Hobby Boss 81792 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter was the mainstay of the German fighter force in World War II. Designed by Dr. Messerschmitt and completed in the early 1930s, it was one of the first truly modern fighters, characterized by an all-metal fuselage, low-wing monoplane, enclosed cockpit, and retractable landing gear. Having survived the Spanish Civil War, and even as fighter aircraft entered the jet age towards the end of World War II, the Bf 109 remained a mainstay of the German Air Force's fighter force.

The E-4 eliminated the cannon running through the engine's central axis. MG FF/M machine guns were mounted on the wings, enhancing firepower, and the cockpit canopy shape was modified. It first appeared in July 1940 and served as a mainstay in the Battle of Britain. Statistics on fighter pilot losses show that in the first half of 1940 alone, 249 E-1s, 32 E-3s, and 344 E-4s were lost. Upgrading the Bf 109E-3 to E-4 standards was relatively easier, and many older aircraft underwent similar upgrades.