1:48 Bf 109G-2

The first Gustav without bulges

The Bf 109G-2 reached the front in 1942 with the DB 605A engine and still kept a clean upper fuselage. The characteristic bulges over the weapon bays, by which the later Gustavs are recognized at first glance, are missing here, because the machine carried lighter fuselage armament. The cockpit is formed by an angular multi-part canopy with a massive armored windscreen and with side panes that meet the rounded outline of the fuselage.

Film on a curved surface

The side panes of the Gustav are not flat and a flat cut-out likes to lift at the corner on them. The solution takes patience: lay the part down by its center, push it out from the center toward the edges and warm it gently with hot air from a handheld dryer. The film gives and adheres even into a double curvature. Never pull on opposite corners at the same time; stretched material will not shrink back and the edge stays wavy.

The front armor and its surroundings

Behind the thick panel of the windscreen a narrow slot appears, into which the spray gets from the side. It pays to fill it with a thin strip of modeling putty before painting so that the paint does not clog the window from inside. A check against the light reveals every gap before the spraying starts.

What the delivery includes

The bag holds masking parts for the outer and the inner side of the glazing, a set for the national marking and a decal sheet. The outlines correspond to the plastic from Hasegawa in 1:48 scale. The package is flat and takes being stored among instruction sheets, so it will not crease even after a longer time in a drawer. The set is intended for a single use.