Buffie's Best

Me-109G-10 CD Rom

Product Article by Steve Bamford in 2004

 

 

 

This "Restorations Illustrated Vol. 1" CD is geared for the scale modeller.  It was created by a modeller to help a modeller with the detail photos a modeller would want.

Let's first talk about the CD itself.  The format is in HTML.....which is the same style as a website, so it runs well on any computer.  The CD is auto-loading, which means it fires up automatically once you insert it into your CD Rom drive.   The layout and design is straight forward and very simple to figure out on the first try.  This is important to me......computer programmers have a nasty habit of over designing a product to show off their programming skill.  This can create a product that is a pain to use.......this product is simple and clean in design and layout and a treat to use.  There is full use of thumbnail photos through the CD for every photo....this makes it quick and easy to find the detail photo you need.

Inserting the CD started the auto-start feature and I was greeted with a slide show of well built models and the sound of a Me-109 engine sputtering to life.  The auto start feature doesn't work on Mac's but the CD can be started manually and instructions are included for this.  The layout is a side by side two frame set-up.  The table of contents containing 8 chapters is on the left with an adjustable divider and the photos load to the right side frame.  A very simple easy to use design.

The photos are of a very good quality and the total content of the CD comes to an impressive 588megs.  The CD covers the restoration of 2 different Me-109 G10's.  These planes were taken apart for full restorations and much detail was exposed that you wouldn't see in usual walkaround photos.  There is over 1200 photos contained on this CD including scans from actual factory manuals.  The engine and cockpit photos are very complete and comprehensive....heck there are 25 photos dealing with the rudder pedals alone.  With any product like this, you will find some tiny detail that isn't covered or isn't covered enough, but you'll be hard pressed to find many areas not very well covered in this CD.  There is also a section that includes photos of models and a section listing model kits and accessories, but new products are constantly being released, so it is impossible for this section of the CD to be 100% up to date.

Sections included are 

  • Historic overview of the Me-109

  • Complete history of the two Me-109's featured on this CD

  • Slide show with vocal interview covering restoration challenges

  • Complete listing of existing surviving Me-109's

  • Me-109 models, books and illustrations

  • Huge assortment of restoration photos

All in all....this is one very impressive product and compared to buying a book....this CD presents excellent value for the money at a Price:  $19.50 USD (plus postage).

Drop by the Buffie's Best website to order this CD of to see their selection of other CD's available for such planes as the 

Steve

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford