1:48 Messerschmitt Bf-109 E-1/3/7/TROP Splinter Scheme - Variation 1 (for Airfix 05122 kit)

The angular pattern that made the German fighter recognizable

Splinter camouflage was built on two shades of green, which met on the upper surfaces in sharp polygons without any softening at all. The underside of the fuselage and the wings carried a light blue. It was in exactly this finish that the E series machines went into the Polish and French campaigns, and it is exactly this pattern that makes a Bf 109 E model something other than the later gray-finished examples. Repeating the angular edges freehand is difficult, though: it is enough for one section to go a millimeter out of line and the whole pattern stops looking credible.

What you get in the Variation 1 version

The set holds cut parts which cover the areas of one shade, so the second is sprayed over them. The pattern is chosen as the first of four the manufacturer makes and matches the shapes that appeared most often on the E series machines.

Recommended procedure

First apply the lighter of the two greens and let it cure properly, ideally overnight. Only then offer the mask up and spray over it with the darker shade. Take the film off slowly and at a sharp angle, so that the edge does not tear away. The cut is worked out for the parts of one particular Airfix kit in this scale, and on another Bf 109 E model the edges would not seat on the panel lines. Neither the model nor the paints are part of the delivery.

Both greens are commonly given in the literature under the numbers 70 and 71, and the light blue underside under the number 65. Most makers of modeling paints offer them under the same designations, so tracking the right three down tends to be a matter of a minute. The particular shades do differ between brands, though, so it is sensible to stick to one range on a single model.