My latest build is one half of a two-fer of essentially the same kit, Tamiya’s 1/48 Bf109E3 in the markings of Luftwaffe ace Adolf Galland.
Going back to my earliest years of building scale models (the Monogram Bf109E), this variant of the Messerschmitt has long been my favorite. When I returned to the hobby in the mid-90s, I built the Hasegawa E3 and had it in a prominent position on my display shelf until it was lost in my mid-2000s shelving collapse. I picked up this kit last year when I saw it in a shop in Plano, Texas. While I knew that I had Tamiya’s E4/7 in my stash, I knew this was Galland’s ride and wanted to build this one.
Paints are largely Vallejo’s RLM65, RLM70, and RLM02, with detail colors coming from Tamiya, AK Interactive Xtreme Metals, and Model Master. I did not build this out of the box, electing to add a cockpit detail set from Quinta Studios and brass gun barrels from Master. I also used a Montex Mini-Mask set for the canopy.
Construction was problem-free, with only a tiny bit of filler needed along a portion of one wing root.
Weathering was a combination of ground pastels, Flory dark dirt wash, and a custom blend of Vallejo paints (black, grey, and brown) for the exhaust stains.
Next up, Trumpeter’s big 1/32 P-47D Thunderbolt.