Book Review of Messerschmitt Bf-109 Flight Craft Series
Author: Malcolm Lowe
Pen & Sword Aviation
ISBN: 9781526710536
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $28.95
ISBN: 9781526710536
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $28.95
HISTORY:
The famous Messerschmitt Bf-109 single-seat fighter was one of the most important warplanes of WWII. Originally designed during the 1930's, and a contemporary of the equally-legendary Supermarine Spitfire, it was vitally important to Germany's Luftwaffe and was flown in combat by the highest-scoring fighter pilots in history.
It was in service throughout WWII and was built in a number of significant versions that proved to be worthy adversaries of the very best of the Allied warplanes that it flew against.
Bf-109's operated in all the major areas of conflict where German forces were engaged in combat and, in modified form, the type then had a post-war career in several countries that extended well into the 1950's.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW), Messerschmitt AG
Designer: Willy Messerschmitt, Robert Lusser
First flight: 29 May 1935
Introduction to service: February 1937
Retired: 9 May 1945, Luftwaffe, in 27 December 1965 from the Spanish Air Force
Primary users: Luftwaffe, Hungarian Air Force, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, Royal Romanian Air Force
Number built: 33,984, +603 Avia S-199, +239 HA-1112
Variants: Avia S-99/S-199, Hispano Aviación HA-1112
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Publishing is based in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 80 pages in 8 1/4" x 11 3/4" page format.
The cover art shows 2 color photos of actual Bf-109's. A Bf-109G-10 is shown sitting on the ground and a Bf-109E-1 is shown in flight. There is color photo of a Bf-109E-7 version model made up from the Eduard 1/48th scale kit and a color side profile of a Bf-109E-4.
The back cover shows color photos of the Academy Bf-109G-5 (scale ?), the Trumpeter 1/32nd scale Bf-109K-2 and the Revell 1/32nd scale Bf-109G-10.
There are 113 black and white wartime photos in the book.
These include: portraits of Willy Messerschmitt and Herman Goering, a F4 biplane, Messerschmitt's M-16, M-18, M-20, Bf-108, Arado Ar-68, Heinkel He-51, Arado Ar-80. a twin-fuselaged Bf-109Z, a Bf-109K with a radial engine, a Bf-109F/4V with a V-shaped tail, a PZL P-11C, a Spitfire, a Junkers Ju-52/3M, a British Wellington, a U.S. B-17, B-24 and P-51D.
For color photos there are actual:
Soviet Polikarpov I-16, French Morane-Saulnier MS-406, French DeWoitine D-520, U.S. Hawk, Bf-109F-4, Bf-109G-2, Soviet Lavochkin La-5, Bf-109 (version ?), Bf-109F and a Bf-109K.
Color profiles are of:
Bf-109V-7, Bf-109B-1, Bf-109E-3. Bf-109E-4.Bf-109E-1B. two profiles of a Bf-109F-4, three profiles of a Bf-109G, Bf-109G-/R6, Bf-109G-6/U2, two profiles of a Avia CS-199, HA-199 M11.
Color photos of made up models include:
Academy Bf-109K-4 1/48th scale, Academy Bf-109G-6 1/48th scale, Airfix Bf-109G-6 1/72nd scale, Airfix Bf-109E-3 1/24th scale, Allegent Bf-109D 1/32nd scale, Eduard Bf-109E-4 1/48th scale, Hasegawa Bf-109E-4, G-6 and G-14 1/48th scale, Heller Bf-109B/C, B, D, E-1, G-14, G-14AS & K-4 all in 1/72nd scale, Revell Bf-109G-10 (scale not mentioned), Trumpeter Bf-109G-2 1/32nd scale, Zvezda Bf-109F-2 1/48th scale, Eduard Bf-109B-1, E7 & E1 all in 1/32nd scale, Hasegawa Bf-109F-4 1/32nd scale, Trumpeter Bf-109G-1 & G-4 both in 1/48th scale, Revell Bf-109G-6 1/48th scale, Hasegawa Hispano HA-1112-M11 1/48th scale Bf-109C with Gray Matter conversion set used, Model Showcase Bf-109K-4 1/32nd scale.
The last page in the book has a black and white cover art of Pen & Sword's "The Supermarine Spitfire" book over a black and white photo of Airfix's 1/24th scale Bf-109E-3 made up in Adolf Galland's markings.
This is one terrific book for 109 modelers and aircraft historians alike.
Highly recommended.
I want to thank Casemate Publishing for this review sample and the folks at Pen & Sword.
Casemate is the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword Books and all their titles can be seen on Casemate's web site at:
The famous Messerschmitt Bf-109 single-seat fighter was one of the most important warplanes of WWII. Originally designed during the 1930's, and a contemporary of the equally-legendary Supermarine Spitfire, it was vitally important to Germany's Luftwaffe and was flown in combat by the highest-scoring fighter pilots in history.
It was in service throughout WWII and was built in a number of significant versions that proved to be worthy adversaries of the very best of the Allied warplanes that it flew against.
Bf-109's operated in all the major areas of conflict where German forces were engaged in combat and, in modified form, the type then had a post-war career in several countries that extended well into the 1950's.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW), Messerschmitt AG
Designer: Willy Messerschmitt, Robert Lusser
First flight: 29 May 1935
Introduction to service: February 1937
Retired: 9 May 1945, Luftwaffe, in 27 December 1965 from the Spanish Air Force
Primary users: Luftwaffe, Hungarian Air Force, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, Royal Romanian Air Force
Number built: 33,984, +603 Avia S-199, +239 HA-1112
Variants: Avia S-99/S-199, Hispano Aviación HA-1112
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Publishing is based in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 80 pages in 8 1/4" x 11 3/4" page format.
The cover art shows 2 color photos of actual Bf-109's. A Bf-109G-10 is shown sitting on the ground and a Bf-109E-1 is shown in flight. There is color photo of a Bf-109E-7 version model made up from the Eduard 1/48th scale kit and a color side profile of a Bf-109E-4.
The back cover shows color photos of the Academy Bf-109G-5 (scale ?), the Trumpeter 1/32nd scale Bf-109K-2 and the Revell 1/32nd scale Bf-109G-10.
There are 113 black and white wartime photos in the book.
These include: portraits of Willy Messerschmitt and Herman Goering, a F4 biplane, Messerschmitt's M-16, M-18, M-20, Bf-108, Arado Ar-68, Heinkel He-51, Arado Ar-80. a twin-fuselaged Bf-109Z, a Bf-109K with a radial engine, a Bf-109F/4V with a V-shaped tail, a PZL P-11C, a Spitfire, a Junkers Ju-52/3M, a British Wellington, a U.S. B-17, B-24 and P-51D.
For color photos there are actual:
Soviet Polikarpov I-16, French Morane-Saulnier MS-406, French DeWoitine D-520, U.S. Hawk, Bf-109F-4, Bf-109G-2, Soviet Lavochkin La-5, Bf-109 (version ?), Bf-109F and a Bf-109K.
Color profiles are of:
Bf-109V-7, Bf-109B-1, Bf-109E-3. Bf-109E-4.Bf-109E-1B. two profiles of a Bf-109F-4, three profiles of a Bf-109G, Bf-109G-/R6, Bf-109G-6/U2, two profiles of a Avia CS-199, HA-199 M11.
Color photos of made up models include:
Academy Bf-109K-4 1/48th scale, Academy Bf-109G-6 1/48th scale, Airfix Bf-109G-6 1/72nd scale, Airfix Bf-109E-3 1/24th scale, Allegent Bf-109D 1/32nd scale, Eduard Bf-109E-4 1/48th scale, Hasegawa Bf-109E-4, G-6 and G-14 1/48th scale, Heller Bf-109B/C, B, D, E-1, G-14, G-14AS & K-4 all in 1/72nd scale, Revell Bf-109G-10 (scale not mentioned), Trumpeter Bf-109G-2 1/32nd scale, Zvezda Bf-109F-2 1/48th scale, Eduard Bf-109B-1, E7 & E1 all in 1/32nd scale, Hasegawa Bf-109F-4 1/32nd scale, Trumpeter Bf-109G-1 & G-4 both in 1/48th scale, Revell Bf-109G-6 1/48th scale, Hasegawa Hispano HA-1112-M11 1/48th scale Bf-109C with Gray Matter conversion set used, Model Showcase Bf-109K-4 1/32nd scale.
The last page in the book has a black and white cover art of Pen & Sword's "The Supermarine Spitfire" book over a black and white photo of Airfix's 1/24th scale Bf-109E-3 made up in Adolf Galland's markings.
This is one terrific book for 109 modelers and aircraft historians alike.
Highly recommended.
I want to thank Casemate Publishing for this review sample and the folks at Pen & Sword.
Casemate is the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword Books and all their titles can be seen on Casemate's web site at: