1:48 Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4 PeilG IV- Night fighters

Bf-109E-4 with the PeilG IV, the night fighter form, a 1:48 set

An AML accessory set capturing the Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4 fitted with the PeilG IV radio direction finder in the form in which it served with night fighter units. The set is intended for a Bf-109E model in 1:48 scale, which the builder obtains separately; the installation alone turns it into a rarely seen machine.

The real subject

Before the Luftwaffe built up specialized night fighter forces with radar, it tried sending ordinary single-seat fighters out on night patrols. Emils with the Peilgerät IV, whose loop antenna sat on the spine of the fuselage, gained at least a basic aid for finding their way in the dark. The night hunting of single-seat machines in 1940 and 1941 brought only limited success, but today it is an interesting chapter of the early Nachtjagd that modelers rarely see.

Building tips

The antenna elements are among the more fragile parts, so fit them as the very last step of the build. Mark the position of the installation on the spine in advance, so that it sits exactly on the axis of the fuselage. The antenna loop is easily deformed, so separate it only just before fitting and check its circular shape against the light. The angular cockpit glazing of the Emil has prominent frames, so cut the masking tape to fit the individual parts. Dark night camouflage benefits from gentle lightening of the panel centers, otherwise the model merges into one flat surface with no modeling.

Who the set is for

• Anyone interested in the beginnings of night fighting
• Builders of Emils in 1:48 scale
• Modelers with a taste for radio equipment
• Collectors of unusual Bf-109 variants