ICM 1/48 Messerschmitt
Bf 109F-2
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Overview
 The
Bf 109F was a big improvement over the 109E, with a much more streamlined
cowling providing that smooth, rounded look to the front end. The Bf 109F-2
variant had a few modifications from the initial variant, namely being
the replacement of the MG-FF/M 20mm cannon with the MG-151/15 15mm cannon.
External stiffeners were also added to the rear fuselage, to keep the
tail securely affixed. This was just an interim fix, though, and on the
Bf 109F-4 these stiffeners were internalized.
The Kit
 ICM
has released quite a range of 1/48 Bf 109s, with the 109F-2 being the
most recent. As they have a wide range of 109s, there are quite a few
parts that are interchangeable, which can result in some tricky fit issues
at times. As long as you are aware of this, and take time with dry fitting,
problematic fit issues should be minimal. The kit is molded in a gray
plastic, with recessed panel lines throughout. While there is a bit of
flash on some parts, it is not anything that a couple quick swipes of
sandpaper can’t fix. The decal sheet provides markings for four
different aircraft, all German.
 Construction
of this kit begins with the engine. Yes, engine. This kit comes with a
full DB601 engine, opening up all sorts of possibilities for the modeler.
While it might not be as detailed as a top-end aftermarket resin engine,
it is still quite detailed and with a bit of extra work and a lot of detailed
reference photos, you can turn this into an impressive model in its own
right. The engine mates up to the cockpit assembly with the proper engine
bearing arms, and separate cowl machine guns complete the exposed front
end. The cockpit itself is detailed, with sidewall detail molded into
the fuselage halves, separate rudder pedals and control stick, and a four
piece front bulkhead/instrument panel assembly. All of this gets trapped
between the fuselage halves, and out of the box you will have a pretty
nice looking 109 interior.
 Assembling
the fuselage will be a bit tricky, given the open cowl option. The nose
is made up of no less than five main pieces, so if you are building this
with a closed cowl, take your time in fitting everything together. The
wing is much simpler, with its one-piece lower section incorporating part
of the fuselage. Again, to get the maximum stretch out of these molds,
ICM has the wingtips separate in this kit. This could be a problem area,
so don’t just assume that the wings will mate up perfectly here.
Test fit, and sand the main wing pieces if needed to get a smooth fit.
The final bits offer some more nice features. There are separate leading
edge slats and separate flaps. The latter are split into the wing flaps
and the radiator flaps, with the radiator flaps being quite well done.
The propeller and spinner are also well done, with nice hub detail for
those who want to have the spinner off.
 Moving
on to the decals, There are some very interesting schemes presented here.
The first is the aircraft of Lt. Detlev Rohwer, the technical officer
of I./JG 3 in 1941. This aircraft has a yellow cowling, yellow fuselage
band, yellow wingtips and a chevron circle fuselage marking, all going
on that unique snakeskin pattern found on several Eastern Front Bf 109s.
A second option with a similar scheme is provided, this being the Geschwader
Adjutant of JG 54. It features a yellow band around the fuselage cross
and broad yellow wingtips, and the chevron/vertical bar fuselage marking
of the Adjutant. The third option is also from JG 54, but carries a more
sedate, traditional camouflage. It has a full yellow cowling, a yellow
rudder, the yellow fuselage band around the cross, and yellow wingtips.
It has a white 2 and the wavy bar of III Gruppe on the fuselage. The final
option is Oblt. Egon Mayer’s White 1, from 7./JG 2 From what I remember,
this is a very clean looking aircraft, with a yellow rudder and a white
vertical bar on the rear fuselage. The decals are well printed, with good
registration
Conclusion
It seems that everyone and their uncle has a Bf 109 kit in their catalog,
but I always manage to find something worthwhile in them all. While the
Hasegawa kits build up quickly, the ICM kits have the added bonus of the
engine detail. If you haven’t tried one of the ICM kits, you might
be surprised at how well they build up, and for the Bf 109 aficionado,
you can never have too many kits of your favorite subject. My thanks to
ICM for the review sample. |
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