1/48 Messerschimitt Bf109G-6/W 'Graf' Product #09915 (http://www.hlj.com/product/HSG09915)

Kommodore Major Hermann Graf served on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War 2. He became the first pilot in aviation history to claim 200 aerial victories. He claimed a total of 212 aerial victories and flew over 830 combat missions, 202 of which were on the Eastern Front. Graf was born on 24 October 1912 in Engen in Baden not far from the Swiss border. Graf saw his first aircraft when he was twelve years old causing an emotional conflict between his passion for football and aviation. Graf had started working at the Engen town Hall in 1930, saving all his money to buy a glider. Before his twentieth birthday he contributed a homemade sailplane to the newly founded Engen Sailplane Club. Every Sunday he would go out to the nearby Ballenberg mountain until an almost fatal crash destroyed his sailplane in the fall of 1932. In 1935 when Adolf Hitler nullified the Treaty of Versailles, Hermann Graf applied for flight training in the newly created Luftwaffe.  Accepted to basic aviation training in 1936, and in 1938 Graf completed the advanced flying training. He was originally selected for multi-engine aircraft training, but he wanted to fly fighters and was assigned to Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51) 31 May 1939 with the rank of Unteroffizier. On 4 August 1941 Graf got his first aerial victory against an I-16 while escorting a Ju87 Stuka strike against Kiev. After recovering he was appointed Kommodore of his old unit JG 52 on 1 October, which was still operating on the Eastern Front. With German forces in retreat by this time Graf did not have opportunity for air combat. He managed to bring his tally to 212 before he surrendered to the Americans on 8 May 1945. Graf was handed over to the Russians shortly after his surrender and he was imprisoned until 29 December 1949.In 1965 Graf was diagnosed with Parkinson Disease which had a slow deteriorating effect on his health. Parkinson's disease affected many of those who had flown high-altitude missions during the war. Hermann died in his hometown Engen on 4 November 1988.

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Hasegawa's 1/48 Messerschimitt Bf109 series has been around for many years now and most modelers should know what to expect in the way of plastic from each boxing. The 109 series has to be one of the most re-issue kits from Hasegawa. I always do enjoying seeing the different offerings of schemes that are offered in each Limited Release. Total of 91 parts are molded in medium gray and clear plastic. The cockpit is very basic but will satisfy most builders. However, there are a lot of aftermarket sets available on the market for Hasegawa's 109s and offer an higher level of detail. The only hard decision you will have in that area is to choose between Resin or Photo Etch or you could go right out crazy and choose both! Exterior detail has fine crisp engraved panel lines. There are some components that require some sort of modification during the build process, either it be filling a couple of access locations, engraving panel lines or cutting a bit of excess. Also included in the kit is two sprues from Luftwaffe set. There are a lot of parts that are not required for this boxing, there will be a few additions of ordnance to the spares pile.

 The instructions are the typical ones that you get with any Hasegawa kit, printed in Black and White paper that folds out. The instruction guide is easy to follow during the build process with colour callouts in GSI Aqueous Colour and Mr Hobby Lacquer ranges. The markings supplied in the kit are for two Bf-109 G-6 airframes that Kommodore Major Graf flew in September 1943. The first marking scheme is for a Bf-109 G-6/W, W.Nr 15919, that features the red tulip on the nose of the aircraft and white tail with 74/75/76 finish. The second scheme is again for W.Nr 15919, this time it’s a Bf-109 G-6/R6. The paint finish the same as the first but it doesn't have the red tulip on the front of the aircraft. The Decal sheet is printed in good colour saturation and excellent register and minimum carrier film. It appears with the last couple decal sheets that I have used from some of the recent releases from Hasegawa have been printed a lot better than some of the older releases. The decals went down with ease and required very little setting or sol solution. It appears this boxing has newer printed style of decals, which is great if Hasegawa has changed there decal manufacturing process. The decal sheet carries all the required markings and stencils for one airframe. 

I am happy to give this kit, two thumbs up! And would recommend it to any level of experience modeler. With addition of the numerous of aftermarket items available for this kit, Hasegawa offers a lovely canvas for a super-detailed build.

Dave Johnson