Dora Wings 1/48 Bf 109 V4 Prototype
This is my best guess at what this plane looked like. Opinions vary on this plane. Is it V3 or V4? Is the color silver paint, natural metal, natural metal with a tinted clear coat, light grey, or RLM 02? So, I just chose what I liked. I went with silver paint and called it V4. Photos show the rear fuselage seams puttied so I made it smooth. I did the same on the wings. The majority of the vents in the nose were filled and smoothed. I added an Ultracast seat and a Yahu instrument panel. Panel lines on the nose were just a guess looking at the captured 109A photos. This was a finicky build especially keeping the nose parts aligned but I like it as much or better than the Classic Airframes offering. Figure is from Jaguar and is as close as I can get to depicting Johannes Trautloft. I have never seen a picture of a 109 pilot with a backpack parachute on but it's the best I could find.
That's a lovely model whichever variant it actually represents. Any idea what the sticky-out thing shown in the photos on the left forward fuselage below rougly where the mg mountings must be? Maybe an early version of the starting crank or something to do with the mg ammo storage?
Lol, thank you, Paul. I have no idea what that thing is. Starter crank was on left side. Some said it was the Pitot tube but the pitot tube is under the left wing in the normal place as seen in the photo. Maybe a Venturi tube? I left it off because I had no clue and no one else really knew either.
The early 109s are certainly not my normal focus, but it occurred to me that there might be some clues in Lynn Ritger's book (part 1) on the 109's development. Sure enough there were a couple of things that are interesting.
3 . Ritger suggests several of the early prototypes probably had many panel lines either taped or puttied over (as with the Me 262?) in the interests of improved speed.
Probably too much rivet counting for many but I'm always a mug for these odd discrepancies. Paul.
I have Ritger’s book and used it quite a bit along with several others. I am convinced this is the V4 prototype but without a werke nummer no on can say for certain. I compared 6-1 with 6-2 which I believe to be V3. 6-3 to 6-15 are Antons...6-15 being the one captured by Republican Forces and turned over to the Soviets. Several good photos of that one that I used to guesstimate what 6-1 might have looked like. My next one will be 6-15 in Republican markings.
Regardless of whether it's the correct colour, it looks great in silver. Nice to see a variant other than an 'E' or a 'G', too. Really nice work.
Thanks, Mike
Beautiful looking kite. I love SCW markings
Thank you, George.
I really like it ! Even though you said it was a finicky build, the end result was well worth the trouble. I have several of the ancient Hobby craft early 109's built and shown in my display case, and this model of yours shows many of the faults with mine. As others have stated. you simply don't see too many of these early machines built... Well done with the choice of color. I think it looks fantastic.
"liked"
Those old Hobbycraft kits have issues. Thank you, Louis.
A real beauty, looks great!
Thanks, Robert.
Very sharp build, great paint work on the pilot figure.
Thank you, Dale.
It's a Venturi tube and it is supposed to be there on the V4 and the other prototypes, so attach away in safe knowledge.
This is a very nice result. The Dora Wings early 109s are the best ones out there, accurate and relatively easy. You did good work with this one.
Thank you, Tom
Smooth build, she looks really slick, like a racer.
Thank you, Jimmy.
Looks very nice - and the figure painting is excellent!
Thank you, Greg
Sorry I am a bit late to the party here. It is a great looking 109 you got here, and Silberweiss is very likely the color. The thing sticking out on the left side in the pictures is not a venturi, as can be seen by the shadows it cast, but simply - as suggested - a starter handle. While it is correct a venturi was indeed used on some, it looks very different.
A relatively new book on the 109's in Spain gives some very good and recently researched material on all the 109's used there, even down to a complete file on the early birds with dates and all. Highly reccomended.
Your build is very nice indeed - well done!
Thank you, Erik. What is the name of this book?