Cutting Edge Modelworks

1/48 Bf-109G Great Gustavs decal sheet

Product # CED48234 for $8.99

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Dec 1 2003

 

 

 

This is a new decal sheet from Cutting Edge Modelworks.  The sheet includes markings for 3 different Bf-109G's in 1/48 scale......including a very famous Gustav flown by famous Luftwaffe Ace Lt. Erich Hartmann

The first plane on this sheet is a Bf-109G6 flown by famous high scoring Ace Lt. Erich Hartman of 9./JG 52 while flying out of Novosaporovyi, Russia in Oct 1943.  Hartman had a total of 352 kills to his credit by the end of the war.  By Oct 1943 he had 121 kills to his credit.  This plane is painted RLM 74/75 on the top surfaces and RLM 76 on the sides and underside.  There was mottling on the side of the fuselage.  For artwork there is a red heart with a yellow arrow through it and text that reads "Dicker Max Karaya".  Things that are of interest are the fact the yellow cowl panel under the engine only covers the half of the panel.  This plane is missing the DF loop but it still has the base and this plane also has the early style headrest.     

The second plane is a Bf-109G6 flown by Ace Hptm. Anton Hackl of Stab III./JG 11 while flying out of Oldenburg, Germany in February 1944.  By Feb 1944 he had 132 kills to his credit.  This plane is painted RLM 74/75 on the top surfaces and RLM 76 on the sides and underside.  There was large mottling on the side of the fuselage.  This plane has a yellow fuselage band and yellow cowl under the engine and the rudder and part of the tail is white, which shows off the kill markings very well.  The spinner is black and white.  This aircraft was fitted with the underwing cannon gondolas. 

The third plane on this sheet is a Bf-109G6 flown by famous high scoring Ace Major Herman Graf of JGr. 50 from Wiesbaden-Eberheim, Germany in 1943.  Graf had a total of 212 kills to his credit.  This plane is his famous Bf-109G-6 with the red Tulip on the nose.  This plane is "Green 1" and has a RLM 74/75 paint scheme on the upper surfaces and RLM 76 in the fuselage sides

and underside.  There was mottling on the side of the fuselage.  The spinner is red to match the red Tulip covering the engine cowl.  This red Tulip is created with 3 decals that apply one layer after another to create the red Tulip.

Go slow and it shouldn't be a problem.....the instructions are very clear how to properly position and install the 3 layers of Tulip decals.  The underside of the engine cowl is RLM 04 yellow and the tail/rudder is white.....which shows off the kill markings artwork very well.

For artwork on Graf's aircraft, there is the picture of a traditional Germany hunter with an old style rifle on the side of the fuselage....see picture at the top of this review.  It is not 100% certain is this is Graf particular aircraft that had the Huntsman artwork, but it is included anyway, so you have a choice of whether to include it or not.  This plane has no DF loop or base.  This aircraft has weapon tubes under the wings.  

There is a question as to whether the number "1" on the side of the fuselage is green or red in Graf's plane.....so Cutting Edge included both colours.   The instructions do include a top view of all 3 aircraft.....the top camo of Graf's aircraft is painted in a very interesting stepped fashion.  The instructions are clear and an extra page of text instruction is included with a small bit of info about this plane as well as B&W line drawings showing stencil placement.  

The decals were flawlessly printed on 1decal sheet and the clear carrier film is trimmed very close to the crisply printed colored areas, which is always good to see.  This decal sheet includes all the stencils etc to complete one of these 3 aircraft....with more stencils you should be able to create all 3 aircraft. 

A very nice product and highly recommended.

Click on images below to see larger images of the instruction sheets

I would like to thank Cutting Edge Modelworks for providing me with this review sample.

Steve

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford