Messerschmitt Bf 109G – II/JG 52, Luftwaffe, Gerhard Barkhorn, with 3 Figures. 1/32 Scale Displayed

Corgi Aviation Archive 1/32 scale US34903: Messerschmitt Bf 109G of II/JG 52, Luftwaffe, Gerhard Barkhorn, with 3 diecast crew Figures. Limited Edition of 2,200 models, intended primarily for US issue. Highly sought after.

Length 11.25 inches Wingspan 12.5 inches

Please note: Model has been on display. The undercarriage has been replaced and repainted, does not stay fully retracted. Box has very minor crushes to upper and lower left lid corners. Photos of actual model.

In 1938, Gerhard Barkhorn joined the Luftwaffe and saw action in the Battle of Britain. The Me 109 was his favourite aircraft. Barkhorn flew over 1100 combat missions, was shot down nine times and scored 300 victories. After the war he rose to become a General Major in the West German Bundesluftwaffe.

Designed to meet a Luftwaffe need for a single-seat fighter/interceptor, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was first flown on May 28th, 1935. Its all-metal construction, closed canopy and retractable gear made the Bf 109 one of the first true modern fighters of WWII. This versatile aircraft served in many roles and was the most produced aircraft of the war and the backbone of the Luftwaffe, and was flown by Germany’s top three aces, who claimed a total of 928 victories between them. Armed with two cannons and two machine guns, the Bf 109’s design underwent constant revisions, which allowed it to remain competitive until the end of the war.