Messerschmitt Bf109 Late Series (F to K including Z), A&M No.11 (Valiant Wings)

Messerschmitt Bf109 Late Series (F to K including Z), A&M No.11 (Valiant Wings)

Valiant Wings Publishing’s eleventh title in the well-established Airframe & Miniature series is “The Messerschmitt Bf 109 Late Series (F-K including the Z Series) - A Complete Guide To The Luftwaffe’s Famous Fighter” by Richard A. Franks. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is one of the most popular aircraft modelling subjects around. This book is one of the biggest from Valiant Wings and goes some way towards unpicking the bewildering choices of late series and schemes available.

It follows the first volume (Airframe & Miniature No.5 – Bf109 Early series up to E-9 & T), covering the early versions published in 2013, and contains 240+ pages packed with vital information that no active modeller and Bf 109 enthusiast should be without:

40+ pages of technical information, 20+ pages of walk-around images and technical diagrams, 5+ pages of camouflage and markings, 25+ pages of model builds and modelling information, 200+ photographs including wartime images, colour side views and four-views by Richard J. Caruana, 3D isometric views of all variants by Wojciech Sankowski, 1/48th scale fold-out plans by Jacek Jackiewicz, specially commissioned extensive full kit builds by Libor Jekl, Steve A. Evans & Dani Zamarbide. Also specially commissioned front cover artwork by Jerry Boucher.

The book starts with the evolution of the F-Series, design, improvements over previous variants, pre-production & production, G-Series (G-0 to G-16), K-Series, H, Z & foreign service (20 pages). There are many photographs of the aircraft, with captions about werk numbers and details on their camouflage and markings.

The evolution chapter (45 pages) describes all the late variants one by one, starting with the prototypes Bf109V21, V22, V23, etc. complete with photos and b/w side profiles, showing main differences, armament, etc. Camouflage & markings notes are also included for each variant.

In the chapter about "camouflage and markings" we are taken through the early F models and their markings in the late months of 1940 and then 1941/42, until the end, with several pictures of these aircraft. We also get a description of the unit markings.

There are several pages of great aircraft profiles next. Drawn by the well-known Richard J. Caruana they are of top quality and show nearly every different user of the type. This section is topped off with unit badges who operated the late ‘109. Besides german machines a large section is devoted to F & G-series in foreign service: Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Rumania, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland & Yugoslavia, all with many interesting camouflage schemes as shown by photos & profiles.

The next subject is something that modellers in 1/72nd, 1/48th & 1/32nd scale will cherish: a complete kit guide of late Messerschmitt 109’s that shows pretty much every kit worth of note – including the very latest 48th kits from Eduard & Tamiya’s G-6 (the latter as a build). This is a great gift to modellers, as the author takes us through every facet of each of these models. The accuracy of the kit, the panel lines, decals, and special features are all mentioned and this is a really great starting place for anyone wanting to make their own kit but who maybe isn’t sure about a kit.

In the next section (chapter 6) the modellers get a grouping of excellent builds displaying many of the kits mentioned in the last section. These are all pretty immaculate builds with great photography: Fine Molds Bf109F-4 1/72 by Libor Jekl, Eduard Bf109G-5 Profipack & Tamiya new G-6, both in1/48 by S. Evans and Trumpeter’s Bf109G-6 in 1/32 scale by Dani Zamarbide.

The progression of the airframe is shown next (Building a Collection in chapter 7) through a series of 3D isometric views by Jacek Jackiewicz. We really love these as they show a better angle than just a side on look - Werk numbers when needed + how if in any way the airframe has been modified from a previous version + any special points are brought up here (30 pages).

The next chapter 8 (In Detail) is a very detailed “walk around” section displaying in textbook drawings, part breakdowns in service manuals and often coloured pictures each part of the aircraft. Six F & G-series aircraft in museums were studied, photographed and used in the making of this book, and the pictures here are excellent. Cockpits, canopies, engines, supercharger intakes, radiators, cowls, flight controls, tail sections, armament, etc. You can see clearly what is going on the real aircraft and these close-up photos & drawings will help superdetailers & scratchbuilders especially (54 pages!)

There is a concise kit and aftermarket list in the rear, including decals and books accompanied with many pictures, there really hasn’t been any leaf unturned here. A long list of books is also included in an extensive bibliography of the type as well.

Last but definitely not least is the fold-out aircraft scale plans in the rear of the book. These are on thick, very good quality paper, including  F-2, G-6, K-4, G-10 & G-12 variants, all in 1/48th scale - great drawings, very detailed.

This is an excellent title, possibly the publisher’s best to date and highly recommended!

ISBN is 97809957773-0-9. RRP £19.95 per copy + postage and packing. Pre-orders via the Valiant Wings website, www.valiant-wings.co.uk, by phone on 01234 273434 (+44 1234 273434 if calling from outside the UK) or by writing to: Valiant Wings Publishing, 8 West Grove, Bedford MK40 4BT, UK

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 Late Series ( F-K including the Z Series) - A Complete Guide To The Luftwaffe’s Famous Fighter by Richard A. Franks is also available from specialist bookshops and certain hobby retailers.

http://www.valiant-wings.co.uk/airframe--miniature-no11-2319-p.asp

https://www.discounthobbyzone.com/product_info.php?products_id=14104

 

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