Lifelike Decals

1/32 Me 109 Part 2 decal sheet

product # 32-009

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Dec 29 2010

 

This latest release from Lifelike Decals features four different Me 109's flown by Luftwaffe Ace Marseille in desert camo schemes.  This is Part 2 of  a series dealing with the Me 109 in Luftwaffe markings and includes markings for Marseille's own Kubelwagen. 

Hans-Joachim Marseille scored his first victory on Aug 24 1940 during the Battle of Britain.  

Marseille did not take any pleasure in this kill and found it difficult to accept the realities of aerial combat. In a letter to his mother, dated 24 August, he said:

Today I shot down my first opponent. It does not sit well with me. I keep thinking how the mother of this young man must feel when she gets the news of her son's death. And I am to blame for this death. I am sad, instead of being happy about the first victory.

Hans-Joachim Marseille was nicknamed "Star of Africa" for his success as a fighter pilot in North Africa and he died bailing out of his aircraft on Sept 30 1942.  Oddly on his last mission he was escorting Ju-87's  and encountered no enemy aircraft, but for an unknown reason the engine on his new Me 109G-2 began to emit a large amount of smoke into the cockpit requiring his wingman to guide him to friendly territory.  Once safely over friendly territory, he inverted his plane to bail out, but due to the smoke he was unaware that his plane was in a steep inverted dive and gaining speed.  When he bailed out he was hit by the vertical stabilizer, which left him unable to activate his parachute.  His lifeless body was found on the desert floor near the remains of his aircraft.

Marseille's 158th and final victory was Pilot Officer Turvey, who bailed out of his Spitfire VC, BR494 on September 29 1942.

The 4 aircraft featured on this decal sheet were flown by Hans-Joachim Marseille during 1942 and markings for his personal Kubelwagen are also included.  This decal sheet includes the following:

  • Me 109F-4/Trop, W. Nr. 8693 flown by Lt. Hans-Joachim Marseille from Feb 8 - 27 1942 when he had his 52nd victory.

  • Me 109F-4/Trop, W. Nr. 10059 flown by Lt. Hans-Joachim Marseille from Tmimi AB on May 31 1942 when he had his 68th victory.

  • Me 109F-4/Trop, W. Nr. 10137  flown by Oblt. Hans-Joachim Marseille from Gambut AB on June 17 1942 when he had his 101st victory.

  • Me 109F-4/Trop, W. Nr. 8673 flown by Hpt. Hans-Joachim Marseille from Quotaifiya AB on September 15 1942 when he had his 151st victory.

  • Kubelwagen "OTTO" with small animal artwork on the side intertwined with the black "OTTO text.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

The quality of these decals is excellent.  The decals themselves are clearly printed and in perfect register.  Some decals come in 2 layers to ensure perfect registration and solid colour coverage.  I have long admired Hans-Joachim Marseille, so it is with great pleasure that I saw this decal sheet featuring 4 of his planes that he flew in North Africa in 1942 including his final Me 109F-4.  Some of these 4 planes had special modifications including a different antenna or prop etc and this is detailed in the instruction sheet.  There are 4 view line drawings that show the different stencil placement of each of these 4 different aircraft.  This sheet is suitable for the 1/32 Hasegawa Me 109F or the Trumpeter Me 109F kits and the 1/35 Tamiya Kubelwagen.  Another interesting feature is an optional set of crosses for the tops of the wings that replicate some of the black paint peeling away.

You can purchase these decals either directly from Lifelike Decals at fax number is +81-3-5680-6733, and e-mail is lifelike@eos.ocn.ne.jp. or from HobbyLink Japan.    

Other shops that stock Life like Decals are *Hannants/UK, *Mister Kit/Italy, *Revi (publisher)/Czech Republic, *SkyGrid/Canada, *Roll Models/USA, *Great Models Webstore/USA, *FlightDecs/Canada, *Victory Models/USA
*M & Models/USA, *
Zed Hobbies/Australia, *AB &S Enterprise/Australia, *Desert Miniature/USA 

This is a great decal sheet and just what you want if you are planning on building an Me 109F-4 Trop and you want to add yellow 14 to your display case.  

I would like to thank Lifelike Decals for providing me with this review sample.

Steve

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford