1:32 Bf 109E-1

The dividing line gives away the year of manufacture

On the Messerschmitt the boundary between the upper and the lower color takes the form of a horizontal line on the side of the fuselage, and its height is not accidental. On machines from the first production batches it runs high, practically under the edge of the cockpit, so the dark area extends across the whole fuselage wall. During 1940 it moved lower, and on the later batches the dark color remained only on the decking. The height of that line is therefore among the first things to verify against a photograph of the particular aircraft, because it cannot be guessed from the type.

Conspicuous markings are not meant to be masked

The scheme also included colored areas that are directly at odds with masking: a yellow engine cowling, a yellow rudder or wingtips. They were painted at combat airfields, over a finished coat, and their edge is therefore irregular and often runs over onto the neighboring panel. Their purpose was for friendly aircraft to recognize one another in a hard turn, where there is no time for shapes. Anyone who renders them too precisely on a model unintentionally creates an impression of factory work.

A set with decals

Besides the masks, the box also holds decals, which is what sets this item apart from the sister sheets without them. The masks cover the canopy frames from the outer and the inner face and are complemented by cutouts for spraying the national insignia. The combination of the two gives you freedom: the large areas of the crosses can be sprayed, while small numbers and unit markings are applied with decals. Neither a kit nor paints are included.