Warpaint Books

Special #2, Messerschmitt Bf-109

Edited by  Alan W. Hall

Reviewed By  John Vitkus, IPMS# 30013

MSRP: £18.50 Some 20 years ago, I saw an intriguing photograph of a Messerschmitt Bf-109F parked next to a 1940 Ford convertible somewhere in Russia. What an opportunity for a unique diorama! I despaired of ever seeing the photo again, but thanks to Warpaint Special No. 2, now I have it again. This is just one of 101 photographs (22 of them in color) that appear in this 96-page, A4-size (297mm X 210mm, about 11-3/4" X 8-1/4") book. The photos-some familiar, many new - are well chosen to document the development of this amazing fighter. They represent all variants of this aircraft, from the initial Bf-109V1 prototype to postwar Spanish Ha.1112s. Captions to the photos are informative and detailed, though one recurring mistake I noticed is that a light color in a B/W photo that is almost certainly yellow (for example, the rudder/elevators on a Bf-109E from Operation Marita or a fuselage band on Finnish Bf-109G) is occasionally interpreted as white. But this is a mere nitpick in what are otherwise very well written and comprehensive photo and profile artwork captions. Documentation for the modeler and historian is also greatly aided by the thoughtful inclusion of three full-color charts: (1) command insignia and staffel colors/symbols; (2) 40 color patches illustrating colors worn by Bf-109s, both official RLM hues as well as locally applied colors, and (3) a color illustration showing full stencil placement for the Bf-109E. Helpful as these photos and charts are, the clear highlight of this volume is the stunning artwork - stunning for both its high quality as well as its sheer number. Excellently rendered color profiles are provided for no less than 258 separate 109s. Yes, two hundred and fifty-eight! If that weren't enough, 22 of these are rendered in full 4-view, allowing the reader access to the top, bottom, and both sides of the aircraft in question. A further 30 subjects are provided with some extra illustration, usually a top view. The final artistic touch is the addition of 73 separate drawings of official unit insignia or personal artwork. The subjects of these profiles run the gamut from prototypes with civilian registrations, prewar Luftwaffe and Legion Condor machines, Luftwaffe planes from all fronts of WWII from the invasion of Poland to the fall of Berlin, machines captured by the Americans, British, and Soviets, several aircraft in foreign markings (Bulgarian, Czechoslovak, Finnish, Hungarian, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Romanian, Swiss, and Yugoslav) as well as postwar Merlin-powered movie planes painted to represent Battle of Britain Messerschmitts and even Polish-flown Hurricanes! Every illustration, large or small, is accompanied by a well written and informative caption. When I first received this book from John Noack and flipped through the pages, I was spellbound by the color profiles that just kept coming and coming. If a modeler isn't motivated to build a 109 by this artwork, then it is unlikely if he or she will ever get motivated. This superb artwork is accompanied by ten pages of text describing the developmental and operational history of this remarkable aircraft. How does one cover a 20+year career of 30,000+ airframes in 10 pages? Poorly is the answer, at least in this case. A charitable description of the text is that it is unsophisticated, both in its very basic level and its style. I doubt the reader will glean anything new from the text unless he or she has no prior knowledge of the Bf-109 (an unlikely occurrence for someone willing to spend $35-$45). Another puzzlement is the inclusion of stencil diagrams for the E model only. Although stencils are likely similar across variants, I do know that there are some differences (e.g., the wing-walk panels). But I don't want to bite the hand that feeds me; I'm happy to have the diagram for the Emil. But let me be clear here. The fabulous artwork and excellent captions well outweigh the limitations of the text and make this volume well worth the price. Enthusiastically recommended. See www.warpaint-books.com for a complete listing of titles offered, including Specials No. 1 (P-47 Thunderbolt) and No. 3 (Mosquito). Thanks to Warpaint Books via John Noack for the review sample.

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