1/18 BF-109G information

[gliderdwm]

I am doing repaint of Hartmann White 1. I am trying to get information on antenna ring and mast behind canopy. I thought all 109G planes had these. Was this just omission by 21st?
Anybody done these for 1/18 109G know size dimensions. Is the ring the same size as the 1/18 190D ring?
Shouldn't there also be small tab on tail also where antenna wire goes?

[tmanthegreat]

You are correct on all accounts. Many of the actual Bf-109Gs had the loop antenna behind the radio antenna. 21c did not include this on their 1:18 Bf-109Gs. The original S1 version had no antennas whatsoever, all subsequent versions (S2-S5) had a little antenna in the spot where the loop antenna should be and not the primary radio mast. There also was no tab on the tail for the wire antenna on the 1:18 aircraft. All of that represents inaccurate omission on the part of 21c. The 21c ME-109Es and the BBI Bf-109G2 have the correct antenna, including the wire.

I want to say that the loop antenna on the Bf-109 is the same size as that used on the FW-190. (A comparison of the loop antennas that came with a 21c 32x Bf-109 and FW-190 show the piece to be nearly the same size, so I guess that would translate to the larger aircraft...) Using the loop antenna piece from the 21c 1:18 FW-190D9 or forming your own antenna from a piece of wire may work best.

[tmanthegreat]

Dreaded double post

[MCalamari]

Its interesting that a number of the artist renditions of the Friedrich's and Gustav's do not include the loop antenna. The books I've got focus on the differences in armaments & engines and not overall design between variations.

My late grandfather had a great photo of an entire airstrip of 109s (Emil's or Friedrich's likely) from North Africa. I'll have to ask my cousin if he still has it (he wanted the entire stack and since he was closer to him, I didn't want to ask for the photo).

Just for fun, here is a photo I took of the 109E in Munich's Deutsches Museum <-- I spent an entire day there and could easily have spent a few more. If I recall correctly the plane photographed was built in Saxony (Leipzig I think).



I would love to see more museum birds made, like what Pegasus Hobbies was doing with the X-1. If 21c had stuck around, I could see them having released several special edition paint variants available only from specific world wide museums like the Smithsonian, Deutsches Museum, and Royal London Museum (?).

[gliderdwm]

Thanks for the info on the 109G. I will go with the loop on the paint scheme I am doing. Will post pictures of Hartmann White 1 soon.

[ExC17load]

Do you have any information on the -109 in the photo?

[MCalamari]

I don't know where the 109G sits ... though we could hunt on Wiki's list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschm ... on_display

Unfortunately the list is not complete. The 109E that I posted was there just in 2007 and not included on the list. I'd be shocked if it wasn't a permanent piece at the Deutsches Museum. It did have a plaque with a description (in German ... fortunately I could read bits and pieces of it).

Normally I also take photos of the signs at museums, but I didn't get the 109Es.

[ExC17load]

I think a repaint of that Emil would be a great addition. I like the nose art!

[tmanthegreat]

Just for fun, here is a photo I took of the 109E in Munich's Deutsches Museum <-- I spent an entire day there and could easily have spent a few more.

So when did you make it to the Deutches Museum? I went back in 2003 while visiting Munich for a few days. Like you, I spent the whole day there I recall the ME-109 you took the picture of, however, the ME-262 was probably my favorite of the aircraft they had on display. Simply an amazing museum with supurb collections all around.

I will also concur that the RAF Museum and Imperial War Museum in London, England, are also very much worth a visit if one wants to view rare WWII aircraft. I've lost count of how many times I've visited both of those museums, having gone to them regularly while I lived in London.

While you were in Munich, I hope you also visited the Hoffbrau Haus

[MCalamari]

So when did you make it to the Deutches Museum? I went back in 2003 while visiting Munich for a few days. Like you, I spent the whole day there I recall the ME-109 you took the picture of, however, the ME-262 was probably my favorite of the aircraft they had on display. Simply an amazing museum with supurb collections all around.

I will also concur that the RAF Museum and Imperial War Museum in London, England, are also very much worth a visit if one wants to view rare WWII aircraft. I've lost count of how many times I've visited both of those museums, having gone to them regularly while I lived in London.

While you were in Munich, I hope you also visited the Hoffbrau Haus

I was there in 2007, and had a wonderful time. Best part of the Deutches Museum ... having beer in the museum.

I have photos of the Me-262 and the Marine Fleiger as well ... I think I actually appreciated the V-2 the most. If there was one at the Smithsonian, I was too young to know what I was looking at why back when.

I passed through the Hoffbrau, but actually had my drinks either at the Hacker Haus (Hacker-Pschor), outside near the Mai-poll, or near the university campus. I did also visit Marine-Platz (sp?), granted it was in May and not late Sept. Munich is one of my favorite cities.

Back to the Me-262, I like how they had a Komet hanging above it. Do you remember if the 109E was from Leipzig? That is what I remember, but I could be mixing it up with some other exhibit (not sure what though). I know that Leipzig was a major industrial center during the war, and that aircraft and tanks alike (and like Munich, its another city I always feel comfortable in -- in fact, there is a cool hobby store that used to carry 21c toys down in the southern part of the city).

I've not spent more than a day in England, so at some point I do plan on hitting the RAF museums and also spending some time along the coast & ship yards. I think it is great that while you lived in England that you took advantage of their museums. Its on my list.

If people are interested, I have photos of the Me-262, Komet, and Marine Fleiger and would be happy to post them here. The F-104 is painted very similar to the 21c bird, but has a different number on the side (same font). I don't know how the Luftwaffe was organized, so I'd actually be interested if somebody who knows could shed some more like on the XX / XX numbers on the German F-104s.