1:32 Bf109E-7 Trop S9+CS

The Bf 109E-7 Trop, code S9+CS - markings in 1:32

This is an accessory to a large model of the Messerschmitt, more precisely a sheet of markings for one particular tropically modified machine. What exactly the sheet contains and how it is transferred is not claimed here; only the information from the name is relied on. The model is bought separately.

The real subject

The Trop designation meant a modification for service in a dusty environment. The most conspicuous element was a filter on the supercharger intake, which protected the engine from sand, and to it was added equipment for the emergency survival of the crew in the desert. Emils modified in this way served in the Mediterranean and in North Africa, where fighter units operated from improvised sandy fields. The dust shortened the life of the engines, so the technical personnel spent a lot of time on maintenance; on a model that is a rewarding excuse for pronounced dusting and a scuffed finish. The codes of individual machines were moreover often repainted in the desert, so particular markings give a model a documented identity.

What to keep in mind during the build

• The tropical filter is the identifying mark of the whole version; verify its shape.
• Desert shades bleached out quickly, which is worth emphasizing.
• Around the exhausts and on the leading edges there tended to be traces of abrasion by sand.
• Apply the markings onto a smooth glossy undercoat, as a matte surface creates shadows.

Who the item is of interest to

For modelers who enjoy the Mediterranean and the North African campaign and who want a large Bf 109 with a documented code instead of a generic machine without an identity.