1:32 BF 109E-3 - BASIC LINE

HGW Basic Line for the Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 in 1:32 scale

An accessory set of the HGW brand from the Basic Line range, intended for a model of the Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 in 1:32 scale. It is not a model of an aircraft on its own but an accessory for finishing one. HGW has long devoted itself to seat harnesses and wet transfers and under the Basic Line designation offers a suite of basic accessories for individual types; the particular make-up of this item is given on the packaging of the set.

The real subject

The Bf 109E-3 is the early production version of the so-called Emil, with which the Luftwaffe went into the fighting over Poland and France. What sets it apart from the later versions at first sight is the older shape of the canopy with rounder glazing, which lacks the later angular framing, and a different solution to the armor. The power was provided by the Daimler-Benz DB 601 engine with direct fuel injection, thanks to which, unlike its carburetor-equipped rivals, the aircraft did not cut out under negative g. It is precisely the difference in the cockpit that is the reason why the manufacturer runs a set of its own for the E-3 and a separate one for the later E-4 and E-7.

How to make use of the set

The accessory comes in turn at the moment when the cockpit is ready for finishing and the surface under the glazing is done. Work in good light and with fine tweezers. With wet transfers what decides is a smooth and evened-out base, otherwise the motif will not press down uniformly. Even the finished work out with a coat of varnish, so that the accessory blends visually with the rest of the surface.

Who the set is for

• for modelers building the early Bf 109E-3 version in 1:32 scale
• for those who want a finer rendering in the cockpit than the molded one
• for a build with an open canopy
• for competition builds, where the detail is judged

It is an accessory to a model of the given type and scale, not a model of an aircraft on its own.