Eduard 84147 Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 (Wolf Dietrich Wilcke)

Kit#: 84147.

Price: 20 Euros.

Decals: Two options.

Notes: Used spare decals to make Wolf Dietrich Wilcke's machine.

History:

From Wikipedia: "As the DB 601 E was not yet available in numbers, the pre-production F-0 (the only F variant to have a rectangular supercharger intake) and the first production series F-1/F-2 received the 1,175 PS (1,159 hp, 864 kW) DB 601N engine driving a VDM 9-11207 propeller. The F-0/F-1 and F-2 only differed in their armament; the F-1 being fitted with one 20 mm MG FF/M Motorkanone firing through the propeller hub, with 60 rounds. The F-1 first saw action in the Battle of Britain in October 1940 with JG 51. The most experienced fighter aces like Werner Mölders were the first ones to fly Bf 109 F-1s in combat in October 1940. A total of 208 F-1s were built between August 1940 and February 1941 by Messerschmitt Regensburg and the Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke (WNF). The F-2 introduced the 15 mm Mauser MG 151 cannon with 200 rounds. As the harder-hitting 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 version become available, a number of F-2s were retrofitted with it in the field. About 1,230 F-2s were built between October 1940 and August 1941 by AGO, Arado, Erla, Messerschmitt Regensburg and WNF(Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke). No tropical version was built, although F-2s were fitted with sand filters in the field. The maximum speed of the F-1 and F-2 was 615 km/h (382 mph) at rated altitude.

The Kit:

This is a Weekend Edition kit from Eduard, and as such, it comes without the photoetch detaling set, the canopy masks and without the 5 to 6 decal options of the Profipack boxings.

The parts come inside a single resealable bag, with the clear parts coming inside their own bag. They're moulded in a hard dark grey plastic.

Instructions come in the booklet style and offer full colour indications. The painting indications are in full colour too. 

There're two decal options:

1) Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 "Yellow 8", flown by Heinz Jahner, June 1941. Painted in RLM 74/75/76 with a yellow nose and rudder.

2) Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 "White 10", 7/JG54, Summer 1941. Painted in RLM 74/75/76 with yellow wingtips.

Construction:

I began construction by painting all the cockpit pieces in RLM 66 (Revell 78). These were left to dry. When the paint had dried all the pieces were glued together, and then the cockpit was glued to the fuselage. It was then that I built the tailwheel and closed the fuselage, and went to work on the wings.

Eduard tells you to assemble the wings first, and glue the flaps after that. I took a different approach, I glued the flaps to the wing radiators and to the upper wings first, left them to dry, and then glued the wings together. This was easier than trying to glue the flaps once the wings were together. I then glued the wings, horizontal stabilizers, ailerons, slats and rudder to the fuselage, and proceeded to the painting stage.

Colours and Markings:

Wolf Dietrich Wilcke's aircraft was painted in the early Luftwaffe camouflage of RLM 02/71/65 (Revell's 45, 39 and 49 respectively). I painted the wings first, and then painted the undersides. The nose and spinner were in yellow, so I gave the nose a coat of white and then painted it yellow. The aircraft was then given two coats of gloss varnish to prepare the surface for the decals.

I didn´t want to use Eduard's decals for the croses, because they stick as soon as you place them into the surface. Instead, I used spare crosses and Academy decals (from their Bf 109 JG 27 boxing) to mark the aircraft. After decalling, I coated the aircraft in two coats of Revell's matt varnish.

Final Construction:

I painted the wheels, landing gear doors, wheel wells, propeller and spinner and glued them to their places in the aircraft. The clear parts were then added last, to avoid breaking them.

Conclusions:

A simple kit to build, which comes with multiple spare parts. This aircraft is perfect for those who have many aftermarket decal options and are on a budget. Highly recommended.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_variants#Bf_109_F_sub-variants