Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 'Weekend Edition'

Inside the box you will find one clear and four dark grey-coloured sprues, there are no paint masks or resin, but unusually Eduard have included a small photo-etched fret containing nine parts and a template. The surface detail of the plastic combines fine engraved panel lines with fasteners and all the rivets. There are few unwanted parts on the sprues in this particular variant, head armour, spinner etc., plus a windscreen and main canopy element that are also unused here. The decals also make up for the lack of etched in that there are ones for the seat belts, as well as optional ones for the instrument panel and side consoles. If you want the bomb arming panel below the main instrument panel, them you will have to make this from plasticard. The panel itself is given as a decal, you will just have to follow the dimensions given in the instructions to cut the actual panel itself out o plasticard. The Eduard E-series has a complete engine, so you have to decide if you want it covered or exposed, as there are things that have to be fitted if you go wit the latter that can't be there with the former (personal experience means that I would recommend extreme caution when assembling the engine bearers, as the lower struts (#E26) are fragile and tricky). The fitment of the individual exhausts stacks is well illustrated in the instructions, which is just as well as they fit from back to front, so take note. All flaps, slats, ailerons, elevators and rudder are separate and you have the option of the tropical intake on the supercharger with an etched grill effect; It is good to see Eduard not 'scrimping' on these Weekend Edition kits by just ignoring the need for such components. One option comes with the ER-series rack under the fuselage and this is where the other etched parts come into play, as they offer the fins for each of the four SC50 bombs, whilst the final etched part is a template to ensure you get these all at 90º to each other. 

Colour Options
The kit offers the following decal options: 
• Bf 109E-7/B, S9+AS of 8./ZG1, Belgorod, Russia, June 1942
• Bf 109E-7/Z, W/Nr.7677, 'White 8', flown by Oblt Josef Priller, CO of 1./JG26, St Omer, France, June 1941
• Bf 109E-7/Trop, 'Black 1', flown by Hptm. Erich Gerlitz, CO of 2./JG27, Ain-el-Gazala, Libya, summer 1941
• Bf 109E-7, W/Nr.3523, 'Red 6', flown by Lt Wolf-Dietric Widowitz, 5./JG5, Petsamo, Finland, April 1942
The decal sheets, which are printed by Eduard, are excellent and have perfect register and colour density. You get all the unique markings plus a set of national insignia, although the Nazi swastikas are included in two forms; those in the main body of the sheet are in two parts, whilst those on the lower right hand corner are complete, but will be clipped off in those nations that ban the Nazi symbol. There is also a separate sheet containing a complete set of airframe stencils.

Conclusion
This is an excellent kit and it's nice to have it available in the simplified Weekend Edition range . It offers one of the best E-7 options out there and it is highly recommended to all Bf 109 fans and Luftwaffe modellers in general.

Our thanks to Eduard (www.eduard.com) for the review sample, UK modellers can obtain this kit from Hannants here.