1/48 Revell Messerschmitt Bf-109G-10

by Petr Koliba

  Czech Republic National Day 2005 

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In my gallery article, I would like to introduce a well-known fighter aircraft, the  Messerschmitt Bf-109G- 10 in a very special livery of Czechoslovak Air Force (CzAF).

  After the WWII, there were lots of Messerschmitts Bf-109 of versions G-10 and G-14 all over the Czechoslovak republic. This caused that the headquarters of CzAF have decided to fix and repair 21 complete aircrafts. Those fighters were assigned to the Army Air Force and the Air Force of National Security Corps (Letectvo SNB – Letectvo Sboru národní bezpecnosti). The Air Force of National Security Corps was created from Gendarmerie Air Patrols (CLH – Cetnické letecké hlídky). The Gendarmerie Air Patrols operated till the beginning of WWI, and their task were to look after correct air-service, to protect republic borderlines and to chase dangerous criminals. In the CzAF, Bf-109G-10/G-14 were designated as Avia C-10 (training units) or Avia S-99 (fighter units).

I have chosen the Revell’s kit for building several G-10s (due to it’s low price). The interior is rather crude in this kit, so I bought photoetched detail parts from Eduard Zoom to get the kit some detail. This PE set contains instrument panel, control elements, seatbelts, radiator mesh and aerials. I used only the Eduard Zoom set, everything else is as it comes from the box.

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And now comes the most important thing – WHY I decided to build those three Messerschmitts! Our domestic producer, TallyHO! Decals (www.tallyho.cz), made a beautiful decal sheet for Avia C-10/S-99, which depicts six beautiful airplanes in a very, very attractive and national markings! The sheet is made in all three main scales, from 1/72 to 1/32. I’m pleased that I can refer that the quality of decals is very high, they very thin and beautiful printed, so there’s no problem with “silvering” or so. It was a pleasure to work with such great decals.

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The first machine I have chosen is Avia C-10 “black V- 9” , which was the first post-war completed machine. It served in the Aircraft and technology research institute (VTLÚ) for flight tests. The first flight on it took Petr Siroký, well-known test and acrobat pilot of Avia factory. The second model I have built is Avia C-10 “black EV- 11” . This one was made for the Air Force of National Security Corps, but for whole its career it was lend to Army Air Force for flying. This machine wears a camouflage combination of the Army Air Force markings (round national signs) and of the Air Force of National Security Corps colours (red nose and leading edges). The last of my three Messerschmitts is Avia C-10 “OK-BYK” in a complete camouflage and marking livery of the Air Force of National Security Corps. I must say that I like this style of camouflage (better say anti-camouflage) supplied with bold code letters on the fuselage and wings, together with very attractive red nose and spherical triangle signs on the tail.

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I hope that my models of colourful post-war Czechoslovak Messerschmitts made you interested in them, and I would be very happy if you build one of your own!

My thanks go to Steve Bamford for posting this gallery and to my friend Pavel Senk for taking those photos and for translation of this text.

Petr

MK APOLO Koprivnice, Czech Republic

http://apolo.koprivnice.org

Photos and text © by Petr Koliba