JSI Aircraft 60025
Messerschmitt Bf 109E Display Model
Luftwaffe JG 26 Schlageter, Adolf Galland, Audembert, France, Battle of Britain, 1940 | Limited Edition
1200
Pieces Worldwide |
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| 1:18 Scale | | Length | | Width |
|---|
| Messerschmitt Bf 109E | | 20" | | 22" |
Adolf Galland was the most famous German ace of the Second World War. He enlisted in the secret Luftwaffe in 1933. Assigned to JG 27, Galland began scoring victories on 12 May 1940 during the German invasion of Belgium. Twelve victories in the Battle of France led to his promotion to Major and leadership of III/JG 26 "Schlageter". Galland became the second-ranking German ace behind his friend and rival, Werner Moelders. On I August Galland had 17 victories, and Generalfeldmarschall Kesselring awarded him the Ritterkreuz, or Knight's Cross, previously awarded only to Moelders among fighter pilots. In the thick of the Battle of Britain, Galland shot down three British fighters on three occasions--15 August, 31 August and 18 September. On 17 August Galland was summoned to a meeting with Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering at Goering's estate in Germany. Goering made Galland Geschwaderkommodore, or Wing Commander, of JG 26. The short range of the 109's, which had been designed as interceptors, limited their combat time over southeast Britain to 10-20 minutes, and on one occasion Galland crossed the Channel on fumes, gliding to a crash-landing on the beach at Cap Gris Nez. Galland's most famous moment came in September when Goering visited the fighter unit commanders in France. First Goering angrily criticized them for allowing British Spitfires and Hurricanes to shoot down so many German bombers. Then he asked Galland what he needed to defeat the Royal Air Force. Galland answered, "I'd like Spitfires for my Geschwader." Goering left in a fury. But Galland remained in favor, because by 23 September he had reached 40 victories. Hitler honored him by spending Christmas Day 1940 in company with Galland and JG 26. Following the death of Werner Moelders, on 28 November 1941 Galland was forced to abandon combat flying to become Inspekteur der Jagdfleiger, or Commander of Fighters, with the rank of Generalmajor. In January 1945 his volatile relationship with Goering soured, and Galland returned to combat with a special unit of Me 262 jet fighters. Galland was recruited to organize the air force of Argentina in 1947 and came home to Germany in 1955. With the publication of his autobiography, The First and the Last, he became celebrated around the aviation world. Adolf Galland died in 1996 .
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. © Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
The JSI Aircraft range presents highly-detailed, ready-made plastic models of military aircraft in 1:18 scale. Their large size allows for a large number of articulated features while their plastic construction helps keeps their weight down to a reasonable level.
JS International display airplanes feature:
- Molded plastic construction with some snap-fit assembly required.
- Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
- Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.
- Opening canopies, revealing detailed cockpit interiors.
- Selected moveable control surfaces.
- Functional extending/retracting landing gear with rolling wheels.
- Authentic detachable ordnance loads complete with placards.
DISCLAIMER - Please Read
Please keep in mind that large scale plastic models are not scaled-up versions of their smaller diecast cousins. They are pre-assembled from a large number of components and production compromises are often made to keep them within reach of the casual collector's budget. Factory painting, glueing and alignment discrepencies are often visible upon close inspection. The models arrive paritially deconstructed and do require time to un-package and assemble prior to display. Assembly mostly consists of pushing together snap-fitting parts, although a little attention with a sharp hobby knife and/or superglue is sometimes required to achieve the best fit.
In summary, with a little effort, these models can make fantastic, attention-grabbing showpieces from a reasonable viewing distance. Up close however, their more toy-like qualities will become apparent. We regret that we are unable to accept returns on these items for minor fit and finish issues.
© Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
