Eduard 1/48 Bf 109G-6 Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

The Bf 109G-6 was a further development of the Bf 109G series which introduced the DB605A engine and a number of other changes to make the aircraft more capable not only as a fighter, but in the fighter-bomber role as well. The G-6 was nicknamed 'The Bulge' since it had overwing bulges to accommodate larger wheels and bulges on either side of the nose ahead of the windscreen to accommodate the 13mm MG 131 guns over the engine replacing the MG 17 7.92mm guns. The G6 retained the MG 151 20mm cannon firing through the propeller spinner though one variant, the Bf 109G-6/U4 replaced the MG 151 with the MK 108 30mm cannon.

Eduard has released their first kit in the Bf 109G series with this G-6 kit in 1/48 scale. As promised in Eduard's intensive PR campaign, this kit features some of the nicest detailing of any Bf 109 kit in this scale and as you can see in the images on the right, it is not a difficult build either.

Among the kit's features and options:

• Nicely detailed cockpit
• Color photo-etch instrument panel
• Color photo-etch pilot restraints
• Fuel line w/sight glass molded in clear
• Positionable canopy
• Choice of windscreens
• Choice of headrest armor
• Choice of normal or tropical filter engine air intakes
• Positionable rudder
• Positionable elevators
• Positionable ailerons
• Positionable leading edge slats
• Positionable flaps
• Positionable radiator flaps

External stores included for this version:

• Optional 20mm gun pods under the wings
• Optional centerline drop tank

This kit provides markings for five examples:

• Bf 109G-6, W.Nr. 27169, 11./JG 27, Red 13, Kalamaki Afld, 1944, as flown by Ferdwebel Heinrich Bartels
• Bf 109G-6, W.Nr. 440141, 9./JG 54, Yellow 1, Ludwigslust AB, 1944, as flown by Oblt Wilhelm Schilling
• Bf 109G-6, W.Nr. 18807, 9./JG 3, Yellow 6, Bad Woerishofen, 1943, as flown by Ofw Alfred Surau
• Bf 109G-6, 1./JGr 50, White 10, Wiesbaden-Erbenheim AB, 1943, as flown by Oblt Alfred Grislawski
• Bf 109G-6, 1./JG 27, CO, 1944, as flown by Maj Ludwig Franzisket

The decals are provided on two sheets and provides the distinctive unit and airframe markings as well as very thorough set of maintenance stenciling for the airframe. A set of yellow-tape canopy masks are also included.

There was some interesting criticism that appeared on some of the chat rooms when this kit was released because it seems the kit is a bit over scale, some refer to it as a 1/47 scale kit. It seems that the fuselage is a bit too long while the wingspan is noticeably long compared to other 1/48 scale Bf 109F/G kits. This is certainly not the first kit to have scale problems that appear somewhere between the initial design and final tooling, but I believe what may have caused the criticism online was the advanced promotions of this kit by Eduard as being the most accurate kit of this subject to be produced. Eduard has subsequently acknowledged the scale problem and I'm sure they'll add a few more review items to their design checklist in the future.

The good news is that the nature of Eduard's tooling process allows them to correct problems in future releases as we saw with the cowling face change partway through their I-16 production. But if the kit does get scaled down to 1/48 scale, does that mean that the various resin and photo-etch sets will also require downsizing?

For me, this is a nice kit and I'm looking forward to building it. If it is slightly out of scale, it won't be any different than having Spitfires (or other subjects) from various manufacturers parked together since there are definitely scale and/or proportion differences between several of the major manufacturers that haven't altered their buildability nor their popularity among modelers.

My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!

References:

• Bf 109 Modelers' Online Reference