1:32 Bf-109 G-1 - Conversion Set (designed to be used with Hasegawa kits)

The first pressurized version of the Gustav

The Bf 109 G-1 was the machine with which the whole G family began. It differed from its successors above all in its pressurized cabin, meant for fighting at high altitude, and in the changes to the glazing that went with it. The side panes were double and between their layers small plugs with a moisture absorber were visible, a detail by which the pressurized version can be told on a photograph and on a model alike. The engine was rounded out by a nitrous oxide injection system.

What the set solves

Kits in 1:32 scale usually offer the later form of the Gustav. The conversion therefore replaces those parts in which the early version differs and saves the builder from having to make them laboriously himself. The result is a machine that fills the gap on a collection shelf between the early versions and the most numerous late pieces. For diorama builders it has the advantage that the early Gustavs flew at a time when both the hardware and the crews' equipment looked different from the end of the war, so the scene around the aircraft gains a clearly defined frame.

The conversion procedure

Get hold of good photographs of the particular machine you want to build in advance. The early Gustavs differed from one another in small ways and a photograph settles the matter more reliably than a drawing in a book. Plan the work so that all the cuts into the plastic are done before you glue anything. Offer the casting up to the part, draw round the outline and cut away with a margin that you then sand down. Sand the resin wet and use respiratory protection while sanding. Degrease and prime the parts before painting, because without a base coat the paint is easily rubbed off a smooth surface.