Messerschmitt Bf 109E – JG 3 Udet, Luftwaffe, Hans von Hahn, Battle of Britain 1940

Corgi Aviation 1/72 scale 49201: Messerschmitt Bf 109E of  JG 3 Udet, Luftwaffe, Hans von Hahn, Battle of Britain 1940. Non limited but with optional undercarriage positions and display stand.

Length 5 inches Wingspan 5.5 inches

The Messerschmitt Bf 109E was the mainstay of the Luftwaffe fighter squadrons during the Battle of Britain. Generally regarded as being at least as effective as the Spitfire, the leading German Messerschmitt pilots were among the best aerial fighters the world had ever seen. Among the many fighter units which utilised the Bf 109E were JG 2 “Richthofen”, JG 26 “Schlageter” (later commanded by Adolf Galland) and the unit which this model came from, JG 3 “Udet”. It was flown by Group Commander Hauptmann Hans “Vati” von Hahn, who ended the war with 34 kills.

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.