This is the 21st Century Toys 1/32 Bf109G-14 kit ‘tweaked’ to represent the similar late-model G-6 that was the final mount of Finnish fighter ace (and Mannerheim Cross recipient) Nils ‘Nipa’ Katajainen. Katajainen was escorting bombers on an anti-shipping strike in this aircraft in July 1944, and had just shot down a Yak-9 when he was hit by defensive fire from the ships below, severely damaging the plane. After managing to nurse it back to his base he was forced to try to belly-land at high speed, and instead bounced and cartwheeled, losing both wings and engine before careening to a stop. Miraculously, ‘Nipa’ was pulled from the wreckage alive; after some months in hospital he was promoted in rank and discharged from the air force, and subsequently made a Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, Finland’s highest decoration for military valor. He was credited with 35.5 aerial victories during 196 wartime missions.
After the war, he served in the civil service in Helsinki, passing away in 1997.
This was part of the ‘Aces On the Wrong Side of History’ GB.
