Bf109F-4/b of the Staffel Kapitan, 10/JG2.

The Ultimate Bf109
by Will Riepl

There will probably always be great debate over what is the "ultimate" kit of any given aircraft, and with some of the more popular aircraft types, the debate can become heated. For those of us who have been building for a while, though, the choice of an ultimate Bf 109 is a simple one.

In the early 50’s Aurora came out with their Bf 109, kit #55. We all knew the kit number by heart, because we were all lusting after this masterpiece! In 1/48 Scale, this was the "major leagues" of models. You would save all your money, giving up Saturday matinees, and visits to the candy store. Mine set finances back most of a month’s allowance. The kit was sixty-nine cents, and back then, that was a lot.

But when you got home and opened up the box, you got to see the perfectly folded tissue paper, and under it was the most beautiful kit you ever saw. Bright candy apple RED. In addition to the eye-catching color, the incredibly detailed panel lines and markings were impressed deep into the plastic, Grand Canyon fashion. And it was all PLASTIC. Not that stick and tissue stuff or the hard wood that would take you a month of work to get it looking remotely like anything that had ever flown.

Of course, you only had the wood glue, this was well before the days of carefully applied, specially formulated super adhesives. We relied upon the "if a little works well, a LOT will work better" principle. So when you were done, you had this white stuff hanging all over, and fingerprints decorated the entire kit. But it was a real live honest to goodness 109. Heck, even with the glue and fingerprints, you could see THAT!

When it was time to paint, you had what you could get at the hardware store or good old dope. This was, if you remember, back when dope was something you painted models with, and not something you got arrested for. The hardware store paint had the disadvantage of costing more, and being the wrong color besides. The dope offered a new set of challenges. The dope would eat into the plastic. You had a great color selection here, as well. Blue, light or dark. Green, light or dark. And that was it.

As for the markings, well this may shock you, but we just did not have anything. No Aero masters, just the interesting creations that came in the kit. Sure they might have been thicker than corrugated cardboard, but if you stuck em in water long enough, they slid onto the plastic. Our reference materials? If you were lucky enough to find a RAF Flying Review, you were one up on most of the guys. That might have a grainy halftone of some old WW2 pictures if you were truly fortunate.

The drawings that they used for the kit were right on. They used the W.A. Wylam plans, which in this case, might have deviated from Willy Messerschmitt’s originals. The wing and fuselage measured the same 8 inches. For that time they were right on. Overall fit and finish was up to standards, as well, basically, there was the fuselage and then there was the wing.

What the heck, with all the glue, paint, and decals on it, It was a 109. I think that the best thing about the Aurora kit was it would fly. When you got it done and when you had it long enough for the pride to wear off (or a new kit to come out!), you would take it to the bridge and see just how far it would glide. If you’re interested, just imagine a dark (or light) green 109 shaped brick…. On the other hand, if it was July, you could always try the old firecracker routine, complete with appropriate "last transmissions from the pilot" offered right before the anti aircraft fire hit

It was fun back then. No Aero masters decals and Photo each and resin parts. No sign on the horizon of paint charts, and just the right shade of 02 or 70, 71 green. No leafing through a dozen magazines, and a couple of squadron books before you could finish the kit. Just plain old fashioned fun.