Messerschmitt Bf 109E Diecast Model
Luftwaffe I./LG, Herbert Ihlefeld
Limited Edition

The Bf 109 was the backbone of the Luftwaffe fighter force in World War II, although it began to be partially replaced by the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 from 1941. The Bf 109 was the most successful fighter of World War II, shooting down more aircraft than any of its contemporaries. Originally conceived as an interceptor, it was later developed to fulfill multiple tasks, serving as bomber escort, fighter bomber, day-, night- all-weather fighter, bomber destroyer, ground-attack aircraft, and as reconnaissance aircraft. Although the Bf 109 had weaknesses, including short range and challenging take off and landing characteristics, it stayed competitive with Allied fighter aircraft until the end of the war.

Messerschmitt Bf 109E

Designed by Willy Messerschmitt during Germany's military build-up in the 1930s, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was first flown on May 28th, 1935. Messerschmitt engineers placed a big 12-cylinder engine in a small airframe, and made that airframe easy to produce and repair. Armed with two cannons and a pair of machine guns, the Bf 109 was the backbone of the Luftwaffe fighter force, shooting down more Allied planes than any other aircraft. The Germans maintained this advantage until the Battle of Britain, where more than 600 Bf-109s were downed by powerful adversaries, most notably RAF Spitfires and the P-51 Mustang.

Corgi’s 1:72 scale Bf 109s are constructed almost entirely of diecast metal, with only the smallest amount of plastic. On most releases the top engine cowing is removable, revealing a detailed inverted Daimler-Benz V-12 engine. A 20mm cannon port—used against enemy bombers—can be seen in the propeller’s spinner. The solid diecast metal wing features simulated fabric-stretched control surfaces with counter balance weights and machine gun barrels protruding through the leading edges. Additionally, the razor-thin braced horizontal stabilizers are diecast metal, a feature uncommon in 1:72 scale. The large “bird-cage” canopy allows for easy viewing of a detailed hand-painted pilot figure.