MESSERSCHMITT Bf-109G
By Ray Mehlberger
by Robert Peczkowski
Mushroom Model Magazine's
Yellow Series Special
Vol. 1 N0. 6101
ISBN 83-88006-84-3
This is a brand new book which was first published, in Poland this year – and now comes to us, via from my friend Roger Wallsgrove at Mushroom Model Magazine, in English. By way of introduction, I am going to quote from the opening page of the book.
"It is not the aim of this book to describe the full history of this famous aircraft, nor its technical specification or combat operations. You are not going to find here a detailed account of the development, with dates and analyses of why and such and such armament was fitted, or why this modification was introduced and not that one. We are not presenting a list of aircraft produced with name of factories that manufactured them. Not a word, about operational use of the Bf 109G on various fronts."
So what is this book about?
"The intention is to present, in a simple way, and mainly in drawings and photographs, the differences between all the versions of the 'Gustav'. This is intended to make it easier for modellers and historians to recognize individual versions. The photos and drawings will also make it possible to take a good look at the details of the aircraft that are often not shown elsewhere. Unfortunately, most photographs show aircraft preserved in museums, and their appearance does not always reflect the true look of a wartime aircraft. The same applies to the paint schemes of the surviving warbirds. That is why we also show painting schemes of various 'Gustav' variants, and from different periods of its long service life, in order to show various types of camouflage used on this aircraft."
The above statement pretty much capsules the idea behind the book and what is included.
The book is 9.5"î x 6.5" format. It contains 80 pages.
There are 38 color photos. All of them, but one, are shots taken in and around aircraft currently in museums. The single shot is a wartime photo taken on a Luftwaffe airfield, somewhere in N. Africa. This can be determined by the paint scheme on the aircraft in this photo and the uniforms on the figures.
There are also 56 black and white photos in the book. Lots of shots of different parts of the 'Gustav's' various types anatomy and some cockpit interior shots too.
68 line drawings include scrap drawings of various aircraft parts, profiles, cutaways etc.
The final 'icing on the cake' are the 32 color profile paintings. This book is really JAM PACKED with pictures and info. I really liked the color profile on page 29. It shows a captured Bf-109G-6 in Finnish markings. This aircraft has 3/4ths of its fuselage length, from the cannon breech bulges rearwards, painted in blue and white checker-board pattern– really unusual scheme!
The book takes you from the G-1 through the G-10. It also has a couple of charts: one giving you tech data of the different marks, and the other a cross-reference chart of what weapons and special equipment were carried by what versions. A very informative book and well worth the price asked.
Other, 'future releases' by Mushroom Model Magazine are a book entitled 'Werner 'Vati' Molders', by Robert Michulec and 'British WWI Aircraft in the Polish Air Force' by Tomasz J. Kopanski.
I highly recommend this book to all modelers that like to build Bf-109s. It will be a valuable reference on your book shelf. I wish to thank Roger Wallsgrove, of Mushroom Model Magazine (another fine publication – by the way) for this review sample.
The book can be ordered from:
Mushroom Model Publications
36 Ver Road
Redbourn, AL3 7PE,
UK