A Desert Me 109 E

[NARSES2]

When the Luftwaffe in Libya re-equiped with Me 109 F's the Italian AF liaison officer at Luftwaffe HQ managed to persuade them to hand over 30 of the retiring machines to the Regia Aeronautica. These were used to replace the Fiat G.50's of 151 Sq based at Derna which had taken a bit of a hiding from the Desert AF's Hurricanes and Tomahawks. Apart from the national and squadron markings the only changes made were the first trials of the new "smoke ring" camouflage.  Initially loss rates in 150 Sqd were reduced considerably but it wasn't long before the aircrafts age and previous heavy usage caught up with them. After 4 months the remaining aircraft were withdrawn from service. Never the less they had made an impression on the Italian's who asked the German's for the loan of some 109 F's prior to receiving their own in line engined aircraft.

Kit is the new tool Airfix Me 109E 3/7 which is very nice although some of the detail parts are very small   Goes together well and comes with Luftwaffe desert and Bulgarian markings. Paints are the usual mixture of Xtracrylic, Humbrol and Lifecolour with Italian Giallo Minmetico from the Lifecolour RA Fighters set used on the upper surfaces. I've read in a few sources that this was initially used by the Luftwaffe anyway until RLM 79 became available. The smoke rings are from Mike Grant Decals sheet and are very good  as long as they are cut out individually and applied over a few sessions. I have a couple of sheets of these left   National and squadron markings are from the Sky Decals Caccia Fiat sheet. I can't praise these sheets enough, perfect for wiffery with all the options included on them.

Overall I enjoyed this kit a lot.

[kitbasher]

Very nice Chris.  Checked out the blog update and....two Skyrockets!  Grummans!!

Clearly missed or misread something 'cos I've been convinced you were build Douglas Skyrockets.  Bit of a difference.

[NARSES2]

Very nice Chris.  Checked out the blog update and....two Skyrockets!  Grummans!!

Clearly missed or misread something 'cos I've been convinced you were build Douglas Skyrockets.  Bit of a difference.

I just checked the posts incase I'd got it wrong, but no 

[matrixone]

Super looking Me 109!


Matrixone

[dumaniac]

very nice in deed

[Dizzyfugu]

That's pretty - simple and effective. 

[lancer]

Ohhhhh That is a thing of beauty.

[Army of One]

Superb rother NARSES2.....superb....really like the finish on that....good kit you say..?

[NARSES2]

....good kit you say..?

Yes very. Some small parts and getting them off the sprue takes some care but it goes together beautifully 

[tc2324]

Simple and stylish.  Where the smoke rings painted freehand?

[NARSES2]

Simple and stylish.  Where the smoke rings painted freehand?

No they are transfers (decals) from a Mike Grant sheet 

[Army of One]

Wish I'd had this one instead of the old Airfix one when I made a Spit/Me109 dogfight set....almost feel I wasted the Galland decals someone was kind enough to send after a request......top work brother NARSES2....

[Weaver]

That's nice, and the sort of credible whiff that will have folk reaching for their history books to see if it really happened or not.