1:48 Bf 109F

The cleanest shape of the whole Bf 109 line

The Messerschmitt Bf 109F is considered the aerodynamically most balanced form of the type. Rounded wing tips replaced the earlier clipped ones, the tailplane struts disappeared and the tail wheel retracted into the fuselage. The armament was concentrated into a single cannon firing through the propeller hub, which meant less drag and a cleaner leading edge than on the later versions with gondolas.

When you can do without the mask

Let us be honest: the canopy of the Bf 109 has few frames and flat, almost level panels. Anyone building a single example with a steady hand can cut the masking from tape in twenty minutes and will hardly notice the difference. The set comes into its own the moment you are building several machines, or when you want the frames presentable from the inside as well, because the inner face is far harder to cut by hand than the outer one.

What you will find in the box

The film covers the glazing from both sides and one set of national insignia is included. On German machines that means the crosses on the wings and the sides of the fuselage; applied in paint they have no edge of carrier film, which on a matte camouflage finish tends to show against the light. The set holds no parts of the model and no paints.

For a beginner

An ideal first mask precisely because there are few shapes and a mistake does not cost much. Apply thin coats and lift the film while the paint is fresh. And one more practical note: lift the smaller panels with round-tipped tweezers, as a pointed pair easily punctures the coat of paint and leaves a dimple. Keep the spare offcuts of film, they come in handy for covering small openings in the fuselage.