Author Topic: Kit Review - Special Hobby 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf-109E-7 Trop  (Read 704 times)

Offline Brad Cancian

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1034
  • "This time I've got you, Red Baron!"
    • Brad's Models
Special Hobby 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf-109E-7 Trop “Braving Sand and Snow”
Reviewed by Brad Cancian




Item: 100-SH72462
scale: 1/72
Price: 15.50 Euros direct from Special Hobby


Review kit kindly provided by Special Hobby at https://www.specialhobby.eu/en/messerschmitt-bf-109e-7trop-braving-sand-and-snow.html

The Bf-109E-7

The lineage of the Bf-109E and its variants is relatively well known. The E-7 Trop was a development of the earlier E4 and E3, which was itself an evolution of the machine gun winged E1.
The E3 was similar to the E-1, but its MG 17 wing guns were replaced with MG FF cannons. The engine was upgraded from a DB 610A to a slightly more powerful DB 610Aa. The E4 introduced a more squared off canopy, and replaced the MG FF cannons with faster firing MG FF/M variants. The E7 was a longer range E4, which had the capability of carrying a centreline external drop tank. This variant also introduced a more pointed spinner (though the non-pointed spinners could also occasionally be seen). The Trop, or tropical variant, added a sand filter to the engine.

The Bits and Bobs

Special Hobby’s E-4 was released early in 2021, and is the flagship for a new series of 109Es from this manufacturer. The plastic in the E7 is the same as the plastic in the earlier E4 kit. As such, I’d recommend checking out the previous review on the earlier E4 and E1 kits, here:

https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=12383.0
https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=12746.0

I won’t repeat the information on the plastic parts from those reviews, other than to say that the quality is almost as good and the mouldings almost as fine as a contemporary Eduard or Tamiya kit. The main differences with this kit when compared to the earlier E4 is the use of the tropical filter, pointed spinner, drop tank, and drop tank mount.

You won’t see any resin or etch in this kit, but plenty of after market items are available, most notably from CMK (also available through the special hobby website, and unashamedly advertised within the instruction booklet).

The kit consists of 94 plastic parts across three sprues (though some of these aren’t used for this variant), plus a lovely instruction book and high quality decals. The sprues come together in a single bag, and clear parts are packed in their own bag.














Again, we have the great option of displaying the full engine and gun bay, sans cowls – this area is comprehensively detailed and will look great when fully constructed and painted.

Instructions

Special Hobby’s Instructions are professionally presented in a full colour booklet, with a comprehensive parts breakdown (including a list of parts not used for this variant) and clear instructions. There are also ‘suggested’ detail additions, in the form of recommended CMK detail sets, or other Special Hobby decals.










Four marking schemes are included. Each are interesting and suitably varied.



Marking options are:

•   Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 Trop, W.Nr.6389, White 9, 1.(J)/LG2, pilot Oberleutnant Erwin‘Ceasar’ Clausen, Mariupol, Germany-occupied Ukraine, the Soviet Union, December 1941
•   Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 Trop, chevron/A, Stabschwarm I./JG 27, pilot grupenadjuntant Oblt. Ludwig Franzisket, April 1941.
•   Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 Trop, White 10, I./JG27, pilot Fw. Günther Steinhausen, Ain-el-Gazala, Libya, August 1941.
•   Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 Trop, W.Nr.4964, S9+DR, 7./ZG1, El Alamein, Libya, August 1942






Decals

The decals are very nicely printed with solid colour and excellent register. The decal film looks nice and thin. A full set of stencils are provided. The centres of the swastikas are provided separately, and seat belts are also provided as decals.



Accuracy

I again shall not wade into the waters of accuracy on this one – 109s in particular are a passionate subject for many. She looks like a 109E to me, so that’s good enough! What I can say though is that the panel lines, hatches, and rivet lines all look to match with the general arrangement drawings for a Bf-109E-4/7 contained within the AJ Press Me-109 book series.

Conclusions

Again, Special Hobby have maintained a very high quality package, in line with their previous excellent 109E releases. I can’t say much more than I’ve said in my other reviews of this kit. At this price point, you get an absolute bargain. Highly recommended!

Our very sincere thanks to Special Hobby for the review sample!
« Last Edit: July 13, 2022, 07:15:41 PM by Brad Cancian »