EagleCals 1/32 Bf 109E-1 Decal Sheets
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
With the recent release of the Eduard 1/32 Bf 109E kit, modelers now have a new-tool early 109 to replace those ancient Hasegawa and Matchbox kits. Of course, it did not take long for aftermarket decal manufacturers to come out with some new marking options for this kit, and EagleCals has no fewer than three sheets designed for the Bf 109E-1 kit. All three sheets provide four options, and include full markings, including all the crosses and swastikas. Stenciling is included to complete one aircraft on each sheet.
Bf 109E-1 Part 1, EagleCals #120
This sheet has some classic early Bf 109Es on it, ones that are going to be familiar to Messerschmitt fans. The first option is Yellow 14 from 6.(J) Trägergruppe 186 from the winter of 1939/1940. This aircraft has a low fuselage demarcation line and a large witch riding a broom on the fuselage side. The second option is Yellow 12 from 6./JG 26 during the autumn of 1940. Another example with a low fuselage camouflage demarcation, this aircraft has an all-white tail section and white wingtips. The JG 26 ‘S' emblem is under the windscreen.
Yellow 3 from 6./JG 52 is the third option on this sheet, dating from March 1940. This aircraft has a high fuselage demarcation and an RLM 02/71 camouflage. The winged eagle emblem is on the cowling. For the fourth aircraft, this sheet has Lt. Josef “Pips” Priller's aircraft from Stab I./JG 51. This aircraft has a low camouflage demarcation, a black chevron on the fuselage side, and Priller's ace of hearts emblem under the canopy. This last option also has oversized crosses on the wings, covering the entire span.
Bf 109E-1 Part 2, EagleCals #121
Three of the four options on this sheet have known pilots, starting with White 13, the plane of Hptm. Helmut Henz of 4./JG 77. Dating from April 1941, this aircraft has an RLM 02/71 camouflage with a high demarcation and mottling on the fuselage sides. The cowling, rudder and wingtips are all yellow. The second option is Oblt. Gert Framm's Red 1 from 2./JG 27 in the spring of 1940. Also camouflaged in RLM 02/71, this aircraft has a mid-line demarcation and a diagonal red band on the rear fuselage, along with the name ‘SAMOA' on the cowling.
Oblt. Fritz Losigkeit is the third pilot on this sheet, with his Red 16 from 2./JG 26 in March 1940. This is a simple scheme with a high demarcation and two unit emblems on the fuselage side: the JG 26 ‘S' emblem and the 2./JG 26 devil's head emblem. The final option is Yellow 12 from 9./JG 52 in the spring of 1941. Although a Bf 109E-1, this aircraft is fitted with the later style canopy and armor plating. The nose, elevators, and rudder are yellow.
Bf 109E-1 Part 3, EagleCals #122
The final sheet in this trio of new releases starts out with Yellow 12, Fw. Ernest Arnold's aircraft from 3./JG 27, in which he was shot down in on August 30, 1940. This aircraft has a yellow cowling and a pair of scissors with an ‘r' on the fuselage side. The second option is Fw. Paul Boche's White 2, from 4./JG 52 in the autumn of 1940. This aircraft has heavy mottling on the fuselage sides, a yellow cowling and rudder, and a large unit emblem under the windscreen.
The third option presented on this sheet is Yellow 10 from 6./JG 54 in the fall of 1940. This aircraft has an intricate camouflage pattern on the fuselage sides consisting of RLM 70 lines filled with RLM 02 mottling. The final option is Black 13 from 2./JG77 in the summer of 1940. This aircraft has RLM 02 mottling on the fuselage sides, along with a thin white lightning bolt running the length of the fuselage. Both of the last two options have the later style canopy.
For all three sheets, the instructions provide references to photos of the actual aircraft depicted, a nice touch for those wanting to get the weathering just right. The decals are nicely printed, and should have no problem in application. My thanks to Eagle Editions for the review samples.