Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6
Focke-Wulf Ta 152 H

EagleCals Decals
1/32, 1/48 or 1/72 scales

Reviewed by Rob Baumgartner

Eagle Cals #132 and 133 are available online from Squadron.com

Luftwaffe subjects are always popular with decal manufacturers and here are two more interesting releases from EagleCals.

They represent perennial favourites with one being the proverbial “workhorse”, the other a late war “too little too late” candidate.

The first thing you notice is the artwork, and as usual it’s more inspiring stuff from Tom Tullis. Both upper and lower images are catered for so that there is no confusion regarding the colours that these machines wore. As well as a discussion on each aircraft offered, the instruction sheet also contains a three-view drawing for the location of the stencil data.

Enough is provided for a single aircraft but there should be plenty left over as not all aircraft carried a full complement of stenciling. There are instances where a machine could have carried any one of two or three different styles of the same marking. In these cases, the manufacturer has given us the different decals to make the choice ourselves.

Each item was surrounded by a minimum of carrier film which is thin enough to almost disappear on the finished product. The colours were in perfect register and the small print on the stenciling was sharp enough to be read clearly under magnification. Where appropriate, decals are supplied for the spinner which greatly eases the task of painting these spirals.

A bonus with these releases is the extra sheets of information provided for the modeller. In the case of the Ta 152 it’s 13 additional colour photographs that show close-ups of the not so well known decal locations.

These releases from EagleCals carry a variety of interesting subjects so there should be something to please everybody.

EagleCals #132 Bf 109 G-6

• Bf 109 G-6 , “Yellow 1” of  9./JG 52, Rumania, June 1944

  Erich Hartmann flew this recently discovered aircraft and it is believed that he used it for his 250th victory on 4 June 1944. The small red “2” inside the yellow “1” suggests that it could have been his reserve machine.

  Upper surfaces are finished in RLM 74/RLM 75 with the undersides in RLM 76.

• Bf 109 G-6, “White 12” of II./JG 51, Central Italy

  Flown by Hans Langer, this interesting G-6 had “NOT YOU” painted across the tailplane. This addition was not authorized by the pilot who promptly got shot down by P-38s on his next mission. Langer survived and naturally directed his crew chief to never paint any such inscriptions on his machine again.

  The colours worn by this aircraft are as above except for the fuselage band is white.

• Bf 109 G-6, “White 7” of II./JG 51, Nisch Airfield, Yugoslavia

  This similarly marked aircraft was the mount of Oberfähnrich Elias Kühlein.  Photographs show a short antenna mast, DF loop and FuG 25a antennas all intact. Galland style late armour plate is fitted as is an ETC rack and drop tank.

  Once again we find it wearing the standard camouflage scheme of RLM 74/75/76. This colourful aircraft comes complete with yellow undercowl, fuselage band, spinner and machine gun bulges. The latter can be seen resplendent with extra “vision”.

EagleCals #133 Ta 152 H

• Ta 152 H-0, “Green 6”, W. Nr. 150004, Stab JG 301, Leck, Germany

  Listed as a factory test machine, this aircraft is assumed to have had a pressurized canopy and carries a red and white striped FuG 16zy antenna.

  Colours consist of RLM 82/83 uppersurfaces, black exhaust panel, and a spinner with a black and white spiral. Red and yellow JG 301 fuselage bands add extra colour as does the green horizontal bar and number. Lower surfaces are RLM 76 but note that the rear half of the wing is natural metal.

• Ta 152 H-0, “Yellow/White 7”, W. Nr. 150007,Factory codes CW + CG, Alteno then Stendal

  No pressurized canopy on this machine as images shows a single piece of Plexiglas with no pellets. While at Alteno in February 1945, it wore a yellow “7” and horizontal bar as part of 11./JG 301. Later the tactical number changed to white and after March 1945 the horizontal bar changed to green as it was transferred to the Stabschwarm.

  Camouflage is the expected RLM 82/83 over RLM 76 with black exhaust panel, red and yellow fuselage bands and a white spiral on the black spinner. Note that EagleCals should be applauded for supplying the windscreen heating elements in decal form.

• Ta 152 H-0, “Yellow 1” and “Yellow 2”, 11./JG 301, February 1945, Alteno Airfield, Germany  

  Not a lot is known about these aircraft but they are assumed to have pressurized canopies.
  As in all the other cases above, the upper camouflage of RLM 82/83 wraps over the leading edge of the wing which has its undersurfaces finished in RLM 76. The obligatory JG 301 bands encircle the fuselage and the horizontal bar is the expected yellow variety.

These sheets are a real treat for Luftwaffe fans.

It’s obvious that a lot of effort has gone into their production and this is reflected in the sheets themselves as well as the instructions. The artwork is some of the best on the subject and the inclusion of all that stencil data is icing on the cake.

These sheets provide enough diversity for anyone to find a scheme worthy of their next subject.

Thanks to Eagle Editions for the review samples

EagleCals decals are available from Eagle Editions Website

Preview Text Copyright © 2011 by Rob Baumgartner
This Page Created on 4 July, 2011
Last updated 4 July, 2011

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