ISBN: 978-83-61220-16-9
Content: 34 pages, softback cover booklet, A-4 sized decal sheet (1/72, 1/48 and
1/32 scale) and 2 sets of 1/32 scale masks.
I have to admit it, I am a sucker
for this type of booklet: just enough history to keep you interested, a nice
number of superb 4-view drawings, matching decal sheet and masks to titillate
the fantasy of any modeler with a sizeable stash of Tamiya, Hasegawa or Eduard
Bf 109’s and Bf 110’s – what more can one ask for? The answer is really
simple, parts 2 through to 6, which will hopefully also deal with other
protagonists of the Desert campaign and the MTO.
The booklet provides a brief but
interesting description of the air-war over the Sahara desert, which at time
matched the ferocity of the Battle of Britain, albeit it on a smaller scale. It
starts off by describing the early victories of 1/JG 27 while still equipped
with the Bf 109 E-7 Trop and the air superiority brought about by the tropical
Friedrich of II/JG 27 under the command of Hptm. Lippert. An illustrative
description is provided of a few of the camouflage scheme variations employed by
the Luftwaffe as they experimented with finding the optimal solution for combat
over this new terrain. This starts of with the Bf 109 E-/ Trop, coded “Yellow
1” of Stf.Kpt. Homuth, which was still finished in standard RLM 02/71/65
scheme, with the sides of the fuselage mottled in 02 and 71. Subsequent
illustrations cover the well-known black 10 with its desert tan scheme and olive
green splotches, or white 10 of Fw. Steinhausen, where the fuselage is also
covered in this paint scheme.
Click on
images below to see larger images
Subsequent illustrations cover
E-7’s in a uniform RLM 79/78 scheme, with a low camouflage demarcation line in
that the tan colour covers the entire fuselage side. The Bf 109 F-4 trops
with similar schemes will be familiar to most, and these are covered by 4 four
separate detailed 4-view diagrams. These include “Yellow 5” as flown by Lt.
Gerhardt Mix, “White 11” flown by Ofw. Albert Espenlaub, “Black 4”
when stationed at Matuba and “White 7” as flown by Lt. Helmuth Fenzl.
Of greatest interest to me are the
three Bf 110’s, after all I need some inspiration for my Eduard stash. The
first of these is a Bf 110 C-6 with trop filter “3U+XS”, which is in a
standard RLM 78/79 scheme, but has its upper surfaces covered with RLM 80
squiggles. This aircraft is unique in having large ventral cannon (75mm??).
It will be interesting t see if a conversion set is available for this
modification. Here it would have been useful if the authors had provided
addition technical details. The next is a “night-fighter” Bf 110 C-4
“L1+DH” of 1/NJG 3 at Benghazi in a black scheme, with an interesting owl
perched on a crescent moon emblem on the nose. The last is a standard (non-trop)
Bf 110 C-1 “3U+JR” of 7/ZG 26. As stated decals are provided on an A-4
sized sheet covering all aircraft in three scales (1/72, 1/48 and 1/32). Masks
for canopies and national markings are provided for 6 aircraft in 1/32).
As stated, I am a fan of such monograph / decal combinations, and while they may
offer to little detail for the devotee, they will be welcomed by many modelers,
who are the target audience. Copies are available directly from the publishers
at www.kagero.pl
or from www.fliegerbuecher.ch.
I, for one, am looking forward to the second and future volumes.
Sinuhe Hahn
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