Need to identify Old 1/32 Revell Bf 109

[cappy_d]

Hi-

I came into possession of a bagged old Revell Bf 109F kit. It is the earlier release without the flash holes for the gun blisters, but oddly it is molded in a creamy tan color vs. the usual light grey. No decals are included. Does anyone know the specific issue of this kit (possibly a japan or other foreign issue), and if so, what markings were originally included with the kit and what the box art looked like? Just like to satisfy my curiosity. Thanks a bunch.

 

Cappy D

[LSP_Kevin]

Interesting that your example is in a light-coloured plastic. Most of the old Revell 1/32 scale kits that I have or remember building, were moulded in a dark green plastic. I'm not sure when that trend was abandoned, or whether different coloured plastics were used in different markets (I doubt it). It could possibly be used to establish its age though, if someone had information about when the dark green was abandoned.

 

Kev

[maverick728470]

CappyD,

The first release of the 109 u'er talking about came out in the late 60's and the box art showed it to be the Battle of Britain issue.Decals for this kit were as to what i remember as being the same for the second and third release of this kit.decals were a green heart,crosses,chevons,and i the white sinner stripe.But i could be wrong and someone else here can clarify.Kit has been around for ever and one at times can kit it for a song.It's i fun build and there are some extras that one could add if one wants to kick that kit up a notch or two.Larry

[D Bellis]

The plastic parts in the late '80s were molded in a tanish color, as well as a dark green and a medium gray.

 

I bought two Spifires and two Bf 109Gs in the "Lone Eagles" boxings at the same time in the same K-B Toys store. One Spit is gray, one Spit is tan (and also included the Seafire parts), one of the '109s was tan and the other '109 was dark green. I went back a week or so later and got two more '109s, but they were both dark green.

 

No idea if there was any rhyme or reason to it all, or if they were just throwing whatever was laying around into boxes.

 

HTH,

D

[LSP_Kevin]

Interesting D. My current-build Revell Dora is from the Lone Eagles boxing, and the plastic is dark green. My old Revell 109 that I bought around the same time (15-18 years ago) is in the same dark green plastic. However, I've just peeked into the box of the Me 262 B, also purchased at that time, and it's grey. My boxing of the Me 110 G-4 isn't accessible right now, so I'm not sure about that one.

 

Kev

 

EDIT

 

Having actually just looked into my 109 box, it's not exactly the same colour as the 190 - more an olive green, noticeably lighter than the Dora's plastic.

[D Bellis]

Kev,

I'm also working on a Lone Eagles release of the old '190D, and have been following your build with interest. Both of those kits that I have are the same dark green as your's and my others (P-51B, '109G, '109D, P-40E, etc...) in that color plastic.

 

Interesting that you have a '109 in a lighter "olive green" plastic. In Revell's (and Monogram's, after the merger) smaller scales, that lighter green identifies the parts as being molded much later (late '90s, early '00s), and those kits are known to be of lower quality with warped parts, short-shots and considerable flash. I don't know if this holds true for the larger scales or not. Care to examine your kit and let us know?

 

D

[cappy_d]

Thank you all for your insights. The kit in question here is an enigma, in that the flash holes on the fuselage (and engine cowling) for the gun blisters are missing, and the kit detail is very crisp. This indicates to me that it was produced before the original molds were modified for the first Bf 109G release in 1969; the very first release of this kit (to my knowledge) was in 1967 as a Bf 109F (the box art is the BoB artwork), and it was usually molded in a very light grey plastic, as was the original 1967 release of the Spitfire Mk I. So maybe a few of the original 1967 run kits were made in the creamy tan/beige, or it is from a foreign release during the same time period. If it was a foreign release, one can only speculate what the box art and markings included in the kit were.

 

The Remembering Revell Model Kits book by Schiffer might shed some light; I'll have to pick one up. Again, thanks everyone!

 

Cappy D

[jozef]

I cannot remember ever seeing Me-109 other than light grey either. And no other decal version than the one of Molders with hawk or eagle head (the green heart was the Me-109G, Larry but you are right, the box art looked like a battle og Britain scene).

The tan plastic really may be some special edition or foreign release but have no clue whether the decals were different as well. Again, never heard about any other scheme than the one of Molders.

 

 

Jozef

[LSP_Kevin]

Kev,

I'm also working on a Lone Eagles release of the old '190D, and have been following your build with interest. Both of those kits that I have are the same dark green as your's and my others (P-51B, '109G, '109D, P-40E, etc...) in that color plastic.

 

Interesting that you have a '109 in a lighter "olive green" plastic. In Revell's (and Monogram's, after the merger) smaller scales, that lighter green identifies the parts as being molded much later (late '90s, early '00s), and those kits are known to be of lower quality with warped parts, short-shots and considerable flash. I don't know if this holds true for the larger scales or not. Care to examine your kit and let us know?

 

D

 

I've just pulled the 109 box down again, and the copyright date on the side is 1987. It's copyrighted to Revell Inc. in Venice, California, but made and printed in West Germany by Revell Plastics GmbH. Here's a shot of the box:

 

 

In the box it looks a better kit than the 190, but I'm sure it's not.

 

Kev

[D Bellis]

...made and printed in West Germany by Revell Plastics GmbH.

Ah, there you have it. The info I posted only applies to Revell USA releases. All things Revell get even more whacked out when you add in Revell's German, Mexican, Brazillian, Japanese and other releases.

 

In the box it looks a better kit than the 190, but I'm sure it's not.

The '109's biggest drawback is the large humps on the tops of the wings (molded that way so the wheels will fit into the wells when retracted). The work involved with fixing that one problem was enough for me to scrap a fairly well along '109Z project and start over from scratch with a pair of Hasegawa/ProModeler '109G-4 kits. If you can live with those giant wing bumps, the recessed surface detail isn't bad and it is a fun "weekender" build that's a nice canvas for practicing your airbrushing skills. Just don't ever expect to get one of those up to snuff for a contest table while retaining your sanity...

 

D

[MikeMaben]

Hey Cappy,

 

It sounds like the original release F to me. The original box had flaps on the ends and artwork on both sides.

No gun bulges and a creamy beige color.

Mike

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...I remember it well

[Allok]

do you mean this little guy?

[LSP_Ray]

If I turn the Way Back Machine to the late 70's-early 80's, I believe the 109F I had from Revell was in tan sprues. It was an Afrika release with markings for a couple of sand over light blue schemes. I believe it had the extended filter, but not too much else related to the Trop version.

 

This is the only kit I have ever done that 'hit the wall' before I finished it. Fresh from reading Shep Paine's book, I decided to try and cut the flaps off the wings and reposition them. The only thing I really had to use to create the curved front of the flaps was Squadron Green Putty. I don't remember exactly how I did it, but I think I decided to glob on the putty then hold it into a curved shape with tape. I set it aside to dry and the next day I picked it back up to find that the tape had held in the acetone or whatever they use to keep the putty soft and had melted the plastic badly!! I put it back away in the box to figure out how to fix later and went to building AFV's. Finally when I moved back to Oregon, this kit was deemed not worth the effort to pack and was tossed. Fast forward 20 years before I picked up another aircraft kit!!!