My father needs the biggest scale possible due to bad eyesight. Any one have any experience or opinions on which one would be a not too difficult build? Thanks.
I wasn’t too impressed with the Airfix one when I built it ages ago. I’m sorry but I don’t have any info on any of the newer ones.
I’ve only built the Airfix as well, and that was 20+ years ago…
As far as I know you have 2 choices the old MPC/airfix bf109E-4 or trumpeter. Trumpeter make a G-2, G-6 early, G-6 late, G-10 and K-4. I can tell you the G-2 and both G-6’s are good kits all in all. The G-10 I do not have. The K-4 has a ton of accuracy problems. This is way I stick with the hasegawa 1/32 K-4’s. The old airfix kit while not up to today standereds can still be built into a nice kit and is not too bad considering it’s age.
Heller made one too, which still pops up on e-bay. Dont know much about Heller, could be the same moulds as the others for all I know. Top engine cowling on my Airfix one was a horrible fit, tried to soften it in warm water, a little TOO warm as it turned out. Needless to say, my 109 now sits without a cowling.
It’s a dinky little aircraft- my 1/72 Avia sits comfortably on a DVD box.
I’ve built the 1/24 Mustang by Trump, Airfix and Heller for various people. So extending the thought, the Airfix had a good engine, the Heller was a different mold but ok, and the Trump airframe and cockpit were the cleanest, but it cost a lot of money.
I would go with 1/32. Among other things, I’m sure that the AM market, even including only decals, is much better, I built the -G by Revell years and years ago and really liked it, but I’m sure that there is much better out there these days.
Because it is a simpler kit with fewer small parts, the Airfix kit will be easier if eyesight is the issue. The Trumpeter kits are very detailed and have a lot of photoetch parts which are difficult for many to work with. The Hasegawa 1/32 kits might be the best compromise because they fit well, they have fewer small parts, and there is not that much difference in overall size of any individual part.
The Heller and Airfix kits are one and the same. They’re good for basic outline accuracy, but detail leaves a lot to be desired. OTOH. they both come with pilot figures, which help to disguise the whole lotta nothing in the cockpit. Wheel wells lack sidewalls and detailing. Bear in mind that back in the early 1970s, when the Airfix kit first came out, it was world-class.
While still in the Catalogue, the Airfix kit hasn’t actually been produced for some years now. in facct, I’m pretty sure that when it was last manufactured, Heller were still priinting Airfix’s decals, so there’s a very good chance that they’ll be out-of-register. If you decide to buy the Airfix kit (and if your father has bad eyesight, the relative simplicity of the Airfix kit, compared to the Trumpeter, is a major plus-point), then you might thnk about investing in this Techmod decal sheet:
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=TM24010
But like the man said, if I was looking for a large-scale Bf.109, I’d go for the Hasegawa 1/32 kits.
Cheers,
Chris.
Man I got to go to bed if it’s up and attem time in Blighty. What are the flightless avians having for breaky? Kippers on toast, I hope. Do they like their coffee with cream, or polar bear milk? I’m sure you are right that the Heller and Airfix are the same. The Heller P-51 has a camera port setup.
My only other 1/24 experience was the Airfix FW-190 which I paid a whole lot of money for back in the 70"s and GAVE away later. The only good bit was the engine.
Hi Bondo,
the Colony had trout toasties for breakfast today, washed down, as ever, with gin. The Airfix 1/24 Bf.109E is a decent kit, unlike their FW.190 which is, in so many ways, a PoS. The only decent bit of it may well be the engine, but since the cowling. Not good. Also not cheap.
Cheers,
Chris.
I built a 109E 20+ years ago in 1/24th scale and it was a beauty. The wing cannon covers came off, the cowling was removable and had a beautiful super detailed cockpit. I think it was Bandai? You might check with eBay, some rare items pop up now and then.