Messerschmit Bf 109 F (Yellow Series)

This is the 33rd book (No. 6133) in MMP's long running "Yellow Series". Uniform with others in the series, the book is a 6-1/2" x 9" (European B5) sized, square bound card cover of 128 pages. Unusually, there are no unbound foldouts but there is a bound foldout, equivalent to 8 additional pages. There is color throughout in addition to a colorized photo on the cover.The author this time is Robert Michulec who will be familiar to readers of books from AJ Press, but not perhaps to readers of books from MMP. He wrote a 6 volume work on the Bf 109 for AJ Press (in Polish, condensed to 3 volumes in a rather rough English translation). Interestingly, at AJ Press the aircraft was referred to the Me 109 and Michulec defended that usage. Here, it's back to the conventional usage of Bf 109.The book is divided into three parts. First, there is an excellent design and development history which is excellently supported by black and white photographs. This covers all aspects of the Bf 109F, including the various subtypes and Rustzatz and Rustzustand modifications, tropical and GM 1-boosted versions, research efforts, production details, and more. There are also plenty of line drawings but all in 1/48th scale (the cover blurb about 3 scales shown on the Amazon cover shot does not appear on the actual product). In addition, there are some computer generated CAD drawings of the various cowlings and the tropical modification. There is also a color cockpit drawing on the foldout which appeared in the author's AJ Press books. It is of high quality but lacks the key identifying the various features.The second part of the book contains the color profiles, some with plan views. This section is about 25 pages long. It is supplemented by a gigantic color profile that stretches across 4 pages on one side of the foldout. All appears to be of excellent quality.The third part consists of close up photographs of surviving examples. These are supplemented not only by drawings from the contemporary technical literature but by more CAD drawings. There are also some period black and white photographs.Highly recommended. You can't have too many books about the Bf 109. Indeed, the appetite for books about any German aircraft of this period seems to be insatiable. I hope there are plans for Michulec to produce books about other Bf 109 versions. The E and G models were covered in the earliest books in this series but could use a thorough makeover.

It is my opinion that a 109 fanatic like me can never have enough books on the subject. I have many that I have collected over the last 40 years. This book includes detailed drawings and information, as well as B/W and color photos, that will not be found elsewhere. Great color camouflage side and full views as well. A great 109F reference that belongs in your 109 library.

Excellent book for the historian and modeler...

The Messerschmitt Bf 109F or Friedrich version was a major redesign of the aircraft. It was a follow on to the E (Emil) version used during the Battle of Britain. It had a completely redesigned wing to improve the aerodynamics and the guns in the wings were removed to be replaced by a 15 or 20 mm cannon mounted between the cylinder banks and firing through the propeller hub. (In spite of many stories about the nose mounted cannon being used during the battle of Britain, only a very few 109F models were used at the very end of the battle.) Of course the 109F had a more powerful engine than the 109E. All of the main fighters of World War II started with engines of about 1,000 horsepower and finished the war with 2,000 hp engines. The Bf 109F is considered by many to be the high point of the Bf 109 development. The following version the Bf 109G Gustav, differed from the Bf 109F only in minor details.This book tells the complete story of the Bf 109F from its original design, prototypes, and series production. As with all of the books from this publisher the book is profusely illustrated with many photographs dating from World War II and a detail section at the end of the book that shows numerous photographs taken of existing planes in museums attempting to show the details of every part of the plane.

The 'F' or 'Friedrich' variant of the celebrated Messerschmitt fighter entered serice with Kanalgeschwader JG 2 during March 1941 and presented a number of enhancements over the successive improvements introduced to the venerable "Emil" with which the Jagdwaffe had gone to war over Poland. The basic Bf 109 airframe had undergone a redesign with the aim of improving aerodynamic efficiency especially in the area of the wing and tailplane. Both spinner and wingtips were rounded and more streamlined and the Emil's horizontal stabilizer brace supports had been eliminated. In addition the tail wheel was now fully retractable. However the Friedrich did not feature wing armament and weight of fire was thus reduced in comparison to the older sub-type. There were also some structural issues with early examples, a number of pilots being lost after tearing the wings off in high 'G' manoeuvres. The most notable loss was JG 2 Kommodore Wilhelm Balthasar on 3 July 1941. Despite this, the first Bf 109 F-2s in service on the Channel Front gave the RAF a pretty hard time. On 23 July 1941, two Circuses were mounted for actual losses of 15 Spitfires and a single Hurricane shot down - the "Richthofen" claimed no less than fourteen Spitfires during Circus No. 59 (from 13:14 to 13:30) and fourteen more (plus a Hurricane ) during Circus N ° 60 (from 20:55 to 20:20)! This new work from Mushroom looks at the Friedrich in detail and features some very nice profile artwork, handbook drawings, museum walk-arounds and some interesting text in a handy A-5 format. If you are a well-read enthusiast then you may have seen much of it before but it is nonetheless hard to resist when it is this well done and, in this easy-to-read format, great for the morning commute. Recommended - and please hurry up with the Hs 123 book, Roger!

Ein sehr gutes Buch über die BF 109 F-Version, mit insbes. vielen farbigen Tarnmuster der versch. JG. Sehr gute Deteilzeichnngen oder Fotos von fast allen Bauteilen der "F" auch als Jagdbomber. Mit diesem Buch wäre es fast möglich, eine Originalmaschinen zu bauen!! Für Modellbauer sowieso bestens. Sehr zu empfehlen.

Als Modellbauer bin ich über die Darstellung der schönsten 109-Variante sehr zufrieden. Darstellung der F-Untervarianten, der Farbrisse usw. sehr gut. Das Buch ist sein Geld wert.

Another book from MMP that should have been in A4 size. Major criticism outside of this is that there are no new pictures, all are well known and because the stupid small format they are reproduced too small.. On the plus side is excellent profiles and plans. If you have other books devoted to the Bf-109F you will find very little new here.

Documentation claire nette et préciseBien illustrée.Idéale pour tout maquettiste intéressé par le Bf 109-F, même si le livre est en anglais...