1:48 Bf 109G-10

Where a mask on a late Gustav helps most

The Bf 109G-10 was built from the autumn of 1944 as an attempt to get the most out of a proven airframe: a lightened structure, the DB 605D engine and, on the vast majority of machines, the sliding Erla canopy with a large area of undivided glazing. The framing is simpler than on the older Gustavs, but the edges around the armored front glass are sharp and irregular, so tape measured out by hand almost always overruns somewhere there.

Who it is for. The greatest saving goes to anyone building a fighter with this type of canopy for the first time, or a few times a year. A pre-cut shape solves precisely the operation to which a beginner gives the most time and which nevertheless comes out worst. An experienced builder with a scalpel and an hour to spare can manage without the set, but even he will appreciate that the inner face of the canopy is ready in the box straight away.

What the box contains. A pair of pieces for the glazing and two sets of insignia masks. There are no decals and no turned metal components here.

Difficulty for a beginner. Low. The pieces are transferred with tweezers, the edges pressed down with a toothpick and a degreased surface holds the shape without paint creeping under. Spraying goes in thin coats, otherwise a step forms at the edge that then has to be sanded back. Lift the film while the last coat of finish is still fresh; dried paint likes to peel away at the edge along with a piece of the coat.