Hasegawa 1/32 ME-109G-14/AS finished!

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
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This is my recently completed Hasegawa 1/32 ME-109G-14/AS, converted from the 109G-10. I began this kit in 2008 for the Reich Defender GB, and put it aside after becoming frustrated with it. I was having difficulty getting the fuselage seams sorted out, and finally gave up on it. I actually broke the thing in half right behind the cockpit, and then split the fuselage lengthwise, removing the cockpit for use on a future kit. One day a while back, I decided to try it again. I used a ton of CA glue to glue it all back together. A daunting task to begin with as the now broken fuselage was a mess- wish I had taken photos of it then but I didn’t as I didn’t want to document the failure!

Built mostly OOB, adding seatbelts, antenna, and brake lines. Painted with Tamiya acrylics, and decals from Eagle Editions. I also drilled out the kit exhausts, opened up the four small scoops on the nose, the recesses in the main gear bays, re-positioned the elevators, added bracing wires inside the radiators and oil cooler. A few other small scratchbuilt details were added like parts for the gunsight, in-cockpit fuel line, canopy release lever, etc.

The main landing gear and wheels are painted red, as found on a number of these aircraft. While the exact reason is not certain, many speculate that they were done this way to alert the ground crew that the engines on these machines required 100 octane (C3) fuel.

Comments and constructive criticism welcomed!

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2

Frank, simply superb work, as usual. Your weathering is really effective, not too heavy, not too light, really adds to the realism.

Always love to see your stuff, but a 109 is just icing on the cake. [:D[

3

That looks just beautful. Even more impressive that you had to repaire so much damage. You would never know.

4

Simply beautiful…great job. Glad you made your way back to it…

5

Sweet 109 Frank. I like those markings.

6

WOW that is some kinda wonderful. Never bnow she was cracked open like a walnut.

7

Nice save Frank [Y]. Beautiful Gustav.

Regards, Rick

8

OUTSTANDING!!! That is an awesome 109 Frank! I have never seen one with red landing gears. Great work and PM inbound.

9

Thanks for the comments fellas, I appreciate the feedback! I had honestly given up on this one, so it sure is nice to see it in the display case. My first 1/32 kit to boot!

10

Very nice!!! Really like the paint job and markings. Really nice.

11

I also read that one other reason was that some types of their synthetic rubber had a red tint to it… Wonder which is which, or if both applied…

Anyway, she’s a fine build… Question: What were the main exterior differences (visual, that is) between the G-10 and G-14? I’m thinkin’ the G-10 is the one called “Der Bulle” (The Bump) caused by the big fairings over the gun breeches… Am I tracking right?

Another question, regarding Hasegawa… What’s the price tag on that one? Is it comparable to the Revell 1/32 kit (like within 10-15.00 or so) or a lot higher?

12

Very nice—didn’t Walter Oeseau die in a plane marked like this?

13

Thought he would have had GeschwaderKommodore chevon/bars… Or wasn’t he flying his own aircraft at the time?

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My bad; it was “Green 13”:

While the Geschwaderkommodore of JG 1 he frequently received his share of Hermann Göring’s frustration over the failure to beat off the Allied bomber offensive. Göring questioned the commitment of Geschwaderkommodore that were not flying regularly and leading their respective units. There was an automatic ban on further combat flying by Oesau since his 100th kill. He ignored the ban and continued to lead missions. It was probably lifted temporarily or bypassed when he was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of JG 1.[6]

He added several victories over American heavy bombers in the first five months of 1944. On 11 May 1944 one thousand U.S. heavy bombers from Eighth Air Force attacked railway targets in Eastern France and North East Belgium. They were escorted by even more numbers of P-38 and P-51 fighters. Oesau was in bed with influenza. Upon hearing the news, Göring phoned Oesau’s staff[6]

Göring – “Is the Kommodore flying?”
Staff – “No, he is in bed with fever.”
Göring – “Yes, yes, I know that kind”, said Göring scornfully,
Göring – “he has also turned tired and coward!”[6]

Angered by this comment, Oesau took off in Bf 109 G-6/AS “Green 13” (Wing Number 20601) from Paderborn despite a high fever. Leading three aircraft of the Geschwaderstab, the schwarm broke formation over the Ardennes as it approached the bombers. In the dogfight Oesau’s wingman reported damage to his machine and he was ordered to break off. Left alone, Oesau faced P-38s and possibly P-51s as well. According to Major Hartmann Grasser, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 1, who was on the same mission, there were five P-38s facing Oesau.[2][6]

What followed is unclear as there are several versions. Oesau was chased by 1st Lt. James Leslie Doyle, 1st Lt. Wilbur L. Jarvis III and 1st Lt. James C. Austin, of the 428th Fighter Squadron (474th FG, 9th AF). All three were experienced pilots and chased Oesau from 28,000 feet to tree-top level. In the ensuing 20 minute dogfight, Oesau defended skillfully, though his aircraft was damaged by gunfire. While attempting an emergency landing, his Gustav received a final burst of fire in the cockpit area and crashed into the ground 6 miles south west of St. Vith. His body was thrown clear of the aircraft some yards away.[2][6][9]


The Dithmarscher Landesmuseum in Meldorf.

According to the “Eighth Air Force Mission Folder for 11 May 1944, Mission 351”, Lt. Doyle engaged in a turning dogfight with a pair of Bf 109s, scoring hits on the leader. Doyle had then broken off combat without claiming a kill, unaware that his victim, Oesau, had been killed by a 20 mm shell. Doyle’s kill had been the first kill of the 474th Fighter Group in its first combat with the Luftwaffe.[20]

There is some dispute regarding who exactly shot down his fighter. Some sources claim that he was shot during the dogfight and while the aircraft was falling to the ground, he was shot at again a few feet above ground, possibly by the Mustangs of 354th FG. Lt Wilbur Jarvis, No. 2 in the flight led by Doyle received a Damaged credit (not a kill) for Oesau’s aircraft. Doyle noted bullet damage in the cockpit area and his gun camera footage showed that it was Oesau’s Green 13. German records indicated that his death was caused by an explosive shell in the cockpit, his body having several bullet wounds. Later an image from the Gun camera was published (without caption) that purportedly showed Oesau’s aircraft from the right side.[21][22][23]

Oesau was aged 30 at the time of his death. He had a total of 127 kills gained over 300 missions. 27 were Spitfires, 14 four-engined bombers, 44 were scored on the Eastern front and 9 in the Spanish Civil War. In recognition of his record, JG 1 received the title Oesau in honor of its fallen Geschwaderkommodore. Only Werner Mölders had a similar honor with JG 51 Mölders. Walter Oesau is buried in Meldorf, close to his birth place and the town museum (Dithmarscher Landesmuseum) has documented his last journey in pictures.[2][3][6][12]

15

So his personal aircraft survived the day, he didn’t, and for all practical purposes, Dicke Hermann murdered him…

16

Actually it was his personal a/c—he was one of the handful of German CO’s who dispensed of the chevrons in favor of using numeric codes for even group and wing leaders…he also was not a big fan of personal emblems or kill markings…

17

Ahh, gotcha… Thanks…

18

Very nice build Frank-glad that you stuck with it.

19

Hans- According to my references, the only distinguishable differences between the G-10 and the G-14/AS are the location of the oil filler hatch (the -10 had it in the upper position, while the -14/AS had it in the lower position like most G-6 and G-14s)) and the cold-start access panel on the starboard side of the cowling.

Basically, to model a G-14/AS fill the upper oil access hatch on the very front of the nose port side, and rescribe it lower (just above the small fairing on the nose). Then, on the starboard cowling, fill the upper cold start circular access panel and rescribe it in the lower position. Otherwise, the two aircraft are virtually identical.

As far as the prices on these kits, I have seen them on Ebay for about 50 bucks plus shipping. I really liked the kit (despite my every attempt to destroy it LOL) and would recommend it for anyone wanting a good looking 109 in 1/32 scale. The Hasegawa 109G and K’s are pretty good, but their new “F” has a lot of refinements to the basic 1/32 Hasegawa 109 kit. I can’t wait to get started on that one!

Manny- Thank you for that explanation, I really enjoyed reading it! I always like reading bits of history on these pilots. According to the decal sheet from Eagle Editions, the plane was flown by Lt. Willi Trabert of 11./ JG 300.

20

Many G-14’s also had short tails…also, only the G-10 and K-4 had the larger tyres and bigger fairings on the wings…109’s are a lot like Shermans—you can spend a lifetime studying them and still not know every production nuance…

The interesting thing about the AS a/c is that they go as far back as the G-5…I modeled a very obscure 109 awhile back which is a G-5 AS, which I did not not even existed until I saw it in a ref book:

This 109 belonged to the CO of JG11 in early '44…check out that funky belly tank…