he Messerschmitt 109, along with the Focke Wulf, was the German Luftwaffe’s key fighter plane during World War II.  Although the Bf 109 had been introduced as far back as 1937, the F variant - the subject of our 1:72 scale model was an upgraded aircraft which came into service in 1941.  It served right until the end of the conflict and remained a threatening and competent adversary against the Alies due to the ongoing upgrades. In total over 34,000 Bf 109 fighter plames were built during its lifetime. Its innovative features were advanced for its time including an all metal frame, covered cockpit canopy and retractable landing gear.  Other modifications saw the replacement of wing cannons in favour of placing all armaments in the front fuselage, comprising two upper machine guns and one lower gun strategically placed.

The Bf109F deployed to the Eastern Front is as flown by German flying ace Eberhard von Boremski, born in 1914.  He served for the duration of World War II reaching the rank of Captain and was a commander with 12/JG 3.  His service saw him in the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain and then on the Eastern Front as part of the German assault on Russia, codenamed Operation Barbarossa where he gained most of his aerial victories.  At the end of the conflict, Eberhard von Boremski was credited with 104 victories and had been awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross.

Our model appears in the matt camouflage scheme of black, green and dark ochre with pale blue underbelly. The tail band, spinner tip and cowl underside are masked yellow, the guns and tyres are black and the exhaust pipes are given a rusty brown finish.  The black and white Luftwaffe cross is painted on the top and underside of the wings while the German Swastika features on the vertical tail section.  Notice the closed cockpit canopy of the F-4 too.

Eberhard von Boremski survived the war but was handed over by the US Army to the Russians in 1945 and remained a POW until 1955.  He died in 1963 as the result of an accident aged 49. This version has the swastika removed.