Reviewed by Rob Baumgartner
 

Eagle Strike Productions' Gustavs Part One are available online from Squadron.com

 

FirstLook

Many of us like to build their kits with options other than those the manufacturer provides. With the release of the Trumpeter 1/24 scale Bf 109 series, Eagle strike have given the modeler the opportunity to do just this.

“Gustavs Pt.1” has three schemes on it, all designed around kit 02407.

The decals are beautifully printed with no registration problems whatsoever. This quality carries over to the thin carrier film, which only just protrudes beyond the printed image.

Stencil data is provided for one aircraft which is a real bonus considering that many would like to replace some of the items in the kit.

A simple diagram is supplied to help explain where everything should go.
Both red and black drop tank stencils are catered for which is a nice touch and there are also a variety of fuel triangles. Obviously there will be some spare decals here.

The subjects covered on this sheet are:

Bf 109G-6, “White 5”, 7/JG1, Leewarden Holland, 1944

Finished in RLM 74/75/76, this aircraft wears the winged “1” emblem for JG 1 which was introduced towards the end 1943. JG 1’s red “Defense of the Reich” band is carried on the rear fuselage as well as the white III. Gruppe vertical bar. The spinner is depicted as RLM 70 with one third painted white.

Bf 109G-6, “Yellow 6”, 9./JG3, Bad Wörishofen, Germany, 1943

Oberfeldwebel Alfred Surau’s aircraft was believed to be finished in RLM 74/75/76.

There was plenty of colour on this machine as it carried a yellow lower engine cowl and yellow spinner with a black spiral. Forty-one victory bars were painted on the rudder and the aircraft carried a stylized eye on the MG131 belt chute bulge. Also note the under wing gondolas for the MG 151/20.

The winged “U” of JG 3 is only supplied “single handed” which is at odds with a lot of published photos from this Jagdeschwader. Modelers should make up their own mind as to whether this applied to Surau’s aircraft.

Sensibly the “eye” over the MG131 belt chute bulge is printed to allow the decal to be slit to conform to the curve over which it will be applied.

Surau scored 46 victories before he died from injuries sustained while attacking a B-17 bomber on 14 October 1943.

Bf 109G-6, “Black Chevron”, 1./JG27, Fels am Wagram, Austria, 1944

This was Hauptmann Ludwig Franzisket’s aircraft and was also fitted with the R6 Rüstsätzen. It wears the green JG27 Reich defense band and carries a yellow lower engine cowl and white rudder. The usual RLM 74/75/76 finish was applied and the fuselage cross was filled in with the lighter RLM 75 upper surface colour. An aerial photo of this machine reveals that at one stage of its life it was fitted with a bomb rack.

Franzisket had scored 43 victories before bailing out severely wounded in an encounter with the bomber raids of the USAAF. Thus ended his leadership of I./JG27 on 12 May 1944.

 

Conclusion

This is a most welcome sheet that provides colourful alternate markings for Trumpeter’s ambitious kit. The quality of printing is to a very high standard and thankfully we have that all important stencil data.

Recommended

Thanks to Eagle Strike Productions for the review sample.
 

Review Text Copyright © 2004 by Robert Baumgartner
Page Created 25 May, 2004
Last updated 25 May, 2004

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