Nice review...I still like the original release colour of light blue more than this dulll grey one...but when build it doesn't matter of course. Great kit, even after 50 years 🙂
I bought this exact same kit back in 1989, and I had a horrible time getting the cockpit and engine to fit and after trying a couple more times, I gave up and sold the kit on a garage sale, and haven't bought an Airfix kit ever since. So just be prepared to fight this thing to get both the cockpit and the engine sitting true inside the fuselage. I now stick with kits that have excellent or better fitment, so Tamiya, Italeri, Revell Germany, Trumpeter (sometimes Trumpeter has fitment issues but nothing like Airfix, MPC and AMT. I avoid models made by these brands at all costs, unless they make a particular kit I cannot get from Anyone else, and I then decide it is worth the issues I will face, and that simply has not happened yet. There is a great number of Messerschmidt books with example photos and paint schemes that were used during the war, There are several versions of captured Messerschmidt BF-109s, British, American French and Soviet marked Messerschmidt fighters, but all of the pictures I found, were of course, in Black and white and were low quality and TINY, but living in England, I'me sure you can scare up some books with Messerschmidts with RAF markings on it! My close friend put together a model of a B-17G that the Germans had captured and put their own markings on it and painted vulnerable areas on it in bright yellow as a training aid for the Luftwaffe pilots. Let me tell you it was a very odd feeling to look at a B-17G with Nazi Germany Markings on it. Something inside me somewhere revolted at the sight of it. but my friend painted it up and put all the same markings on it that the Nazis had. which was definitely a rare occurrence. Which is why the Germans were so damned good at shooting down so many bombers, thank goodness they created the P-51 Mustang for bomber escort work, too many men were dying over Germany in those years!
Things have moved on a little, airfix kits in general fit together well, particularly their newer kits, oh and I had many an issue with all the brands you mentioned back in the day other than Tamiya who have always been very good.
It's not often I see 1/24 scale aircraft kits, auto kits, sure but aviation kits are normally not that big. Looks like you're in for some big fun with this one!
For the age, nice Kit. I'm surprised that the decals are in such great shape.. I bought a Kit off Ebay a 30 year old Accurate Miniatures kit and the decals were so cracked and crumbly, totally unusable, even with the microscale liquid decal film... So now I'm waiting for some Airbrush masks I ordered to paint on the markings. so in the end I think it'll look even more realistic.
I've got the same kit from 1974, which is made in England, not France, and it's moulded in light blue instead of grey. I will be building it in the next year or so hopefully. The decals seem OK and have not yellowed. I haven't examined all the parts yet, but it looks pretty good. If you want to see the original instructions I could scan mine and send them to you. Let me know. They look a little bit different to the ones you have.
Lacking detail compared to most 1:48 scale or even some newer 1:72 scale kits. The wheel well bays for example are completely open into the wing like old Airfix 1:72 scale kits were, back in the day. Would be nice if Airfix give this a new tooling at some point.
I am building 1/48 109F from Zvezda now and it is more detailed then this. But, from other hand, it is also fun to upgrade and detail kits on your own, instead of just assembling them. The more detailed and accurate kits become, the less character a modeler puts into them.
if you go to the Type 5 (1978) issue on Scalemates timeline the instructions download changes to the 1971 1st issue booklet instructions which start off with a neat choice of fitting a prop motor straight into the fuselage halves or inside the kits inverted V12, should still apply i think if you can find the same motor used originally or similar, similar new 1.5v - 3v dc motors are less than a £1 each if you shop around. Airfix did do a RAF (or Japanese AF) Bf 109 Club limited edition issue in 1/48, there's a few on feepay, the markings look fairly standard RAF roundels, camo colours look a bit odd on the boxart, orange and bright green? maybe just be the printing.
My uncle(God rest his soul) bought me this kit and I made a right mess of it, one day I'd like to build it in memory of him!!
I have the same kit, and the Hurricane stablemate.
I've found that old Airfix decals stand up pretty well.
Certainly not old ESCI decals! Yikes!
Nice review...I still like the original release colour of light blue more than this dulll grey one...but when build it doesn't matter of course. Great kit, even after 50 years 🙂
Got to love old Airfix
Oooohhhh this is an oldie. Not my preferd scale and would never buy it due to space restrictions but i DO LOVE vintage kits
Had to be a reprint as original spit and 109 had electric motors to put in engine was fun too
Cool! Didn't know they had motors. Thought they were optional extras.
Nice find I’ve not attempted anything that size yet good luck with putting it together 👍
I quite fancy doing this one soon.
I bought this exact same kit back in 1989, and I had a horrible time getting the cockpit and engine to fit and after trying a couple more times, I gave up and sold the kit on a garage sale, and haven't bought an Airfix kit ever since. So just be prepared to fight this thing to get both the cockpit and the engine sitting true inside the fuselage. I now stick with kits that have excellent or better fitment, so Tamiya, Italeri, Revell Germany, Trumpeter (sometimes Trumpeter has fitment issues but nothing like Airfix, MPC and AMT. I avoid models made by these brands at all costs, unless they make a particular kit I cannot get from Anyone else, and I then decide it is worth the issues I will face, and that simply has not happened yet. There is a great number of Messerschmidt books with example photos and paint schemes that were used during the war, There are several versions of captured Messerschmidt BF-109s, British, American French and Soviet marked Messerschmidt fighters, but all of the pictures I found, were of course, in Black and white and were low quality and TINY, but living in England, I'me sure you can scare up some books with Messerschmidts with RAF markings on it! My close friend put together a model of a B-17G that the Germans had captured and put their own markings on it and painted vulnerable areas on it in bright yellow as a training aid for the Luftwaffe pilots. Let me tell you it was a very odd feeling to look at a B-17G with Nazi Germany Markings on it. Something inside me somewhere revolted at the sight of it. but my friend painted it up and put all the same markings on it that the Nazis had. which was definitely a rare occurrence. Which is why the Germans were so damned good at shooting down so many bombers, thank goodness they created the P-51 Mustang for bomber escort work, too many men were dying over Germany in those years!
Things have moved on a little, airfix kits in general fit together well, particularly their newer kits, oh and I had many an issue with all the brands you mentioned back in the day other than Tamiya who have always been very good.
My uncle bought me this kit when i was a teenager and i made a right mess of it, would love to have another crack at it now!!
Go for it!
It's not often I see 1/24 scale aircraft kits, auto kits, sure but aviation kits are normally not that big. Looks like you're in for some big fun with this one!
For the age, nice Kit. I'm surprised that the decals are in such great shape.. I bought a Kit off Ebay a 30 year old Accurate Miniatures kit and the decals were so cracked and crumbly, totally unusable, even with the microscale liquid decal film... So now I'm waiting for some Airbrush masks I ordered to paint on the markings. so in the end I think it'll look even more realistic.
I've got the same kit from 1974, which is made in England, not France, and it's moulded in light blue instead of grey. I will be building it in the next year or so hopefully. The decals seem OK and have not yellowed. I haven't examined all the parts yet, but it looks pretty good. If you want to see the original instructions I could scan mine and send them to you. Let me know. They look a little bit different to the ones you have.
Thanks David. It seems the instructions are available on scalemates too. Good luck with your build.
Lacking detail compared to most 1:48 scale or even some newer 1:72 scale kits. The wheel well bays for example are completely open into the wing like old Airfix 1:72 scale kits were, back in the day. Would be nice if Airfix give this a new tooling at some point.
I am building 1/48 109F from Zvezda now and it is more detailed then this. But, from other hand, it is also fun to upgrade and detail kits on your own, instead of just assembling them. The more detailed and accurate kits become, the less character a modeler puts into them.
You can get third party wheel wells for thos kit and the spitfire, but you can't retract the undercarriage.
if you go to the Type 5 (1978) issue on Scalemates timeline the instructions download changes to the 1971 1st issue booklet instructions which start off with a neat choice of fitting a prop motor straight into the fuselage halves or inside the kits inverted V12, should still apply i think if you can find the same motor used originally or similar, similar new 1.5v - 3v dc motors are less than a £1 each if you shop around.
Airfix did do a RAF (or Japanese AF) Bf 109 Club limited edition issue in 1/48, there's a few on feepay, the markings look fairly standard RAF roundels, camo colours look a bit odd on the boxart, orange and bright green? maybe just be the printing.
I'll have a look, cheers!
I got the red top box of this ,good kit imho . Good video.
Cheers Steve!
Not a bad kit. The engine cowling is a bit tricky to fit though.
Hi, That is not a box top I am familiar with for this model. I built this model when it first came out and have not looked at it since.
This style of boxes is from 1987-89.
О...о...Для такого самолета надо отдельный шкаф...