Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop. 'White 24' of the Royal Moldovan Air Force, 1942

[Dizzyfugu]

A kind of tribute work, inspired by comrade harps and his Moldovan Bf 109 E that had popped up here recently under: http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,44259.msg781499.html#msg781499

I liked the idea and the markings a lot - and finally a good use for a set of Moldovan cockades in the stash... 


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Some background:
On 27th November 1940, Moldova followed closely behind its neighbor and protector, Romania, and joined the Axis Powers. Now eligible for German military equipment, the Royal Moldovan Air Force sought to update its inventory with German types and gain access to German training. In January 1941 an agreement was reached that enabled both; by then, German troops had already entered Moldova to "secure the border [with the Socialist Union] from Red aggression."

Moldovan air and ground crew were soon sent for training with the Luftwaffe and the first (second-hand) Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3s to enter Moldovan service arrived in May 1941. This first batch of 14 planes was allocated to the 1st Fighter Squadron, where they replaced Romanian-built PZL P.11fs. They were in combat from the first day of Operation Barbarossa, crossing the border into the Transnistrian and Ukrainian republics of the Socialist Union to conduct escort, strafing and fighter sweep missions on 22 June 1941.


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Soon thereafter, more and more modern (but still mostly second hand) equipment of German origin was provided. Beyond the Bf 109 E, several Bf 109F and early G fighters were delivered, some Fw 190A and F, a handful of Ju 87 and Hs 123 dive bombers as well as some Ju 52 transporters.

Most of these aircraft had formerly taken part in the North Africa campaign or the Mediterranean TO. As a consequence many Moldovan aircraft were outfitted with special equipment like dust filters, and a high number of machines carried desert camouflage upon their arrival at the Russian Front. The latter was quickly modified in the field workshops with whatever alternative paints at hand, though, but due to the aircraft's immediate use in combat, only hasty and minimal adaptations were made.


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

During its peak in June 1943 the Royal Moldovan Air Force had grown to a total of 150 aircraft. However, its contribution to the Axis forces was not significant, even though some individual Moldovan fighter pilots scored considerable air victory counts.

With the advance of Soviet Forces by late 1944 and the liberation of the Crimean peninsula, most Moldovan aircraft had been severely damaged or destroyed. Through the withdrawal of the Axis forces the Moldovan machines became unserviceable, so that the small air arm effectively ceased to exist. The few remaining, airworthy machines were retired to the west and absorbed in Romanian units. It would take until 1991 that the Moldovan Air Force would be re-formed, after the country's newly gained independence from the dissolved Soviet Union as Republic of Moldova.


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

(Background and model inspired by comrade harps)



General characteristics:
    Crew: One
    Length: 8.95 m (29 ft 7 in)
    Wingspan: 9.925 m (32 ft 6 in)
    Height: 2.60 m (8 ft 2 in)
    Wing area: 16.05 m² (173.3 ft²)
    Empty weight: 2,247 kg (5,893 lb)
    Loaded weight: 3,148 kg (6,940 lb)
    Max. take-off weight: 3,400 kg (7,495 lb)

Powerplant:
    1× DB 601 E V12 engine, rated at 1,350 PS (1,332 hp, 993 kW), driving a VDM 9-12010 propeller

Performance:
    Maximum speed: 659 km/h (410 mph) at 6,200 m (20,341 ft)
    Cruise speed: 590 km/h (365 mph) at 6,000 m (19,680 ft)
    Range: 850 km (528 mi) with internal fuel only
    Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
    Rate of climb: 17.0 m/s (3,345 ft/min)
    Wing loading: 196 kg/m² (40 lb/ft²)
    Power/mass: 344 W/kg (0.21 hp/lb)

Armament:
    2× 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s with 500 RPG in the upper cowling
    1× 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 with 200 RPG, firing through the propeller hub (Motorkanone)
    Underfuselage hardpoint for 1× 250 kg (551 lb) bomb, 4× 50 kg (110 lb) bombs
    or 1× 300-litre (79 US gal) drop tank



1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr



The kit and its assembly:
A simple, quick build, and effectively the use of leftover material for which I had lacked an idea so far. The kit, the Heller Bf 109F, had been resting very low in the pile for ages, since I had bought it years ago with no real plan – it had just been dead cheap...
Well, this build is more or less a tribute to comrade harps' idea, who came up with a Moldovan Bf 109E and a respective background story. After all, the Russian Liberation Army (ROA) also operated German aircraft like the Bf 109G, so the idea was not as weird as it might seem at first. I liked the idea of an overlooked Moldovan operator very much, and since I had a surplus set of Moldovan Air Force markings, too...

Concerning the kit and the build, I must admit that I got what I paid for. The Bf 109 F is one of the (really) weak Heller kits: It's basically of simple construction, like many other Heller kits of its era (1972), but there are some crisp offerings that are still impressive today and a pleasant build. The Bf 109 F is not one of these, though, it reminds me a lot of the "soft" Airfix kits of that time. You get lots of raised rivets and a minimal cockpit interior. The landing gear struts just a pair of bare, L-shaped stilts. Nothing really fits, esp. the wing/fuselage intersection is questionable, and everything appears somewhat rounded-off. Ugh!

Anyway, I wanted a quick build with focus on the livery, so I did not invest too much effort into improvements. But some things were nevertheless changed, for the better, I hope:
· Foamed plastics inside of the air intakes as radiator bath dummies (& sight blockers)
· Flaps were lowered, for a more lively look
· The main landing gear struts and covers and the tail wheel were replaced (Hobby Boss Bf 109)
· The propeller received a metal axis and an adapter tube in the fuselage

In considered a 300l drop tank under the fuselage, too, but the Bf 109 F is so beautiful and clean, I left it away. No distractions in this case.


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Painting and markings:
Since the Bf 109 F base remained untouched, livery and exotic markings make this a whif. I added in my complemented background the idea that withdrawn German aircraft from Northern Africa were transferred to the Eastern Front, matching Heller's kit of a tropicalized Bf 109 F variant. This is not as fantastic as the idea might sound, such transfers frequently happened within the Luftwaffe at that time.

The livery was to "tell" this story, and I wanted to visualize the rushed period of time between the aircraft's arrival at the Russian Front from Northern Africa and its immediate employment in Moldovan hands.
Consequentially, the livery would be based on standard German desert colors, but with the former operator's markings painted over, and an additional makeshift camouflage and markings of the new operator and Axis forces tactical markings in the Eastern TO around late 1941 applied on top. Sounds complicated – but it's the logical translation of the made-up background, and I think that such a concept makes a whif more convincing than just putting some obscure markings on an off-the-rack kit.

The original German scheme consists of a uniform RLM 79 (Sandbraun) on the upper surfaces and RLM 78 (Himmelblau) from below, with a hard, wavy medium height waterline. I just added some RLM 80 (Olivgrün) blotches to the upper surfaces, a typical field modification in Northern Africa. All RLM tones are enamels from Modelmaster's Authentic line. Wing tips, propeller spinner and a ring on the cowling right behind it became initially white, because these original markings were to be barely visible on the finished kit.


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The next step was to paint over the former German and African TO markings. This would probably have been done by German field crews, so I used RLM 76 (newly introduced in late 1941) and classic all-round RLM 02 for this task. With these tones, a virtual/non-existent white fuselage band was painted over, too. As a weird twist, the propeller boss remained white, though, somewhat reflecting the aircraft's tactical code.
The new yellow ID markings (wing tip and engine undersides (both painted with Revell 310) and fuselage band (decal) were added at this stage, too. This already created a rather shaggy look. The red rudder is not a tactical marking – it is just a replacement part (basically painted with Humbrol 180), another weird color detail.


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Finally, the new Moldovan operator's markings were added. Since the desert camouflage is rather light, a darker makeshift camouflage was retrofitted. Many upper areas, mostly where the underlying RLM 79 was still visible, were crudely painted over with mottles and streaks in a tone I found in literature, called "Romanian Air Force Dark Green", which is supposed to be close to classic US Olive Drab.
I used highly diluted Humbrol 108, unevenly applied with a short and hard brush, in an attempt to create a finish that looks as if different 1:72 mechanics had hastily overpainted the aircraft by hand, area by area. This final layer was taken down on the flanks into the RLM 78, as well as over the already overpainted former markings and onto the red replacement rudder, too.


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


In a final step, after the kit had been treated with a light black ink wash in order to emphasize contrast, the surfaces and esp. the leading edges as well as the cockpit area received a wet sanding treatment, lightening up again the final, dark camouflage and revealing the raised surface details of the Heller kit here and there.


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Then the Moldovan markings were applied. The distinct roundels come from a Begemot MiG-29 decal set, the tactical code number comes from a Lend Lease P-40 in Soviet service (Trumpeter kit). On the fin, a flash in blue, yellow and red was added at the tip, too – these come from an Italeri HS 129, IIRC. I could not resist them due to the fact that the colors match up so well with the roundels and add another nice detail to the Bf 109! The yellow fuselage band comes from a Matchbox Me 262 kit, and a few stencils (e.g. the typical gasoline warning markings) were added, too, but not many. The decals also received another light sanding treatment for weathering, and, here and there, some very light dry-brushing with light grey (Revell 75) was done in order to simulate dust and more wear.


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Finally the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish and some gun and exhaust soot stains added with grinded graphite, as well as some traces of flaked paint on the wings' leading edges and around the cockpit.




1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/trop.; "White 24" of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Moldovan Air Force (Королівська авіація Молдови); Wosnessensk (Вознесенськ ), Oblast Mykolajiw region, Ukraine, early 1942 (Whif/Heller kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


What started as a quick build eventually became a complex operation – trying to improve the weak kit was one thing, but the multi-layer livery also took some time and effort. The result cannot be called "pretty", but I think the extra work paid out. The fictional Moldovan Bf 109 F looks really ...different.

[dumaniac]

Love the decals - nice worn look

[Dizzyfugu]

Thanks a lot. Yes, these roundels are really decorative.

[comrade harps]

Grungy! 

[Dizzyfugu]

He he, I hope you don't mind that I spun your idea a bit further and added this later Luftwaffe donation to the story. Just looks so right with the pretty Moldovan roundels. 

[comrade harps]

I'm flattered!