  machines, modifications were continuously

  made as dictated by the experience of their

  use. That's why there were on some G-14/AS

  aircraft larger radiators or larger supercharger

  intakes, which then makes these planes difficult

  to distinguish from the Bf 109 G-10. The demand

  for mass production was the law, and the pace

  of introducing changes was unimaginable by

  today's standards. To the contrary, the threat of

  severe punishment for non-compliance of the

  delivery of set quantities of new aircraft was

  very imaginable. Whether the subject of these

  deliveries was one type or another was more

  or less irrelevant. After all, the differences

  between the individual versions were not big

  even in terms of performance. Therefore, the

  simultaneous production of different versions

  did not matter. At the same time that Mtt.

  Regensburg was already producing the Bf 109

  K-4, G-10 production continued at Erla, where

  K-4 production had not yet been established.

  It was not ready until the spring of 1945, and only

  a few Bf 109 K-4s of production block 57 were

  eventually produced at Erla.

  A similar situation existed at WNF. This heavily

  bombing affected plant made do by maintaining

  production in a number of dispersed areas and

  facilities, one of which was Diana, constructed in

  railway tunnels, as mentioned earlier. Other local

  facilities were also utilized. Given the situation that

  the plant found itself in in the winter of 1944/1945,

  it was logical that it would not complicate things

  further by implementing production of the

  Bf 109K-4, and took the path of least resistance

  by installing the new engines into existing but

  lightly modified airframes. Production of the

  Bf 109G-10/U4 then smoothly transitioned

  out of the established manufacture of the

  Bf 109G-14/U4, which ran virtually to the end of the

  war in March, 1945. In April, the Red Army occupied

  Vienna and pushed into southern Moravia, and

  approached Olomouc from the north. The shifting

  front eliminated the bases that were needed

  to complete and perform verification flights

  on delivered aircraft. The last of these bases

  was Prague-Letnany, as yet untouched by the

  shifting front, but was eliminated by a blockade

  of Prague airfields by fighters of the 8thAF.

  Implementing the situation-dictated solutions

  was not, without any doubt, a simple affair, and

  it wasn’t perfect, as the case generally is when

  it comes down to improvisation. But the solutions

  were functional, and they provided combat units

  of the Luftwaffe with high performance aircraft

  that were capable of competing. It also provided

  the Luftwaffe with dependable, almost immediate

  attrition replacements. Despite the fact that

  Bf 109G-10 performance had fallen behind that

  of the Mustang, they represented an availability

  of equipment that ensured the functionality of

  Defense of the Reich and frontal units alike,

  such as JG 52. Against Soviet aircraft, the

  Bf 109G-10 was still quite good. This comparison

  could be made in the immediate postwar years

  by Czechoslovak pilots, who had at their disposal

  21 Bf 109G-10/U4s under the designation Avia

  S-99/C-10 for several years.

  I am hopeful that this article will serve

  modelers well while deciding on which Eduard kit

  is best for the Bf 109G versions described herein.

  And should they already have said kit, they

  can confirm the various design and production

  features of each version and compare it to what

  they actually have in their possession.

  And with that, I wish you, dear Modellers, an

  interesting build with some understanding of the

  subject matter!

  Vladimír Šulc

  APPENDIX: THE RUDDERS

  In the descriptions of the individual versions,

  there is often mention made of the various

  types of tails. These numbers are Eduard

  interim designations, and in the article, they

  describe the following types of rudders:

  Type 1: the first type of production rudder.

  It was made of a metal framework, covered

  with fabric. There was also a wooden version,

  often with an additional trim tab in the upper

  section (Type 2)

  Type 6: A deeper rudder of wooden construction,

  covered in fabric, with three trim tabs and

  a straight bottom edge.

  Type 9: Similar to Type 6, with a deeper middle

  trim tab and a more pronounced position light

  fairing.

  HISTORY

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  APPENDIX : THE BOOST SYSTEMS

  The above texts widely mention the GM-1 and

  MW50 systems. Of course, I assume that all

  of you will know what these items were, what

  each system was used for and how they worked.

  Despite that, I would like to return to these

  features and give a brief description of their

  function and use. Without this mention, I feel

  that this article would lack a little something.

  The GM-1 (for which Goering Mischung 1 and

  Ha-ha Geraet were slang terms) system was

  one that injected nitrous oxide into the engine

  pistons. With the DB 605AS engine, its use

  was permitted at an altitude of 10,000m and

  climbing, and from 10,500m in level flight.

  In the DB 605A, use was permitted in a climb

  from 8,000m. The GM-1 system could be used

  for between 11 and 22 minutes, depending on

  the time of year, outside temperature and time

  since filling the system.

  For increasing engine performance at low and

  medium altitudes up to 6,000m, a methanol-

  water supercharger intake injection system

  was used in the form of MW50 (methanol/water

  50:50, as the designation suggests mixing

  equal parts of methanol and water, plus 0.5%

  Schutzol 39, an anti-corrosion additive). There

  variations on the MW50 theme, designated

  by the mixture: MW30 (methanol/water at

  70:30), EW50 (ethanol/water 50:50) and EW30

  (ethanol/water 70:30). The MW50 system

  was able to increase engine performance by

  20 to 25%, depending on altitude and other

  relevant conditions. It’s use was permitted to

  a maximum of twice for ten minutes during

  a single flight (other sources differ on these

  values, such as a maximum length of time of

  use of 5 minutes).At altitudes over 6,000m,

  the effectiveness of the system fell off

  dramatically, and is said that it only provided

  a 4% increase in performance above 6,000m.

  The differences in the GM-1 and MW50 systems

  did not include, as is sometimes claimed,

  a lower usefulness or obsolescence of the

  GM-1 compared to the MW50. In practical

  terms, there was no replacement of one by the

  other. Each was technically different and was

  intended for use under different conditions,

  although both worked on the principle of

  internal cooling of the engine combustion

  chambers.

  The MW50 worked by lowering the temperature

  by injecting water into the supercharger, and so

  also the volume of compressed air on entering

  it, which allowed an increase in air (oxygen)

  content of the fuel/air mix that was injected

  into the cylinders. The system was, of course,

  dependant on the local air pressure to begin

  with, and at higher altitudes, the effectiveness

  dropped off simply because in thin air, there

  was less oxygen.

  With the GM-1 system, nitrous oxide was

  injected into the cylinders, which, under high

  temperatures, broke down into nitrogen and

  oxygen. The nitrogen lowered the temperature

  of the mix and its volume in the cylinder,

  which, in turn, allowed a higher amount of the

  gas, and the oxygen supported combustion.

  As a result, the GM-1 system was not dependant

  on the outside air pressure, and that’s why it

  was intended for use at higher altitudes (the

  minimum permitted altitude for its use in the

  DB 605D was 10,000m). The more widespread

  use of the MW50 system and its basically

  standard installation in the Bf 109G-14, G-14/AS

  and G-10 was dictated by the tactical conditions

  that prevailed over the European battlegrounds,

  where most air combat took place at low

  and middle altitudes, below or up to 6,000m.

  The GM-1 system was utilized for specific

  tasks at high altitudes, during reconnaissance

  flights and fighters.

  Installation of the GM-1 in the Bf 109 was

  indicated by the suffix U2, and with the MW50,

  by U3. That means that the, for example,

  Bf 109G-6/AS/U2 or Bf 109 G-6/U2/AS was

  a Bf 109G-6 airframe powered by the DB 605AS

  and carried the GM-1 system. Both systems

  were used not only in connection with the

  DB 605, but with other types of German engines

  as well, such as the BMW 801.

  Sources:

  MESSERSCHMITT Bf 109 F, G, & K Series,

  An Illustrated Study. Jochen Prien & Peter

  Rodeike, Schiffer Military History, 1995

  Bf 109 Late versions Camouflage & markings.

  Krzysztof W.Wolowski. Mushroom model

  publications, 2010

  Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10/U4 Production

  & operational service. Aleš Janda, Tomáš

  Poruba. JaPo.

  Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen

  Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, Teil 13/IV, Einsatz in

  der Reichsverteidigung und im Westen 1.1. bis

  31.12.1944. Jochen Prien, Gerhard Stemmer,

  Winfried Bock. Buchverlag Rogge GmbH, 2018

  ME SS ERS CH MI T T B F 109 J A SA KS A N SO TATA LOU S.

  Keski-Suomen Ilmailumuseonjulkaisuja

  8. Hannu Valtonen. Gummerus Kirjapaino Oy,

  1999.

  ERLAWERK VII ANTWERPEN

  -

  MORTSEL 1940-44.

  Jean Dillen. Uitgeverij De Krijger.

  Messerschmitt Bf 109 – EINSATZMASCHINEN –

  DAS NACHTSCHLAGWERK. Harald Helmut vogt.

  VDM

  -

  Heinz Nickel, 2012.

  Das Jagdflugzeug Messerschmitt Bf 109.

  Michael Baumgartl. 2022

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  21

  September 2024

• Page 22

• Page 23

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  Tempest Mk. V + T-shirt 1/48MiG-21MF + T-shirt 1/72

• 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.

  Before leaving the 100th BG, Bernie Lay wrote

  a detailed report to the Group’s Commander,

  Col. Neil B. ‘Chick’ Harding and at the same time

  forwarded them to the VIII Bomber Command.

  He also used part of it for his article ‘I Saw Re-

  gensburg Destroyed’ which appeared in The

  Saturday Evening Post on November 6th, 1943.

  However, the main part of his appendix

  is devoted to recommendations for honors.

  In it, he expressed admiration for the aircrews of

  the 100th BG and their commanders. He recom-

  mended that all men participating in the mission

  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.

  It takes a rugged constitution to stand up to

  missions like Regensburg and even the tough-

  est crew members were badly shaken by nearly two

  hours under persistent attack. The less phlegmatic

  were already potential candidates for the rest home

  when we landed in Africa. My four previous mis-

  sions, in one of with our bombardier was killed,

  were pieces of cake in comparison to the 11 hour Re-

  gensburg show, and I doubt if 20 such normal mis-

  sions would take the same amount out of a man as

  one stint to Regensburg.

  We quoted from the original report and article in

  the previous volume. However, the report itself

  contains an appendix of recommendations and

  observations of a completely military and, one

  might say, authoritarian nature. The addendum

  to the report includes recommendations for for-

  mation patterns and spacing within the bomber

  be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC),

  and the commanding pilot of the Group, Maj. John

  Kidd and the leading pilot of the top squadron,

  Major William Veal, the Distinguished Service

  Cross (DSO). He even suggested that Major Gale

  stream, the role of escort fighters, equipment

  for possible future landings in North Africa, and

  a recommendation that airmen flying such de-

  manding missions as the one to Regensburg

  be given a reduced quota of mandatory combat

  flights. In his report, he wrote:

  W. ‘Buck’ Cleven, the leader of the bottom squad-

  ron, be awarded the Congressional Medal Of Hon-

  or for his extraordinary attitude during the mis-

  sion. Among other things, he stated about Cleven:

  Title picture - detail of Piotr Forkasiewicz’s artwork for Eduard kit No.11183 B-17F “The Bloody Hundredth 1943”.

  On the co-pilot’s seat of Piccadilly Lily sits Lt.Col. Bernie Lay.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard24

  September 2024

• Page 25

  HISTORY

  … completion of the mission was solely due

  to the extraordinary heroism and inspired de-

  termination of Major Cleven. … under the circum-

  stances which obtained, Major Cleven’s actions were

  far above and beyond the call of duty and the skill,

  courage and strength or will displayed by him as air-

  plane and squadron commander in the face of hope-

  less odds have seldom, if ever, been surpassed in the

  annals of the Army Air Forces.

  It won’t come as much of a surprise that the

  honors-frugal Air Force High Command ended up

  being far more stingy with the honors than the

  recommendations had suggested. However, the

  entire unit received a Distinguished (Presidential)

  Unit Citation for this mission, an award that was

  not given to units just like that. It was the first of

  two for the Hundred during its history, and from

  that moment on, all its members who were part

  of the unit on August 17th, 1943, were allowed to

  wear the dark blue, gold-framed ribbon of this

  award on their uniforms.

  After gaining combat experience, Lt.Col. Lay

  returned to the United States where he went

  through a training program with the 490th BG

  with B-24s and then took command of the form-

  ing of the 487th BG at Alamogordo, NM on Febru-

  ary 28th 1944. It also flew B-24s. In April of that

  year, he moved to England with his unit. Their

  home base was Lavenham in Suffolk.

  Lt.Col. Bernie Lay as the new commander of the 487th

  BG, Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico.

  (photo: Sidney L. Hardaway).

  A B-24 from the 487th Bomb Group during takeoff from

  Lavenham Air Force Base. (Freeman collection)

  INFO Eduard

  25

  September 2024

• Page 26

  Lt. Vratny’s plane, ying lead

  in the lead squadron, began to fal-

  ter and stagger. It nally left the

  formation under control but soon

  began to stagger even more and

  give indications that the pilot was

  losing control. Finally the crew

  began to bail out. It is understood

  that a Lt. Fishel of the 486th BG,

  I gave Capt. Wilson specic instructions to go into

  the waist to notify the other members in that part of the

  plane to bail out as quickly as possible. All members

  except Lt.Col. Lay and myself did bail out. The only

  who was ying in a tail of one of

  the planes of that group, followed

  the parachutes to the ground with

  binoculars. He counted eleven

  ‘chutes, saw them land, remove

  the ‘chutes and run for nearby

  woods. Lt. Mellen states that he is

  almost certain that he recognized

  the last to jump as Lt Col. Lay.

  man injured on board our aircraft was the Bombardier,

  Capt. Francis Hodge. … Lt. Col. Bernie Lay and myself

  also bailed out. Lay taking over controls while I bailed

  out and then in turn followed me out of the plane.

  Here, too, he continued to personally partici-

  pate in his unit’s missions. However, he was not

  allowed to complete many of them. On Thursday,

  May 11th, 1944, he led his unit over Troyes, France.

  It was supposed to be a Milk Run, but thanks to

  a navigational error, the Liberator formation

  found itself in the area of a German airfield near

  Châteaudun, where it was surprised by very

  heavy flak. Two aircraft from the front of the for-

  The aircraft crashed near Bretoncelles and

  was completely destroyed by fire. The crew came

  down by parachute mainly in the area of Le Mage,

  Verneuil, Longny-au-Perche in southern Nor-

  mandy. Wounded bombardier, Capt. Hodge was

  captured the same day. After landing, he man-

  aged to stow his parachute and with a wounded

  leg, two wounds from flak shrapnel and a lacer-

  ation above his right eye, managed to crawl to

  a French farm. The farmer, who was not connect-

  ed to the underground movement, refused to help

  the American airman escape due to Hodge’s inju-

  ries and out of concern for his wife and daughter.

  So he brought him bread and wine and rode his

  bicycle to a nearby village to fetch the German

  authorities….

  The rest of the crew managed to escape cap-

  tivity for a long time, but some of them were later

  tracked down and taken during their stay in Paris.

  Four of the eleven men of the crew still managed

  to escape capture. Among them was the unit

  commander, Lt.Col. Bernie Lay.

  In his Escape and Evasion report of August 15th,

  1944, he stated:

  An interesting statement about the last mo-

  ments of Lay’s or more precisely Vratny’s Lib-

  erator, was noted by an intelligence officer from

  a debriefing with 1st Lt. Riggs Mellen, flying near

  the stricken plane:

  mation were shot down. One of these was B-24H

  s/n 41-29468 ‘Peg-O

  -

  My-Heart’, which was

  hit by flak shrapnel three times in succession.

  The pilot was 1st Lt. Frank Vratny, and the Com-

  manding Pilot, Bernie Lay, sat in the co-pilot’s seat.

  The plane took many hits to the wing, and three

  engines were disabled, as were the hydraulic and

  electrical systems.

  The entire crew managed to bail out of the fa-

  tally stricken aircraft and take to their chutes.

  The pilot, Capt. Frank Vratny wrote of the last

  moments on board:

  German crash report of B-24H 41-29468 on May 11th, 1944.

  (NARA, KU)

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard26

  September 2024

• Page 27

  I was leading 72 B-24s of 92 Combat Wing on

  a mission to bomb marshalling yards at Chaumont.

  I had a crew of 11 including Lt. Duer who was rid-

  ing as observer in the tail turret. I ran into moderate

  to intense ak, and received considerable damage

  to my ship. I gave the order to bail out about 5 mi

  N of Chateaudun and everyone succeeded in jump-

  ing except Lt. Duer who had not received the alarm.

  I took over the controls and a few seconds later the

  ship went into a spiral dive from 12,000 ft. I bailed

  out at 10 000 ft, and as I left the cockpit I rang the bell

  again. I jumped and pulled the rip-cord as I went out

  the hatch and tore a complete panel out of the chute.

  In landing I got a crack on the back of my head and

  wrenched my right knee.

  Many Frenchmen appeared as soon as we landed

  and asked us what we wanted to do.

  We hid out in a patch of trees. We later crawled

  through the eld and hid in a hayloft where we

  stayed for two days. The French brought us food

  and civilian clothes. They advised us to go toward

  Spain and gave us detailed instructions on the loca-

  tion of German troops.

  On the 13th May 1944, we left and started

  cross-country in a westerly direction. After walking

  all night our feet started going bad. I advise any-

  one to take shoes and socks off in crossing a stream.

  We contacted a Cure in a small town but he would

  not assist us. We were stopped by a German soldier

  but after brief questioning we were released. Short-

  ly thereafter a French farmer approached us and

  took us to his house and fed us. A few minutes later

  Germans approached the house and while we hid

  under a bed, the farmer was questioned by the Ger-

  mans. The Germans left and the next day we left this

  place. We again entered a church and kneeled down

  to pray. The Cure appeared and we told him we

  were Americans. He took us in, fed us and gave us

  a bed. We stayed here two days and the Cure brought

  a farmer to us who went to the village to contact the

  Resistance Groups, but with no results. The next day

  we left and travelled for ten days. We were aided

  and fed by various French farmers.

  We then contacted another Cure in a village where

  we were helped by a French woman, formerly an

  employee of Lord Fitzireland in England. She took

  us to another house and put us in contact with the

  local Resistance Group, where we stayed 12 days.

  We were taken in a car to a farmhouse 15 mi NW

  of Vendome. For two months we were part of the

  farmer’s family. He advised us toward the lines.

  On 13 August, the Germans started leaving Ven-

  dome. On this day we were picked up in two cars by

  seven members of the Resistance Group. They were

  armed with weapons which had been hidden at the

  house of the farmer where we stayed. We were tak-

  en to a town near the American line, and then con-

  tacted the advance platoon of the 5th Inf.”

  The aforementioned Lt. Duer parachuted near Lay. They decided to try to

  escape. Col. Lay continued:

  Record of the inter-

  rogation of Bernie

  Lay on August 14th,

  1944 after he got back

  behind Allied lines.

  (NARA, E&E)

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  27

  September 2024

• Page 28

  Bernie Lay wrote about his escape ex-

  periences in the book ‘I’ve Had It’, which

  he published in 1945. A second edition

  in 1980 was titled ‘Presumed Dead: The

  Survival of A Bomb Group Commander’.

  After returning to England and the

  necessary recoup time, Lt.Col. Lay was

  no longer authorized to take part in

  combat missions. It was a security rule

  that excluded from flying over enemy

  territory those who had come into con-

  tact with the underground resistance

  movement after having been previously

  shot down over the continent.

  He again held staff positions and

  retired from the Army with the rank

  of Colonel in 1946. He moved with his

  family to Hollywood, where he became

  involved in the film industry, but mainly

  devoted himself to writing.

  Although Bernie Lay flew fewer than

  ten combat missions during the war,

  the horrors of those missions never

  left him. For writers, the way out was,

  among other things, writing. It provid-

  ed the inspiration for the book ‘Twelve

  O’Clock High’, published in 1948. Shortly

  after that, the offer of a lifetime came

  - to create a screenplay from the book

  in cooperation with Sy Bartlett and

  Henry King for a film about the fate

  of the crews of American four-engine

  bombers during the Second World War.

  Bernie Lay thus not only applied his

  own experiences in the book and the

  subsequent film, but above all he im-

  mortalized the memory of the people he

  met and respected during his fighting

  career. Among them was Thomas Mur-

  phy and even his B-17F ‘Piccadilly Lily’.

  It became the central plane of the story.

  The film premiered in 1949 and starred

  Gregory Peck.

  Other films followed, for which Ber-

  nie Lay wrote screenplays. The most

  Back cover of ‘I’ve Had It: The Survival of a Bomb Group Commander’

  (Harper and Brothers, 1945)

  Bernie Lay shortly after the war (photo: Allan T. Duffin)

  Twelve O’Clock High movie poster from 1949

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard28

  September 2024

• Page 29

  famous of these are Strategic Air Command and

  Above and Beyond. Although his books and film

  scripts were mainly about the Air Force, Ber-

  nie Lay hated war from the bottom of his heart.

  He loved flying.

  When his 487th BG held its first reunion in

  1967, Lay refused to attend. When pressed for an

  explanation, he stated:

  ‘If I had a choice, would

  I want to relive my wartime experience? Definite-

  ly not. I couldn’t stand the excitement.’

  He said that as he went through his earlier

  materials and notes:

  ‘The trauma of resurrecting

  these events … released such a freshet of buried

  memories, an explosion of downright disbelief,

  that I had to stop writing. My eyes were blinded

  by tears.’

  He retired permanently from the Air Force Re-

  serves in 1963 and devoted himself primarily to

  creative work.

  He passed away on May 26th, 1982 in Los Ange-

  les, but his grave will not be found there. In line

  with his character, Bernie Lay donated his body

  to medical research at the School of Medicine of

  the University of California in Los Angeles.

  His longtime friend Brinckerhoff W. Kendall

  wrote after Lay’s death:

  ‘Beirne Lay was my old-

  est and my lifelong friend. He did not find it easy

  to relate to many of the St. Paul’s boys, but he

  lived his dreams and he made it to the stars….’

  When you look at the box of the B-17F ‘The

  Bloody Hundredth 1943’ kit from Eduard, look in-

  side the cockpit of Piccadilly Lily for the figure

  behind the controls on the right. There sits the

  dreamer and romantic Bernie Lay, in whose eyes

  the horrors of the battle of Regensburg are re-

  flected. The horrors of the story, which was not

  forgotten in large part thanks to him.

  Gregory Peck as General Savage in Twelve O’Clock High

  Sources:

  - US Air Force Research Agency, Maxwell, Alabama

  - National Archives and Record Administration, College Park, MD

  MACR 4750

  Escape and Evasion Reports No. EE-939, EE-1511 (NARA)

  German Report KU1815

  - 100th Bomb Group Foundation Archives

  - Lt Col Beirne Lay Jr. and the 100th Bomb Group Connection,

  Michael Faley - 100th Bomb Group Historian

  - Findagrave, Wikipedia

  - Century Bombers, Richard LeStrange, 1997

  - The Story of the Century, John R. Nilsson, 1946

  - Aircrew Remembered Project (aircrewremembered.com)

  Photographs without a specified source are from the 100th BGF

  archive or the author’s collection.

  Details of the kit contents can be found on our e-shop.

  https://www.eduard.com/eduard/the-bloody-hundredth-1943-1-48.html

  Ask your dealers! The kit is already sold out on Eduard e-shop!

  Officially licensed by 100th Bomb Group Foundation, Inc.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  29

  September 2024

• 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.

  Miro Barič

  F-16s with Yellow-Blue Roundels

  Initially, videos surfaced showing F-16s in

  the Ukrainian sky. However, the footage wasn't

  entirely clear. A few days later, it was officially

  confirmed, and the fighters were welcomed

  by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

  in the acceptance ceremony. According to his

  statements, Ukraine currently has 10 of these

  jets (out of the 79 promised), and by the end of

  this year, they will have 20.

  During the ceremony with Zelensky, two

  F-16s were seen on the ground behind him.

  Later, a few of these jets appeared in the air.

  The Ukrainian Armed Forces released more

  footage. In most of these, only the insignia

  were visible, while other markings were

  either retouched or not painted on the aircraft

  at all. This is especially true for the pair of

  aircraft on the ground behind the Ukrainian

  president. They show some external features

  of the F-16ADF version of the U.S. Air Force,

  particularly the APX-13 IFF system antennas.

  However, they lack other typical features.

  It is also known that the U.S. has decided not to

  provide Ukraine with any fighter jets. Austrian

  military expert Tom Cooper believes that these

  are decommissioned aircraft serving only as

  a source of spare parts or as decoys in the

  event of a Russian attack on the airfield. This

  is supported by the incomplete camouflage, as

  these aircraft are missing the darker shade of

  gray on the upper surfaces.

  The two aircraft that appeared in the air are

  a completely different case. In one shot, the

  tail numbers were not retouched. This allowed

  us to identify them as aircraft 80-3596 and

  80-3599, which were ordered by Denmark in

  1980. Another distinguishing feature of Danish

  aircraft is the position of the spotlight on the

  front left side of the fuselage and the absence

  of a brake parachute housing under the rudder.

  The Danish Royal Air Force upgraded these

  aircraft to the F-16AM MLU version in the

  1990s. The last three letters stand for Mid-Life

  Update, which refers to a mid-life upgrade.

  This upgrade included improvements to the

  radar, IFF system, and software, bringing these

  aircraft closer to the F-16C/D Block 50/52

  standard.

  Further Interesting Information

  about Ukrainian F-16s

  Additional interesting details about the

  Ukrainian F-16s were revealed through footage

  from an official video. It shows that the aircraft

  are equipped with the Terma PIDS+ system,

  integrated into the middle pylons under the

  wings. This means that the pylon can carry

  a weapon while also housing three sensors

  of the Hensoldt AAR-60(V)2 missile warning

  system. Each F-16 is thus equipped with

  six sensors that scan the surroundings in

  a 360-degree radius, detecting threats such as

  incoming missiles. If the system identifies such

  a threat, it visually and acoustically alerts the

  pilot, who can then execute evasive maneuvers.

  If the missile is too close, the second part of

  the PIDS+ system automatically activates,

  deploying countermeasures. Depending on

  the type of threat, the system selects the

  appropriate countermeasures and determines

  the optimal time, angle, and sequence to

  release them for maximum effectiveness.

  The PIDS+ system integrated into the pylons

  of the Ukrainian F-16s offers their pilots

  greater capabilities than the older Soviet-

  made aircraft they previously flew. However,

  the armament seen on these pylons is less

  promising. The primary armament consists of

  AIM-120B AMRAAM missiles with active radar

  guidance. These are quality missiles that can be

  very effective with the latest software updates.

  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.

  Ukrainian F-16AM MLU with

  numbers 3599 and 3596.

  Air War in Ukraine

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard30

  September 2024

• Page 31

  Footage from a video showing preparations and the takeoff of a Ukrainian F-16AM MLU.

  Footage from a video showing preparations and the takeoff of a Ukrainian F-16AM MLU.

  Footage from a video showing preparations and the takeoff of a Ukrainian F-16AM MLU.

  Armament of the Ukrainian F-16 – on the innermost pylon under the wing there is a fuel drop tank, followed by a pylon with the integrated PIDS+ system, and finally

  an AIM-9M missile. There is an AIM-120B missile at the wingtip.

  This F-16, shown on the ground, is likely non-operational.

  Footage from a video showing preparations and the takeoff of a Ukrainian F-16AM MLU.

  However, they have a maximum range of 50 km,

  significantly less than the newer AIM-120C and

  D versions. This gives the Russian fighters

  armed with R-37M missiles the advantage of

  greater range. Also seen under the wing were

  AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles, dating back to the

  1980s. These infrared-guided missiles have

  a maximum range of 18 km. Air combat at such

  a distance does not occur in Ukraine, and the

  effectiveness of the AIM-9M against modern

  aircraft is questionable. On the other hand, they

  are fully sufficient for combat against Iranian

  Shahed drones, which Russia uses extensively.

  Perhaps even more important is what

  Ukraine has not disclosed. Kyiv is well aware

  that the Russians meticulously study every

  piece of information. Thus, there remains

  the possibility that Ukraine has received

  newer weaponry for its F-16s that they simply

  haven’t revealed. Ukrainian F-16s are capable

  of carrying AGM-88 HARM missiles or guided

  bombs, which the Ukrainian air force has used

  for quite some time. Yet these were not shown in

  the footage. The two ex-American F-16s behind

  President Zelensky likely caused considerable

  confusion among Russian analysts. If the U.S.

  provided any F-16s to Ukraine despite claims

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard

  31

  September 2024

• Page 32

  to the contrary (even if only for spare parts),

  Kremlin analysts might be asking themselves

  what else the United States has supplied

  without public disclosure.

  Attack on a Children's Hospital

  The true capabilities of Ukrainian F-16s, the

  armament they carry, and how the Ukrainian

  Air Force uses them will become clearer in

  the coming months. For now, let's focus on

  what occurred during the observed period.

  Russia has been persistently advancing in the

  Donetsk region, employing waves of assaulting

  infantry despite suffering significant losses.

  They attempt to clear their path using glide

  bombs, against which Ukrainian defenses still

  lack an effective countermeasure. Ukrainian

  attacks on airfields and ammunition depots,

  which we described in the previous section,

  managed only to reduce the intensity of these

  attacks. Instead of dropping an average of 150

  glide bombs per day, Russian aviation recently

  reduced that number to less than 100 daily.

  However, this is still far too many.

  In addition to military targets, Russian

  forces regularly hit civilian targets, and this

  month was no exception. In this part of the

  article, we first look at the worst attack during

  the recent period. It occurred on Monday, July

  8, just before the NATO summit in Washington,

  where Ukraine was also present. On that day,

  Russia launched more than 40 missiles at the

  cities of Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Pokrovsk,

  and Kropyvnytskyi. The attacks resulted in

  47 deaths and 189 injuries.

  Among the targets was the Ochmatdyt

  Children's Hospital in Kyiv. At the time of the

  attack, the hospital housed 600 pediatric

  patients and approximately the same number

  of medical staff. Two adults lost their lives,

  including a young doctor. Another 16 people

  were injured, seven of whom were children.

  The dialysis department, where children

  received treatment, was completely destroyed,

  and several other departments were damaged,

  including specialized oncology laboratories,

  the only ones of their kind in Ukraine.

  Moscow responded by claiming it only

  targets military objects, releasing several

  versions of what might have happened. This is

  a typical style of Russian propaganda—flooding

  the information space to dilute and weaken the

  truth. According to the Kremlin, Ukrainians

  either intentionally or accidentally struck

  the hospital themselves, mentioning several

  types of Western-made missiles. However,

  considering that missiles like those from the

  IRIS

  -

  T system cannot cause such extensive

  damage, one fact has worked against Russia

  from the start. The attack was captured on

  video, clearly showing the distinctive shape of

  a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile, complete with

  the TRDD-50A jet engine mounted under the

  rear section. The missile showed no signs of

  damage and was heading toward the hospital

  on a typical trajectory. All these indicators

  rule out an accidental strike; the hospital was

  a deliberate target. The attack was carried

  out by members of the 22nd Heavy Bomber

  Aviation Division from the Engels-2 base near

  Saratov.

  Struck children's hospital Ochmatdyt in Kyiv.

  The impact of the Russian Kh-101 missile on the hospital was captured on video.

  Note the jet engine under its rear part.

  Ukrainian Su-27 in an illustrative image.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard32

  September 2024

• Page 33

  Airfields Under Fire

  From the beginning of the observed period,

  Russia targeted Ukrainian airfields near the

  front line. On Monday, July 1, multiple missiles

  struck the Myrhorod base in the Poltava

  region. Two Ukrainian Su-27 fighters were

  destroyed, and four others were damaged. It is

  unclear whether these were decommissioned

  and grounded aircraft or operational ones.

  However, at least some of them were likely in

  operational condition.

  The following day, Tuesday, July 2, a Russian

  attack targeted a Mi-24 helicopter at a base

  in Poltava. The helicopter was likely seriously

  damaged by the explosion of cluster munitions.

  On Wednesday, July 3, an Iskander-M ballistic

  missile destroyed a MiG-29 at the Kryvyi Rih

  base in the Dnipropetrovsk region. On the

  same day, at the same airfield, Russians also

  recorded a decoy in the form of a Su-25 mock-

  up using a drone.

  The next similar attack occurred on Monday,

  July 29, when a Su-25 at the Kryvyi Rih base

  was hit by a Lancet drone. This time, it likely

  wasn’t a decoy.

  In the air, Ukraine suffered three losses

  during the observed period. On Tuesday, July 9,

  a Mi-8 helicopter from the 12th Army Aviation

  Brigade crashed between the villages of

  Dyachkove and Mizhhirya in the Poltava region.

  Russia claims to have shot down the aircraft.

  All four crew members were killed: Captain

  Yaroslav Lyubychenko, Captain Vitaliy Nekrasov,

  First Lieutenant Oleksandr Shemchuk, and

  Staff Sergeant Serhiy Potashenkov.

  On Friday, July 19, another Ukrainian

  Mi-8MSB

  -

  V helicopter with the tail number

  "Black 160" was seriously damaged. The

  helicopter overturned during an emergency

  landing attempt in the Novoukrainka district of

  the Kirovohrad region.

  The third tragedy was unrelated to combat

  operations. During a training flight on Saturday,

  July 27, a Skyeton K-10 Swift with the registration

  UR

  -

  KAI crashed. Yuriy Kapustenskyi, a first-

  year cadet at the National Air Force University

  in Kharkiv, died in the crash.

  Russian Losses

  During the observed period, the Russian

  Air Force experienced another disastrous

  week. However, before that, on Friday, July

  5, a Russian Mi-28 helicopter was forced to

  make an emergency landing in a field in the

  Azov district of Russia's Rostov region. This

  occurred during a massive Ukrainian drone

  attack. According to various Russian sources,

  the crew either wanted to avoid the drones

  (and possibly avoid being hit by their own air

  defenses) or the helicopter was directly hit by

  a drone. The helicopter was likely damaged,

  as the field caught fire after the emergency

  landing, although the extent of the damage

  remains unknown.

  On Friday, July 19, a Su-34 fighter-bomber

  had to make an emergency landing after being

  hit by a surface-to-air missile. Despite severe

  damage, the crew managed to bring the aircraft

  to the nearest airfield. The incident occurred

  during a night combat mission at an altitude of

  9 km, and fuel began leaking from the aircraft

  after it was hit.

  Then came the aforementioned disastrous

  week. On Sunday, July 21, Ukrainian saboteurs

  struck the Tomilino base near Moscow.

  According to Ukrainian military intelligence

  Su-27 destroyed at the Myrhorod base on July 1st.

  Ex-Czech Mi-24 helicopter in Ukrainian service.

  Captain Yaroslav Lyubichenko and Lieutenant Oleksandr Shemchuk, who died in a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter

  on July 9th.

  On July 3rd, this decoy Su-25 was found at the Kryvyi

  Rih base.

  MiG-29 fighter struck by an Iskander-M missile

  at the Kryvyi Rih base on July 3rd.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard

  33

  September 2024

• Page 34

  (GUR), they burned two helicopters, a Kamov

  and a Mi-28. Satellite imagery later revealed

  a burn site where Ka-27 helicopters usually

  stood.

  On Tuesday, July 23, a Russian Su-25 attack

  aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air

  missile from the 110th Mechanized Brigade

  of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The incident

  occurred near the village of Troitske in the

  Pokrovsk district of the Donetsk region. The

  event was also recorded on video, and the

  Russian pilot successfully ejected.

  On Wednesday, July 24, Ukrainian saboteurs

  struck again, this time destroying a Mi-8

  helicopter at the Kryazh base in Samara,

  Russia.

  On Thursday, July 25, a Russian Mi-28

  helicopter from the 332nd Independent

  Helicopter Regiment crashed. Although

  the crash occurred near the village of

  Klenki in the Kaluga region, deep inside

  Russia, it was related to the war in Ukraine.

  The helicopter was returning from a mission

  to hunt down attacking Ukrainian drones in

  the Bryansk region near the Ukrainian border.

  It is speculated that the aircraft fell victim to

  friendly fire from its own air defense. Both

  crew members died in the crash.

  On Friday, July 26, early in the morning,

  Ukrainian forces launched a missile attack on

  the Saki base in Crimea. One Su-30SM fighter

  jet from the 43rd Independent Naval Assault

  Aviation Regiment was destroyed, and two

  others were damaged.

  On Saturday, July 27, a Su-34 fighter-

  bomber crashed in the Volgograd region of

  Russia. Both crew members ejected safely.

  The aircraft likely took off from the Marinovka

  base and was heavily used in attacks against

  Ukraine. Such intensive operations have led to

  significant wear and tear of the equipment and

  high stress on the pilots.

  The last, and the most significant loss

  occurred on the final day of the observed period.

  On Wednesday, July 31, a Mi-8MTV-2 helicopter

  with the registration RF-34255 and tail number

  "Yellow 59" was hit on the ground in the Donetsk

  region by a Ukrainian missile (ATACMS or

  HIMARS). The helicopter belonged to the 6th

  Independent Special-Purpose Squadron of the

  Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya). It was

  loaded with wounded soldiers, and 20 people,

  including at least one crew member, died in the

  attack.

  Skyeton K-10 Swift with registration UR

  -

  KAI, which crashed on July 27.

  Another Ukrainian sabotage attack took place on July 24

  at the Kryazh base. A Mi-8 was set on fire.

  On July 21, two Russian helicopters burnt

  at the Tomilino base near Moscow.

  The crash of a Su-34, which occurred on July 27. On July 31, 20 soldiers died in the Russian

  Mi-8 helicopter that was destroyed on the ground.

  Yuriy Kapustenskyi in front of the UR

  -

  KAI,

  in which he died.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard34

  September 2024

• Page 35

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  Having launched the signature bomber for use in the European Theatre, Boeing embarked on a voyage into

  the unknown. Bringing together numerous untried technologies the Boeing Aircraft Company launched its

  most significant bomber, the B-29 Superfortress. Although beset by development problems and having

  suffered the loss of the prototype and its Chief Test Pilot Eddie Allan, the company pushed on to create the

  first long-range strategic bombers. Once the Pacific Islands had been captured the B-29 Bomb Groups

  began bombing raids on the Japanese Home Islands. On the other side of the Himalayas further bomb

  groups launched attacks against targets in Japan. As combat experience grew the focus turned to

  destroying as much as possible of its production facilities, mainly by firebombing areas known to have

  these targets. And then the world changed forever. The use of two atom bombs against Hiroshima and

  Nagasaki had shown the power of the atom. When the Japanese finally surrendered the Cold War

  arrived to take its place. War in Korea followed, being the swan song for the B-29 while its younger

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  arrived. One of the largest aircraft of World War II, the B-29 remained in service in various roles throughout the

  1950s, being retired in the early 1960s after 3,970 had been built. The Royal Air Force flew the B-29 with the service name

  ‘Washington from 1950 to 1954’ while the re-engined B-50 Superfortress Lucky Lady II became the first aircraft to fly around the world

  non-stop, during a 94-hour flight in 1949. The Soviet Union produced 847 Tupolev Tu-4s, an unlicensed

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  by Sam Pearson.

  Boeing

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  By Kev Darling

  B-29 Superfortress 44-70072 X-55 named Limber Richard of the 5th

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  with other squadron bombers in 1945. The bombing missions against

  Japan a 3,500 mile round trip, could last as long as sixteen hours. Also

  shown is at least one B-29 of the 1st BS of the same group, complete

  with black and yellow rear fuselage and fin bands. (USAF via DRJ)

  WARPAINT SERIES No.143

  paint Master 21/06/2024 14:48 Page 118

  During the 1960s, Dassault commenced development of what would become the Mirage F1 as a private

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  All these titles are available in printed format via our on demand printing service. Please contact our office for further information.

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• Page 36

  BOXART STORY #82205

  In mid-1944, the escort carrier USS Petrof

  Bay (CVE-80) embarked its combat unit, VC-76.

  A typical Composite Squadron (VC) could deploy

  up to thirty FM-2 Wildcat and Avenger aircraft.

  The USS Petrof Bay's combat history exemplifies

  the crucial role of escort carriers in the final

  year of the war. In September 1944, the carrier

  supported the landings on Peleliu Island, and

  during the Battle of Leyte in October 1944, it was

  among the first vessels to encounter Japanese

  Kamikaze tactics. During this historic battle,

  aviators from the USS Petrof Bay attacked

  a fleet that included the battleship Yamato,

  contributing to the sinking of several enemy

  warships in later phase of the battle.

  By the spring of 1945, VC-76 had achieved

  a total of four confirmed victories. In March 1945,

  VC-93 replaced VC-76 as the combat unit aboard

  the USS Petrof Bay. Later that month, its airmen

  began participating in operations covering the

  landings on various islands around Okinawa. By

  mid-April, they played a key role in neutralizing

  airfields in the Sakishima Islands, from which

  Kamikaze attacks were also launched.

  On April 1, 1945, as part of Operation Iceberg,

  American forces landed on Okinawa. In response,

  the Japanese command ordered large Kamikaze

  attacks on American vessels from April 6 to

  June 22, as part of IJN Operation Kikusui.

  On the first day of Operation Kikusui I, which

  took place from April 6 to 11, the Japanese

  deployed approximately 300 Kamikaze aircraft

  in the target area. The U.S. Navy lost three

  destroyers and three other vessels, with

  ten additional ships sustaining damage. U.S.

  Navy airmen claimed 257 victories, while

  their U.S. Marine Corps counterparts claimed

  18 more. However, quite a few Japanese aircraft

  managed to penetrate the fighter defenses and

  were subsequently shot down by anti-aircraft

  gunners.

  For the four Wildcat pilots of VC-93, who

  took off at 1330 from the deck of the USS Petrof

  Bay, this was their first opportunity to engage

  the enemy. They were ordered to patrol over

  Ie Shima Island, west of Okinawa. The first

  victory was achieved by Lt. (jg) Foster, who shot

  down a D3A Val bomber attempting to attack an

  escort destroyer. Both the gunner and the pilot

  bailed out of the burning aircraft but did not

  survive. Lt. Myers then shot down a Zeke whose

  pilot was attempting to crash into a transport

  vessel. The following Zeke was credited to

  Lt. (jg) Tuttle. Another Val came under fire from

  Lt. (jg) Sherlock and crashed on Ie Shima Island.

  A few minutes later, Lt. Myers engaged another

  Zeke, flying head-on. Myers struck the enemy's

  engine and, utilizing the FM-2's characteristics,

  quickly positioned himself at the enemy's six

  o'clock, shooting it down. The last victory by this

  VC-93 division was highly dramatic and became

  the model for Piotr Forkasiewicz's box art.

  The unit diary describes it as follows:

  “The division reformed and at 2500 feet

  altitude Lieut. Myers saw a Val leave the clouds

  at 5500 feet altitude, 12 o'clock, 500 feet distant,

  180 knots, in a 45 degree glide onto a DD (Note:

  US Navy destroyer). At 2000 feet he was 500

  feet to the rear of the Val, following in the glide,

  regardless of the intense anti-aircraft fire from

  the DD, and fired a three second burst which

  started smoke from the Val's engine. At 1000

  feet and again at 500 feet altitude he fired from

  100 feet behind the Val, at the port wing root.

  The wing exploded from the plane and the Val

  splashed about 50 feet from the DD”.

  There were only three formations of Val

  bombers deployed on 6 April. The first belonged

  to Hachiman Gokō-tai No. 1, which was formed

  from part of the Usa Kōkūtai, the next formation

  was from Seitō-tai No. 1 (Hyakurihara Kōkūtai),

  and the last was called Kusanagi-tai No. 1

  (Nagoya Kōkūtai). All three formations took off

  in succession from Kokubu Base No. 2 on Kyūshū

  Island. In the target area, where their mission

  was to attack supply convoys, 65 airmen from

  these units sacrificed their lives.

  The most senior commander among the

  three above formations was Lieutenant Satoshi

  Kuwabara (NA 71, 1942) of Seitō-tai No. 1. He had

  served aboard the warships Nagato and Maya,

  and had been a member of the Hyakurihara

  Kōkūtai aviation cadre since mid-1943. He was

  posthumously promoted two steps to Lieutenant

  Commander.

  A number of farewell letters from the

  airmen of these three units are available on

  the Kamikaze Images website. Hundreds of

  letters that have been published as part of

  this project show, in a careful analysis, that

  their main themes include impending death,

  farewell to family, filial devotion to parents or

  accomplishment of a mission. Hatred of the

  enemy, perhaps surprisingly to many readers, is

  found only in 25th place.

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  Convoy off Okinawa

  INFO Eduard36

  September 2024

• Page 37

  #82165

  BOXART STORY

  At the end of October 1942, I. and III./JG 77

  "Herz As," equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109

  G-2s, relocated from Sicily to the North African

  battlefield. The I. Gruppe was commanded by

  the well-known Maj. Heinz Bär, while Maj. Kurt

  Ubben led the III. Gruppe. Their mission was to

  engage in the ongoing battles at El Alamein as

  soon as possible. Bär's unit commenced combat

  flights on October 28 from the Bir-el-Abd base.

  Aircraft maintenance for I./JG 77 was initially

  managed by personnel from the legendary

  I./JG 27, the unit where the renowned Hans-

  Joachim Marseille had tragically died two

  months earlier. Meanwhile, I./JG 77’s own ground

  crew was still en route from Sicily. However, the

  first I./JG 77 planes to be damaged or destroyed

  were not due to enemy action but rather the

  treacherous desert surface of the airfield.

  The two Jagdgruppen initially operated together,

  and in the following days, engagements with

  enemy fighter groups, often consisting of several

  dozen aircraft, became common.

  One of I./JG 77's first victories in Africa was

  achieved on November 1, 1942, by Uffz. Horst

  Schlick, who had seven kills at the time. That

  morning, thirty Stuka dive-bombers from StG

  3 were heading toward the front, escorted by

  ten MC.202s from 23° Gruppo Caccia, nineteen

  Bf 109s from I./JG 27 and II./JG 27, and seven Bf

  109s from I./JG 77. Among the latter group were

  Horst Schlick and Maj. Bär's adjutant, Lt. "Mac"

  Berres.

  Over the front, at 8:15 German time and at an

  altitude of 3,500 meters, a dogfight ensued with

  twenty Curtiss P-40s from No. 112 Sq RAF and

  the 66th FS, 57th FG. The Allied pilots reported

  successfully forcing the Stukas to drop their

  bombs prematurely, claiming 7-6-2 bomber

  victories. The Germans lost five Stukas, and the

  bombs appear to have landed in the Axis troop

  area.

  The Italian pilots did not claim any victories,

  but their German colleagues reported shooting

  down one Spitfire and three P-40s. Berres

  claimed one Curtiss, marking his 19th victory,

  while Schlick scored his eighth kill. According

  to Schlick, both P-40s force-landed in Axis-held

  territory, trailing thick smoke for quite some

  time.

  It was likely two aircraft from No. 112 Sq

  RAF that did not return from combat. Sgt. R.

  De Bourke, injured during the battle, made

  an emergency landing with a Kittyhawk III

  (FR 264), designated "W." He had managed to

  shoot down two Stukas during the engagement.

  His plane was later salvaged and repaired.

  The other aircraft lost was a Kittyhawk III

  (FR 289), designated "Z." Its pilot, WO J. B. Agnew,

  landed on the battlefield but successfully made

  his way back to Allied lines. Before being shot

  down, Agnew had confirmed one Stuka kill,

  claimed another as probable, and damaged

  two others. The conclusion of these battles is

  depicted in Adam Tooby's box art, which features

  De Bourke's aircraft alongside Schlick's, though

  Agnew also could have been his victim.

  For Schlick, however, the following days took

  an unexpected turn. On November 2, near his

  own base, he collided with an enemy aircraft

  during a dogfight. Although he managed to bail

  out, upon his return to the unit the next day,

  he was severely reprimanded by Heinz Bär.

  Schlick's Gruppenkommandeur had observed

  the aerial encounter through binoculars and was

  displeased with the twenty-one-year-old NCO's

  reckless attack maneuver. Since the enemy

  aircraft crashed over German territory, this P-40

  was confirmed as Schlick's ninth victory.

  Schlick's plane, "White 3," which he used on

  November 1 to achieve his first aerial victory

  in Africa, remained at the Bir-el-Abd base

  until it was captured by the Allies three days

  later. Allied airmen took souvenir photographs

  with the brightly colored Messerschmitt, which

  displayed eight victory markings on its rudder.

  Gruppenkommandeur Heinz Bär was among

  the last members of I./JG 77 to leave African

  soil, evacuating with his unit to Sicily on May

  8, 1943. Between October 25, 1942, and May

  13, 1943, JG 77 suffered significant losses, with

  55% of its flying personnel lost. III. Gruppe was

  hit hardest, losing 30 pilots. During the same

  period, 218 JG 77 aircraft were either completely

  destroyed or sustained over 60% damage.

  Despite these losses, the Geschwader shot down

  497 enemy aircraft, achieving a kill ratio better

  than 2:1. Bär's I. Gruppe led in kills, scoring 192

  victories under extremely challenging battlefield

  conditions, a testament not only to Bär's personal

  skill but also to his charismatic leadership and

  the experienced airmen he had assembled and

  trained in his Gruppe.

  Illustration: Adam Tooby

  Beginning in Africa

  Text: Jan Bobek

  INFO Eduard

  37

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• Page 38

  #R0022

  Bf 109G-10

  1/72

  The Royal Class edition kit of the German fighter aircraft Bf 109G-10

  in 1/72 scale. The kit offers markings for 10 aircraft. The box contains

  plastic sprues for two complete kits, Bf 109G-10 version produced

  in Erla facory in Leipzig or Bf 109G-10 from Wiener Neustädter Fabrik

  or Bf 109G-10 or Bf 109G-14/AS from Messerschmitt factory

  in Regensburg.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 10

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: yes (exhausts; undercarriage

  wheels – two types)

  EXTRA: wheel wells plugs (Omask)

  BONUS: magnet

  Product page

  KITS 09/2024

  Dual Combo

  Magnet

  INFO Eduard38

  September 2024

• Page 39

  Bf 109G-10/U4, WNr. 613165, 101. Puma vadászrepülö osztály, Neubiberg, Germany, May 1945

  Bf 109G-10/U4, II./JG 52, Brno, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, April 1945

  In the end of May 1945, the remaining Hungarian

  air units were concentrated on the Tulln airport

  in Austria from where they flew the missions

  over Wien and Brno areas. On April 5, when

  the frontline approached Tulln, these units

  transferred to the Raffelding airfield from

  where they continued to fly sorties to support

  the ground units around Wien. At the end of war

  the Hungarian aviators, same as their German

  colleagues, preferred to surrender to the US

  Army, therefore, on May 8, 1945, 101. osztály pilots

  flew the remaining aircraft over to the Bavarian

  Neubiberg. The aircraft manufactured in the

  Diana factory were camouflaged with the same

  colors as the aircraft manufactured in Wiener

  Neustadt. The photographs of black 16 show that

  the Hungarian national insignias were spray-

  painted directly on the camouflage, the German

  markings were not applied at all.

  In the final weeks of fighting in Austria and

  Moravia in the spring of 1945, Luftwaffe fighter

  units were also being disbanded in this part of

  the European battlefield. First, II./JG 51 was

  disbanded on April 12, and five days later, the

  same fate afflicted I./JG 53. The aircraft marked

  White 11 (produced in the Wiener Neustädter

  Werke factory) was transferred to 7./JG 52,

  commanded by Heinz Ewald. The Messerschmitt

  had the inscription Rosemarie under the

  cockpit and sported repainted insignia of

  JG 53 and II./JG 51. Ofw. Richter flew White 11 into

  American captivity at Neubiberg on May 8, 1945,

  although he was not member of II./JG 52. Heinz

  Ewald was released from American captivity

  in Fürstenfeldbruck on June 22, 1945.

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard

  39

  September 2024

• Page 40

  Avia S-99, Police Air Patrol Unit, Czechoslovak Police Air Force, Prague-Kbely, 1947

  Bf 109G-10, 1./KG(J) 6, Prague-Kbely, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, March/April 1945

  This aircraft, allocated to the air detachment

  of SNB (Sbor národní bezpečnosti - National

  Security Corps) got to the air for the first time

  in summer 1946. The upper and side surfaces

  were camouflaged in steel gray paint, the lower

  surfaces were sprayed in darker grey color.

  The engine cowlings, wings leading edges and

  elevators of the SNB Air Patrol aircraft were

  painted in scarlet red. The code letters were

  painted in the same color outlined in white.

  The national insignia was in the form of white

  outlined spherical triangle. The vertical tail

  stabilizer carried a small black numeral 4.

  The huge losses suffered by Luftwaffe fighter

  units were one of the reasons that led in October

  1944 to the decision to reduce the number of

  bomber assets and to distribute their personnel

  among fighter squadrons following the necessary

  conversion training. One of the Geschwader units

  affected by this change was KG 6. The unit was

  redesignated as KG(J) 6 and was re-equipped

  with the Bf 109G-10s and K-4s. Training was

  undertaken at Prague-Kbely, Prague-Ruzyně

  and also at Klecany airfields. On March 31,

  KG(J) 6 aircraft fought against 309th FS/31st

  FG Mustangs over Prague. The resulting heavy

  losses led to the disbandment of the unit a few

  days later, on April 9. This aircraft, manufactured

  at the Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg, was

  abandoned at Kbely, probably due to irreparable

  damage, where it was photographed after the

  war. The KG(J) 6 ownership was indicated by the

  red and black chessboard band on the rear part

  of the fuselage.

  KITS 09/2024

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  Bf 109G-10, 13./JG 27, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, March 1945

  Bf 109G-10, Hptm. Erich Hartmann, CO of I./JG 52, Görlitz, Germany, April 1945

  After the Allied landings in Normandy in early

  June 1944, IV. Gruppe JG 27 moved from Hungary

  to the French airfield of Champfleury-la-Perthe

  and began their participation in combat on the

  Western Front. After suffering heavy losses,

  the unit went to Lower Saxony for rest and

  replenishment. The unit was assigned to the

  Defense of the Reich system and was disbanded

  on March 31, 1945. Pilots and personnel were

  distributed among the other units of JG 27.

  The white wave marking on the rear fuselage

  identified this aircraft, manufactured at the

  Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg, as being

  assigned to the IV. Gruppe, and the green band

  was recognition marking of the Defense of the

  Reich unit JG 27.

  Erich Hartmann, the most successful fighter pilot

  of all times, first joined the 7. Staffel of JG 52 on

  October 10, 1942. He stayed with Jagdgeschwader

  52 till the end of the World War Two; in fact, he

  became the commander of its I. Gruppe. The total

  count of his victories was 352. For his exceptional

  success he was awarded the Knight’s Cross

  of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and

  Diamonds. After WWII he was transferred to the

  POW camp in the Ural Mountains in Soviet Union

  and was not released until 1955. The following

  year he joined the ranks of Western German

  Luftwaffe. He became commander of JG 71, the

  first Luftwaffe squadron equipped with jet-

  powered fighter aircraft. He retired in 1970 and

  died on September 20, 1993. Hartmann’s aircraft,

  manufactured at the Erla factory in Leipzig,

  carried a black tulip marking outlined in white on

  the nose. Below the cockpit on the left side there

  was a heart painted with the name of Hartmann’s

  wife. The Gruppe leader marking took the shape

  of a double wedge, but only as a white outline.

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard

  41

  September 2024

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  Bf 109G-10, WNr. 491407, Capt. Cesare Marchesi, 3

  a

  Squadriglia, 1

  o

  Gruppo Caccia, ANR,

  Lonate Pozzolo, Italy, March 1945

  Bf 109G-10, WNr. 152xx6, 11./JG 300, Prague-Kbely, Czechoslovakia, May 1945

  After declaration of the Italian Social Republic on

  September 18, 1943, a puppet state on the German

  armed forces occupied territory, and under the

  leadership of Benito Mussolini, Germany allowed

  this state to form the army in the strength of

  four divisions. Its aviation component, named

  Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, consisted

  of two fighter groups (Gruppo Caccia), a group

  of torpedo bombers (Gruppo Aerosiluranti

  Buscaglia) and several transport flights. Io Gruppo

  Caccia (Asso di Bastoni) initially flew Macchi

  C.205 but from November 1944 till February

  1945 went through the transition training on

  Messerschmitt 109 in Holzkirchen, Germany.

  In February the unit received Messerschmitts

  109 of the versions G-10 (manufactured by Erla

  factory in Leipzig), G-14 and G-14/AS and several

  K-4s. The original German markings were

  oversprayed in Italian colors and the aircraft

  received the Italian markings. The German iron

  crosses were left on the wing underside surfaces.

  There was the Io Gruppo insignia painted on the

  fuselage nose’s port side.

  The aircraft found in front of the hangar at Prague-

  Kbely airport in the end of war comes from the

  production series 152xxx produced in Erla factory

  in Leipzig. The aircraft from this manufacturing

  batch had wings featuring larger bulges on

  the upper sides enabling the installation of

  the larger wheels i.e., the same type used on

  Bf 109G-10 planes manufactured at WNF factory

  and it’s Diana branch. The fuselage and wings

  were probably spray painted in RLM 81/82 colors

  even though some researchers incline towards

  a single color camouflage variation sprayed

  in RLM 81. The wing lower surfaces were not

  painted at all with the exemption of parts coming

  from subcontractors which were painted in RLM

  76. The engine cowling, coming from a different

  airframe, is camouflaged in RLM 74/75/76 colors.

  Of the serial number painted on the vertical tail

  surface only first three digits (152) and the last

  one (6) are legible.

  KITS 09/2024

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  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 784938, III./JG 6, Bissel, Germany, January 1945

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 782xxx, str. Vladimir Sandtner, 2.ZLJ, Lučko, Croatia, April 1945

  One of the last established Luftwaffe units was

  Jagdgeschwader 6 established in July 1944.

  Its Stab plus I. and II. Gruppe were activated

  in Königsberg (nowadays Kaliningrad) and

  equipped with Fw 190A fighters. Its III. Gruppe

  was established in October 1944 by re-naming

  I./JG 5 and equipped with Messerschmitts

  Bf 109G. On January 1, 1945, the entire unit took

  part in the operation Bodenplatte, an attack of

  the fighter units on the Allied airports located on

  the liberated territories of the Western Europe.

  Bf 109G-14/AS marked Green 1 was photographed

  in May 1945 at the airport in Twente. It was

  reported that it had probably landed here due to

  the engine failure on its return from the operation

  Bodenplatte. JG 6 aircraft typically carried red-

  white-red markings on the rear fuselage, this

  particular aircraft sported only 2 bands.

  Croatian pilot of Slovak origin, Vladimir Sandtner,

  was trained as a member of the Croatian Air

  Force in 1943 by Luftwaffe units JG 104 and

  II./EJG 1. In April 1944, he was provisionally

  assigned to 3./JG 52 on the Eastern Front, as the

  unit with Croatian pilots, 15.(Kroat.)/JG 52, was

  withdrawn from the front at that time. During the

  fighting over Romania in June 1944, he achieved

  a confirmed Il-2 kill, while another victory over

  a Yak-9 was not confirmed. In the spring of

  1945, Sandtner served with the rank of stražnik

  (Feldwebel) in the 2. zrakoplovno lovačko jato

  (fighter squadron), which was involved in anti-

  partisan operations and occasionally clashed

  with RAF fighters. During a reconnaissance flight

  on April 16 near Senj, he deserted to Italy together

  with stražnik Josip Ceković, landing at Falconara

  (Sandtner) and Iesi (Ceković) airfield. Sandtner’s

  aircraft had register number 2104 in Croatian

  Air Force inventory. An ibex was painted on both

  sides of the fuselage.

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard

  43

  September 2024

• 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:

  Highlights of the Bf 109 F/G family in 1/72 scale

  Use of bottom sprue-part joints on parts where conventional joints would cause damage to the model surface when removing parts from the sprue.

  Jakub Nademlejnský

  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:

  The bottom sprues can be simply cut off with pliers... ...and then carefully clean up any residue along the surface of the part.

  INFO Eduard44

  September 2024

• Page 45

  At the request of modelers, we have multiplied the number of small parts, to offer spare parts in case of loss.

  The tail wheel leg fitting is also reworked.

  The original one had to be glued before gluing

  he fuselage halves.

  Especially for fuselage and wing parts, this will not damage the surface of the aircraft.

  INFO Eduard

  45

  September 2024

• Page 46

  The tail wheel leg can be glued on when the model is finalized.

  Newly designed is also the gluing of the tail part, which is glued

  into the fuselage halves before they are glued together.

  In the photo we can see that the joint of these parts is imperceptible

  even without glue.

  The radiator covers were constructed together with the radiator flaps, which can be bent to the

  required position.

  Now a box is designed to glue it in place, which is glued to the fuselage halves.

  INFO Eduard46

  September 2024

• Page 47

  Their fitting is seamless.

  The flaps fit into the wing halves using guide pins...

  ...and so are the ailerons.

  The kits contain several

  types of oil coolers...

  INFO Eduard

  47

  September 2024

• Page 48

  Building them into the model is again seamless with four guide pins, after assembly you just need to run a solvent glue over them.

  The landing gear assembly has been redesigned and the legs now include solid pins to help glue the assembly better and make

  it easier to maintain proper geometry.

  The chassis legs now just slide into the guide pocket along the shaft.

  INFO Eduard48

  September 2024

• Page 49

  Landing gear assembly glued together.

  The position lights have also been redesigned and are now made of clear plastic, at the request of the modelers.

  Landing gear built up.

  The landing gear leg holds the

  correct geometry once seated.

  INFO Eduard

  49

  September 2024

• Page 50

  Bf 109G-10

  1/72

  test

  built

  built by Jakub Nademlejnský

   andPetrBřezina

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard50

  September 2024

• Page 51

  test

  built

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard

  51

  September 2024

• Page 52

  Recommended: for

  Bf 109G-10 1/72

  674018 Bf 109G-10 LööK (Brassin)

  672338 Bf 109G undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  672344 Bf 109G radio compartment PRINT (Brassin)

  672383 Bf 109G-10/K-4 propeller (Brassin)

  672385 Bf 109G-10 wheels (Brassin)

  D72048 Bf 109G stencils (Decal Set)

  D72049 Bf 109G Balkenkreuze (Decal Set)

  #674018

  #672383

  #672344

  #672338

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  OVERLEPT

  OVERLEPT

  #R0022-LEPT1

  Bf 109G-10 1/72

  #R0022-LEPT2

  Bf 109G-14 1/72

  OVERTREES

  OVERTREES

  OVERTREES

  #70158X

  Bf 109G-5/6/10/14/K-4

  small parts

  1/72

  #70162X

  Bf 109G-10 ERLA

  1/72

  #70163X

  Bf 109G-10 WNF/

  Mtt. Regensburg/

  Bf 109G-14/AS

  1/72

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard52

  September 2024

• Page 53

  #82205

  FM-2 Wildcat

  The ProfiPACK edition of the kit of the US WWII aircraft carrier-based fighter

  FM-2 Wildcat in 1/48 scale. This version of the Wildcat was built by the

  Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors and was easily recognizable thanks to taller fin.

  It was also the most potent of all Wildcats thanks to the more powerful engine.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  1/48

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard

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  Lt. Robert I. Myers, VC-93, USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80), April 1945

  VC-88, USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 1945

  USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80), after being

  commissioned into the Navy in February 1944,

  was first engaged in shipping aircraft, material,

  and military personnel. In May VC-76 boarded and

  participated in the Peleliu landings, the Philippine

  Campaign, and the Battle of Iwo Jima. After the

  latter operation, VC-76 was replaced by a fresh

  unit, VC-93, with which USS Petrof Bay intervened

  in the Okinawa landings and subsequently

  supported ground forces and provided protection

  to vessels off that island. During this activity,

  the pilots of VC-93 had to face primarily

  kamikaze raids, and on this Wildcat, on April

  6, 1945, Lt. Robert Ira Myers managed to shoot

  down Kamikaze Zero attacking a transport ship,

  shortly after another Zero, and finally a D3A Val

  dive bomber attempting to engage a destroyer.

  For these achievements he was subsequently

  awarded the Navy Cross.

  The escort carrier Saginaw Bay (CVE-82),

  one of fifty Casablanca-class vessels, was

  commissioned on March 2, 1944, after

  a construction period of 123 days. Like her sister

  ships, she first participated in the transport of

  personnel, aircraft, and material, then combined

  squadron boarded to participate in combat

  operations, specifically the landings in Palau, the

  liberation of the Philippines, and the invasions

  of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Okinawa landings

  were supported from aboard the USS Saginaw

  Bay by VC-88 equipped with FM-2 Wildcats and

  TBM-3 Avengers.

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard54

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• Page 55

  VC-9, USS Solomons (CVE-67), spring/summer 1944

  VC-99, USS Hogatt Bay (CVE-75), 1945

  Combined VC-9 squadron consisting of nine FM-2

  Wildcats and twelve Avengers was assigned

  aboard USS Solomons (CVE-67), docked in Recife,

  Brazil. The primary mission of the ship and her

  unit was anti-submarine patrols in the South

  Atlantic. The VC-9 spent five months aboard from

  March to August 1944 and participated in four

  cruises during this period. The most successful

  cruise was the third one, which involved the

  detection and subsequent sinking of the German

  Type IXD2 submarine U-860 on June 15, 1944.

  The submarine was on her first patrol under the

  command of Fregatenkapitän Paul Büchel and

  42 crew members followed her into the depths.

  Wildcats flying over the Atlantic wore the so-

  called Atlantic camouflage scheme, consisting of

  white paint on the lower and side surfaces, while

  the upper surfaces were camouflaged with Dark

  Gull Gray.

  USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75), a Casablanca-class

  escort carrier, joined the fleet operating off

  Okinawa on May 8, 1945. Aboard was combined

  squadron VC-99 that had embarked shortly

  before at Saipan to support ground troops at

  Okinawa and to participate in fleet protection

  against Kamikaze raids by Japanese pilots.

  On June 24, the ship was released from

  operations off Okinawa and sent to Leyte, where

  she parted ways with the VC-99 awaiting rest and

  replenishment of losses. An all-blue camouflage

  scheme in Gloss Sea Blue was introduced in

  June 1944, replacing the three-color camouflage

  scheme used since January 1943.

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard

  55

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• Page 56

  Lt. Martin Ferko, VC-4, USS White Plains (CVE-67), June – September 1944

  JV836, No. 882 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Searcher, August 1945

  Leopold Martin Ferko was born to Slovak parents

  on January 29, 1915, in Great Falls, Montana.

  He earned his bachelor’s degree from Stanford

  University, where he was also a star of the

  American football team there. He then taught

  math and English at San Francisco High School

  and also coached the local football team before

  signing up with the Navy and beginning flight

  training on February 3. He then continued as

  an instructor at Corpus Christi, Texas, before

  being transferred to Pearl Harbor in June 1943,

  where he embarked with the VC-4 on the USS

  White Plains. The unit consisted of 16 FM-2s and

  12 TBM Avengers. During the three days of the

  Battle of Leyte Gulf, he scored all five of his kills,

  although the first two may have been his last.

  After shooting down two Oscars he was in fact

  attacked himself and his FM-2 took one hit after

  another before the attacking enemy was shot

  down by the Ens. Pool. Ferko then had to make an

  emergency landing at Tacloban due to a damaged

  elevator. There, the aircraft was repaired, and he

  was able to return in time to score three more

  kills. Leopold Ferko retired from the Navy with

  the rank of Lieutenant Commander and died on

  May 16, 1992, in San Francisco.

  No. 882 NAS embarked aboard HMS Searcher

  in September 1943 after previous service on

  the carriers Illustrious and Victorious. Already

  on these motherships she used Martlets, as

  the British called Wildcats until January 1944.

  Aboard HMS Searcher the unit took part in major

  operations of the Royal Navy. These included

  Operation Tungsten (the attack on Tirpitz,

  anchored in Kaafjord) in April 1944, Operation

  Dragoon (the Allied landings in southern France)

  in August 1944, and Operation Outing (attacks

  on German-occupied islands in the Aegean Sea)

  in September of that year. This was followed by

  a return to the home islands, where the unit took

  delivery of new Wildcats VI (FM-2 Wildcat) and in

  February 1945 headed again aboard Searcher to

  the Norwegian coast, where it conducted raids on

  German-occupied territory. After the end of the

  war in Europe, it was decided that No. 882 NAS

  aboard Searcher would move to the Pacific to

  reinforce the British Pacific Fleet, but the end of

  the war found her enroute during a stop in Ceylon

  (now Sri Lanka). The all-blue Wildcats VI serving

  with the British Pacific Fleet had cockades

  painted in blue and white only. The red center

  was omitted because of possible confusion

  with the Japanese Hinomaru. At the same time,

  white stripes were painted on the wings and

  tail surfaces for easier identification of friendly

  aircraft.

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard56

  September 2024

• Page 57

  481119 FM-2 landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  644222 FM-2 LööK (Brassin)

  644226 FM-2 LööKplus (Brassin)

  648886 FM-2 undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648887 FM-2 wheels (Brassin)

  648888 FM-2 seat PRINT (Brassin)

  648889 FM-2 folding wings PRINT (Brassin)

  648890 FM-2 gun barrels PRINT (Brassin)

  648895 FM-2 cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  648896 FM-2 cockpit w/ armoured headrest PRINT (Brassin)

  648900 FM-2 gun bays PRINT (Brassin)

  648901 FM-2 exhausts PRINT (Brassin)

  648956 FM-2 wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  648960 FM-2 engine PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48128 FM-2 SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  EX965 FM-2 TFace (Mask)

  EX971 FM-2 US national insignia (Mask)

  Recommended: for

  FM-2 Wildcat 1/48

  OVERTREES

  #82205X

  FM-2 Wildcat

  1/48

  OVERLEPT

  #82205-LEPT1

  FM-2 Wildcat

  1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  #644226

  #648956

  #648889

  #648887

  #648960

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard

  57

  September 2024

• Page 58

  #82165

  Bf 109G-2

  1/48

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of German WWII fighter aircraft Bf 109G-2

  in 1/48 scale. The kit contains five markings of famous Luftwaffe fighter

  pilots of different Luftwaffe units.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 5

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  Re-Release

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard58

  September 2024

• Page 59

  Bf 109G-2/trop, WNr. 10533, Uffz. Horst Schlick, 1./JG 77, Bir-el-Abd, Egypt, November 1942

  Bf 109G-2/R-6/trop, WNr. 13916, Fw. Hans Döbrich, 6./JG 5, Alakurtti,

  Finland, February 1943

  Bf 109G-2/R6, Lt. Walter Krupinski, 6./JG 52, Maykop, the Soviet Union, October 1942

  As a fighter pilot in the JG 77 ranks, Horst Schlick

  served with the unit from 1942 to 1945. He achieved

  two aerial victories on the Eastern Front and

  added some thirty more on the Western Front.

  For most of his time with JG 77, Schlick was

  a member of the 1. Staffel, but he was transferred to

  the 4. Staffel in the autumn of 1944, where he shot

  down his last victim. In the spring of 1945, Schlick

  received orders to move to the EJG 2 training unit

  and later to JG 7 equipped with Me 262 jet fighters.

  However, he did not achieve any more victories

  there. He conducted 480 operational flights and

  shot down 32 enemy aircraft (some sources

  state 34). Horst Schlick’s aircraft arrived on the

  African battlefield in the colors of RLM 70/71/76.

  It was complemented on the upper surfaces with

  irregular lines of RLM 79 paint. The undersides

  were painted with RLM 78. An essential part of the

  marking of the aircraft of the southern region, i.e.,

  wingtips, a band on the fuselage, and a propeller

  spinner in white color, were also applied.

  Hans Döbrich scored 65 kills over his combat

  career and was awarded the Knight’s Cross of

  the Iron Cross for his achievements. On the other

  hand, he was shot down himself three times,

  with the final one resulting in serious injuries,

  preventing him to return to operational flying.

  Döbrich began using this aircraft on February

  9, 1943. At that time he was already ace with 43

  kills and also one of the most successful pilots of

  II./JG 5. Flying this aircraft Döbrich involuntarily

  took to his parachute due to engine failure on

  March 14, 1943, shortly after a scramble take-

  off from Salmijärvi. The original camouflage

  scheme composed of RLM 74/75/76 colors and

  was overpainted with white squiggles to make

  the aircraft less visible in winter conditions.

  The yellow identifying markings were typical for

  aircraft of the Eastern Front. Döbrich’s personal

  marking was painted under the cockpit. It was

  a rendition of Mickey Mouse standing over the

  II./JG 5’s emblem and ripping apart a Soviet

  I-16. The green four-leaf clover on the nose

  was carried by aircraft of II. Gruppe of

  Jagdgeschwader 5.

  Walter Krupinski entered the Luftwaffe shortly

  after the beginning of the war in 1939 and

  underwent fighter pilot training. After completing

  his training, he was assigned to JG 52 and at the

  time took part in combat against the RAF. He did

  not achieve first kill until he moved to the Eastern

  Front. The number of his kills rose quickly, and

  by April 18, 1944, when he left the Eastern Front,

  there were 177 aerial victories on his account.

  Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves was a result of

  his success, and he continued operational flying

  on the Western Front. Firstly as the CO of 1./

  JG 5, but he was appointed the CO of II./JG 11 in

  May 1944. Later he moved on to command III./JG

  26 on September 27, 1944, where he stayed until

  unit’s disbandment on March 26, 1945. Krupinski’s

  last stand was JV 44 where he was flying Me 262

  and gained twenty more victories, so his final

  tally stopped at 197. In the fifties, he joined the

  new Luftwaffe, led JaBoG 33, and later the entire

  3 Division of the Luftwaffe. Krupinski was

  forced into early retirement in 1976 and died in

  Neunkirchen-Seelsheid in 2000. The illustrated

  aircraft was used by “Graf Punski”, as he was

  nicknamed, in combats over the Kuban area during

  second half of 1942. It was camouflaged with RLM

  74/75/76 colors and carried the usual yellow

  Eastern Front identifiers. Below the windscreen is

  the JG 52 unit marking.

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard

  59

  September 2024

• Page 60

  FE910 Bf 109G seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  648247 Bf 109G exhaust stacks (Brassin)

  648265 Bf 109G external fuel tanks (Brassin)

  648309 Bf 109G undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  3DL48022 Bf 109G-2 SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  D48025 Bf 109G stencils (Decal Set)

  D48027 Bf 109G Balkenkreuze (Decal Set)

  D48044 Bf 109G-2 national insignia (Decal Set)

  EX512 Bf 109G spinner spirals (Mask)

  EX582 Bf 109G classic canopy TFace (Mask)

  Recommended: for

  Bf 109G-2 1/48

  Bf 109G-2/R6, WNr. 13633, Hptm. Wolf-Dieter Huy, 7./JG 77,

  Tanyet Harun, Egypt, October1942

  Bf 109G-2/R6 WNr. 13949, Maj. Hans Hahn, II./JG 54, Rjelbitzy,

  the Soviet Union, January 1943

  Wolf-Dieter Huy joined the Kriegsmarine in

  1935, and was transferred over to the Luftwaffe

  on October 1, 1937, where he underwent fighter

  training. His assignment was to (J)/TrGr. 186, the

  fighter unit of the Graf Zeppelin aircraft carrier.

  This ship was never completed, and the unit was

  redesignated III./JG 77. Huy took part in combat

  over France, as well as over Britain, and over

  the Balkans. The unit gained notable success in

  the battle for Crete and Huy, who accumulated

  22 victories, was awarded the Knight’s Cross

  on June 5, 1941. The Oak Leaves were added in

  March 1942. After early combats on Eastern Front

  the unit moved to Egypt. There, on October 29,

  1942, was Wolf-Dieter Huy captured after he had

  been shot down by future ace J. H. Nichols who

  was flying a Spitfire Mk.Vc of No. 601 Squadron.

  Huy’s Bf 109G-2 from the time the unit moved to

  North Africa bore the non-typical camouflage

  made up of RLM 70 and 71 (some sources suggest

  a Soviet AMT-4 Green). The yellow band behind

  the fuselage cross, common on aircraft serving

  on the Eastern Front, was hastily overpainted

  with a fresh color RLM 71 (or Russian AMT-4

  Green), and partially replaced by white paint used

  on aircraft that fought on the Southern Front. The

  wingtips were also painted white. The rudder was

  decorated with the pilot’s score and awards.

  Hans Hahn, a fighter ace and a holder of the

  Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, held a list of

  command positions throughout his career. From

  December 1939 he commanded 4./JG 2, and

  from October 29, 1940, he led III./JG 2. Starting

  on November 1, 1942, he took over command of

  II./JG 54, and was commanding this Gruppe up to

  February 21, 1943, when he was shot down and

  taken prisoner by the Soviets. He wasn’t freed

  until 1950. At the time of his capture, he had

  attained 108 kills, 66 of them were achieved on

  the Western Front. According to Russian sources,

  “Assi” Hahn was shot down by Soviet ace Lt. P.

  Grazhdaninov. Hahn himself noted that after

  shooting down a La-5, he was hit in the port wing

  and with overheated engine he was forced to

  land behind Soviet lines, where he was captured.

  The aircraft was oversprayed in white on the

  upper and side surfaces to better suit the winter

  conditions. Double chevron and the horizontal

  bar on the rear fuselage were the CO marking of

  II. Gruppe, and this Group’s unit emblem appeared

  below the windscreen. The JG 54’s Green Heart

  (Grünherz) marking was also present. The

  spinner and the lower sides of the engine cowl

  were lightly sprayed over in white.

  OVERTREES

  #82116X

  Bf 109G-2

  1/48

  OVERLEPT

  #82116-LEPT1

  Bf 109G-2

  1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard60

  September 2024

• Page 61

  #8470

  P-39Q Airacobra

  The Weekend edition kit of US WWII fighter aircraft

  P-39Q Airacobra in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 4

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: no

  painting mask: no

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  1/48

  Re-Release

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard

  61

  September 2024

• Page 62

  P-39Q-5, 42-20351, Lt. William A. Shomo, 82nd TRS, 71st TRG, 5th AF, Dobodura,

  New Guinea, March 1944

  P-39Q-1, 42-19467, 46th FS, 15th FG, 7th AF, Kanton atoll, Phoenix archipelago, August 1943

  William Arthur Shomo was born on May 30, 1918,

  in Jeanette, Pennsylvania and joined USAAC (US

  Army Air Corps) in August 1941. Having completed

  the training, he was assigned to 82nd TRS

  belonging to 71st TRG. In the fall of 1943, the unit

  equipped with Airacobras was deployed to Port

  Moresby airbase in New Guinea. Crew chief of

  all Shomo’s aircraft at his unit was S/Sgt. Ralph

  Winkel who named all airplanes assigned to

  him Snooks according to his future wife. William

  Shomo became famous thanks to the mission

  flown on January 11, 1945, when at the controls of

  his reconnaissance Mustang he single-handedly

  shot down seven enemy aircraft, a feat for which

  he was awarded Medal of Honor. Shomo’s total

  score was eight enemy aircraft shot down within

  24 hours. In addition to a number of ground targets

  Shomo also claimed ten airplanes destroyed on

  the ground. At least three of them while flying

  Airacobras. On January 31, 1944, together with

  Lt. Weber they destroyed Ki-61 Tony fighter and

  a Betty bomber. On March 13, 1944, during the raid

  on Madang airbase he destroyed an A6M fighter.

  Airacobra 42-20531 was lost during the ground

  attack mission in the Hansa Bay area and pilot,

  Lt. Harrison perished.

  The 46th FS (originally 46th PS) was formed on

  Hawaiian Islands on December 1, 1940, as a part

  of 15th Pursuit Group equipped with Curtiss P-36

  Hawk fighters at that time. It opened its combat

  score right on the first day of the War in Pacific,

  December 7th, 1941, defending the Pearl Harbor

  naval base against the Japanese attack. In 1942

  the squadron was re-equipped with Airacobras

  and in the spring of 1943 deployed to Kanton atoll

  in the Phoenix archipelago. Due to the conditions

  on the island, almost completely lacking the

  vegetation, new Airacobras were repainted in

  the combination of the sand color on the upper

  and side surfaces while the lower surfaces of

  the fighters were sprayed in light blue colors.

  Camouflage change was an idea of Lt. Benjamin

  C. Warren, a pilot and unit’s technical officer, who

  also supervised its application. In December 1943,

  46th FS left Kanton and after the overflight to

  atoll Makin carried on with the operations until

  mid-December 1944. At that time Airacobras of

  the unit carried the Olive Drab coat on the upper

  surfaces again.

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard62

  September 2024

• Page 63

  P-39Q-5, 42-19896, Lt. William W. Gambill, 363rd FS, 357th FG, 8th AF,

  Oroville CA, USA, autumn 1943

  P-39Q-5, 42-20043, 70th FS, 347th FG, 13th AF, Torokina airfield, Bougainville,

  Solomon Islands, autumn 1943

  The 363rd FS was established in December

  1942 at Hamilton Field, California. The aircraft

  on which the unit’s pilots trained were factory-

  fresh P-39Q Airacobras. In the fall of 1943, the

  357th Fighter Group, of which the 363rd Fighter

  Squadron was a part, moved to the United

  Kingdom, where it was the first Fighter Group to

  be armed with P-51 Mustangs, versions B and C.

  These were used by the 8th AF to fly escort flights

  for the Bomber Command over occupied Europe.

  In a raid on Berlin on March 8, 1944, Gambill’s

  Mustang was shot down by Messerschmitts

  Bf 109 near Mehringen. Lt. Gambill was killed

  during the British night raid on Frankfurt on the

  night of March 22 to 23, 1944, when the Dulag

  Luft (Durchgangslager der Luftwaffe; Luftwaffe

  transit camp) was also hit. The standard

  Airacobra camouflage in the Olive Drab / Neutral

  Grey color combination was supplemented with

  red tail surfaces and a red stripe on the nose

  during training for the 363rd FS. The unit emblem

  was painted on the cockpit door.

  The 70th FS was formed on December 14, 1940, and

  was ordered to Philippines on December 5, 1941.

  Due to the fall of Philippines the unit deployment

  did not take place and the unit got shortly stuck

  in Hawaii. Another stopover before the combat

  deployment was Fiji where the unit transferred in

  the end of January 1942 equipped with Bells P-39

  Airacobra. Since November 1942 until the spring

  of 1944 when the combat activities ceased, the

  70th FS operated in Solomon Islands area within

  347th FG and was credited with over 50 enemy

  aircraft destroyed in the air-to-air combat.

  The unit’s equipment changed from the most

  popular P-38 Lightnings in the first half of 1943

  to P-39s and P-40s for the rest of the deployment

  period. Since the end of 1943, the 70th FS operated

  from Torokina airfield and kept Bell P-39 in its

  inventory until April 1944. The missions flown

  were bomber escorts, defense of the home

  base and most frequently the ground attacks.

  Airacobra “SNAFU” was delivered to the combat

  zone in the end of summer 1943. The original

  marking was in the form of the large numeral

  6 on both fuselage sides in front of the cockpit

  door. Later the marking was relocated to the

  aircraft nose and changed to numeral 106.

  49238 P-39Q/N (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE919 P-39 seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE1158 P-39Q Weekend (PE

  -

  Set)

  644098 P-39Q LööK (Brassin)

  644110 P-39Q LööKplus (Brassin)

  648203 P-39 wheels late (Brassin)

  648957 P-39 seat PRINT (Brassin)

  648958 P-39 exhaust stacks fishtail PRINT (Brassin)

  648959 P-39 exhaust stacks rounded PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48012 P-39Q SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  D48068 P-39 stencils (Decal Set)

  Recommended:

  for P-39Q 1/48

  #644098

  #648957

  #648958

  KITS 09/2024

  INFO Eduard

  63

  September 2024

• Page 64

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for A-10C in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for Bf 109G-10 in 1/72 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  64428

  A-10C LööK

  1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  674018

  Bf 109G-10 LööK

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard64

  September 2024

• Page 65

  644282

  FM-1 LööKplus

  1/48 Tamiya

  Collection of 4 sets for FM-1 in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - exhast pipes

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 3 sets for P-51B or P-51C in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  644283

  B-26B Marauder LööKplus

  1/48 ICM

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  65

  September 2024

• Page 66

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 3 sets for P-51D-5 in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - seat

  - gun sights

  Collection of 3 sets for P-51D-10 in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - seat

  - gun sights

  674015

  P-51D-5 LööKplus

  1/72 Eduard

  674016

  P-51D-10 LööKplus

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard66

  September 2024

• Page 67

  Collection of 3 sets for P-51D-15+ in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - seat

  - gun sights

  674017

  P-51D-15+ LööKplus

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - oxygen cylindres for USAAF WWII

  multiengined a/c in 1/32 scale. The set consists

  of 6 cylinders. Made by direct 3D printing. Easy

  to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  632199

  WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-4 PRINT

  1/32

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  67

  September 2024

• Page 68

  632201

  WWII USAAF oxygen tank G-1 PRINT

  1/32

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - oxygen cylindres for USAAF WWII

  multiengined a/c in 1/32 scale. The set consists

  of 6 cylinders. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  Brassin set - oxygen cylindres for USAAF WWII

  multiengined a/c in 1/32 scale. The set consists

  of 6 cylinders. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  632200

  WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-6 PRINT

  1/32

  INFO Eduard68

  September 2024

• Page 69

  6481018

  A-10C rotary gun flash suppressor PRINT

  1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  Brassin set - rotary gun flash suppressor for A-10C

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for A-10C

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and a nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  6481019

  A-10C wheels

  1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  69

  September 2024

• Page 70

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - superchargers for B-24J in 1/48 scale.

  The set consists of 4 superchargers. Made by direct

  3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Hobby Boss

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  6481030

  B-24J superchargers PRINT

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  Product page

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for B-24J in

  1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels and

  a nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Hobby Boss

  Set contains:

  - resin: 4 parts

  - 3D print: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: yes

  6481028

  B-24J wheels

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  Product page

  INFO Eduard70

  September 2024

• Page 71

  Brassin set - gun sights for P-51B/C in 1/48 scale.

  Set consists of 13 gun sights of different types.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 13 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  6481031

  P-51B/C gun sights PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - Norden type bomb sight for B-17F

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard / HKM

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  6481034

  B-17F bombsight PRINT

  1/48 Eduard/HKM

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  71

  September 2024

• Page 72

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - fuel drop tanks for P-51D in 1/72 scale.

  The set consists of 2 tanks. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672374

  P-51D 108gal paper drop tanks PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Brassin set - cockpit for P-51D in 1/72 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 23 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  672365

  P-51D-15+ cockpit PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard72

  September 2024

• Page 73

  Brassin set - fuel drop tanks for P-51D in 1/72 scale.

  The set consists of 2 tanks. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 4 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672376

  P-51D 165gal fuel tanks PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - gun bays for P-51D in 1/72 scale.

  The set consists of bun bays for both wings.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 22 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  672379

  P-51D gun bays PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  73

  September 2024

• Page 74

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - propeller for Bf 109G-10 or Bf 109K-4

  in 1/72 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672383

  Bf 109G-10/K-4 propeller

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  Brassin set - wheel bays for MiG-21 in 1/72 scale.

  The set consists of nose and main wheel bays.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 9 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  672381

  MiG-21 wheel bays PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard74

  September 2024

• Page 75

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Bf 109G-10

  in 1/72 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and a tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  672385

  Bf 109G-10 wheels

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  INFO Eduard

  75

  September 2024

• Page 76

  Collection of 4 sets for F-35B in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  - cockpit

  - dorsal fan

  - undercariage wheels

  - Remove Before Flight tags STEEL

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  SIN648130

  F-35B

  1/48 Tamiya

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  INFO Eduard76

  September 2024

• Page 77

  Collection of 4 sets for F-16A MLU in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  - cockpit

  - undercarriage bays

  - undercariage wheels

  - exhaust nozzle

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  SIN648131

  F-16A MLU

  1/48 Kinetic

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  INFO Eduard

  77

  September 2024

• Page 78

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  SEPTEMBER 2024

  USS Midway CV-41 part 1

  1/350 Trumpeter

  #53314

  INFO Eduard78

  September 2024

• Page 79

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  AH-64A early

  1/35 Trumpeter

  #33372

  #33371#321020

  INFO Eduard

  79

  September 2024

• Page 80

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  Nashorn

  1/35 Tamiya

  #36520

  INFO Eduard80

  September 2024

• Page 81

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  BDM-2

  1/35 Hobby Boss

  #36521

  INFO Eduard

  81

  September 2024

• Page 82

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  MS 406.C1

  1/48 Dora Wings

  #491471

  #FE1471

  #FE1472

  INFO Eduard82

  September 2024

• Page 83

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  Bulldog Mk.II

  1/48 Airfix

  #491476

  #FE1476

  INFO Eduard

  83

  September 2024

• Page 84

  INFO Eduard84

  September 2024

• Page 85

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard

  85

  September 2024

• Page 86

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard86

  September 2024

• Page 87

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard

  87

  September 2024

• Page 88

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard88

  September 2024

• Page 89

• Page 90

  3DL32027 AH-64A early SPACE 1/35 Trumpeter

  3DL48190

  Fulmar Mk.II SPACE 1/48 Trumpeter

  Product page

  Product page

  easy

  application

  INFO Eduard90

  September 2024

• Page 91

  SPACE

  3DL48191 U-2S SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss

  3DL48192

  A-4B SPACE 1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  SPACE

  Product page

  Product page

  easy

  application

  INFO Eduard

  91

  September 2024

• Page 92

  3DL48194 MS 406.C1 SPACE 1/48 Dora Wings

  Product page

  SPACE

  3DL48193 A-4C SPACE 1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  Product page

  INFO Eduard92

  September 2024

• Page 93

  SPACE

  3DL48195 Bulldog Mk.II SPACE 1/48 Airfix

  SPACE

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  DECALS

  D72048

  Bf 109G stencils

  1/72 Eduard

  D72050

  P-51D stencils

  1/72 Eduard

  D72049

  Bf 109G Balkenkreuze

  1/72 Eduard

  D72051

  P-51D US national insignia

  1/72 Eduard

  INFO Eduard

  93

  September 2024

• Page 94

  BIG ED

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

  but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30 %.

  BIG5373 USS Sangamon CVE-26 1/350 Trumpeter

  BIG33161

  A-20J/K 1/32 HKM

  BIG33162

  Boston Mk.IV 1/32 HKM

  53309 USS Sangamon CVE-26 1/350

  53310 USS Sangamon CVE-26 island 1/350

  3DL53014 US Navy WW2 ensign flag for CVL, CVE, CL & DD SPACE 1/350

  321018 A-20J/K 1/32

  32490 A-20J/K / Boston Mk.IV bomb bay 1/32

  32491 A-20J/K / Boston Mk.IV main wheel well 1/32

  33368 A-20J/K seatbelts STEEL 1/32

  JX324 A-20J/K 1/32

  321019 Boston Mk.IV 1/32

  32490 A-20J/K / Boston Mk.IV bomb bay 1/32

  32491 A-20J/K / Boston Mk.IV main wheel well 1/32

  33370 Boston Mk.IV seatbelts STEEL 1/32

  JX324 A-20J/K 1/32

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard94

  September 2024

• Page 95

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

  but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30 %.

  BIG ED

  BIG33163 B5N2 1/35 Border Model

  BIG49419

  TBD-1 1/48 Hobby Boss

  BIG72181

  SM.79 1/72 Italeri

  321017 B5N2 1/35

  33366 B5N2 seatbelts STEEL 1/35

  JX326 B5N2 TFace 1/35

  481139 TBD-1 landing flaps 1/48

  491452 TBD-1 1/48

  FE1453 TBD-1 seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX1047 TBD-1 TFace 1/48

  72737 SM.79 exterior 1/72

  73824 SM.79 interior 1/72

  CX033 SM 79 Sparviero 1/72

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  95

  September 2024

• Page 96

  MASKS

  IT FITS!

  JX327 AH-64A early

  1/35 Trumpeter

  JX328 AH-64A early TFace

  1/35 Trumpeter

  EX1056 Fulmar Mk.II

  1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1057 Fulmar Mk.II TFace

  1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1058 U-2S

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1059 U-2S TFace

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1060 A-4B

  1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  EX1061 A-4B TFace

  1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  EX1062 A-4C

  1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  EX1063 A-4C TFace

  1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  EX1064 MS 406.C1

  1/48 Dora Wings

  EX1065 MS 406.C1 TFace

  1/48 Dora Wings

  EX1066 Bulldog Mk.II

  1/48 Airfix

  JX328 AH-64A early TFace

  EX1066 Bulldog Mk.II

  EX1057 Fulmar Mk.II TFace

  EX1057 Fulmar Mk.II TFace

  EX1057 Fulmar Mk.II TFace

  EX1057 Fulmar Mk.II TFace

  EX1056 Fulmar Mk.II

  EX1056 Fulmar Mk.II

  JX328 AH-64A early TFace

  EX1066 Bulldog Mk.II

  JX327 AH-64A early

  INFO Eduard96

  September 2024

• Page 97

  MASKS

  EX1063 A-4C TFace

  EX1063 A-4C TFace

  EX1063 A-4C TFace

  EX1063 A-4C TFace

  EX1062 A-4C

  EX1062 A-4C

  EX1059 U-2S TFace EX1059 U-2S TFace

  EX1065 MS 406.C1 TFace EX1065 MS 406.C1 TFace

  EX1059 U-2S TFace EX1059 U-2S TFace

  EX1058 U-2S EX1058 U-2S

  EX1064 MS 406.C1

  EX1058 U-2S EX1058 U-2S

  INFO Eduard

  97

  September 2024

• Page 98

  RELEASES

  SEPTEMBER 2024

  KITS

  PE

  -

  SETS

  ZOOMS

  MASKS

  R0022 Bf 109G-10 DUAL COMBO 1/72 Royal Class

  82205 FM-2 Wildcat 1/48 ProfiPACK

  82165 Bf 109G-2 Re-Release 1/48 ProfiPACK

  8470 P-39Q Airacobra Re-Release 1/48 ProfiPACK

  53314 USS Midway CV-41 part 1 1/350 Trumpeter

  321020 AH-64A early 1/35 Trumpeter

  36520 Nashorn 1/35 Tamiya

  36521 BMD-2 1/35 Hobby Boss

  481149 A-4B/C landing flaps 1/48

  Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  491467 Fulmar Mk.II 1/48 Trumpeter

  491469 U-2S 1/48 Hobby Boss

  491471 MS 406.C1 1/48 Dora Wings

  491473 A-4B 1/48

  Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  491475 A-4C 1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  491476 Bulldog Mk.II 1/48 Airfix

  33371 AH-64A early 1/35 Trumpeter

  33372 AH-64A early seatbelts STEEL 1/35 Trumpeter

  FE1467 Fulmar Mk.II 1/48 Trumpeter

  FE1468 Fulmar Mk.II seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Trumpeter

  FE1469 U-2S 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1470 U-2S seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1471 MS 406.C1 1/48 Dora Wings

  FE1473 A-4B 1/48

  Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  FE1474 A-4B/C seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  FE1475 A-4C 1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  FE1476 Bulldog Mk.II seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Airfix

  JX327 AH-64A early 1/35 Trumpeter

  JX328 AH-64A early TFace 1/35 Trumpeter

  EX1056 Fulmar Mk.II 1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1057 Fulmar Mk.II TFace 1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1058 U-2S 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1059 U-2S TFace 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1060 A-4B 1/48

  Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  EX1061 A-4B TFace 1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  EX1062 A-4C 1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  EX1063 A-4C TFace 1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  EX1064 MS 406.C1 1/48 Dora Wings

  EX1065 MS 406.C1 TFace 1/48 Dora Wings

  EX1066 Bulldog Mk.II 1/48 Airfix

  BIG-EDBIG-ED

  BIG ED

  BIG5373 USS Sangamon CVE-26 1/350 Trumpeter

  BIG33161 A-20J/K 1/32 HKM

  BIG33162 Boston Mk.IV 1/32 HKM

  BIG33163 B5N2 1/35 Border Model

  BIG49419 TBD-1 1/48 Hobby Boss

  BIG72181 SM.79 1/72 Italeri

  INFO Eduard98

  September 2024

• Page 99

  RELEASES

  BRASSIN

  LöökPLUS

  BIG SIN

  SPACE

  644280 A-10C LööK 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  674018 Bf 109G-10 LööK 1/72 Eduard

  632199 WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-4 PRINT 1/32

  632200 WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-6 PRINT 1/32

  632201 WWII USAAF oxygen tank G-1 PRINT 1/32

  6481018 A-10C rotary gun flash suppressor PRINT 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  6481019 A-10C wheels 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  6481028 B-24J wheels 1/48 Hobby Boss

  6481030 B-24J superchargers PRINT 1/48 Hobby Boss

  6481031 P-51B/C gun sights PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481034 B-17F bombsight PRINT 1/48 Eduard/HKM

  672365 P-51D-15+ cockpit PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672374 P-51D 108gal paper drop tanks PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672376 P-51D 165gal fuel tanks PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672379 P-51D gun bays PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672381 MiG-21 wheel bays PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672383 Bf 109G-10/K-4 propeller 1/72 Eduard

  672385 Bf 109G-10 wheels 1/72 Eduard

  644282 FM-1 LööKplus 1/48 Tamiya

  644283 B-26B Marauder LööKplus 1/48 ICM

  674015 P-51D-5 LööKplus 1/72 Eduard

  674016 P-51D-10 LööKplus 1/72 Eduard

  674017 P-51D-15+ LööKplus 1/72 Eduard

  SIN648130 F-35B 1/48 Tamiya

  SIN648132 F-16A MLU 1/48 Kinetic

  3DL32027 AH-64A early SPACE 1/35 Trumpeter

  3DL48190 Fulmar Mk.II SPACE 1/48 Trumpeter

  3DL48191 U-2S SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss

  3DL48192 A-4B SPACE 1/48

  Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  3DL48193 A-4C SPACE 1/48 Hobby 2000/Hasegawa

  3DL48194 MS 406.C1 SPACE 1/48 Dora Wings

  3DL48195 Bulldog Mk.II SPACE 1/48 Airfix

  SEPTEMBER 2024

  DECALS

  D72048 Bf 109G stencils 1/72 Eduard

  D72049 Bf 109G Balkenkreuze 1/72 Eduard

  D72050 P-51D stencils 1/72 Eduard

  D72051 P-51D US national insignia 1/72 Eduard

  INFO Eduard

  99

  September 2024

• Page 100

  BUILT

  built by RobertSzwarc

  #70119

  MARKING A

  1/72

  Fw190F-8

  Accessoriesused:

  72611 Fw 190A-8 (PE

  -

  Set)

  72612 Fw 190A-8 landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  672081 Fw 190A-8 cockpit (Brassin)

  672088 Fw 190A-8 engine

  & fuselage guns (Brassin)

  672115 SC 50 German WWII

  bombs (Brassin)

  INFO Eduard100

  September 2024

• Page 101

  BUILT

  5./SG 77, Cottbus, Germany, early March 1945

  This aircraft was photographed at Cottbus airport

  in early 1945. It bore a standard camouflage

  scheme consisting of the RLM 74 and 75 colors

  on the upper surfaces. The lower surfaces were

  sprayed in RLM 76, which was complemented on

  the fuselage bottom by a green-blue shade of

  the RLM 76. The black horizontal stripe indicates

  the aircraft belonged to 5. Staffel SG 77. The

  significance of the red flash on the engine cowling

  is unknown.

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  101

  September 2024

• Page 102

  ON APPROACH

  OCTOBER 2024

  644284

  Bulldog Mk.II LööK

  1/48 Airfix

  674019

  B-24H LööK

  1/72 Airfix

  BIG49420 SMB-2 Super Mystere 1/48 Special Hobby

  BIG49421 B-26B Marauder PART I 1/48 ICM

  BIG49422 B-26B Marauder PART II 1/48 ICM

  BIG49423 B-24J PART I 1/48 Hobby Boss

  BIG49424 B-24J PART II 1/48 Hobby Boss

  BIG72182 A-6E 1/72 Trumpeter

  644284 Bulldog Mk.II LööK 1/48 Airfix

  674019 B-24H LööK 1/72 Airfix

  6481029 B-24J engines PRINT 1/48 Hobby Boss

  6481033 P-51B Birdcage canopy cockpit PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481035 A-10C ejection seat PRINT 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  6481038 Fw 190A seat w/ integral belts PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481040 P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 2 PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481041 P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 3 PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481042 SM.79 wheels 1/48 Flashback

  6481043 SM.79 propellers 1/48 Flashback

  672360 P-51D wheel bays PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672380 B-24H wheels 1/72 Airfix

  672382 F-4E parachute PRINT 1/72 Fine Molds

  672384 P-51D undercarriage legs PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672386 B-24H engines PRINT 1/72 Airfix

  672387 Tornado ejection seats 1/72 Revell

  644285 B-24J LööKplus 1/48 Hobby Boss

  644286 A-10C LööKplus 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  SIN648131 P-51B/C ADVANCED 1/48 Eduard

  SIN648133 A-10C armament 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  BIG ED(October)

  BRASSIN(October)

  LöökPlus(October)

  BIGSIN(October)

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seatbelts for B-24H in 1/72 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seat belts for Bulldog Mk.II in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  6481029

  B-24J engines PRINT

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  Brassin set - engines for B-24J in 1/48 scale.

  The set consists of 4 engines. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Hobby Boss

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 8 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  INFO Eduard102

  September 2024

• Page 103

  6481033

  P-51B Birdcage canopy cockpit PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  6481035

  A-10C ejection seat PRINT

  1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  6481038

  Fw 190A seat w/ integral belts PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Brassin set - cockpit for P-51B with framed so-called

  birdcage canopy in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D

  printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 46 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - ejection seat for A-10C in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - pilot seat for Fw 190A in 1/48 scale. Made by

  direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  ON APPROACH

  INFO Eduard

  103

  September 2024

• Page 104

  ON APPROACH

  OCTOBER 2024

  6481040

  P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 2 PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  6481041

  P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 3 PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  6481042

  SM.79 wheels

  1/48 Flashback

  6481043

  SM.79 propellers

  1/48 Flashback

  Brassin set - pilot seat for P-51B or P-51C in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - pilot seat for P-51B or P-51C in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for SM.79 in

  1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels and

  a tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Flashback

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - the propellers for SM.79 in 1/48 scale.

  The set consists of three props with spinners.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Flashback

  Set contains:

  - resin: 9 parts

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  INFO Eduard104

  September 2024

• Page 105

  ON APPROACHOCTOBER 2024

  672360

  P-51D wheel bays PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  672380

  B-24H wheels

  1/72 Airfix

  672382

  F-4E parachute PRINT

  1/72 Fine Molds

  Brassin set - wheel bays for P-51D in 1/72 scale.

  Set consists of a main wheel bay. Made by direct 3D

  printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for B-24H

  in 1/72 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and a nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - a deployed parachute for F-4E

  in 1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Fine Molds

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 5 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  INFO Eduard

  105

  September 2024

• Page 106

  ON APPROACH

  672384

  P-51D undercarriage legs PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Brassin set - undercarriage legs for P-51D

  in 1/72 scale. Set consists of main legs and

  wheel well doors. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672387

  Tornado ejection seats

  1/72 Revell

  Brassin set - ejection seats for Tornado in 1/72 scale.

  Set consists of 2 seats. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: Revell

  Set contains:

  - resin: 8 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  672386

  B-24H engines PRINT

  1/72 Airfix

  Brassin set - engines for B-24H in 1/72 scale. The set

  consists of 4 engines. Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to

  assemble, replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 16 parts,

  - decals: no,

  - photo-etched details:

  yes

  - painting mask: no

  OCTOBER 2024

  INFO Eduard106

  September 2024

• Page 107

  ON APPROACH

  Collection of 4 sets for B-24J in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Hobby Boss

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - superchargers

  644285

  B-24J LööKplus

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  Collection of 4 sets for A-10C in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - rotary gun flash supressor

  644286

  A-10C LööKplus

  1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  OCTOBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  107

  September 2024

• Page 108

  SIN648131

  P-51B/C ADVANCED

  1/48 Eduard

  Collection of 3 sets for P-51B or P-51C in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - gun bays

  - wheel bays

  - engine

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  ON APPROACH

  OCTOBER 2024

  INFO Eduard108

  September 2024

• Page 109

  SIN648133

  A-10C armament

  1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  Collection of 9 sets for A-10C in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  - 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 pod

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  ON APPROACHOCTOBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  109

  September 2024

• Page 110

  pe-sets

  53315 USS Midway CV-41 part 2 1/350 Trumpeter

  36522 Humvee M1097A2 1/35 ICM

  36523 Sd.Kfz.234/2 1/35 MiniArt

  36524 Leopard 2 A7V 1/35 Tamiya

  481150 P-39Q landing flaps 1/48 Arma Hobby

  491477 P-39Q 1/48 Arma Hobby

  491479 A-4M mod. 1970 1/48 Magic Factory

  491480 A-4M mod. 1975 1/48 Magic Factory

  72741 F-35B exhaust nozzle 1/72 Tamiya

  73831 Chinook HC.1 1/72 Airfix

  73832 F-35B 1/72 Tamiya

  73833 Chinook HC.1 cargo seatbelts STEEL 1/72 Airfix

  73834 Chinook HC.1 cargo seats STEEL 1/72 Airfix

  ZOOMS

  FE1477 P-39Q 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1478 P-39Q seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1479 A-4M mod. 1970 1/48 Magic Factory

  FE1480 A-4M mod. 1975 1/48 Magic Factory

  FE1481 A-4M seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Magic Factory

  SS831 Chinook HC.1 1/72 Airfix

  SS832 F-35B 1/72 Tamiya

  MASKS

  EX1067 P-39Q 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1068 P-39Q TFace 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1069 B-17F (alternate nose, frame X) TFace 1/48 Eduard

  EX1070 A-4M TFace 1/48 Magic Factory

  CX670 Chinook HC.1 1/72 Airfix

  CX671 F-35B 1/72 Tamiya

  CX672 F-35B RAM coating 1/72 Tamiya

  CX673 P-51D 1/72 Eduard

  SPACE

  3DL48196 P-39Q SPACE 1/48 Arma Hobby

  3DL48197 A-4M mod. 1970 SPACE 1/48 Magic Factory

  3DL48198 A-4M mod. 1975 SPACE 1/48 Magic Factory

  3DL72043 Chinook HC.1 SPACE 1/72 Airfix

  3DL72044 F-35B SPACE 1/72 Tamiya

  3DL72045 L-410UVP SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  3DL72046 L-39ZA SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  DECAL

  D32023 Bf 109G stencils 1/32 Revell/Hasegawa

  ON APPROACH

  OCTOBER 2024

  INFO Eduard110

  September 2024

• Page 111

  pe-sets

  53315 USS Midway CV-41 part 2 1/350 Trumpeter

  36522 Humvee M1097A2 1/35 ICM

  36523 Sd.Kfz.234/2 1/35 MiniArt

  36524 Leopard 2 A7V 1/35 Tamiya

  481150 P-39Q landing flaps 1/48 Arma Hobby

  491477 P-39Q 1/48 Arma Hobby

  491479 A-4M mod. 1970 1/48 Magic Factory

  491480 A-4M mod. 1975 1/48 Magic Factory

  72741 F-35B exhaust nozzle 1/72 Tamiya

  73831 Chinook HC.1 1/72 Airfix

  73832 F-35B 1/72 Tamiya

  73833 Chinook HC.1 cargo seatbelts STEEL 1/72 Airfix

  73834 Chinook HC.1 cargo seats STEEL 1/72 Airfix

  ZOOMS

  FE1477 P-39Q 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1478 P-39Q seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1479 A-4M mod. 1970 1/48 Magic Factory

  FE1480 A-4M mod. 1975 1/48 Magic Factory

  FE1481 A-4M seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Magic Factory

  SS831 Chinook HC.1 1/72 Airfix

  SS832 F-35B 1/72 Tamiya

  MASKS

  EX1067 P-39Q 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1068 P-39Q TFace 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1069 B-17F (alternate nose, frame X) TFace 1/48 Eduard

  EX1070 A-4M TFace 1/48 Magic Factory

  CX670 Chinook HC.1 1/72 Airfix

  CX671 F-35B 1/72 Tamiya

  CX672 F-35B RAM coating 1/72 Tamiya

  CX673 P-51D 1/72 Eduard

  SPACE

  3DL48196 P-39Q SPACE 1/48 Arma Hobby

  3DL48197 A-4M mod. 1970 SPACE 1/48 Magic Factory

  3DL48198 A-4M mod. 1975 SPACE 1/48 Magic Factory

  3DL72043 Chinook HC.1 SPACE 1/72 Airfix

  3DL72044 F-35B SPACE 1/72 Tamiya

  3DL72045 L-410UVP SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  3DL72046 L-39ZA SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  DECAL

  D32023 Bf 109G stencils 1/32 Revell/Hasegawa

  ON APPROACH

  THEY FOUGHT FOR REBUILD

  #11180

  1/48

  BM592, W/Cdr Alois Vašátko, CO of Exeter

  (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon,

  United Kingdom, June 1942

  EP461, W/Cdr František Doležal, CO of Exeter

  (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon,

  United Kingdom, April-July 1943

  EN765, W/Cdr Karel Mrázek, CO of Exeter

  (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon,

  United Kingdom, June -July 1942

  AD325, F/Lt Emil Foit, No. 310 Squadron,

  RAF Perranporth, Cornwall, United Kingdom,

  December 1941-February 1942

  OCTOBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  111

  September 2024

• Page 112

  ON APPROACH

  AR423, F/Lt František Trejtnar, No. 310 Squadron,

  RAF Ibsley, Hampshire, United Kingdom,

  September 1943-February 1944

  EP110, F/Lt Otmar Kučera, No. 313 Squadron,

  RAF Hawkinge, Kent, United Kingdom,

  August-September 1943

  EP785, P/O Ladislav Světlík, No. 312 Squadron,

  RAF Churchstanton, Somerset, United Kingdom,

  January-April 1943

  R7192, P/O Josef Příhoda, No. 111 Squadron,

  RAF Debden, Essex, United Kingdom,

  February 1942

  AD572, F/O František Peřina, No. 312 Squadron,

  RAF Harrowbeer, Devon, United Kingdom,

  February-June 1942

  AD380, F/O Alois Hochmal, No. 313 Squadron,

  RAF Hornchurch, Devon, United Kingdom,

  October 1941-April 1942

  BM210, S/Ldr František Fajtl, CO of No. 122 Squadron,

  RAF Hornchurch, Devon, United Kingdom, May 1942

  AR435, Sgt. František Loucký, No. 65 Squadron,

  RAF Gravesend, Kent, United Kingdom, July 1942

  OCTOBER 2024

  INFO Eduard112

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• Page 113

  ON APPROACH

  L-410UVP Turbolet 1/72

  #2148

  CN 810731, LOM Praha, Flight Training Center,

  Pardubice, Czech Republic, 2019

  CN 810731, Special operations squadron,

  3 Air Transport Regiment, Praha-Kbely,

  Czechoslovakia, 1990

  CN 800525, 5. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division, Luftwaffe,

  Germany, 1996

  CN 851527, Slov-Air, Czechoslovakia, 1990

  CN 831138, Pyrlandia-Boogie, Ostróv Wielkopolski,

  Poland, 2006

  CN 8100731, 24. základna dopravního letectva, Praha-Kbely,

  Česká republika, 2010

  OCTOBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  113

  September 2024

• Page 114

  ON APPROACH

  P-51B/C Mustang w/ dorsal fin

  1/48

  P-51B-1-NA, s/n 43-12375, Capt. Don M. Beerbower,

  353rd FS, 354th FG, 9th AF, A-2 Cricqueville, France,

  June 1944

  Mustang Mk.III, s/n FZ111, F/L Mieczysław Gorzula,

  No. 309 (Polish) Squadron, RAF Andrews Field,

  United Kingdom, April-May 1945

  P-51C-10 NT, s/n 44-11096, 26th FS, 51st FG,

  14th AF, Kunming, China, 1944

  P-51C-10-NT, s/n 43-25054, Lt. Robert M. Scott,

  79th FS, 20th FG, 8th AF, Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire,

  United Kingdom, November 1944

  P-51B-15-NA, s/n 43-24877, Lt. Harold P. Kick,

  325th FS, 318th FG, 15th AF, Lesina, Italy,

  November 1944

  P-51C, Lt. G. J. Kaplanek and L. D. Monaghan, 118th TRS,

  23rd FG, 14th AF, Chengkung, China, May 1945

  #82108

  OCTOBER 2024

  INFO Eduard114

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• Page 115

  L-39ZA, s/n 915254, 222 Training Squadron,

  Náměšť nad Oslavou AFB, Czech Republic, 2008-2010

  L-39ZA, No. s/n 232436, 2436, 11 Fighter Squadron,

  Žatec AFB, Czechoslovakia, 1991-1993

  L-39ZA, s/n 035147, No. 147, 299 brTA,

  Graf Ignatievo AB, Bulgaria, 2015

  L-39ZA/ART, s/n 533218, 411 Sqn, 3 Air Division, 41 Wing,

  Chiang Mai AB, Thailand, 2014

  L-39ZA, s/n 035019, 213 Training Squadron,

  Čáslav AFB, Czech Republic, 2008-2010

  L-39ZA, s/n 533218, No. 145, Military Flight Academy,

  Grupul 20, Borcea-Fetesti AB, Romania, 2012

  ON APPROACH

  L-39ZA Albatros

  1/72

  #7047

  OCTOBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  115

  September 2024

• 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!

  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!

  We stayed about a fifteen minute drive

  from the Wittman Regional Airport, where

  this Monday-Saturday air show is held, in

  the picturesque town of Fond du Lac on Lake

  Winnebago, and attended the show two days,

  Tuesday and Wednesday. According to official

  statistics, 686,000 visitors (which is a record

  number) visited the event over the entire six

  days, and more than 10,000 aircraft were on

  display. Organizers reported that during the

  hours the airport was open for arrivals and

  departures, there was an average of 113 of

  them per hour.

  But Oshkosh is not just an ordinary air

  show. In the huge area around the airport, in

  addition to several dozen stands with various

  refreshments, there were also open hangars

  with historic and civilian aircraft, which

  visitors could view up close, as well as several

  commercial stands set up by small and large

  companies alike that promoted their products.

  Worth mentioning, for example, is the large

  Boeing stand, the beautiful Beechcraft stand,

  where visitors were served coffee, or the

  large Honda tent with a HondaJet in the middle.

  Among the smaller stands, I was interested in

  the Dimor Group display, which also includes

  the Junkers aircraft brand, and in front of the

  stand stood a Junkers A50.

  Wittman Airport is also home to the EAA

  Aviation Museum, which is filled primarily with

  experimental aircraft. The abbreviation EAA

  stands for Experimental Aircraft Association.

  Thanks to the air show, this association now

  has about 300,000 members. It was founded in

  1953 by Paul Poberezny, who devoted his whole

  life mainly to the construction of home-made

  aircraft. In the museum, I admired the Bugatti

  Model 100 Racer and a lot of other exhibits that

  you simply cannot see anywhere else.

  Of course, I was most interested in the

  planes that flew into Oshkosh. Next to the

  airport, several parking zones were created

  for both visitors’ cars and civil aircraft. This

  is because visitors from all over the world

  traditionally fly in to this event and then spend

  a whole week even with their pets along for the

  ride, they camp, barbecue, and just basically

  enjoy the festive atmosphere. I was surprised

  to walk among the parked planes with no

  one watching me, no one was reminding me

  where I could or couldn't go, or gave me the

  evil eye when I took a picture. In short, it was

  like paradise for a plane lover. And when the

  aerial demonstrations started after lunch,

  my colleagues and I sat on the grass and

  thoroughly enjoyed them. I was absolutely

  fascinated by the part of the show called the

  Heritage Flight, where A-10s, F-35As, F-22s

  and P-51D Mustangs flew together on the first

  day and F-16s on the second. The demo always

  included a short display of each of the planes,

  and especially the F-22 was really cool! Sadly,

  we may have just had our last chance to see

  the A-10, as the USAF is claiming it is done with

  the type. There is some hope, though, to be

  found in the fact that this is not the first time

  this has been stated. Evening flying is also part

  of the program on Wednesday and Saturday,

  and anyone who has ever been to Oshkosh will

  tell you that the evening program is definitely

  worth attending. And so it was, it was actually

  a typical American show full of airplanes firing

  off flares, fires, explosions, ending with 600

  drones creating different shapes, finishing off

  with the American flag at the end. And I have to

  admit that even though I'm not American, the

  whole atmosphere around me filled me with

  a sense of awe.

  EAA OSHKOSH 2024

  Text: Jakub Nademlejnský

  The Eduard contingent in the United States –

  Stan Archman, Vladimir Sulc, Jakub Nademlejnsky

  and Martin Ferkl in at the front gate to EAA Oshkosh.

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  TAIL AND CHARLIE

  The entire event was flawlessly organized. Since the

  venue is so large, school buses were used to shuttle

  visitors around.

  Bell helicopter display at their stand.

  Display stands set up by Pilatus and Piper.

  Boeing had the largest display at the show.

  Aircraft displayed at Boeing Plaza – F-15EX Junkers stand with their A50 Junior.

  INFO Eduard

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  September 2024

• Page 118

  TAIL AND CHARLIE

  F-35A

  Lancaster T-38 Talon

  B-52, which also acted as a nifty umbrella against

  a passing shower.

  The airport’s grass sections also provided space for the museum’s exhibits.

  The airport’s grass sections also provided space for the museum’s exhibits.

  C-47

  INFO Eduard118

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• Page 119

  TAIL AND CHARLIE

  When flying displays were paused, walks could be taken among the parked aircraft.

  INFO Eduard

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  TAIL AND CHARLIE

  The airport’s grass sections also provided space for the museum’s exhibits.

  One of the hangars housed spectacular examples of the Mosquito and P-38.

  Some of the EAA Museum’s exhibits.

  A view of the EAA Aviation Museum.

  INFO Eduard120

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  TAIL AND CHARLIE

  Plastic models were available for purchase at the airport,

  including those from Eduard, which was nice to see.

  Flying displays during the show, among others, included a Spitfire Mk.IX , a P-51D and a Hurricane.

  The C-47 flight display included parachute jumps.

  P-51D in the non-traditional markings of the California Aeronautical University. A flypast was conducted by a KC-135 tanker.

  INFO Eduard

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  September 2024

• Page 122

  TAIL AND CHARLIE

  Several display teams strutted their stuff, and while we were there, the Italian team Frecce Tricolori were up….

  ….as were Canada’s Snowbirds.

  Tuesday’s Heritage Flight was made up of the F-35A, F-22, A-10C and P-51D…

  ….and, for a change, on Wednesday the F-35A, F-22 ,A-10C and

  F-16C.

  INFO Eduard122

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• Page 123

  TAIL AND CHARLIE

  One of the two B-29s that flew at the show, the world-famous FIFI.

  F-22

  The Wednesday program finale was conducted by 600 drones….

  ….and a lot of fireworks.

  F-22

  INFO Eduard

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  September 2024

• Page 124

• Page 125

• Editorial

  
  

  Good evening, dear Friends!

   Over the summer period, I was asked on a discussion forum to write in today's editorial what new kits we have in store for the last quarter of this year. After careful consideration, I decided not to do it, and that's because E-day is coming up, as well as the Czech Republic Plastic Modeling Championship. At both events, I will present news not only for the rest of this year, but also for the first half of the next. The problem is that revealing these plans here and now would rob me of what I have already planned for E-day and the way I want to present them, including any surprises we might have up our sleeves!

   So today I will limit myself to September releases, and also to October’s, as they will be available at E-day at the end of this month.

   

  NEW RELEASES FOR SEPTEMBER

   New releases for September are no secret, since they have already been available for a week now. The centrepiece of the list is the Royal Class Bf 109 G-10 in 1:72. If you want to know my opinion about this kit, you can find it in a column I wrote about it for today's newsletter. It's written in a bit of an American style, inspired by my being in the States for three weeks on holiday and I always soak up the attitude to life there. In the Czech Republic, for about two centuries now, American attitudes have been considered to smack of a certain level of self admiration. According to the widely held cultural belief by the Czechs (and not just), a good creator should sit nicely in a corner somewhere and wait for praise. Typically, that takes a decade or two after the person’s death. This is the tale that Antonín Dvořák could tell. But we Czechs, the proud nation of F.X. Šalda, know our stuff. It’s an attitude with a stifling quality to it alien to Americans, and it's one of the reasons why I always feel freer in America. Much more free. I enjoy it there, because there, I can say that I did something well, even extremely well, and no one will accuse me of being an arrogant bragger if the results are there to see. In fact, I would urge Czech modellers to adopt a bit of the American perspective. What if we included a national self-confidence and a healthy pride in one's own work among those American innovations we have already managed to adopt. If we could adopt things like a food processor, air conditioning, big cars, hot dogs, McDonalds, hockey (Canadian, I know, but hey!), good rock and even F-35s, why not add that sense of self worth and make it our own? God bless America!

   In addition to the aforementioned Royal Class kit, we are also releasing an FM-2 Wildcat in 1:48th scale as a Profipack boxing. It comes out of the older Limited Edition releases we dubbed ‘Wilder Cat’, and we have two other older pieces in the form of a reissued Bf 109 G-2 in 1:48th, also in the Profipack line, and a P-39Q Airacobra, also in 1:48th, but as a Weekend kit. It may surprise you that we are re-releasing the Airacobra that is over twenty years old at a time when a new kit from Poland is coming to the market. Well, releasing it we are. Ours is not a bad kit, has its own qualities and has survived Japanese competition, so I think it can and will do the same here. Otherwise, however, we wish our colleagues from Poland good luck and will be watching with interest how they fare with their effort. This is in no way an act of us going after someone else’s product. In fact, we are wishing them success, because their success is our success. After all, we make accessories for their kits, and we don't make them to not sell!

   

  NEW RELEASES FOR OCTOBER

   October's new releases will be here lickity split, and I don’t much believe you don’t now about them by now. One of these are raising some eyebrows. Yes, I mean the old 1:72nd scale Turbolet, originally released by Gavia and in October in the new-ish Eduard Heavy Retro line. The kit is very original and an unadulterated retro, and the era from which it hails is clearly visible on it. It has its flaws, and they are not few in number. But even with them it's good old-fashioned, honest work. That model didn't come about because some geek bought a kit, cut it up to look different, bathed it in epoxy and released it as a super 3D new tool kit of the year. Its creators honestly worked on the creation of this model with determination, from the drawing to the wooden masters, through the design of decals, instructions and the box, all the way to releasing it. That kit contains a large portion of the work and a piece of life of its designers, Michal Vláčilík and Petr Podvala, and the same portion of honest work, artistic finesse and care of the creator of the molds, Pavel Vandělík, who kept them in good functioning condition throughout their existence. Now, after almost a quarter of a century since the creation of the original kit, we are offering it once again with the addition of a few modern details, mainly a printed landing gear, new transparencies, some photoetched, quality decals and contemporary box art. Among other things, we did this to make everyone who bought a copy of the Gavia kit from the people at AZ/KP Models realize that buying rip-offs is not cool nor necessarily the only way to get a specific kit. We actually own those molds and have for some twenty years now. Patience is a virtue and it is always good to support good, honest work. Ultimately, when you purchase pirated kits from the people who shamelessly and blissfully rip off other peoples’ efforts, you support and reward that behavior. It’s a lot better to lay in the tall green grass than drown in scum….

   This L-410 is specifically the UVP version. If these do well in terms of sales, we’ll do others as well. At the moment, we are ready for the L-410 UVP-E.

   You may have noticed the distinctly Czech flavor of the new releases coming up. That can’t be a surprise to anyone, with E-day just around the corner. In addition to the Turbolet, we also have an L-39ZA Albatros in 1:72, and a 48th scale Spitfire Mk.Vb in a Limited Edition format dedicated to the legacy built by members of the Czechoslovak Air Force who served in the RAF during World War II. The kit, named THEY FOUGHT TO REBUILD, conceptually belongs to The Spitfire Story series, even if it is not strictly portrayed as such. We are releasing it in a Dual Combo format and I believe that it will interest not only Czechs and Slovaks.

   So that the lineup of October new releases is not exclusively Czech or Czechoslovak, we have another classic, the P-51B/C Mustang in a 48th scale Profipack rendition. It differs from the previous P-51B, released in August, by the fin fillet. This is not such a small change, and precipitated a new sprue frame with a fuselage on it. It's a classic Profipack with six marking options, and you can see what these are below.

   

  E-DAY 2024

   E-day is taking place again this year and for the third time at the Milovice Tankodrom museum. The main exhibition day is on September 28th, 2024. As usual, the hall will be open on Friday, September 27th for competing modelers and for everyone who wants to chat and watch the presentation of Eduard’s new releases for the next year in peace. But you won't miss them even if you don't arrive until Saturday, since on that day, this part of the program will be repeated. Otherwise, the program schedule is standard; there are discussions with interesting guests planned, two ‘the Pot’ Q & A sessions, one with me about Eduard and the other with Fredy Riedel about Special Hobby. The space allocated for these discussions and announcements will again be different this year than last, and will be on the ground floor. We have been looking for a suitable location and hope that it will finally work out this year. A better sound system has been ordered; I think that is also important information. Catering will be largely in the gallery, where the Pot Q & As were last year. The cafe, which was under construction last year, is finished and functional, and the elevator from the ground floor to the gallery is also working. There will also be a flight demonstration, with the L-410 Turbolet in the works, but I will admit frankly that at the moment we do not have any of the expected aircraft 100% confirmed, with everyone having something to sort out one way or another.

   There is a significant change in the structure of the competition categories. We implemented a reform, the essence of which is the reduction of the number of the competition categories. This means that we have incorporated some categories into other, related ones. Incorporated categories are those in which there were few entries last year, in the order of single digit or very low double digit competitors. This typically happened with ships where there were, for example, six sailboats that had their own separate category. Similar is the case with helicopters, where last year there was only one competitor in 32nd scale. But you don't have to worry about contestants in these canceled categories losing their awards. We have introduced several award levels. One level will be the classic first, second and third. The next level will number around forty this year, intended for models that deserve an award for their quality, even if they do not reach the podium by gaining the necessary points due to one handicap or another. Another important part of the award structure will be the special theme awards, for twelve models with precisely defined characteristics, such as the Best Bust or the Best Submarine. The next level of award will be those of companies, clubs and individuals. For example, the Aero Vodochody award for the best aircraft model of a Czechoslovak produced aircraft or the Iron Bunny award. In addition to the championship cup, the overall winner will also receive an interesting and valuable award. It will be an ultrasonic knife, donated by Annetra.

   The awards presentation system will also change. Only first place category awards, theme awards, some corporate and club awards, and the overall winner award will be presented on stage during the medal ceremony. The rest of the hardware will be handed over at the counter where the models will be accepted at the beginning of the exhibition. You don't have to worry that this method of delivery being somehow impersonal, informal or undignified. Trust me, it will have its own quality and level! We will describe the awards presentation system in more detail on our Facebook page, our E-day page and other places as well. I will be explaining all the changes and new elements in both the judging system and presentation at the National Championship in Prague this Saturday, September 14th. And lest I forget, each contestant will receive a model for the exhibiting modelers this year. Not a standard ticket item, but a model specially prepared for exhibiting modelers only.

   You can also find a list of the competition categories and special prizes in today's newsletter issue. The author is Luboš Kuna. This is the man without whom and his ingenious management and evaluation system there would be no model competition in the Czech Republic today.

   A small flame has already broken out on Model Forum around the upcoming changes. I understand that the modeling community is quite conservative and doesn't like change. We, on the other hand, like changes and often implement them. While it is important to recognize how and when to evolve for the better, this also creates friction, tension and unrest. I would therefore like to ask you for patience and foresight, and above all for the decency to not jump the gun and start criticizing what has yet to be, until it becomes a past event that can be discussed rationally backed up by actual real information.

   

  ARTICLES AND OTHER PUBLISHED ITEMS

   As usual, and it must be stated again that, unfortunately, we have the next installment of the Air War over Ukraine series by Mira Baric. Something tells me that a twist is coming, but we won't see it in Mira's articles until at least a month after the fact.

   From me, we have ‘Unordnung’ an article on the development of the late versions of the Bf 109 G with DB 605AS and DB 605D engines...the Bf 109 G-6/AS, G-14/AS and G-10, as well as a feature on the qualities of the Bf 109 G-10 Royal Class kit. Next, we have the second part of the article about Bernie Lay by Jan Zdiarsky. I also recommend the report from this year's aviation day in Oshkosh by Jakub Nademlejnsky. You won't be bored here, I've been there and I know what it’s about!

   We have two Boxart stories, both by Jan Bobek. The first, dedicated to the Bf 109 G-2, is about the opening battles of I./JG77 in Africa in the autumn of 1942. The second deals with the escort aircraft carrier USS Petrof Bay and the combat deployment of its onboard fighters against the Japanese Kamikaze pilots on April 6, 1945.

   While I was writing this editorial, Most and its surroundings, specifically the chemical factory located between Most and Litvínov, once again made it to the front pages of the news. That doesn't happen often here, and in our circumstances, such media interest signals some kind of trouble. We are a bit of a strange, somewhat wild region here. Although in July, during the Paris Olympics, we were also on TV every day, and it was entirely positive thanks to the Olympic Park at the Most lake. This is a lake that was formed by the flooding of a former mine that displaced the beautiful historic town at its original spot. That was a big mess and a crime, really. That's common here. And now, compared to the destruction of the old Most, we currently have a rather small but interesting problem. A bomb has been discovered unexploded, a 100 kilogram British aerial bomb from the Second World War. It's not just any bomb. It's unique because it's timed. This type has not been found in Bohemia since the war, and only explosives experts in Germany have experience with this type. The timer should have detonated the bomb after 144 hours at the latest, but it didn’t, and it is eighty years late. The bomb had been in the ground a short distance from the wall of the old power station since February, 1944, when the largest raid took place on the synthetic gasoline plant in Záluží near Most, then known as STW Brüx. The raid was carried out by the RAF, about 600 Lancasters destroyed not only the factory, but also several villages in the vicinity of the factory and seriously damaged the towns of Most and Litvínov. It was the air raid with the greatest loss of civilian life out of all eighteen air raids against Most, the chemical facility in Záluží. Of these, sixteen were American and two were British. The first British attempt failed due to bad weather, the second succeeded by stopping the production of fuel at STW Brüx until the end of the war. It was only restored in 1947, when the factory was already named after Stalin, popularly known as Stalinák. That was another chapter in the dramatic history of our region. We will write more about that sometime in the future.

   

  Happy Modelling

  Vladimir Sulc.

   

  PS. The bomb was successfully detonated without loss of life on August 30th 2024, at 1213h.

  God save the King!

   

  
  

• 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.
  

   There really isn't much to add to the kit and its construction either compared to the Mustang or compared to the previous ‘109s. In terms of every aspect, it is very much an Eduard kit. The plastic sprues are cleanly molded and the parts fit together perfectly. The first kits from the series of Bf 109 F/G/K in 1:72nd, the Bf 109 F and G-2/G-4 had one questionable part from this point of view in the gun troughs for the fuselage machine guns, which were glued separately into openings in the engine cowl on each fuselage half. The designers stuck to this solution, already used on the 1:48th scale kits. They had a pretty good reason for that, keeping the engine cover compact. But the problem is that this created a complex parting line on the mold along the contour line of the openings for the troughs in the engine cover, which is also the contact plane for gluing the parts together. Any imperfection in the molding here causes a problem with the parts fitting together. And, unfortunately, that’s what happened, even though we played with the fine tuning of the mold for a really long time, we even redid the inserts for the Bf 109 F and adjusted the technological process of mold production for the G-2 and G-4. This helped, but many modelers and reviewers continue to report a problem with this aspect of the kit. For the Bf 109 G-6 and G-10, the approach has been altered, with the upper part of the nose with the gun troughs is glued as a separate part into the hole in the upper part of the fuselage.

  
  

   The problem with the alignment of the gun troughs is solved by using this method, but on the other hand, it results in a visible joint between the fuselage halves and panel that contains the troughs. It was not a feature on the real plane, so on the model the line needs to be lightly puttied and sanded. It's no Grand Canyon, it's a line in the order of a fraction of a millimeter that looks just like an engraved line on the assembly. If you don't cut into the plastic somewhere or damage the part, you won't be able to putty much, unless you really want to be absolutely historically and technically accurate. In that case, on the Erla and Messerschmitt models, you can putty the access cover to the compressed air cylinder for the MK 108 fuselage gun in front of the fifth fuselage bulkhead on the right side of the fuselage, which was only present on the Bf 109 G-10/U4, the WNF machines. There is no need to putty the joint between the fuselage and the vertical fin, which is glued in the same way as the Bf 109 F and G, as well as the Mustang...just inserting it inbetween the fuselage halves before they are glued together. In fact, this part does not even need to be glued in place at all, just inserted between the fuselage halves just before they are cemented together. The fin pulls itself into the correct position and locks in place. Similarly, the undercarriage legs settle into their correct position. These are again glued into a tunnel in the wheel wells that creates a housing for the pins located on the landing gear leg that seats them in the correct position.

   There is even no need to putty the joint between the wing assembly and the fuselage. At its trailing edge, the joint connects to the engraving of the fuselage bulkhead and, after installing the wing in the fuselage, creates a line of width identical to the width of the panel line. This is actually one of the innovations employed since the 48th scale kit, where the joint between the wing and fuselage was a constant target of criticism. The same can be said of the older solid position lights. In the 72nd scale kit, these are transparent and separate items. By the way, this is an element that we included in the kits at the request of modelers and reviewers. We didn't really want to get into the separate position lights. I myself was against it for a long time, because I considered it, and still do, a difficult element that complicates the construction of the model, and offers no major advantage when considering the additional construction complexity. Even separating the part from the frame and cleaning the sprue gate is a demanding operation for me, requiring strong nerves and a steady hand. I'm nervous doing that, and at least one of those slippery little buggers are guaranteed to escape the grip of my tweezers and disappear into the oblivion of the cosmos. Irreversible. I've never found one of these after the fact. However, I'm not lamenting and you shouldn't be lamenting either, you got what you wanted. Most of you, anyway. To make things a little easier for you, you have spare lights on the clear sprue. Who else will do that for you?

   I consider the wing solution to be the highlight of this kit, especially when it comes to its design. It is completely separate, and allows the control surfaces to be positioned. For the Bf 109 G, this means separate slats on the leading edge, and on the trailing edge, the ailerons, flaps and radiator flaps. I understand that this element may appear to some as controversial and a complication of assembly, but I can assure you that this is not the case. All these parts fit absolutely perfectly, they have few sprue gates, and gluing this whole assembly in place is easy even for beginners. I understand that due to our release schedule surrounding the Royal Class and Limited Edition kits, the former in a Dual Combo boxing, with two sets of molds and covering a number of subtypes with different combinations of details, these kits seem complex. The instructions are complex and require a thorough familiarization. But if you also take into consideration the later editions, namely the Profipack and especially Weekend releases, then there is nothing dramatically complicated about these kits, which can be considered pretty typical for 72nd scale. Yes, unlike the competition, the kit has a unique wing dynamic, which means some six extra parts. However, I do not consider it unreasonable, and certainly not impossible, to make a kit today, even in this scale, with not offering the option of lowered flaps. I am quite sure that we would then record the same frequency of complaints about the outdated concept of the kit, as we now record about its perceived and constantly justified complexity.
  

   One of the essential attributes of our kits is the large number of alternative parts. It is in them because we create complete lines of subtypes of selected aircraft, and that simply cannot be done without alternative part options. This is the essence of the technical development of every type of machine used over a longer span of service career, not only aircraft. It is no longer well possible to complete this development with one or two versions out of many. After all, we have worked for many years to ensure that our kits map the development of individual types of aircraft in this way. In theory, we could divide the alternative parts into several smaller frames and put only the one correct frame in the kit of a specific subtype and thus save on plastic that would otherwise be thrown away later. But if you take the time to study the technical development of a historically significant aircraft, which you have a great opportunity to do in this issue of our newsletter, you will find that thanks to the interweaving of the characteristics of many development and production versions, it would actually be one helluva road map. So, in the interest of preserving the sanity of all kit designers, to say nothing of those who package the kits, we just do it the way we do it. I believe it's called logistics. In the case of the Bf 109 G-10, this means that I used 68 parts from the kit to build one Bf 109 G-10 WNF and had 104 left over. This includes small parts that are duplicated or tripled in the kit to account for parts that going flying off in some direction from tweezers that had just that much more pressure applied to them than they should have. Now that I've written it like that, I'm wondering if I counted the unused parts correctly. But that’ll be a right ballpark figure. In short, don't worry about it. Just keep the rest of the parts in your spares box, which is a lot better than being an environmental terrorist and throwing them in a river for the fish to wonder what the hell’s going on. They can be used, ultimately, to spruce up older kits that are not quite up to the same standard, such as the aforementioned Bf 109 G-6. So, despite all the ecologists, I still believe that no carp or whale has yet died as a result of eating the rest of the plastic from a kit, and I simply believe that model makers will never voluntarily throw any plastic part out. The fact that something falls under the table and is instantly pounced upon by the carpet bastard is another story, as we all know.

   In recent years, the assessment of construction kits in the media has visibly shifted to a focus on the plastic. As if there was nothing else interesting about the kit, as if its value and quality were determined solely by the quality of the plastic parts. But when I watch the behavior of modelers working their way through the racks of kits at shows and take note of what they are interested in first when looking at the box, it is almost never the plastic. The first thing most modelers are interested in is color schemes. They look at them, study them, and then only briefly examine the plastic. That's how it's always been, and that's how it always will be. Camouflage, markings, pilots, preferably some aces and the action depicted on the box art, are the things that interest, entertain and attract modelers. That's what always comes first! Not every manufacturer understands this; that's why most kits have an average of three marking options, and often only two and not very imaginative ones at that. They are often many times repeated markings and very often simple schemes. One is sometimes more colorful, with some kind of emblem or nose art, and the rest is something simpler. It’s sort of like dangling that proverbial carrot before the donkey without getting him too excited. This style stagnated the nineties with heavy boredom, exactly what we do not intend to do. As I wrote last time in the article about the Mustang, the world is evolving, and even the modeler is looking for some enjoyment. Anyone who regularly follows Eduard knows where to find it.
  

   There are ten marking options in the initial Royal Class Bf 109 G-10 kit. These cover not just German versions….four of them are for foreign users. They are aircraft of the Hungarian, Italian and Croatian air forces, and the fourth non-German machine is a post-war Czechoslovak Avia S-99. Probably the most striking is the Croatian bird, which also has an interesting history behind it. Not that the other options are worse off, but the Croatian one is a bit of a breath of fresh air. Decals are ours, the so-called ‘peelable’ ones. I will remind you for the one hundred and sixtieth time that peeling is optional, strictly voluntary, decals provide the same quality performance without peeling off the carrier film. If there is anyone reading this who still has an aversion to our decals, please give them a chance. For example, here in the Royal Class kit, there is such a large sheet of decals that it would be a shame not to learn how to work with them using spares. It just takes training, practice and want. After all, you can't even peel an egg without it, so what are you waiting for??

   In this series of late Bf 109s, we have a set of molds for five subtypes: the Bf 109 G-6/AS, the Bf 109 G-14/AS, the Bf 109 G-10/R6 (Erla), Bf 109 G-10 (Messerschmitt), and the Bf 109 G-10/U4 (WNF). We will release them gradually in different editions over the next two years or so. The entire series of 72nd Bf 109 F/G/Ks will be completed next year with the Bf 109 K-4. I believe that you will not be intimidated by their perceived complexity and that you will have royal fun building them, because, if I say so myself, Royal Class equals Royal Fun!

   

  Happy Modelling!

• Convoy off Okinawa

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  Cat. No. 82205

   

  In mid-1944, the escort carrier USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80) embarked its combat unit, VC-76. A typical Composite Squadron (VC) could deploy up to thirty FM-2 Wildcat and Avenger aircraft. The USS Petrof Bay's combat history exemplifies the crucial role of escort carriers in the final year of the war. In September 1944, the carrier supported the landings on Peleliu Island, and during the Battle of Leyte in October 1944, it was among the first vessels to encounter Japanese Kamikaze tactics. During this historic battle, aviators from the USS Petrof Bay attacked a fleet that included the battleship Yamato, contributing to the sinking of several enemy warships in later phase of the battle.

  By the spring of 1945, VC-76 had achieved a total of four confirmed victories. In March 1945, VC-93 replaced VC-76 as the combat unit aboard the USS Petrof Bay. Later that month, its airmen began participating in operations covering the landings on various islands around Okinawa. By mid-April, they played a key role in neutralizing airfields in the Sakishima Islands, from which Kamikaze attacks were also launched.

  On April 1, 1945, as part of Operation Iceberg, American forces landed on Okinawa. In response, the Japanese command ordered large Kamikaze attacks on American vessels from April 6 to June 22, as part of IJN Operation Kikusui.

  On the first day of Operation Kikusui I, which took place from April 6 to 11, the Japanese deployed approximately 300 Kamikaze aircraft in the target area. The U.S. Navy lost three destroyers and three other vessels, with ten additional ships sustaining damage. U.S. Navy airmen claimed 257 victories, while their U.S. Marine Corps counterparts claimed 18 more. However, quite a few Japanese aircraft managed to penetrate the fighter defenses and were subsequently shot down by anti-aircraft gunners.

  For the four Wildcat pilots of VC-93, who took off at 1330 from the deck of the USS Petrof Bay, this was their first opportunity to engage the enemy. They were ordered to patrol over Ie Shima Island, west of Okinawa. The first victory was achieved by Lt. (jg) Foster, who shot down a D3A Val bomber attempting to attack an escort destroyer. Both the gunner and the pilot bailed out of the burning aircraft but did not survive. Lt. Myers then shot down a Zeke whose pilot was attempting to crash into a transport vessel. The following Zeke was credited to Lt. (jg) Tuttle. Another Val came under fire from Lt. (jg) Sherlock and crashed on Ie Shima Island. A few minutes later, Lt. Myers engaged another Zeke, flying head-on. Myers struck the enemy's engine and, utilizing the FM-2's characteristics, quickly positioned himself at the enemy's six o'clock, shooting it down. The last victory by this VC-93 division was highly dramatic and became the model for Piotr Forkasiewicz's box art. The unit diary describes it as follows:

  “The division reformed and at 2500 feet altitude Lieut. Myers saw a Val leave the clouds at 5500 feet altitude, 12 o'clock, 500 feet distant, 180 knots, in a 45 degree glide onto a DD (Note: US Navy destroyer). At 2000 feet he was 500 feet to the rear of the Val, following in the glide, regardless of the intense anti-aircraft fire from the DD, and fired a three second burst which started smoke from the Val's engine. At 1000 feet and again at 500 feet altitude he fired from 100 feet behind the Val, at the port wing root. The wing exploded from the plane and the Val splashed about 50 feet from the DD”.

  There were only three formations of Val bombers deployed on 6 April. The first belonged to Hachiman Gokō-tai No. 1, which was formed from part of the Usa Kōkūtai, the next formation was from Seitō-tai No. 1 (Hyakurihara Kōkūtai),  and the last was called Kusanagi-tai No. 1 (Nagoya Kōkūtai). All three formations took off in succession from Kokubu Base No. 2 on Kyūshū Island. In the target area, where their mission was to attack supply convoys, 65 airmen from these units sacrificed their lives.

  The most senior commander among the three above formations was Lieutenant Satoshi Kuwabara (NA 71, 1942) of Seitō-tai No. 1. He had served aboard the warships Nagato and Maya, and had been a member of the Hyakurihara Kōkūtai aviation cadre since mid-1943. He was posthumously promoted two steps to Lieutenant Commander.

  A number of farewell letters from the airmen of these three units are available on the Kamikaze Images website. https://www.kamikazeimages.net/writings/  Hundreds of letters that have been published as part of this project show, in a careful analysis, that their main themes include impending death, farewell to family, filial devotion to parents or accomplishment of a mission. Hatred of the enemy, perhaps surprisingly to many readers, is found only in 25th place.

• Beginning in Africa

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration: Adam Tooby

  Cat. No. 82165

   

  At the end of October 1942, I. and III./JG 77 "Herz As," equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2s, relocated from Sicily to the North African battlefield. The I. Gruppe was commanded by the well-known Maj. Heinz Bär, while Maj. Kurt Ubben led the III. Gruppe. Their mission was to engage in the ongoing battles at El Alamein as soon as possible. Bär's unit commenced combat flights on October 28 from the Bir-el-Abd base. Aircraft maintenance for I./JG 77 was initially managed by personnel from the legendary I./JG 27, the unit where the renowned Hans-Joachim Marseille had tragically died two months earlier. Meanwhile, I./JG 77’s own ground crew was still en route from Sicily. However, the first I./JG 77 planes to be damaged or destroyed were not due to enemy action but rather the treacherous desert surface of the airfield. The two Jagdgruppen initially operated together, and in the following days, engagements with enemy fighter groups, often consisting of several dozen aircraft, became common.

  One of I./JG 77's first victories in Africa was achieved on November 1, 1942, by Uffz. Horst Schlick, who had seven kills at the time. That morning, thirty Stuka dive-bombers from StG 3 were heading toward the front, escorted by ten MC.202s from 23° Gruppo Caccia, nineteen Bf 109s from I./JG 27 and II./JG 27, and seven Bf 109s from I./JG 77. Among the latter group were Horst Schlick and Maj. Bär's adjutant, Lt. "Mac" Berres.

  Over the front, at 8:15 German time and at an altitude of 3,500 meters, a dogfight ensued with twenty Curtiss P-40s from No. 112 Sq RAF and the 66th FS, 57th FG. The Allied pilots reported successfully forcing the Stukas to drop their bombs prematurely, claiming 7-6-2 bomber victories. The Germans lost five Stukas, and the bombs appear to have landed in the Axis troop area.

  The Italian pilots did not claim any victories, but their German colleagues reported shooting down one Spitfire and three P-40s. Berres claimed one Curtiss, marking his 19th victory, while Schlick scored his eighth kill. According to Schlick, both P-40s force-landed in Axis-held territory, trailing thick smoke for quite some time.

  It was likely two aircraft from No. 112 Sq RAF that did not return from combat. Sgt. R. De Bourke, injured during the battle, made an emergency landing with a Kittyhawk III (FR 264), designated "W." He had managed to shoot down two Stukas during the engagement. His plane was later salvaged and repaired. The other aircraft lost was a Kittyhawk III (FR 289), designated "Z." Its pilot, WO J. B. Agnew, landed on the battlefield but successfully made his way back to Allied lines. Before being shot down, Agnew had confirmed one Stuka kill, claimed another as probable, and damaged two others. The conclusion of these battles is depicted in Adam Tooby's box art, which features De Bourke's aircraft alongside Schlick's, though Agnew also could have been his victim.

  For Schlick, however, the following days took an unexpected turn. On November 2, near his own base, he collided with an enemy aircraft during a dogfight. Although he managed to bail out, upon his return to the unit the next day, he was severely reprimanded by Heinz Bär. Schlick's Gruppenkommandeur had observed the aerial encounter through binoculars and was displeased with the twenty-one-year-old NCO's reckless attack maneuver. Since the enemy aircraft crashed over German territory, this P-40 was confirmed as Schlick's ninth victory.

  Schlick's plane, "White 3," which he used on November 1 to achieve his first aerial victory in Africa, remained at the Bir-el-Abd base until it was captured by the Allies three days later. Allied airmen took souvenir photographs with the brightly colored Messerschmitt, which displayed eight victory markings on its rudder.

  Gruppenkommandeur Heinz Bär was among the last members of I./JG 77 to leave African soil, evacuating with his unit to Sicily on May 8, 1943. Between October 25, 1942, and May 13, 1943, JG 77 suffered significant losses, with 55% of its flying personnel lost. III. Gruppe was hit hardest, losing 30 pilots. During the same period, 218 JG 77 aircraft were either completely destroyed or sustained over 60% damage. Despite these losses, the Geschwader shot down 497 enemy aircraft, achieving a kill ratio better than 2:1. Bär's I. Gruppe led in kills, scoring 192 victories under extremely challenging battlefield conditions, a testament not only to Bär's personal skill but also to his charismatic leadership and the experienced airmen he had assembled and trained in his Gruppe.

• Markings for Bf 109G-10 1/72

  Bf 109G-10/U4, WNr. 613165, 101. Puma vadászrepülö osztály, Neubiberg, Germany, May 1945

  In the end of May 1945, the remaining Hungarian air units were concentrated on the Tulln airport in Austria from where they flew the missions over Wien and Brno areas. On April 5, when the frontline approached Tulln, these units transferred to the Raffelding airfield from where they continued to fly sorties to support the ground units around Wien. At the end of war the Hungarian aviators, same as their German colleagues, preferred to surrender to the US Army, therefore, on May 8, 1945, 101. osztály pilots flew the remaining aircraft over to the Bavarian Neubiberg. The aircraft manufactured in the Diana factory were camouflaged with the same colors as the aircraft manufactured in Wiener Neustadt. The photographs of black 16 show that the Hungarian national insignias were spray-painted directly on the camouflage, the German markings were not applied at all.

   

  Bf 109G-10/U4, II./JG 52, Brno, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, April 1945

  In the final weeks of fighting in Austria and Moravia in the spring of 1945, Luftwaffe fighter units were also being disbanded in this part of the European battlefield. First, II./JG 51 was disbanded on April 12, and five days later, the same fate afflicted I./JG 53. The aircraft marked White 11 (produced in the Wiener Neustädter Werke factory) was transferred to 7./JG 52, commanded by Heinz Ewald. The Messerschmitt had the inscription Rosemarie under the cockpit and sported repainted insignia of JG 53 and II./JG 51. Ofw. Richter flew White 11 into American captivity at Neubiberg on May 8, 1945, although he was not member of II./JG 52. Heinz Ewald was released from American captivity in Fürstenfeldbruck on June 22, 1945.

   

  Avia S-99, Police Air Patrol Unit, Czechoslovak Police Air Force, Prague-Kbely, 1947

  This aircraft, allocated to the air detachment of SNB (Sbor národní bezpečnosti - National Security Corps) got to the air for the first time in summer 1946. The upper and side surfaces were camouflaged in steel gray paint, the lower surfaces were sprayed in darker grey color. The engine cowlings, wings leading edges and elevators of the SNB Air Patrol aircraft were painted in scarlet red. The code letters were painted in the same color outlined in white. The national insignia was in the form of white outlined spherical triangle. The vertical tail stabilizer carried a small black numeral 4.

   

  Bf 109G-10, 1./KG(J) 6, Prague-Kbely, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, March/April 1945

  The huge losses suffered by Luftwaffe fighter units were one of the reasons that led in October 1944 to the decision to reduce the number of bomber assets and to distribute their personnel among fighter squadrons following the necessary conversion training. One of the Geschwader units affected by this change was KG 6. The unit was redesignated as KG(J) 6 and was re-equipped with the Bf 109G-10s and K-4s. Training was undertaken at Prague-Kbely, Prague-Ruzyně and also at Klecany airfields. On March 31, KG(J) 6 aircraft fought against 309th FS/31st FG Mustangs over Prague. The resulting heavy losses led to the disbandment of the unit a few days later, on April 9. This aircraft, manufactured at the Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg, was abandoned at Kbely, probably due to irreparable damage, where it was photographed after the war. The KG(J) 6 ownership was indicated by the red and black chessboard band on the rear part of the fuselage.

   

  Bf 109G-10, 13./JG 27, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, March 1945

  After the Allied landings in Normandy in early June 1944, IV. Gruppe JG 27 moved from Hungary to the French airfield of Champfleury-la-Perthe and began their participation in combat on the Western Front. After suffering heavy losses, the unit went to Lower Saxony for rest and replenishment. The unit was assigned to the Defense of the Reich system and was disbanded on March 31, 1945. Pilots and personnel were distributed among the other units of JG 27. The white wave marking on the rear fuselage identified this aircraft, manufactured at the Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg, as being assigned to the IV. Gruppe, and the green band was recognition marking of the Defense of the Reich unit JG 27.

   

  Bf 109G-10, Hptm. Erich Hartmann, CO of I./JG 52, Görlitz, Germany, April 1945

  Erich Hartmann, the most successful fighter pilot of all times, first joined the 7. Staffel of JG 52 on October 10, 1942. He stayed with Jagdgeschwader 52 till the end of the World War Two; in fact, he became the commander of its I. Gruppe. The total count of his victories was 352. For his exceptional success he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. After WWII he was transferred to the POW camp in the Ural Mountains in Soviet Union and was not released until 1955. The following year he joined the ranks of Western German Luftwaffe. He became commander of JG 71, the first Luftwaffe squadron equipped with jet-powered fighter aircraft. He retired in 1970 and died on September 20, 1993. Hartmann’s aircraft, manufactured at the Erla factory in Leipzig, carried a black tulip marking outlined in white on the nose. Below the cockpit on the left side there was a heart painted with the name of Hartmann’s wife. The Gruppe leader marking took the shape of a double wedge, but only as a white outline.

   

  Bf 109G-10, WNr. 491407, Capt. Cesare Marchesi, 3a Squadriglia, 1o Gruppo Caccia, ANR, Lonate Pozzolo, Italy, March 1945

  After declaration of the Italian Social Republic on September 18, 1943, a puppet state on the German armed forces occupied territory, and under the leadership of Benito Mussolini, Germany allowed this state to form the army in the strength of four divisions. Its aviation component, named Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, consisted of two fighter groups (Gruppo Caccia), a group of torpedo bombers (Gruppo Aerosiluranti Buscaglia) and several transport flights. Io Gruppo Caccia (Asso di Bastoni) initially flew Macchi C.205 but from November 1944 till February 1945 went through the transition training on Messerschmitt 109 in Holzkirchen, Germany. In February the unit received Messerschmitts 109 of the versions G-10 (manufactured by Erla factory in Leipzig), G-14 and G-14/AS and several K-4s. The original German markings were oversprayed in Italian colors and the aircraft received the Italian markings. The German iron crosses were left on the wing underside surfaces. There was the Io Gruppo insignia painted on the fuselage nose’s port side.

   

  Bf 109G-10, WNr. 152xx6, 11./JG 300, Prague-Kbely, Czechoslovakia, May 1945

  The aircraft found in front of the hangar at Prague-Kbely airport in the end of war comes from the production series 152xxx produced in Erla factory in Leipzig. The aircraft from this manufacturing batch had wings featuring larger bulges on the upper sides enabling the installation of the larger wheels i.e., the same type used on Bf 109G-10 planes manufactured at WNF factory and it’s Diana branch. The fuselage and wings were probably spray painted in RLM 81/82 colors even though some researchers incline towards a single color camouflage variation sprayed in RLM 81. The wing lower surfaces were not painted at all with the exemption of parts coming from subcontractors which were painted in RLM 76. The engine cowling, coming from a different airframe, is camouflaged in RLM 74/75/76 colors. Of the serial number painted on the vertical tail surface only first three digits (152) and the last one (6) are legible.

   

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 784938, III./JG 6, Bissel, Germany, January 1945

  One of the last established Luftwaffe units was Jagdgeschwader 6 established in July 1944. Its Stab plus I. and II. Gruppe were activated in Königsberg (nowadays Kaliningrad) and equipped with Fw 190A fighters. Its III. Gruppe was established in October 1944 by re-naming I./JG 5 and equipped with Messerschmitts Bf 109G. On January 1, 1945, the entire unit took part in the operation Bodenplatte, an attack of the fighter units on the Allied airports located on the liberated territories of the Western Europe. Bf 109G-14/AS marked Green 1 was photographed in May 1945 at the airport in Twente. It was reported that it had probably landed here due to the engine failure on its return from the operation Bodenplatte. JG 6 aircraft typically carried red-white-red markings on the rear fuselage, this particular aircraft sported only 2 bands.

   

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 782xxx, str. Vladimir Sandtner, 2.ZLJ, Lučko, Croatia, April 1945

  Croatian pilot of Slovak origin, Vladimir Sandtner, was trained as a member of the Croatian Air Force in 1943 by Luftwaffe units JG 104 and II./EJG 1. In April 1944, he was provisionally assigned to 3./JG 52 on the Eastern Front, as the unit with Croatian pilots, 15.(Kroat.)/JG 52, was withdrawn from the front at that time. During the fighting over Romania in June 1944, he achieved a confirmed Il-2 kill, while another victory over a Yak-9 was not confirmed. In the spring of 1945, Sandtner served with the rank of stražnik (Feldwebel) in the 2. zrakoplovno lovačko jato (fighter squadron), which was involved in anti-partisan operations and occasionally clashed with RAF fighters. During a reconnaissance flight on April 16 near Senj, he deserted to Italy together with stražnik Josip Ceković, landing at Falconara (Sandtner) and Iesi (Ceković) airfield. Sandtner’s aircraft had register number 2104 in Croatian Air Force inventory. An ibex was painted on both sides of the fuselage.

• Markings for FM-2 Wildcat 1/48

  Lt. Robert I. Myers, VC-93, USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80), April 1945

  USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80), after being commissioned into the Navy in February 1944, was first engaged in shipping aircraft, material, and military personnel. In May VC-76 boarded and participated in the Peleliu landings, the Philippine Campaign, and the Battle of Iwo Jima. After the latter operation, VC-76 was replaced by a fresh unit, VC-93, with which USS Petrof Bay intervened in the Okinawa landings and subsequently supported ground forces and provided protection to vessels off that island. During this activity, the pilots of VC-93 had to face primarily kamikaze raids, and on this Wildcat, on April 6, 1945, Lt. Robert Ira Myers managed to shoot down Kamikaze Zero attacking a transport ship, shortly after another Zero, and finally a D3A Val dive bomber attempting to engage a destroyer. For these achievements he was subsequently awarded the Navy Cross.

   

  VC-88, USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 1945

  The escort carrier Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), one of fifty Casablanca-class vessels, was commissioned on March 2, 1944, after a construction period of 123 days. Like her sister ships, she first participated in the transport of personnel, aircraft, and material, then combined squadron boarded to participate in combat operations, specifically the landings in Palau, the liberation of the Philippines, and the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Okinawa landings were supported from aboard the USS Saginaw Bay by VC-88 equipped with FM-2 Wildcats and TBM-3 Avengers.

   

  VC-9, USS Solomons (CVE-67), spring/summer 1944

  Combined VC-9 squadron consisting of nine FM-2 Wildcats and twelve Avengers was assigned aboard USS Solomons (CVE-67), docked in Recife, Brazil. The primary mission of the ship and her unit was anti-submarine patrols in the South Atlantic. The VC-9 spent five months aboard from March to August 1944 and participated in four cruises during this period. The most successful cruise was the third one, which involved the detection and subsequent sinking of the German Type IXD2 submarine U-860 on June 15, 1944. The submarine was on her first patrol under the command of Fregatenkapitän Paul Büchel and 42 crew members followed her into the depths. Wildcats flying over the Atlantic wore the so-called Atlantic camouflage scheme, consisting of white paint on the lower and side surfaces, while the upper surfaces were camouflaged with Dark Gull Gray.     

   

  VC-99, USS Hogatt Bay (CVE-75), 1945

  USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75), a Casablanca-class escort carrier, joined the fleet operating off Okinawa on May 8, 1945. Aboard was combined squadron VC-99 that had embarked shortly before at Saipan to support ground troops at Okinawa and to participate in fleet protection against Kamikaze raids by Japanese pilots. On June 24, the ship was released from operations off Okinawa and sent to Leyte, where she parted ways with the VC-99 awaiting rest and replenishment of losses. An all-blue camouflage scheme in Gloss Sea Blue was introduced in June 1944, replacing the three-color camouflage scheme used since January 1943.

   

  Lt. Martin Ferko, VC-4, USS White Plains (CVE-67), June – September 1944

  Leopold Martin Ferko was born to Slovak parents on January 29, 1915, in Great Falls, Montana. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, where he was also a star of the American football team there. He then taught math and English at San Francisco High School and also coached the local football team before signing up with the Navy and beginning flight training on February 3. He then continued as an instructor at Corpus Christi, Texas, before being transferred to Pearl Harbor in June 1943, where he embarked with the VC-4 on the USS White Plains. The unit consisted of 16 FM-2s and 12 TBM Avengers. During the three days of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, he scored all five of his kills, although the first two may have been his last. After shooting down two Oscars he was in fact attacked himself and his FM-2 took one hit after another before the attacking enemy was shot down by the Ens. Pool. Ferko then had to make an emergency landing at Tacloban due to a damaged elevator. There, the aircraft was repaired, and he was able to return in time to score three more kills. Leopold Ferko retired from the Navy with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and died on May 16, 1992, in San Francisco.

   

  JV836, No. 882 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Searcher, August 1945

  No. 882 NAS embarked aboard HMS Searcher in September 1943 after previous service on the carriers Illustrious and Victorious. Already on these motherships she used Martlets, as the British called Wildcats until January 1944. Aboard HMS Searcher the unit took part in major operations of the Royal Navy. These included Operation Tungsten (the attack on Tirpitz, anchored in Kaafjord) in April 1944, Operation Dragoon (the Allied landings in southern France) in August 1944, and Operation Outing (attacks on German-occupied islands in the Aegean Sea) in September of that year. This was followed by a return to the home islands, where the unit took delivery of new Wildcats VI (FM-2 Wildcat) and in February 1945 headed again aboard Searcher to the Norwegian coast, where it conducted raids on German-occupied territory. After the end of the war in Europe, it was decided that No. 882 NAS aboard Searcher would move to the Pacific to reinforce the British Pacific Fleet, but the end of the war found her enroute during a stop in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The all-blue Wildcats VI serving with the British Pacific Fleet had cockades painted in blue and white only. The red center was omitted because of possible confusion with the Japanese Hinomaru. At the same time, white stripes were painted on the wings and tail surfaces for easier identification of friendly aircraft.

• Markings Bf 109G-2 1/48

  Bf 109G-2/trop, WNr. 10533, Uffz. Horst Schlick, 1./JG 77, Bir-el-Abd, Egypt, November 1942

  As a fighter pilot in the JG 77 ranks, Horst Schlick served with the unit from 1942 to 1945. He achieved two aerial victories on the Eastern Front and added some thirty more on the Western Front. For most of his time with JG 77, Schlick was a member of the 1. Staffel, but he was transferred to the 4. Staffel in the autumn of 1944, where he shot down his last victim. In the spring of 1945, Schlick received orders to move to the EJG 2 training unit and later to JG 7 equipped with Me 262 jet fighters. However, he did not achieve any more victories there. He conducted 480 operational flights and shot down 32 enemy aircraft (some sources state 34). Horst Schlick’s aircraft arrived on the African battlefield in the colors of RLM 70/71/76. It was complemented on the upper surfaces with irregular lines of RLM 79 paint. The undersides were painted with RLM 78. An essential part of the marking of the aircraft of the southern region, i.e., wingtips, a band on the fuselage, and a propeller spinner in white color, were also applied.

   

  Bf 109G-2/R-6/trop, WNr. 13916, Fw. Hans Döbrich, 6./JG 5, Alakurtti, Finland, February 1943

  Hans Döbrich scored 65 kills over his combat career and was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross for his achievements. On the other hand, he was shot down himself three times, with the final one resulting in serious injuries, preventing him to return to operational flying. Döbrich began using this aircraft on February 9, 1943. At that time he was already ace with 43 kills and also one of the most successful pilots of II./JG 5. Flying this aircraft Döbrich involuntarily took to his parachute due to engine failure on March 14, 1943, shortly after a scramble take-off from Salmijärvi. The original camouflage scheme composed of RLM 74/75/76 colors and was overpainted with white squiggles to make the aircraft less visible in winter conditions. The yellow identifying markings were typical for aircraft of the Eastern Front. Döbrich’s personal marking was painted under the cockpit. It was a rendition of Mickey Mouse standing over the II./JG 5’s emblem and ripping apart a Soviet I-16. The green four-leaf clover on the nose was carried by aircraft of II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 5.

   

  Bf 109G-2/R6, Lt. Walter Krupinski, 6./JG 52, Maykop, the Soviet Union, October 1942

  Walter Krupinski entered the Luftwaffe shortly after the beginning of the war in 1939 and underwent fighter pilot training. After completing his training, he was assigned to JG 52 and at the time took part in combat against the RAF. He did not achieve first kill until he moved to the Eastern Front. The number of his kills rose quickly, and by April 18, 1944, when he left the Eastern Front, there were 177 aerial victories on his account. Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves was a result of his success, and he continued operational flying on the Western Front. Firstly as the CO of 1./JG 5, but he was appointed the CO of II./JG 11 in May 1944. Later he moved on to command III./JG 26 on September 27, 1944, where he stayed until unit’s disbandment on March 26, 1945. Krupinski’s last stand was JV 44 where he was flying Me 262 and gained twenty more victories, so his final tally stopped at 197. In the fifties, he joined the new Luftwaffe, led JaBoG 33, and later the entire 3 Division of the Luftwaffe. Krupinski was forced into early retirement in 1976 and died in Neunkirchen-Seelsheid in 2000. The illustrated aircraft was used by “Graf Punski”, as he was nicknamed, in combats over the Kuban area during second half of 1942. It was camouflaged with RLM 74/75/76 colors and carried the usual yellow Eastern Front identifiers. Below the windscreen is the JG 52 unit marking.

   

  Bf 109G-2/R6, WNr. 13633, Hptm. Wolf-Dieter Huy, 7./JG 77, Tanyet Harun, Egypt, October1942 

  Wolf-Dieter Huy joined the Kriegsmarine in 1935, and was transferred over to the Luftwaffe on October 1, 1937, where he underwent fighter training. His assignment was to (J)/TrGr. 186, the fighter unit of the Graf Zeppelin aircraft carrier. This ship was never completed, and the unit was redesignated III./JG 77. Huy took part in combat over France, as well as over Britain, and over the Balkans. The unit gained notable success in the battle for Crete and Huy, who accumulated 22 victories, was awarded the Knight’s Cross on June 5, 1941. The Oak Leaves were added in March 1942. After early combats on Eastern Front the unit moved to Egypt. There, on October 29, 1942, was Wolf-Dieter Huy captured after he had been shot down by future ace J. H. Nichols who was flying a Spitfire Mk.Vc of No. 601 Squadron. Huy’s Bf 109G-2 from the time the unit moved to North Africa bore the non-typical camouflage made up of RLM 70 and 71 (some sources suggest a Soviet AMT-4 Green). The yellow band behind the fuselage cross, common on aircraft serving on the Eastern Front, was hastily overpainted with a fresh color RLM 71 (or Russian AMT-4 Green), and partially replaced by white paint used on aircraft that fought on the Southern Front. The wingtips were also painted white. The rudder was decorated with the pilot’s score and awards.

   

  Bf 109G-2/R6 WNr. 13949, Maj. Hans Hahn, II./JG 54, Rjelbitzy, the Soviet Union, January 1943 

  Hans Hahn, a fighter ace and a holder of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, held a list of command positions throughout his career. From December 1939 he commanded 4./JG 2, and from October 29, 1940, he led III./JG 2. Starting on November 1, 1942, he took over command of II./JG 54, and was commanding this Gruppe up to February 21, 1943, when he was shot down and taken prisoner by the Soviets. He wasn’t freed until 1950. At the time of his capture, he had attained 108 kills, 66 of them were achieved on the Western Front. According to Russian sources, “Assi” Hahn was shot down by Soviet ace Lt. P. Grazhdaninov. Hahn himself noted that after shooting down a La-5, he was hit in the port wing and with overheated engine he was forced to land behind Soviet lines, where he was captured. The aircraft was oversprayed in white on the upper and side surfaces to better suit the winter conditions. Double chevron and the horizontal bar on the rear fuselage were the CO marking of II. Gruppe, and this Group’s unit emblem appeared below the windscreen. The JG 54’s Green Heart (Grünherz) marking was also present. The spinner and the lower sides of the engine cowl were lightly sprayed over in white.

• Markings P-39Q Airacobra 1/48

  P-39Q-5, 42-20351, Lt. William A. Shomo, 82nd TRS, 71st TRG, 5th AF, Dobodura, New Guinea, March 1944

  William Arthur Shomo was born on May 30, 1918, in Jeanette, Pennsylvania and joined USAAC (US Army Air Corps) in August 1941. Having completed the training, he was assigned to 82nd TRS belonging to 71st TRG. In the fall of 1943, the unit equipped with Airacobras was deployed to Port Moresby airbase in New Guinea. Crew chief of all Shomo’s aircraft at his unit was S/Sgt. Ralph Winkel who named all airplanes assigned to him Snooks according to his future wife. William Shomo became famous thanks to the mission flown on January 11, 1945, when at the controls of his reconnaissance Mustang he single-handedly shot down seven enemy aircraft, a feat for which he was awarded Medal of Honor. Shomo’s total score was eight enemy aircraft shot down within 24 hours. In addition to a number of ground targets Shomo also claimed ten airplanes destroyed on the ground. At least three of them while flying Airacobras. On January 31, 1944, together with Lt. Weber they destroyed Ki-61 Tony fighter and a Betty bomber. On March 13, 1944, during the raid on Madang airbase he destroyed an A6M fighter. Airacobra 42-20531 was lost during the ground attack mission in the Hansa Bay area and pilot, Lt. Harrison perished.

   

  P-39Q-1, 42-19467, 46th FS, 15th FG, 7th AF, Kanton atoll, Phoenix archipelago, August 1943

  The 46th FS (originally 46th PS) was formed on Hawaiian Islands on December 1, 1940, as a part of 15th Pursuit Group equipped with Curtiss P-36 Hawk fighters at that time. It opened its combat score right on the first day of the War in Pacific, December 7th, 1941, defending the Pearl Harbor naval base against the Japanese attack. In 1942 the squadron was re-equipped with Airacobras and in the spring of 1943 deployed to Kanton atoll in the Phoenix archipelago. Due to the conditions on the island, almost completely lacking the vegetation, new Airacobras were repainted in the combination of the sand color on the upper and side surfaces while the lower surfaces of the fighters were sprayed in light blue colors. Camouflage change was an idea of Lt. Benjamin C. Warren, a pilot and unit’s technical officer, who also supervised its application. In December 1943, 46th FS left Kanton and after the overflight to atoll Makin carried on with the operations until mid-December 1944. At that time Airacobras of the unit carried the Olive Drab coat on the upper surfaces again.

   

  P-39Q-5, 42-19896, Lt. William W. Gambill, 363rd FS, 357th FG, 8th AF, Oroville CA, USA, autumn 1943

  The 363rd FS was established in December 1942 at Hamilton Field, California. The aircraft on which the unit’s pilots trained were factory-fresh P-39Q Airacobras. In the fall of 1943, the 357th Fighter Group, of which the 363rd Fighter Squadron was a part, moved to the United Kingdom, where it was the first Fighter Group to be armed with P-51 Mustangs, versions B and C. These were used by the 8th AF to fly escort flights for the Bomber Command over occupied Europe. In a raid on Berlin on March 8, 1944, Gambill’s Mustang was shot down by Messerschmitts Bf 109 near Mehringen. Lt. Gambill was killed during the British night raid on Frankfurt on the night of March 22 to 23, 1944, when the Dulag Luft (Durchgangslager der Luftwaffe; Luftwaffe transit camp) was also hit. The standard Airacobra camouflage in the Olive Drab / Neutral Grey color combination was supplemented with red tail surfaces and a red stripe on the nose during training for the 363rd FS. The unit emblem was painted on the cockpit door.

   

  P-39Q-5, 42-20043, 70th FS, 347th FG, 13th AF, Torokina airfield, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, autumn 1943

  The 70th FS was formed on December 14, 1940, and was ordered to Philippines on December 5, 1941. Due to the fall of Philippines the unit deployment did not take place and the unit got shortly stuck in Hawaii. Another stopover before the combat deployment was Fiji where the unit transferred in the end of January 1942 equipped with Bells P-39 Airacobra. Since November 1942 until the spring of 1944 when the combat activities ceased, the 70th FS operated in Solomon Islands area within 347th FG and was credited with over 50 enemy aircraft destroyed in the air-to-air combat. The unit’s equipment changed from the most popular P-38 Lightnings in the first half of 1943 to P-39s and P-40s for the rest of the deployment period. Since the end of 1943, the 70th FS operated from Torokina airfield and kept Bell P-39 in its inventory until April 1944. The missions flown were bomber escorts, defense of the home base and most frequently the ground attacks. Airacobra “SNAFU” was delivered to the combat zone in the end of summer 1943. The original marking was in the form of the large numeral 6 on both fuselage sides in front of the cockpit door. Later the marking was relocated to the aircraft nose and changed to numeral 106.

• Tail End Charlie

  
  

  EAA Oshkosh 2024

  Text: Jakub Nademlejnský

  
  

  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!

   We stayed about a fifteen minute drive from the Wittman Regional Airport, where this Monday-Saturday air show is held, in the picturesque town of Fond du Lac on Lake Winnebago, and attended the show two days, Tuesday and Wednesday. According to official statistics, 686,000 visitors (which is a record number) visited the event over the entire six days, and more than 10,000 aircraft were on display. Organizers reported that during the hours the airport was open for arrivals and departures, there was an average of 113 of them per hour.

   But Oshkosh is not just an ordinary air show. In the huge area around the airport, in addition to several dozen stands with various refreshments, there were also open hangars with historic and civilian aircraft, which visitors could view up close, as well as several commercial stands set up by small and large companies alike that promoted their products. Worth mentioning, for example, is the large Boeing stand, the beautiful Beechcraft stand, where visitors were served coffee, or the large Honda tent with a HondaJet in the middle. Among the smaller stands, I was interested in the Dimor Group display, which also includes the Junkers aircraft brand, and in front of the stand stood a Junkers A50.

   Wittman Airport is also home to the EAA Aviation Museum, which is filled primarily with experimental aircraft. The abbreviation EAA stands for Experimental Aircraft Association. Thanks to the air show, this association now has about 300,000 members. It was founded in 1953 by Paul Poberezny, who devoted his whole life mainly to the construction of home-made aircraft. In the museum, I admired the Bugatti Model 100 Racer and a lot of other exhibits that you simply cannot see anywhere else.

   Of course, I was most interested in the planes that flew into Oshkosh. Next to the airport, several parking zones were created for both visitors’ cars and civil aircraft. This is because visitors from all over the world traditionally fly in to this event and then spend a whole week even with their pets along for the ride, they camp, barbecue, and just basically enjoy the festive atmosphere. I was surprised to walk among the parked planes with no one watching me, no one was reminding me where I could or couldn't go, or gave me the evil eye when I took a picture. In short, it was like paradise for a plane lover. And when the aerial demonstrations started after lunch, my colleagues and I sat on the grass and thoroughly enjoyed them. I was absolutely fascinated by the part of the show called the Heritage Flight, where A-10s, F-35As, F-22s and P-51D Mustangs flew together on the first day and F-16s on the second. The demo always included a short display of each of the planes, and especially the F-22 was really cool! Sadly, we may have just had our last chance to see the A-10, as the USAF is claiming it is done with the type. There is some hope, though, to be found in the fact that this is not the first time this has been stated. Evening flying is also part of the program on Wednesday and Saturday, and anyone who has ever been to Oshkosh will tell you that the evening program is definitely worth attending. And so it was, it was actually a typical American show full of airplanes firing off flares, fires, explosions, ending with 600 drones creating different shapes, finishing off with the American flag at the end. And I have to admit that even though I'm not American, the whole atmosphere around me filled me with a sense of awe.

  The Eduard contingent in the United States – Stan Archman, Vladimir Sulc, Jakub Nademlejnsky and Martin Ferkl in at the front gate to EAA Oshkosh.

  The entire event was flawlessly organized. Since the venue is so large, school buses were used to shuttle visitors around.

  Bell helicopter display at their stand.

  Display stands set up by Pilatus and Piper.

  Junkers stand with their A50 Junior.

  Boeing had the largest display at the show.

  Aircraft displayed at Boeing Plaza – F-15EX, F-35A, C-47, Lancaster, T-38 Talon and B-52, which also acted as a nifty umbrella against a passing shower.

  The airport’s grass sections also provided space for the museum’s exhibits.

  When flying displays were paused, walks could be taken among the parked aircraft.

  One of the hangars housed spectacular examples of the Mosquito and P-38.

  A view of the EAA Aviation Museum.

  Some of the EAA Museum’s exhibits.

  Plastic models were available for purchase at the airport, including those from Eduard, which was nice to see.

  Flying displays during the show, among others, included a Spitfire Mk.IX , a P-51D  and a Hurricane .

  The C-47 flight display included parachute jumps.

  P-51D in the non-traditional markings of the California Aeronautical University.

  One of the two B-29s that flew at the show, the world-famous FIFI.

  A flypast was conducted by a KC-135 tanker.

  Several display teams strutted their stuff, and while we were there, the Italian team Frecce Tricolori were up….

  ….as were Canada’s Snowbirds.

  Tuesday’s Heritage Flight was made up of the F-35A, F-22, A-10C and P-51D…

  ….and, for a change, on Wednesday the F-35A , F-22 , A-10C and F-16C.

  The Wednesday program finale was conducted by 600 drones….

  ….and a lot of fireworks.

  
  

• Air War in Ukraine

  Ukrainian F-16AM MLU with numbers 3599 and 3596.

  
  

  F-16s with Yellow-Blue Roundels

  Text: Miro Barič

  
  

  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.

   

  Initially, videos surfaced showing F-16s in the Ukrainian sky. However, the footage wasn't entirely clear. A few days later, it was officially confirmed, and the fighters were welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the acceptance ceremony. According to his statements, Ukraine currently has 10 of these jets (out of the 79 promised), and by the end of this year, they will have 20.

  During the ceremony with Zelensky, two F-16s were seen on the ground behind him. Later, a few of these jets appeared in the air. The Ukrainian Armed Forces released more footage. In most of these, only the insignia were visible, while other markings were either retouched or not painted on the aircraft at all. This is especially true for the pair of aircraft on the ground behind the Ukrainian president. They show some external features of the F-16ADF version of the U.S. Air Force, particularly the APX-13 IFF system antennas. However, they lack other typical features. It is also known that the U.S. has decided not to provide Ukraine with any fighter jets. Austrian military expert Tom Cooper believes that these are decommissioned aircraft serving only as a source of spare parts or as decoys in the event of a Russian attack on the airfield. This is supported by the incomplete camouflage, as these aircraft are missing the darker shade of gray on the upper surfaces.

  The two aircraft that appeared in the air are a completely different case. In one shot, the tail numbers were not retouched. This allowed us to identify them as aircraft 80-3596 and 80-3599, which were ordered by Denmark in 1980. Another distinguishing feature of Danish aircraft is the position of the spotlight on the front left side of the fuselage and the absence of a brake parachute housing under the rudder. The Danish Royal Air Force upgraded these aircraft to the F-16AM MLU version in the 1990s. The last three letters stand for Mid-Life Update, which refers to a mid-life upgrade. This upgrade included improvements to the radar, IFF system, and software, bringing these aircraft closer to the F-16C/D Block 50/52 standard.

   

  Further Interesting Information about Ukrainian F-16s

  Additional interesting details about the Ukrainian F-16s were revealed through footage from an official video. It shows that the aircraft are equipped with the Terma PIDS+ system, integrated into the middle pylons under the wings. This means that the pylon can carry a weapon while also housing three sensors of the Hensoldt AAR-60(V)2 missile warning system. Each F-16 is thus equipped with six sensors that scan the surroundings in a 360-degree radius, detecting threats such as incoming missiles. If the system identifies such a threat, it visually and acoustically alerts the pilot, who can then execute evasive maneuvers. If the missile is too close, the second part of the PIDS+ system automatically activates, deploying countermeasures. Depending on the type of threat, the system selects the appropriate countermeasures and determines the optimal time, angle, and sequence to release them for maximum effectiveness.

  The PIDS+ system integrated into the pylons of the Ukrainian F-16s offers their pilots greater capabilities than the older Soviet-made aircraft they previously flew. However, the armament seen on these pylons is less promising. The primary armament consists of AIM-120B AMRAAM missiles with active radar guidance. These are quality missiles that can be very effective with the latest software updates. However, they have a maximum range of 50 km, significantly less than the newer AIM-120C and D versions. This gives the Russian fighters armed with R-37M missiles the advantage of greater range. Also seen under the wing were AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles, dating back to the 1980s. These infrared-guided missiles have a maximum range of 18 km. Air combat at such a distance does not occur in Ukraine, and the effectiveness of the AIM-9M against modern aircraft is questionable. On the other hand, they are fully sufficient for combat against Iranian Shahed drones, which Russia uses extensively.

  Perhaps even more important is what Ukraine has not disclosed. Kyiv is well aware that the Russians meticulously study every piece of information. Thus, there remains the possibility that Ukraine has received newer weaponry for its F-16s that they simply haven’t revealed. Ukrainian F-16s are capable of carrying AGM-88 HARM missiles or guided bombs, which the Ukrainian air force has used for quite some time. Yet these were not shown in the footage. The two ex-American F-16s behind President Zelensky likely caused considerable confusion among Russian analysts. If the U.S. provided any F-16s to Ukraine despite claims to the contrary (even if only for spare parts), Kremlin analysts might be asking themselves what else the United States has supplied without public disclosure.

   This F-16, shown on the ground, is likely non-operational.

  Footage from a video showing preparations and the takeoff of a Ukrainian F-16AM MLU.

  Armament of the Ukrainian F-16 – on the innermost pylon under the wing there is a fuel drop tank, followed by a pylon with the integrated PIDS+ system, and finally an AIM-9M missile. There is an AIM-120B missile at the wingtip.

  
  

  Attack on a Children's Hospital

  The true capabilities of Ukrainian F-16s, the armament they carry, and how the Ukrainian Air Force uses them will become clearer in the coming months. For now, let's focus on what occurred during the observed period. Russia has been persistently advancing in the Donetsk region, employing waves of assaulting infantry despite suffering significant losses. They attempt to clear their path using glide bombs, against which Ukrainian defenses still lack an effective countermeasure. Ukrainian attacks on airfields and ammunition depots, which we described in the previous section, managed only to reduce the intensity of these attacks. Instead of dropping an average of 150 glide bombs per day, Russian aviation recently reduced that number to less than 100 daily. However, this is still far too many.

  In addition to military targets, Russian forces regularly hit civilian targets, and this month was no exception. In this part of the article, we first look at the worst attack during the recent period. It occurred on Monday, July 8, just before the NATO summit in Washington, where Ukraine was also present. On that day, Russia launched more than 40 missiles at the cities of Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Pokrovsk, and Kropyvnytskyi. The attacks resulted in 47 deaths and 189 injuries.

  Among the targets was the Ochmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv. At the time of the attack, the hospital housed 600 pediatric patients and approximately the same number of medical staff. Two adults lost their lives, including a young doctor. Another 16 people were injured, seven of whom were children. The dialysis department, where children received treatment, was completely destroyed, and several other departments were damaged, including specialized oncology laboratories, the only ones of their kind in Ukraine.

  Moscow responded by claiming it only targets military objects, releasing several versions of what might have happened. This is a typical style of Russian propaganda—flooding the information space to dilute and weaken the truth. According to the Kremlin, Ukrainians either intentionally or accidentally struck the hospital themselves, mentioning several types of Western-made missiles. However, considering that missiles like those from the IRIS-T system cannot cause such extensive damage, one fact has worked against Russia from the start. The attack was captured on video, clearly showing the distinctive shape of a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile, complete with the TRDD-50A jet engine mounted under the rear section. The missile showed no signs of damage and was heading toward the hospital on a typical trajectory. All these indicators rule out an accidental strike; the hospital was a deliberate target. The attack was carried out by members of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division from the Engels-2 base near Saratov.

   Struck children's hospital Ochmatdyt in Kyiv.

  The impact of the Russian Kh-101 missile on the hospital was captured on video. Note the jet engine under its rear part.

  
  

  Airfields Under Fire

  From the beginning of the observed period, Russia targeted Ukrainian airfields near the front line. On Monday, July 1, multiple missiles struck the Myrhorod base in the Poltava region. Two Ukrainian Su-27 fighters were destroyed, and four others were damaged. It is unclear whether these were decommissioned and grounded aircraft or operational ones. However, at least some of them were likely in operational condition.

  The following day, Tuesday, July 2, a Russian attack targeted a Mi-24 helicopter at a base in Poltava. The helicopter was likely seriously damaged by the explosion of cluster munitions. On Wednesday, July 3, an Iskander-M ballistic missile destroyed a MiG-29 at the Kryvyi Rih base in the Dnipropetrovsk region. On the same day, at the same airfield, Russians also recorded a decoy in the form of a Su-25 mock-up using a drone.

  The next similar attack occurred on Monday, July 29, when a Su-25 at the Kryvyi Rih base was hit by a Lancet drone. This time, it likely wasn’t a decoy.

  In the air, Ukraine suffered three losses during the observed period. On Tuesday, July 9, a Mi-8 helicopter from the 12th Army Aviation Brigade crashed between the villages of Dyachkove and Mizhhirya in the Poltava region. Russia claims to have shot down the aircraft. All four crew members were killed: Captain Yaroslav Lyubychenko, Captain Vitaliy Nekrasov, First Lieutenant Oleksandr Shemchuk, and Staff Sergeant Serhiy Potashenkov.

  On Friday, July 19, another Ukrainian Mi-8MSB-V helicopter with the tail number "Black 160" was seriously damaged. The helicopter overturned during an emergency landing attempt in the Novoukrainka district of the Kirovohrad region.

  The third tragedy was unrelated to combat operations. During a training flight on Saturday, July 27, a Skyeton K-10 Swift with the registration UR-KAI crashed. Yuriy Kapustenskyi, a first-year cadet at the National Air Force University in Kharkiv, died in the crash.

   Su-27 destroyed at the Myrhorod base on July 1st.

  MiG-29 fighter struck by an Iskander-M missile at the Kryvyi Rih base on July 3rd.

  On July 3rd, this decoy Su-25 was found at the Kryvyi Rih base.

  Ukrainian Su-27 in an illustrative image.

  Ex-Czech Mi-24 helicopter in Ukrainian service.

  Captain Yaroslav Lyubichenko and Lieutenant Oleksandr Shemchuk, who died in a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter on July 9th.

  
  

  Russian Losses

  During the observed period, the Russian Air Force experienced another disastrous week. However, before that, on Friday, July 5, a Russian Mi-28 helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in a field in the Azov district of Russia's Rostov region. This occurred during a massive Ukrainian drone attack. According to various Russian sources, the crew either wanted to avoid the drones (and possibly avoid being hit by their own air defenses) or the helicopter was directly hit by a drone. The helicopter was likely damaged, as the field caught fire after the emergency landing, although the extent of the damage remains unknown.

  On Friday, July 19, a Su-34 fighter-bomber had to make an emergency landing after being hit by a surface-to-air missile. Despite severe damage, the crew managed to bring the aircraft to the nearest airfield. The incident occurred during a night combat mission at an altitude of 9 km, and fuel began leaking from the aircraft after it was hit.

  Then came the aforementioned disastrous week. On Sunday, July 21, Ukrainian saboteurs struck the Tomilino base near Moscow. According to Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR), they burned two helicopters, a Kamov and a Mi-28. Satellite imagery later revealed a burn site where Ka-27 helicopters usually stood.

  On Tuesday, July 23, a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile from the 110th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The incident occurred near the village of Troitske in the Pokrovsk district of the Donetsk region. The event was also recorded on video, and the Russian pilot successfully ejected.

  On Wednesday, July 24, Ukrainian saboteurs struck again, this time destroying a Mi-8 helicopter at the Kryazh base in Samara, Russia.

  On Thursday, July 25, a Russian Mi-28 helicopter from the 332nd Independent Helicopter Regiment crashed. Although the crash occurred near the village of Klenki in the Kaluga region, deep inside Russia, it was related to the war in Ukraine. The helicopter was returning from a mission to hunt down attacking Ukrainian drones in the Bryansk region near the Ukrainian border. It is speculated that the aircraft fell victim to friendly fire from its own air defense. Both crew members died in the crash.

  On Friday, July 26, early in the morning, Ukrainian forces launched a missile attack on the Saki base in Crimea. One Su-30SM fighter jet from the 43rd Independent Naval Assault Aviation Regiment was destroyed, and two others were damaged.

  On Saturday, July 27, a Su-34 fighter-bomber crashed in the Volgograd region of Russia. Both crew members ejected safely. The aircraft likely took off from the Marinovka base and was heavily used in attacks against Ukraine. Such intensive operations have led to significant wear and tear of the equipment and high stress on the pilots.

  The last, and the most significant loss occurred on the final day of the observed period. On Wednesday, July 31, a Mi-8MTV-2 helicopter with the registration RF-34255 and tail number "Yellow 59" was hit on the ground in the Donetsk region by a Ukrainian missile (ATACMS or HIMARS). The helicopter belonged to the 6th Independent Special-Purpose Squadron of the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya). It was loaded with wounded soldiers, and 20 people, including at least one crew member, died in the attack.

  Skyeton K-10 Swift with registration UR-KAI, which crashed on July 27.

  Yuriy Kapustenskyi in front of the UR-KAI, in which he died.

  On July 21, two Russian helicopters burnt at the Tomilino base near Moscow.

  Another Ukrainian sabotage attack took place on July 24 at the Kryazh base. A Mi-8 was set on fire.

  The crash of a Su-34, which occurred on July 27.

  On July 31, 20 soldiers died in the Russian Mi-8 helicopter that was destroyed on the ground.

  
  

• Unordnung – Late Versions of the Bf 109 G

  Original color photograph of a Bf 109 G-14/AS from the Messerschmitt Regensburg factory at the Salzburg-Maxglan base in June, 1945. (Photo: National Archives)

  
  

  Bf 109 G-6/AS, Bf 109 G-14/AS, Bf 109 G-10

   Text: Vladimír Šulc

  
  

  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.

   

  Simply put, the DB 605AS and DB 605D were created by installing the larger supercharger from the DB 603 in the DB 605A. The performance of these superchargers was around 25% greater than the ones installed in the DB 605A. The first developmental version of the DB 605 outfitted with the larger supercharger was the DB 605AS, originally designated as the DB 605A (Sonder). The intended fuel for these engines was the B4 with an octane rating of 87. The first DB 605AS engines were available at the beginning of 1944. As spring became summer that year, the DB 605ASM appeared, which burned C3 fuel with a 96 octane rating. Other versions of the AS engine were developed (ASCM, ASMO, ASB, ASC) utilizing various combinations of B4 and C3 fuels, and different GM-1 nitrous oxide boost systems and variations of the MW50 injection system for short term power output of the engine. These included the GM-1 (injection of nitrous oxide into the engine cylinders), MW-50 (injection of a 50:50 mixture of methanol + water into the compressor intake), MW-30 (methanol + water at 70:30), EW-50 (ethanol + water 50:50) and EW-30 (ethanol + water 70:30). The GM-1 and MW-50 systems could in some cases be installed together in the same airframe, but their simultaneous use was prohibited and practically impossible. Depending on the different sub versions of the engines used, the aircraft were equipped with different versions of radiator, oil tank and air intake to the supercharger compressor, too. DB 605AS engines powered the Bf 109 G-6/AS and Bf 109 G-14/AS produced at Messerschmitt's Regensburg and Erla plants in Leipzig.

   The first version of the Bf 109 G powered by the DB 605AS engine was the Bf 109 G-6/AS. Its production began in April, 1944 at the Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg, where 349 units were produced as new builds in the following production blocks:

  • Block 163,000 - 163,994, 226 units were produced from April to June 1944.

  • Block 164,380 – 164,999, 37 were produced from August to December 1944

  • Block 165001 - 165999, 47 units were produced from August to December 1944.

  • Block 166001 - 166644, 39 units were produced from August to December 1944.

   Added to these numbers were 104 Bf 109 G-5 and 472 Bf 109G-6 airframes rebuilt to AS standard between February and August, 1944 atErla, Mimetall and Blohm & Voss

   Besides a modified engine cowling with large oval fairings over the supercharger compressor and fuselage guns, known informally to Luftwaffe personnel as the ‘Horse’s Ass’, an updated and lightened canopy (Erlahaube), a larger diameter VDM 9-12159 propeller (same as the later G-10 and K-4) and a tall fin and rudder, the original design of the Bf 109G-6 was left intact. They were equipped with a standard Fo 870 radiator used in the G-6, the bottom section of the cowling was smooth without the two small fairings covering the oil pump, and the oil tank was also the same as on the G-6. The difference from the later G-10 came in the oil filler cap on the left side of the nose immediately above the small air intake which was in the same location as on the Bf 109G-6. In the G-10, the cover over the cap was placed higher due to the increase in size of the oil tank. The supercharger intake also remained the same as compared to the G-6, which was smaller than the later G-10. So that things weren’t all that simple, some airframes of later production, or during refurbishment, received the larger diameter supercharger intakes and larger Fo 987 oil cooler that appeared on the Bf 109G-10. The oil coolers of these aircraft, produced by Erla, had the Erla specific Fo 987 cover developed for the later Bf 109G-10. It wasn’t as deep as the same oil cooler mounted in the G-10 at Mtt. Regensburg and WNF. The cockpit canopy with a simplified Erlahaube frame was of the older type with sharp rear corners of the opening portion, new-build versions being equipped with a short antenna mast behind the cockpit. Some of the G-6 conversions had the mast mounted on the canopy frame. There were also versions without a mast altogether. The tailwheel strut was short and was with or without a dust cover, and the fairings above the wheel wells were as they were on the G-6. All aircraft were equipped with a FuG 25 IFF system with a small blade antenna on the bottom of the second fuselage section.

   The part of these aircraft that were designated Bf 109G-6/AS/y were equipped with a FuG 16ZY DF homing system, the whip antenna for which was located under the wing below the fuselage.

   Most aircraft had fuselage mounted MG 151/20 cannon, but a number of converted Bf 109 G-6/U4s were armed with a MK 108 30mm weapon firing through the propeller hub. These were designated Bf 109 G-6/U4/AS and according to H.H. Vogt, 153 were produced.

   In the Bf 109G-6/AS, the MW50 methanol water injection system installation was not yet a standardized feature, and would have been recognizable by a box shaped opening located in the rear cockpit wall. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the MW50 system was not installed in the Bf 109G-6/AS. Some aircraft were so equipped. Bf 109G-6/AS aircraft equipped with MW50 were designated Bf 109G-6/MW50/AS or Bf 109G-6/U3/AS, and later redesignated as Bf 109G-14/AS.

  Bf 109 G-10/U4 WNr. 611943, equipped with a DB 605 D engine, is currently part of the Planes of Fame Air Museum collection in Arizona. This aircraft displays the distinctive features of the WNF production series. It was captured in May 1945 following the group flyover and surrender of II/JG 52 from Austria to Neubiberg, Bavaria. This Bf 109 probably bore the designation "Yellow 13" and, based on its serial number, is documented to have belonged to the Hungarian 101. Vadászezred unit. Photo: Vladimír Šulc

  
  

   Aircraft designated Bf 109 G-6/U2/AS, on the other hand, were equipped with the GM-1 injecting nitrous oxide into the engine cylinders, which increased engine power above 10,000m (32,800 feet), in contrast to the MW-50 system, which increased engine power at lower altitudes of up to 6,000m (19,700 feet). The Bf 109 G-6/U2/AS was to be built to the tune of 273 units. In addition to them, 23 photo reconnaissance Bf 109 G-6/U2/R2/AS were produced, and probably some Bf 109 G-8/AS airframes as well, but their production number is unknown.

   As already mentioned in the introduction, high-altitude Bf 109 G-5s were also converted to the Bf 109 G-5/AS standard. They were essentially the same as the G-6/U2/AS, but there was a larger air intake on the left side of the fuselage below the cockpit windcsreen for cockpit ventilation. H.H.Vogt states that the rear of the engine cowling bulges were shallower than on the Messerschmitt-built G-6/AS and G-14/AS. The Bf 109 G-5/AS equipped with the Erlahaube cockpit canopy was no longer pressurized, however, it cannot be ruled out that the functionality of the cockpit pressurization system was also maintained with this type of canopy. In any case, silica gel capsules were still installed in the glass of the canopy to help prevent fogging of the glass. Also documented on the Bf 109 G-5/AS is a special cylindrical tank located on a hanger beneath the fuselage, which was probably part of the GM-1 system.

   One Bf 109 G-6/AS was converted into a two-seat Bf 109 G-12/AS trainer. The fuselage code was DF+CC.

   The first aircraft were delivered to units in April and May, 1944 (III./JG1, I./JG3, I./JG5, II./JG11), and these were followed by I./NJGr.10, II./JG27, I./JG1 and III./JG300 in June and July, 1944.

  The following is a breakdown of the general features of the Bf 109G-6/AS:

  1. Wide engine cowl side panels with riveted semielliptical aerodynamic fairings to fuselage.

  2. Radiator under the engine as on standard G-6, Type Fo 870.

  3. The use of the larger Fo 987 radiator is also recorded, with an Erla cover as on the G-10 Erla built in the 15xxxx and 49xxxx blocks.

  4. Lower engine cowling minus bulge below the oil tank.

  5. Older aircraft with VDM 9-12087 propeller (as on standard G-6), later versions with larger VDM 9-12159 propeller with wider paddle blades (as on the G-10).

  6. Smaller supercharger intake on the left side of the cowling, as on standard G-6, although some aircraft (later production or overhauled/repaired aircraft) were given the larger intake (as on the G-10).

  7. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil pump on the right side of the engine cowl was in a lower position.

  8. Oil filler cap cover on the left side of the nose in lower position.

  9.  Tall tail, Type 1.

  10. Short tailwheel (usually).

  11. Cockpit canopy with sharp inside corners at the rear and with a small antenna mast on the fuselage behind the cockpit. Aircraft converted from standard G-6s had the mast on the canopy frame and a number of these were without a mast altogether.

  12. The G-6/AS/y had a whip antenna associated with the FuG 16zy system below the fuselage(below the wing)

  13. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF system below the fuselage behind the wing trailing edge.

  14. Wing fairings over the wheel wells were of the small type, as on the G-6, with corresponding wheels.

  15. Some Bf 109G-5s were converted to the G-5/AS, serial numbers 110xxx. They were the same as the G-6/AS, but carried a special tank below the fuselage (associated with the GM-1?)

  16. Most aircraft carried fuselage MG 151/20 cannons.

  17. The cover on the 5th fuselage segment were a feature of the Bf 109 G-6/AS/U4 with a MK 108 30 mm fuselage cannon. A total of 151 of them were converted from the Bf 109 G-6/U4 built at WNF, of which one was built by Erla, 130 were made by Mimetall and twenty by Blohm & Voss

  18. The GM-1 system pressure cylinder filling neck cover, present on the Bf 109 G-6/U2/AS. A total of 265 Bf 109 G-6/U2 conversions were produced, of which 104 were performed by Erla, 98 by Mimetall and 63 by Blohm & Voss. In addition, 45 photo-reconnaissance Bf 109 G-6/U2/R2/AS were also produced at Erla through conversion of Bf 109 G-6/U2s.

    

  Bf 109 G-14/AS

   The production of the Bf 109 G-6/AS was followed by the production of the Bf 109 G-14/AS version, powered by the DB 605ASM engine and equipped, as standard, with a system for injecting a mixture of methanol and water into the intake of the MW 50 compressor. The installation of this system can be recognized by the box-shaped bulge on the rear wall cockpit, covering the battery, moved forward from its original position between the 1st and 2nd fuselage bulkheads for the installation of the MW 50 system tank. The DB 605 ASM engine used 96 octane C3 gasoline as fuel. Another distinctive feature of the Bf 109 G-14/AS was the standard installation of the FuG 16ZY direction finding system and its associated Morane-type whip antenna (Moranmast), still installed under the leading edge of the left wing. The FuG 25a IFF system was also standard. The Bf 109 G-14/AS were produced as new at Messerschmitt and Erla. There is no evidence that they were purposely created by conversion from older Bf 109 G-6 and G-14, but it is likely that parts of the airframes of older machines were used in their production.

   Airframes produced in production block 460 300 to 460 670 (50 units) by Erla had the smaller supercharger air intake and a smaller Fo 870 oil cooler as on the Bf 109G-6, and had an identicle lower engine cowl, meaning they did not have fairings around the oil pumps on the bottom of the nose. Most machines from production block 461 100 to 461 999 (73 pieces) then had the larger Fo 987 radiator, but with a specific fairing exclusive to Erla, which optically does not appear as deep as the fairing of the same Bf 109 G-10 radiator produced by Messerschmitt and WNF. The lower engine cowl of these aircraft thus corresponds to that of the later G-10 airframes coming out of Erla.

   The aircraft from Messerschmitt in Regensburg had, in addition to a few airframes from August 1944 production blocks 165 xxx and 166 xxx, a larger intake to the supercharger and a larger Fo 987 radiator (as the later G-10). Under the nose, two characteristic bulged fairings covering the oil pumps appeared for the first time. However, the nose oil tank remained of the small variety with the filler neck in a lower position just above the port suction pocket. The fin and rudder was of the tall variety. Later Messerschmitt production machines received rudders with a straight lower edge and three trims. The canopy was of the newer Erlahaube type with a rounded rear corner of the canopy frame and low antenna mast on the. The propeller was a VDM 9-12159 with wide blades. Some later aircraft received larger 660 x 190mm wheels, and with them large, elongated fairings on the upper surface of the wing. The tailwheel on the Erla aircraft (46xxxx) was short, and long on the Mtt. Regensburg version. The fill access cover to the supercharger clutch oil pump on the right side of the engine cowl was in a lower position, above the cowl fastener. Most, if not all, aircraft had fuselage mounted MG 151/20 cannons.. From the summer (July Erla, August Mtt) 1944 to the end of the year, around 1400 Bf 109G-14/AS were produced, 123 of them at Erla and the rest at Messerschmitt. The date of the end of production of the Bf 109 G-14/AS at Messerschmitt is unclear. H.H. Vogt states that production ran until March, 1945. However, as early as October, 1944, Bf 109 G-10s from production block 130 xxx were on the assembly line, with which G-10 production at Regensburg ended, again according to H.H. Vogt, in December 1944, and which produced only 123 units. At the same time, from the end of August 1944, serial production of the Bf 109 K-4 began. Of course, the completion of some Bf 109 G-14/AS still early in 1945 cannot be completely ruled out. It should also be taken into account that the airframes of the Bf 109 G-14/AS and the Bf 109 G-10 from Regensburg were practically identical, the production of G- 14/AS and G-10 followed each other immediately. Some of the few G-10s produced are said to have been fitted with DB 605 ASM engines and designated Bf 109 G-10/AS. There is some logic to be found in these largely conflicting timings, but it is probably wisest to close the matter with the understanding that it is very complicated at best.

   Bf 109 G-14/AS ERLA, Production Block 460 300 – 460 670 (50 Units)

  1. Wide engine cowl side panels with riveted semielliptical aerodynamic fairings to fuselage.

  2. Radiator under the engine as on standard G-6, Type Fo 870, though some aircraft received the larger Fo 987 unit with the same covering, as on the Erla G-10.

  3. Lower engine cowling minus bulge below the oil tank.

  4. VDM 9-12159 propeller with wider paddle blades.

  5. Supercharger air intake on the left side of the cowling as on standard G-6, although some aircraft were given the larger intake as on the G-10.

  6. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil pump on the right side of the engine cowl was in a lower position.

  7. Oil filler cap cover on the left side of the nose in lower position.

  8. Tall tail, Type 1.

  9. Short tailwheel (usually).

  10. Cockpit canopy with rounded inside corners at the rear and with an antenna mast on the canopy frame.

  11. A whip antenna associated with the FuG 16zy system was located under the left wing (protruding from a glass panel), as with the G-10.

  12. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF system below the fuselage behind the wing trailing edge.

  13.  MW50 water-methanol injection system and its associated equipment – a box fairing on the rear wall of the cockpit behind the headrest, and an access panel on the right side of the spine behind the cockpit.

  14. Wing fairings over the wheel wells were of the small type, as on the G-6, with corresponding wheels.

  15. Most aircraft were armed with fuselage mounted MG 151/20 cannons. The cover located in the fifth fuselage segment only appeared on aircraft with MK 108 30mm cannons mounted in the fuselage

    

  Bf 109 G-14/AS Mtt. Regensburg (Production Block 780 xxx to 787 xxx)

  1. Wide engine cowl side panels with riveted semielliptical aerodynamic fairings to fuselage.

  2. Radiator under the engine was the larger Fo 987 as on the G-10.

  3. Lower cowling with bulges below oil tank.

  4. VDM 9-12159 propeller with wider paddle blades as on the G-10.

  5. Supercharger air intake on the left side of the cowling was of the larger type, as on the G-10.

  6. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil pump on the right side of the engine cowl was in a lower position.

  7. Oil filler cap cover on the left side of the nose in lower position.

  8. Small wheel well fairing on the upper wing as on the G-6, with corresponding wheels, with corresponding 660 x0 160 wheels.

  9. Taller tail Type 6 or Type 9 (later aircraft).

  10. Usually, a long tailwheel. Short tailwheel has been documented in later production blocks.

  11. Cockpit canopy with rounded inside corners at the rear and with an antenna mast on the fuselage behind the cockpit (usually).

  12. A whip antenna associated with the FuG 16zy system was located under the left wing (protruding from a glass panel), as with the G-10.

  13. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF system below the fuselage behind the wing trailing edge.

  14.  MW50 water-methanol injection system and its associated equipment – a box fairing on the rear wall of the cockpit behind the headrest, and an access panel on the right side of the spine behind the cockpit.

  15. A number of later aircraft, manufactured at the end of 1944 received a DB 605D engine.

  16. Most aircraft were armed with fuselage mounted MG 151/20 cannons. The cover located in the fifth fuselage segment only appeared on aircraft with MK 108 30mm cannons mounted in the fuselage

  Bf 109 G-14/AS from the Messerschmitt Regensburg factory, with which Croatian pilot Vladimir Sandtner from the 2nd Fighter Squadron "Zrakoplovno lovačko jato" defected to Italy on April 16, 1945, landing at the Falconara base. (Photo: Fold 3)

   

  Bf 109G-10

   In the summer of 1944, deliveries began of the DB 605D, in development since 1942, with an automatic barometric supercharger rpm control system, dictated by altitude. After the initial DB 605DM and DMO were produced, these engines were delivered in two main versions. The DB 605DB was used with B4 fuel in conjunction with the MW50 methanol water injection system, and the DB 605DC, burning 96 octane C3 fuel, without the MW50 system installed. Nevertheless, the DB 605DC had the MW50 vents installed, enabling the conversion of the DB 605DC to the DB 605DB and vice versa. The DB 605D were installed exclusively with the larger Fo 987 oil cooler, a larger, 54 litre oil tank, and larger supercharger air intake.

   Production of the Bf 109G-10 powered by various models of the DB 605D, replaced the Bf 109G-6/AS and G-14/AS in the fall of 1944. A common feature of all Bf 109G-10s, besides the aforementioned installation of some version of the DB 605D and the associated wider engine cowl (‘Horse’s Ass’), was the installation of the larger Fo 987 oil cooler instead of the original Fo 870 in the G-6/G-14, larger ALF 907C wing radiators instead of the original ALF 750Bs, larger supercharger air intakes and VDM 9-12159 propeller. Also common features were the simplified Erlahaube canopy and tall fin. The Bf 109G-10 was manufactured at three facilities: Erla Leipzig, Messerschmitt Regensburg and Wiener neustadter Flugzeugwerke. The G-10 was to be an interim aircraft, pending the production of the modernized Bf 109K, also powered by the DB 605D. In reality, the first G-10s did not begin to arrive from Erla Leipzig at their intended units until October, 1944, essentially at the same time as the first Bf 109K-4s. But it should be noted that Bf 109K-4 production remained limited up to the end of the war, and essentially was not initiated at Erla or WNF.

   The genesis of the G-10 can be said to be different for each of its three manufacturers, and each of these three manufacturers tackled production of the Bf 109 G-10 in a way that corresponded to their abilities and prevailing conditions. In this context, the shape of the engine cowl is typical for each of the three manufacturers. Both Messerschmitt and WNF had similar units, yet the two factories differed slightly in the shape of the large side fairings above the supercharger and the fuselage machine gun lugs. In contrast, the Erla solution was significantly different, and it can be said that it was aerodynamically more refined and sophisticated, but with the exception of the fairing on the right side of the engine cowl. Typical of the Erla machines was the left part of the upper engine cowl without a visible, retrofitted riveted bulge, the absence of fairings on the front bottom of the cowling, and the traditionally longer gun troughs of the fuselage machine guns.

   The first to go into production was the Erla G-10, which was entrusted the responsibility of producing the Bf 109G-10 as a quick, temporary replacement for the delayed Bf 109K-4 project. Production at Erla began in September, 1944, and 1709 aircraft were delivered in two production blocks.

   Messerscmitt produced 129 DB 605D installations for the Bf 109G-14/AS reportedly some in November and possibly even in December. This was to catch up to the production of Bf 109G-14/AS aircraft with the DB 605D, and were basically the same airframes with the 605D. Messerschmitt then turned its attention to Bf 109 K-4 aircraft solely.

  Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNr. 491407, produced at the Erla factory, photographed in early 1945. This aircraft belonged to 3a Squadriglia, 1o Gruppo Caccia. On March 17th, 1945, Capt. Cesare Marchesi crashed the plane at the Ghedi base. (Photo: JaPo)

  
  

   In December, 1944, production began of the Bf 109G-10/U4 at WNF Diana. Production of these aircraft came out of the mating of the DB 605D with the Bf 109G-14/U4 airframe then mounting the DB 605A, and became somewhat of a peculiarity, differing from the approach taken by Erla. The likely reason for initiating production of their own version of the Bf 1009G-10 instead of the Regensburg K-4s, at the time already in production, was the anticipated problems with startup of Bf 109K-4 manufacture under conditions brought about by Allied bombings of the WNF facility. There were issues with implementing all the necessary changes required for the startup of the new version, and with the co-ordination of the supply chain from the various suppliers that would be involved. To understand this decision, it needs to be taken into account that, of all the firms involved in Bf 109 manufacture, the WNF plant was under the greatest pressure from Allied bombings and was the closest to the front. Production of the Bf 109 G-10 at WNF was probably just shy of a thousand units, and of that total, 650 Bf 109 G-10/U4 and 300 photo reconnaissance Bf 109 G-10/R2s were built.

   In all, 2600 Bf 109 G-10s were manufactured.

   

  Bf 109 G-10/R6 Erla Production Blocks 150 xxx, 151 xxx, 490 xxx and 491 xxx

   Erla Leipzig was entrusted with making preparations for the change of manufacture from the Bf 109G-6 to the G-10 as an interim solution to the delay in Bf 109K-4 production at Mtt. Regensburg. This was likely influenced by the fact that Messerschmitt was fully immersed in not only the design of the Bf 109 K, but especially on the completion of the development of the Me 262 fighter and getting into production. The new Bf 109G-10 from Erla differed from the G-6/AS and G-14/AS visually in the aerodynamic bulging of the engine cowl on the left side, where the standard (for the other versions of the G-10, G-14/As and G-6/AS) characteristic large riveted bulge was absent. The bulge on the right side of the cowl also differed in form from the other two manufacturers. It wasn’t as large, ended closer to the longitudinal axis od the aircraft, and was as smooth. In fact, the skin looked a bit ruffled, lacked a certain elegance, and was in direct contradiction of the aerodynamic finesse of the rest of the cowl. Perhaps, it was one of the items labeled as Bastardflugzeug, which appeared in connection to the Bf 109 G-10 in the document Flugzeug-Baureihen Blatt Bf 109, issued in August, 1944 by the offices of TLT (Chef der Technischen Luftrustung).

   The oil cooler was of the Fo 987 larger type, with the specific Erla cover which was not as deep as the other variations with this radiator. Visually, the size of this unit lay between the standard G-6 with an Fo 870 cooler and the G-10 with the Fo 987 produced at WNF/Diana. Aerodynamically, the entire bottom of the engine cowl was clean, with no bulges under the oil pumps in the nose, characteristic for the G-10s produced at Mtt. Regensburg and WNF. Typical for Erla was also the upper engine cowl with longer gun troughs. Production began with Production Block 490 130 to 490 399 (270 units of the Bf 109 G-10) in September, 1944, and was followed by Block 490 400 to 490 799 in October. All remaining airframes built up to the end of the war in blocks 491 xxx, 150 xxx and 151 xxx were to Bf 109 G-10/R6 standard. The R6 suffix indicated the presence of an PKS 12 autopilot. The first planes reached Luftwaffe units in the second half of October. In all, Erla buiilt 1,520 Bf 109 G-10s.

   The identifying features of this version are:

   1. Engine cowl – left side wide cowl without the elliptical bulged structure; right side with elliptical aerodynamic feathering to the fuselage.

  2. Bottom of engine cowl without bulges below the oil tank, but with a wider front section than seen on the standard G-6 and G-10 from Mtt. Regensburg and WNF.

  3. Radiator under the engine was the larger Fo 987 with a specific covering.

  4. Large supercharger intake on the left side of the cowl.

  5. Oil tank filler cap access placed higher up on the left side of the nose.

  6. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil pump on the right side of the engine cowl was in a higher position (extending to the gun trough panel).

  7. VDM 9-12159 propeller with wide blades.

  8. Small wheel well fairing on the upper wing as on the G-6, with corresponding wheels. Could also have larger wheels with larger fairings. At least a part of the 150 xxx and 151 xxx Production Blocks had the larger wheels (660 x 190) and the corresponding larger upper wing fairings, as were seen on G-10s produced by WNF.

  9. Cockpit canopy with rounded inside corners at the rear.

  10. Antenna mast on the canopy frame on 49xxxx aircraft, without a mast on 15xxxx aircraft.

  11. Longer gun troughs for the fuselage guns and typical form of skinning around them.

  12. Long tailwheel.

  13. Type 1 tail (could have had an additional trim tab on the upper trailing edge) or Type 6 (later machines) in the 490 xxx and 491 xxx range.

  14. Type 6 or 9 tail in the 150 xxx and 151 xxx range.

  15. A whip antenna associated with the FuG 16zy system was located under the left wing (glass cover).

  16. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF system below the fuselage behind the wing trailing edge.

  17.  MW50 water-methanol injection system and its associated equipment – a box fairing on the rear wall of the cockpit behind the headrest (with, in this case, the PKS 12 Autopilot unit below it), and an access panel on the right side of the spine behind the cockpit.

  18. The cover located in the fifth fuselage segment only appeared on aircraft with MK 108 30mm cannons mounted in the fuselage. Erla produced Bf 109 G-10s had a fuselage mounted MG 151/20 cannon, and typically lacked the access cover. There could be cases where the production of the fighter used the fuselage of an older airframe that had the access cover in place, though.

   
  

  Bf 109 G-10 Messerschmitt Regensburg, Production Block 130 100 to 130 700

   The Messerschmitt mother plant in Regensburg produced 123 Bf 109G-10s through November and December, 1944, switching over from the Bf 109G-14/AS by replacing the DB 605AS with the DB 605D. the last three pieces were evidently delivered in January, 1945. This aircraft were externally virtually identical to later G-14/AS aircraft coming out of Mtt. Regensburg (780 xxx to 787 xxx Production Block), and differed only in small details.

   General identifying features of this version were:

  1. Wide engine cowl side panels with riveted semielliptical aerodynamic fairings to fuselage.

  2. Bottom cowl panel with small bumps under the oil tank.

  3. Radiator under the engine was the larger Fo 987.

  4. Larger supercharger intake on the left side of the cowling.

  5. Oil filler cap cover on the left side of the nose in higher position.

  6. Access cover to supercharger clutch oil pump on the right side of the engine cowl was in a higher position. The original lower position was patched over.

  7. Wide blade propeller as on the G-10 (VDM 9-12159)

  8. Tall tail Type 6.

  9. Cockpit canopy with rounded inside corners at the rear and without an antenna mast on the fuselage behind the cockpit, with the antenna lead going directly into the fuselage (or could also be attached to a mast on the canopy frame on some aircraft).

  10. Long tailwheel.

  11. A whip antenna associated with the FuG 16zy system was located under the left wing (glass panel).

  12. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF system below the fuselage behind the wing trailing edge.

  13. ]MW50 water-methanol injection system and its associated equipment – a box fairing on the rear wall of the cockpit behind the headrest, and an access panel on the right side of the spine behind the cockpit.

  14. Small fairing covering the wheel wells on the upper surface of the wings, as on the G-6, with corresponding wheels.

  15. Fuselage mounted MG 151/20 cannons. The cover located in the fifth fuselage segment only appeared on aircraft with MK 108 30mm cannons mounted in the fuselage, and Messerschmitt did not install that weapon on their G-10s, only the MG 151/20. There may have been instances where the cover was present as a result of using older airframes, such those of the Bf 109G-4.

  
  

  Bf 109 G-10/U4 WNF/Diana

   Production Blocks 610 xxx to 612 xxx and Bf 109 G-10/R2 Production Block 770 xxx

   Bf 109G-10/U4 coming out of the production facility at Wiener Neustadter Flugzeugwerke came about as a modification to the Bf 109G-14/U4 made by WNF, powered by a DB 605A and armed with fuselage mounted MK 108 30mm cannon. For this modification, experience gained by Messerschmitt in the production of the Bf 109G-14/AS was used, from which the G-10/U4 differed only in some minor details: standard installation of the MK 108s and their associated access to the compressed air bottles in the fifth fuselage segment on the right side and the shorter tailwheel. The installation of the fuselage mounted cannon allowed for the alternate mounting of MG 151/20 weapons. The Bf 109G-10/U4 received, likely due to the higher weight of the aircraft, larger wheels measuring 660 x 190mm and the long, elongated (rectangular) upper wing fairings over the wheel wells. The shorter tailwheel was probably due to an effort to simplify the supply chain from sub-contractors. Because the production plant in Vienna was essentially destroyed along with the city proper by Allied bombings begun in the summer of 1943, Bf 109G-10/U4 production was limited to dispersed sub-contractor facilities and isolated plants. One of the isolated plants was Diana, constructed in three railroad tunnels that were a part of the line between Brno and Havlickub Brod in Moravia. Final assembly and verification flights were made at Prague-Letnany and in Olomouc. Production continued from December, 1944 to March, 1945. This variant also formed the basis of the postwar Czechoslovak Avia S-99/C-10. In total, up to the termination of production in March, 1945, 650 Bf 109 G-10/U4s were made. Besides these, WNF also produced some three hundred reconnaissance Bf 109 G-10/R2s equipped with Rb 75/30 or Rb 50/30 cameras, located behind the cockpit between bulheads 1 and 2. That was the space occupied by the tank for the Mw 50 system in the standard Bf 109 G-10, which in this version was moved to between the 2nd and 3rd fuselage bulkheads. The fuselage armament remained the same as in the standard fighter, but it is not clear if this was the MK 108 or the MG 151/20.

   The general identification features of this version are:

   1. Wide engine cowl side panels with riveted semielliptical aerodynamic fairings to fuselage.

  2. Lower cowling with bulges below oil tank.

  3.  Radiator below the nose was the larger Fo 987 type.

  4.  Larger supercharger intake on the left side of the cowling.

  5. Oil filler cap cover on the left side of the nose in higher position.

  6.  Access cover to supercharger clutch oil pump on the right side of the engine cowl was in a higher position. The original lower position was patched over (on some aircraft).

  7. Wide blade propeller as on the G-10 (VDM 9-12159)

  8.  all tail Type 9.

  9. Cockpit canopy with rounded inside corners at the rear and without an antenna mast on the fuselage behind the cockpit, with the antenna lead going directly into the fuselage (or could also be attached to a small mast on the canopy frame as was the case with the postwar Czechoslovak C-10/S-99).

  10. Short tailwheel.

  11. A whip antenna associated with the FuG 16zy system was located under the left wing (glass panel).

  12. Small blade antenna for the FuG 25a IFF system below the fuselage behind the wing trailing edge.

  13. MW50 water-methanol injection system and its associated equipment – a box fairing on the rear wall of the cockpit behind the headrest, and an access panel on the right side of the spine behind the cockpit.

  14. Fairings covering the wheel wells were of the large variety and had the corresponding 660 x 190mm wheels.

  15. All aircraft were built as U4 mods, with 30mm MK 108 cannons and associated equipment: a large cannon cover below the instrument panel in the cockpit and an access hatch to compressed air bottles in the fifth fuselage segment on the right side. The installation of the engine mounted weapon allowed for the use of the MG 121/20. This was because there were issues with the MK 108 cannon that arose during production.

  A photo taken at the Neubiberg base in Bavaria after the end of the war in Europe, May 1945, shows a Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNr. 610783, "Black 21" from 7./JG 52, produced by WNF. (Photo: JaPo)

  
  

  CONCLUSIONS:

  It’s all pretty complex, isn’t it? It appears to all be a mixed bag of almost ‘non-German’ chaos. It’s one thing to get a handle on the features differentiating individual versions, but it’s another thing altogether grasping where they came from and why there were simultaneously so many versions of essentially one type. Where was that German attempt at type unification? Add to that that the Bf 109K-4 was only mentioned in a peripheral way and the fact that other simultaneously produced fighters for the Luftwaffe was ignored altogether. Even the grasping of the specifications of individual versions is no simple matter. The entire situation only begins to gain some clarity only when all of this chaos is considered with an understanding of the historical context that defined the conditions under which development of the aircraft took place.

   The aforementioned Allied bombing campaign had a dramatic impact on the overall situation that Germany found itself in. The German war effort was increasingly crippled as the bombings intensified. Despite a marked decrease in the intensity of the attacks in June and July, when the Allied air forces operating from the British Isles focused their efforts on supporting the Normandy landings and the push into southern France, German industry was succumbing to increasing pressure. As mentioned earlier, the Vienna and WNF firms were virtually wiped off the face of the earth by the American 15th Air Force in mid 1944. As time went on, Luftwaffe fighter units were pulling on an ever decreasing length of rope. The Allied air superiority manifested itself in every aspect of life over German occupied Europe through 1944. Added to the overall devastation, there were supply and logistical problems, thanks to which the situation worsened from month to month, even week to week, and in some cases, literally day to day. In the second half of the year, there was a dramatic decline in the situation on all fronts, leading to rapid Allied advances on the Western Front and in Italy, and even more so in terms of both military and civilian losses following Red Army offenses on the Eastern Front. Germany lost vast areas with significant industrial and economic potential. After the Red Army attack on Eastern Prussia, and the subsequent push into Poland, there was a massive exodus of migrants into Silesia in the winter of 1945. This was the quite literally apocalyptic scenario that accompanied the development and production of the above mentioned aircraft.

   The progress, weather under conditions of perceived or actual chaos, of the designating of the later versions of the Bf 1090G, is, in my opinion, as follows: It began with the delays in the development of the Bf 109K, and, by extension, the DB 605D powerplant. When it became clear that there would be serious delays in the supply of the Bf 109K, interim solutions were sought. These were entrusted to Erla , which was responsible for the mating of the DB 605D with the Bf 109G-14 airframe, and was making preparations for production. But, because the DB 605D was not yet in production by the spring of 1944, Messerschmitt in Regensburg prepared an interim solution involving the installation of the available DB 605/AS into the Bf 109G-6, which was put into practice at Messerschmitt in the production of new aircraft, while at Erla and other manufacturing and repair facilities, the installation of the DB 605/AS was installed in Bf 109G-6 and G-14 airframes during overhauls and repairs. This is why the majority of G-6/AS aircraft built by Erla in Antverp, which was not a manufacturing plant, but rather one that performed overhauls and major repairs of Bf 109s. After the supply of Db 605Ds began to flow, production of the Bf 109G-10 at Erla was started up on the basis of the planned modifications. During the production of these machines, modifications were continuously made as dictated by the experience of their use. That's why there were on some G-14/AS aircraft larger radiators or larger supercharger intakes, which then makes these planes difficult to distinguish from the Bf 109 G-10. The demand for mass production was the law, and the pace of introducing changes was unimaginable by today's standards. To the contrary, the threat of severe punishment for non-compliance of the delivery of set quantities of new aircraft was very imaginable. Whether the subject of these deliveries was one type or another was more or less irrelevant. After all, the differences between the individual versions were not big even in terms of performance. Therefore, the simultaneous production of different versions did not matter. At the same time that Mtt. Regensburg was already producing the Bf 109 K-4, G-10 production continued at Erla, where K-4 production had not yet been established. It was not ready until the spring of 1945, and only a few Bf 109 K-4s of production block 57 were eventually produced at Erla.

   A similar situation existed at WNF. This heavily bombing affected plant made do by maintaining production in a number of dispersed areas and facilities, one of which was Diana, constructed in railway tunnels, as mentioned earlier. Other local facilities were also utilized. Given the situation that the plant found itself in in the winter of 1944/1945, it was logical that it would not complicate things further by implementing production of the Bf 109K-4, and took the path of least resistance by installing the new engines into existing but lightly modified airframes. Production of the Bf 109G-10/U4 then smoothly transitioned out of the established manufacture of the Bf 109G-14/U4, which ran virtually to the end of the war in March, 1945. In April, the Red Army occupied Vienna and pushed into southern Moravia, and approached Olomouc from the north. The shifting front eliminated the bases that were needed to complete and perform verification flights on delivered aircraft. The last of these bases was Prague-Letnany, as yet untouched by the shifting front, but was eliminated by a blockade of Prague airfields by fighters of the 8thAF.

   Implementing the situation-dictated solutions was not, without any doubt, a simple affair, and it wasn’t perfect, as the case generally is when it comes down to improvisation. But the solutions were functional, and they provided combat units of the Luftwaffe with high performance aircraft that were capable of competing. It also provided the Luftwaffe with dependable, almost immediate attrition replacements. Despite the fact that Bf 109G-10 performance had fallen behind that of the Mustang, they represented an availability of equipment that ensured the functionality of Defense of the Reich and frontal units alike, such as JG 52. Against Soviet aircraft, the Bf 109G-10 was still quite good. This comparison could be made in the immediate postwar years by Czechoslovak pilots, who had at their disposal 21 Bf 109G-10/U4s under the designation Avia S-99/C-10 for several years.

   I am hopeful that this article will serve modelers well while deciding on which Eduard kit is best for the Bf 109G versions described herein. And should they already have said kit, they can confirm the various design and production features of each version and compare it to what they actually have in their possession.

   And with that, I wish you, dear Modellers, an interesting build with some understanding of the subject matter!

   Vladimir Sulc

   

  APPENDIX: THE RUDDERS

   In the descriptions of the individual versions, there is often mention made of the various types of tails. These numbers are Eduard interim designations, and in the article, they describe the following types of rudders:

   Type 1: the first type of production rudder. It was made of a metal framework, covered with fabric. There was also a wooden version, often with an additional trim tab in the upper section (Type 2)

   Type 6: A deeper rudder of wooden construction, covered in fabric, with three trim tabs and a straight bottom edge.

   Type 9: Similar to Type 6, with a deeper middle trim tab and a more pronounced position light fairing.

   
  

  APPENDIX : THE BOOST SYSTEMS

   The above texts widely mention the GM-1 and MW50 systems. Of course, I assume that all of you will know what these items were, what each system was used for and how they worked. Despite that, I would like to return to these features and give a brief description of their function and use. Without this mention, I feel that this article would lack a little something.

   The GM-1 (for which Goering Mischung 1 and Ha-ha Geraet were slang terms) system was one that injected nitrous oxide into the engine pistons. With the DB 605AS engine, its use was permitted at an altitude of 10,000m and climbing, and from 10,500m in level flight. In the DB 605A, use was permitted in a climb from 8,000m. The GM-1 system could be used for between 11 and 22 minutes, depending on the time of year, outside temperature and time since filling the system.

   For increasing engine performance at low and medium altitudes up to 6,000m, a methanol-water supercharger intake injection system was used in the form of MW50 (methanol/water 50:50, as the designation suggests mixing equal parts of methanol and water, plus 0.5% Schutzol 39, an anti-corrosion additive). There variations on the MW50 theme, designated by the mixture: MW30 (methanol/water at 70:30), EW50 (ethanol/water 50:50) and EW30 (ethanol/water 70:30). The MW50 system was able to increase engine performance by 20 to 25%, depending on altitude and other relevant conditions. It’s use was permitted to a maximum of twice for ten minutes during a single flight (other sources differ on these values, such as a maximum length of time of use of 5 minutes).At altitudes over 6,000m, the effectiveness of the system fell off dramatically, and is said that it only provided a 4% increase in performance above 6,000m.

   The differences in the GM-1 and MW50 systems did not include, as is sometimes claimed, a lower usefulness or obsolescence of the GM-1 compared to the MW50. In practical terms, there was no replacement of one by the other. Each was technically different and was intended for use under different conditions, although both worked on the principle of internal cooling of the engine combustion chambers.

   The MW50 worked by lowering the temperature by injecting water into the supercharger, and so also the volume of compressed air on entering it, which allowed an increase in air (oxygen) content of the fuel/air mix that was injected into the cylinders. The system was, of course, dependant on the local air pressure to begin with, and at higher altitudes, the effectiveness dropped off simply because in thin air, there was less oxygen.

   With the GM-1 system, nitrous oxide was injected into the cylinders, which, under high temperatures, broke down into nitrogen and oxygen. The nitrogen lowered the temperature of the mix and its volume in the cylinder, which, in turn, allowed a higher amount of the gas, and the oxygen supported combustion. As a result, the GM-1 system was not dependant on the outside air pressure, and that’s why it was intended for use at higher altitudes (the minimum permitted altitude for its use in the DB 605D was 10,000m). The more widespread use of the MW50 system and its basically standard installation in the Bf 109G-14, G-14/AS and G-10 was dictated by the tactical conditions that prevailed over the European battlegrounds, where most air combat took place at low and middle altitudes, below or up to 6,000m. The GM-1 system was utilized for specific tasks at high altitudes, during reconnaissance flights and fighters.

   Installation of the GM-1 in the Bf 109 was indicated by the suffix U2, and with the MW50, by U3. That means that the, for example, Bf 109G-6/AS/U2 or Bf 109 G-6/U2/AS was a Bf 109G-6 airframe powered by the DB 605AS and carried the GM-1 system. Both systems were used not only in connection with the DB 605, but with other types of German engines as well, such as the BMW 801.

   Sources:

  MESSERSCHMITT Bf 109 F, G, & K Series, An Illustrated Study. Jochen Prien & Peter Rodeike, Schiffer Military History, 1995

  Bf 109 Late versions Camouflage & markings. Krzysztof W.Wolowski. Mushroom model publications, 2010

  Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10/U4 Production & operational service. Aleš Janda, Tomáš Poruba. JaPo.

  Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, Teil 13/IV, Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung und im Westen 1.1. bis 31.12.1944. Jochen Prien, Gerhard Stemmer, Winfried Bock. Buchverlag Rogge GmbH, 2018

  MESSERSCHMITT BF 109 JA SAKSAN SOTATALOUS. Keski-Suomen Ilmailumuseonjulkaisuja 8. Hannu Valtonen. Gummerus Kirjapaino Oy, 1999.

  ERLAWERK VII ANTWERPEN-MORTSEL 1940-44. Jean Dillen. Uitgeverij De Krijger.

  Messerschmitt Bf 109 – EINSATZMASCHINEN – DAS NACHTSCHLAGWERK. Harald Helmut vogt. VDM- Heinz Nickel, 2012.

  Das Jagdflugzeug Messerschmitt Bf 109. Michael Baumgartl. 2022

• Bernie Lay and Piccadilly Lily

  A Story of a man that wanted more than just wings

  
  

  Text: Jan Zdiarský 

  Part Two

   

  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.

   Before leaving the 100th BG, Bernie Lay wrote a detailed report to the Group’s Commander, Col. Neil B. ‘Chick’ Harding and at the same time forwarded them to the VIII Bomber Command. He also used part of it for his article ‘I Saw Regensburg Destroyed’ which appeared in The Saturday Evening Post on November 6th, 1943. We quoted from the original report and article in the previous volume. However, the report itself contains an appendix of recommendations and observations of a completely military and, one might say, authoritarian nature. The addendum to the report includes recommendations for formation patterns and spacing within the bomber stream, the role of escort fighters, equipment for possible future landings in North Africa, and a recommendation that airmen flying such demanding missions as the one to Regensburg be given a reduced quota of mandatory combat flights. In his report, he wrote:

   It takes a rugged constitution to stand up to missions like Regensburg and even the toughest crew members were badly shaken by nearly two hours under persistent attack. The less phlegmatic were already potential candidates for the rest home when we landed in Africa. My four previous missions, in one of with our bombardier was killed, were pieces of cake in comparison to the 11 hour Regensburg show, and I doubt if 20 such normal missions would take the same amount out of a man as one stint to Regensburg.

   However, the main part of his appendix is ​​devoted to recommendations for honors. In it, he expressed admiration for the aircrews of the 100th BG and their commanders. He recommended that all men participating in the mission be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), and the commanding pilot of the Group, Maj. John Kidd and the leading pilot of the top squadron, Major William Veal, the Distinguished Service Cross (DSO). He even suggested that Major Gale W. ‘Buck’ Cleven, the leader of the bottom squadron, be awarded the Congressional Medal Of Honor  for his extraordinary attitude during the mission. Among other things, he stated about Cleven:

  … completion of the mission was solely due to the extraordinary heroism and inspired determination of Major Cleven. … under the circumstances which obtained, Major Cleven’s actions were far above and beyond the call of duty and the skill, courage and strength or will displayed by him as airplane and squadron commander in the face of hopeless odds have seldom, if ever, been surpassed in the annals of the Army Air Forces.

  It won't come as much of a surprise that the honors-frugal Air Force High Command ended up being far more stingy with the honors than the recommendations had suggested. However, the entire unit received a Distinguished (Presidential) Unit Citation for this mission, an award that was not given to units just like that. It was the first of two for the Hundred during its history, and from that moment on, all its members who were part of the unit on August 17th, 1943, were allowed to wear the dark blue, gold-framed ribbon of this award on their uniforms.

  After gaining combat experience, Lt.Col. Lay returned to the United States where he went through a training program with the 490th BG with B-24s and then took command of the forming of the 487th BG at Alamogordo, NM on February 28th 1944. It also flew B-24s. In April of that year, he moved to England with his unit. Their home base was Lavenham in Suffolk.

  Here, too, he continued to personally participate in his unit's missions. However, he was not allowed to complete many of them. On Thursday, May 11th, 1944, he led his unit over Troyes, France. It was supposed to be a Milk Run, but thanks to a navigational error, the Liberator formation found itself in the area of a German airfield near Châteaudun, where it was surprised by very heavy flak. Two aircraft from the front of the formation were shot down. One of these was B-24H s/n 41-29468 ‘Peg-O-My-Heart’, which was hit by flak shrapnel three times in succession. The pilot was 1st Lt. Frank Vratny, and the Commanding Pilot, Bernie Lay, sat in the co-pilot’s seat. The plane took many hits to the wing, and three engines were disabled, as were the hydraulic and electrical systems.

  The entire crew managed to bail out of the fatally stricken aircraft and take to their chutes.

  The pilot, Capt. Frank Vratny wrote of the last moments on board:

  I gave Capt. Wilson specific instructions to go into the waist to notify the other members in that part of the plane to bail out as quickly as possible. All members except Lt.Col. Lay and myself did bail out. The only man injured on board our aircraft was the Bombardier, Capt. Francis Hodge. … Lt. Col. Bernie Lay and myself also bailed out. Lay taking over controls while I bailed out and then in turn followed me out of the plane.

  An interesting statement about the last moments of Lay’s or  more precisely Vratny’s Liberator, was noted by an intelligence officer from a debriefing with 1st Lt. Riggs Mellen, flying near the stricken plane:

  Lt. Vratny's plane, flying lead in the lead squadron, began to falter and stagger. It finally left the formation under control but soon began to stagger even more and give indications that the pilot was losing control. Finally the crew began to bail out. It is understood that a Lt. Fishel of the 486th BG, who was flying in a tail of one of the planes of that group, followed the parachutes to the ground with binoculars. He counted eleven ‘chutes, saw them land, remove the ‘chutes and run for nearby woods. Lt. Mellen states that he is almost certain that he recognized the last to jump as Lt Col. Lay.

  The aircraft crashed near Bretoncelles and was completely destroyed by fire. The crew came down by parachute mainly in the area of ​​Le Mage, Verneuil, Longny-au-Perche in southern Normandy. Wounded bombardier, Capt. Hodge was captured the same day. After landing, he managed to stow his parachute and with a wounded leg, two wounds from flak shrapnel and a laceration above his right eye, managed to crawl to a French farm. The farmer, who was not connected to the underground movement, refused to help the American airman escape due to Hodge's injuries and out of concern for his wife and daughter. So he brought him bread and wine and rode his bicycle to a nearby village to fetch the German authorities….

   The rest of the crew managed to escape captivity for a long time, but some of them were later tracked down and taken during their stay in Paris. Four of the eleven men of the crew still managed to escape capture. Among them was the unit commander, Lt.Col. Bernie Lay.

  In his Escape and Evasion report of August 15th, 1944, he stated:

  I was leading 72 B-24s of 92 Combat Wing on a mission to bomb marshalling yards at Chaumont. I had a crew of 11 including Lt. Duer who was riding as observer in the tail turret. I ran into moderate to intense flak, and received considerable damage to my ship. I gave the order to bail out about 5 mi N of Chateaudun and everyone succeeded in jumping except Lt. Duer who had not received the alarm. I took over the controls and a few seconds later the ship went into a spiral dive from 12,000 ft. I bailed out at 10 000 ft, and as I left the cockpit I rang the bell again. I jumped and pulled the rip-cord as I went out the hatch and tore a complete panel out of the chute. In landing I got a crack on the back of my head and wrenched my right knee.

  The aforementioned Lt. Duer parachuted near Lay. They decided to try to escape. Col. Lay continued:

  Many Frenchmen appeared as soon as we landed and asked us what we wanted to do.

  We hid out in a patch of trees. We later crawled through the field and hid in a hayloft where we stayed for two days. The French brought us food and civilian clothes. They advised us to go toward Spain and gave us detailed instructions on the location of German troops.

  On the 13th May 1944, we left and started cross-country in a westerly direction. After walking all night our feet started going bad. I advise anyone to take shoes and socks off in crossing a stream. We contacted a Cure in a small town but he would not assist us. We were stopped by a German soldier but after brief questioning we were released. Shortly thereafter a French farmer approached us and took us to his house and fed us. A few minutes later Germans approached the house and while we hid under a bed, the farmer was questioned by the Germans. The Germans left and the next day we left this place. We again entered a church and kneeled down to pray. The Cure appeared and we told him we were Americans. He took us in, fed us and gave us a bed. We stayed here two days and the Cure brought a farmer to us who went to the village to contact the Resistance Groups, but with no results. The next day we left and travelled for ten days. We were aided and fed by various French farmers.

  We then contacted another Cure in a village where we were helped by a French woman, formerly an employee of Lord Fitzireland in England. She took us to another house and put us in contact with the local Resistance Group, where we stayed 12 days. We were taken in a car to a farmhouse 15 mi NW of Vendome. For two months we were part of the farmer’s family. He advised us toward the lines. On 13 August, the Germans started leaving Vendome. On this day we were picked up in two cars by seven members of the Resistance Group. They were armed with weapons which had been hidden at the house of the farmer where we stayed. We were taken to a town near the American line, and then contacted the advance platoon of the 5th Inf.”

   Bernie Lay wrote about his escape experiences in the book ‘I've Had It’, which he published in 1945. A second edition in 1980 was titled ‘Presumed Dead: The Survival of A Bomb Group Commander’.

   After returning to England and the necessary recoup time, Lt.Col. Lay was no longer authorized to take part in combat missions. It was a security rule that excluded from flying over enemy territory those who had come into contact with the underground resistance movement after having been previously shot down over the continent.

  He again held staff positions and retired from the Army with the rank of Colonel in 1946. He moved with his family to Hollywood, where he became involved in the film industry, but mainly devoted himself to writing.

  Although Bernie Lay flew fewer than ten combat missions during the war, the horrors of those missions never left him. For writers, the way out was, among other things, writing. It provided the inspiration for the book ‘Twelve O'Clock High’, published in 1948. Shortly after that, the offer of a lifetime came - to create a screenplay from the book in cooperation with Sy Bartlett and Henry King for a film about the fate of the crews of American four-engine bombers during the Second World War. Bernie Lay thus not only applied his own experiences in the book and the subsequent film, but above all he immortalized the memory of the people he met and respected during his fighting career. Among them was Thomas Murphy and even his B-17F ‘Piccadilly Lily’. It became the central plane of the story. The film premiered in 1949 and starred Gregory Peck.

  Other films followed, for which Bernie Lay wrote screenplays. The most famous of these are Strategic Air Command and Above and Beyond. Although his books and film scripts were mainly about the Air Force, Bernie Lay hated war from the bottom of his heart. He loved flying.

  When his 487th BG held its first reunion in 1967, Lay refused to attend. When pressed for an explanation, he stated: ‘If I had a choice, would I want to relive my wartime experience? Definitely not. I couldn't stand the excitement.’

  He said that as he went through his earlier materials and notes: ‘The trauma of resurrecting these events … released such a freshet of buried memories, an explosion of downright disbelief, that I had to stop writing. My eyes were blinded by tears.’

  He retired permanently from the Air Force Reserves in 1963 and devoted himself primarily to creative work.

  He passed away on May 26th, 1982 in Los Angeles, but his grave will not be found there. In line with his character, Bernie Lay donated his body to medical research at the School of Medicine of the University of California in Los Angeles.

  His longtime friend Brinckerhoff W. Kendall wrote after Lay’s death: ‘Beirne Lay was my oldest and my lifelong friend. He did not find it easy to relate to many of the St. Paul's boys, but he lived his dreams and he made it to the stars….'

   When you look at the box of the B-17F ‘The Bloody Hundredth 1943’ kit from Eduard, look inside the cockpit of Piccadilly Lily for the figure behind the controls on the right. There sits the dreamer and romantic Bernie Lay, in whose eyes the horrors of the battle of Regensburg are reflected. The horrors of the story, which was not forgotten in large part thanks to him.