Bf-109 E on wheels

1. Introduction
   “I have always been fascinated by the logistics behind the war effort. When I came across an old photograph of a Bf-109 being transported in a railway carriage, I knew immediately that I had the perfect basis for a historically accurate and visually captivating vignette.”

The world of modeling is, for many of us, more than just building kits — it's a way of telling stories. This is precisely what led me to create this vignette: a Bf-109 transported on a railway wagon during the Second World War.
It all started with a historic photograph, one of those images that stay in your head. It showed a dismantled Bf 109, carefully packed on a flatbed wagon, on its way to be repaired. It was not an image of combat, nor of glory — but of logistics, of behind-the-scenes, of war as it really was. It was there that the idea of ​​recreating that scene on a larger scale, with as much authenticity as possible, was born.
What followed was a journey of research, patience and scratchbuilding — from consulting the 1940 technical manual for the Bf-109, to the (difficult!) search for the correct railway carriage, to adapting a kit to represent the aircraft disassembled into its various components with all the necessary details. This article is a record of that journey — a tribute to history, modeling and the healthy obsession with doing things with some rigor.

2. The Image That Triggered It All
   

   

   
   The starting point for this project was a period photograph that immediately caught my attention. In it, one could see a Bf-109 E, with an early war paint job (something less common in the 109s usually depicted) — already disassembled — carefully placed on a railway wagon, ready to be transported. The image conveyed an eerie, almost silent calm, contrasting with the chaos and movement we normally associate with combat aviation.
   What fascinated me was not just the visual composition, but what it represented: the machinery of war at work beyond the battlefield. The scene showed the logistical complexity of the Luftwaffe and the importance of keeping its aircraft operational, even after combat damage.
   I saw in that painting a perfect opportunity to create a vignette that was different from the usual — one that was not focused on action, but on realism, history and the faithful reconstruction of a specific moment in the war. The decision was made: I would represent that Bf-109 being transported for repairs, staying as faithful as possible to the concept of the original image, but adding a personal stamp. Given that the image was situated in a more complex context that would cause ‘noise' and a model that would become ‘heavy', I chose to represent only the core of the scene. That is, the Bf-109 dismantled on the wagon.

3. The Research and Technical Manual of 1940
   After deciding to recreate the scene from the photograph, I knew that the success of the project depended on being faithful to the details. It wasn't enough to just put a Bf-109 on top of a railcar — you had to understand how it was actually done. It was then that an intense phase of historical and technical research began.
   The big turning point came when I found a technical manual for the 109, dated 1940, which described in detail the transportation procedures, including by rail. The document included precise diagrams showing how the fuselage, wings, etc., should be positioned, where the wooden supports were located, how the dismantled parts were stored and/or tied together, and even what type of wagon was used.
   This manual turned out to be a real gold mine. Based on it as well as on some photographs available in books about the Bf-109 and others on the internet, I was able to accurately replicate many details, such as the positioning of the fuselage on the carriage, the supports under the main landing gear, and even the way the tail was stabilized. It also helped me realize that planes transported in these conditions were often damaged, which fit perfectly into the narrative I wanted to create.
   This documentation became the guiding thread of the project. He guided me through every build decision and gave me the confidence to go beyond the kit — to assemble, adapt, and build from real sources. In essence, the manual gave me not only the technical data, but also the certainty that this project could be historically credible.

4. The Search for the Right Car
   Knowing that the transport was done in a Flat Wagon Type Ommr 'Linz' was an essential step — but finding it in 1:48 scale (in 1:35 it's easy…) proved to be a mission worthy of a relic hunter.
   For days I searched for manufacturers, references, conversations on forums and online stores. Most of the models available either did not represent the right type of wagon, were in 1:35 scale, or had been out of production for years. I even considered adopting a similar wagon, the one for transporting tanks (with more wheels, suitable for more tonnage) but I knew that this, although also a real alternative (but more intended for bombers), would compromise the authenticity I was looking for.
   I ended up getting lucky when I happened to find an old kit in an old model shop. An old but complete Ommr 'Linz' kit waiting to be brought to life. It was one of those moments that make you feel like the project is “meant” to happen.
   With the right wagon in hand, I could finally start thinking about the final composition of the vignette: the plane, the supports, the tracks and terrain, and the overall picture. But there was still a lot of work to be done.

5. Construction of the Base and Wagon
   With the Ommr 'Linz' wagon finally in hand, it was time to start giving physical form to the vignette. I decided that the base should be simple but realistic, serving as a stage to tell the story without stealing the spotlight from the model.
   The Base: Maid from Scratch
   I chose to build the base from scratch. I started by creating a wooden support base, ensuring a stable structure. On top of it, I developed, using different materials, a small hill and the bed of the railway line. For the rails and sleepers I used a small kit found online. A mixture of fine sand and pigments created the texture of the ballast, resulting in the characteristic appearance of a used railway line. After painting, the set was completed with some vegetation.
   The aim was to convey the feeling of a functional, dirty stretch of road, where the war action took place far from the large terminals — a place of passage, but full of history.
   Wagon Assembly
   The Ommr 'Linz' kit required some care. Being an older model, there were adjustments to be made to improve accuracy. I refined details like hitches, cargo locks, and wheels, and added small elements based on photo references.
   Once assembled, the wagon was aged with several layers of paint, washes and pigments. The goal was to show signs of use — surface rust, accumulated dust, scratches — without going overboard. I wanted a working wagon, but clearly with a lot of miles on the back.
   In the end, the base and carriage formed a convincing screen upon which the Bf-109 could finally rest.

6. Modifications to the Bf 109: An Aircraft Without Wings
   The Bf-109 I chose to represent was an early war model — and, as in the original image, disassembled, ready to be transported for repairs. However, commercial kits are made to represent the complete aircraft, in flight or on the ground, not in this intermediate state. This forced me to reimagine and rebuild several parts of the model.

Adapting the Kit for Transport
After assembling the cockpit and the rest of the interior (engine, camera compartment in the rear of the fuselage, etc.), I was finally able to close the fuselage and begin the modifications. First, I carefully cut the wing roots of the kit, respecting the disassembly points indicated in the technical manuals, since the 109 kits have the wing roots molded with the fuselage, with the wings being glued later. Unfortunately, this is not the reality…
Since there was a hole in place of the wing root, it was necessary to make the entire root assembly, supports and fittings, wiring, etc. I also took the opportunity to detail the engine a little and add some pipes missing from the kit.
I also needed to create elements that don't come in the usual kits: wiring, internal structural reinforcements, and even visible parts of the interior of the fuselage, such as the camera compartment.
I then built from scratch the polystyrene supports on which the fuselage rests. These supports were made based on Luftwaffe technical instructions, ensuring the correct position of the landing gear, the tail support and the inclination of the assembly.
Engine and Open Details
I kept the engine compartment open, with the cover removed, as if it had been inspected prior to transport. The area was detailed with wiring, pipes and signs of use.
Although the engine cover was usually placed on during transport, the plane I was representing (another photograph I found) had it removed and so, to make the vignette more interesting, I chose to consider it as operationally lost.
This kind of detail helps tell the story without saying a word — the plane isn't just being moved, it's in the middle of a wartime logistics cycle.

7. Combat Damage and Realism
   To reinforce the narrative that this airframe was being sent for repair after combat, I added a number of visible damages to the model. But, as with everything in this project, the goal was always realism. To do so, I followed another period photograph, which represented my idea.
   

   

   
   Bullet Impacts
   I represented three bullet impacts in the fuselage, paying special attention to the deformation of the metal around each one. I lightly hollowed out the plastic, gently heated the area to create the dented metal effect, and then painted the areas with exposed metal layers and signs of abrasion.
   Torn Canvas and Other Details
   On the tail I depicted torn canvas, suggesting combat damage. Additionally, I added small details such as oil marks, accumulated dirt, scratches, and even slight discolorations in the paintwork — all with the goal of conveying a visual story consistent with the state of war.
   General Aging
   I used aging techniques such as washes, dry brush and application of pigments to give depth and texture to the model. Everything was done gradually and in a controlled manner to maintain the balance between details and legibility of the scene.
   In the end, the set seemed to have gone through exactly what the story suggested: combat, recovery, disassembly, and transport for maintenance.

8. Conclusion: A Story on Wheels
   This project was much more than gluing pieces together and applying paint. It was a true journey through history, technique and patience. From the discovery of the original photograph to the final assembly of the vignette, each step was guided by a commitment to historical accuracy and the pleasure of faithful recreation.
   The Bf-109 on the wagon has become, for me, a symbol of everything that makes model making so special: research, creativity, technical challenge, and above all, the ability to tell stories with shapes, colors and details. It is a tribute to the engineering of the time, but also to the beauty of scenes that often go unnoticed in great history books.
   More than just a model, this vignette is a window into a specific moment in World War II — a moment frozen in time when even the lords of the skies needed help to fly again.

14 additional images. Click to enlarge.