The number one thing I can say about Eduard’s new Bf 109G-6 is “it was worth the wait.” In 2014, the company’s 1/48 scale Gustav created a lot of buzz in the modeling community. Unfortunately, the detailed ProfiPack kit, with photo-etched (PE) details and colorful decals, was a touch too big all the way around. To its credit, Eduard acknowledged the problem and promised to return to the subject with a revised kit. Now the wait is over.
The cleanly molded neutral gray plastic parts show exceptional recessed panel lines and extraordinary rivets. Features include: optional underwing cannon pods; two types of drop tank; short and tall vertical stabilizers and rudders; and standard and Erla canopies as well as pre-cut masks and colored PE. There are a bunch of unused parts in the box: fuselage bomb rack and bombs, and optional windscreen, propellers, and wheels.
I reviewed the original release (December 2014 FSM, p.52), so a lot of parts in this new kit were familiar. But Eduard subtly revised several parts; there are too many to note here, but an in-depth description can be found on Eduard’s website, www.eduard.com.
The nicely detailed cockpit really stands out with the colored PE instrument panels and controls. I was impressed with the cockpit module’s fit in the fuselage.
The wings went together without problems. The span has been corrected and the separate wingtips eliminated.
Eduard smartly provides plastic and PE options for some of the parts, such as the underwing and DF antennas. If you aren’t comfortable working with PE, it’s great to have alternatives.
The fuselage, now dimensionally correct, built quickly. The modular tail allows either the original short vertical stabilizer or the later tall one to be used.
The cant of the landing gear in the original kit was problematic, making the nose sit too high. That problem is gone now with the legs mounting at a more-forward angle.
I painted my Gustav with the GSI Creos Hobby Color Acrysion acrylics.
Cartograf decals provide markings for five Luftwaffe fighters. They performed perfectly over a coat of gloss with help from decal solution.
My primary references were
Aero Detail 5 Messerschmitt Bf 109G (Model Graphix, ISBN 978-4-499-20589-4) and
Messerschmitt Bf 109 by Jean-Claude Mermet and Christian-Jacques Ehrengardt (Caraktere, ISBN 978-2-916403-14-4).
I completed Eduard’s new Bf 109G-6 in 22 hours and am pleased with the outcome. I enjoyed building the initial kit, but the improved accuracy of this release makes it a winner. I can easily recommend it to intermediate modelers and above. If you are a Luftwaffe enthusiast, you will want one in your scale
jagdgeschwader!
Note: A version of this review appeared in the November 2016 issue.