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Code: DM-50153

Status: Sold out - Discontinued
We regret this item is no longer available for sale. Please see the product description for links to similar items we still have available.

Dragon Models 1:72 Warbirds 50153
Diecast Model
Luftwaffe 1./JG 51 Molders, "White 13", Heinz Bar, Battle of Britain, 1940, Bf 109E and Kubelwagen 2-Piece Set

1:72 Scale     Length     Width
Messerschmitt Bf 109E     5"     5.5"
Volkswagen VW 82 Kubelwagen     2"     0.75"

This was the most successful variation of the Messerschmitt Emils used by the fighter groups of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Equipped with improved armament including an addition of two MGFF 20mm cannon with 60 shells each mounted in the wings, the Me 109E-3 became a much formidable fighter than its predecessors.

A major campaign of World War II, the Battle of Britain is the name for the attempt by Germany's Luftwaffe to gain control of British airspace and destroy the Royal Air Force (RAF). Secondary objectives were to destroy aircraft production and intimidate the nation into neutrality or surrender. The campaign was launched as preparation for a planned invasion of Britain called Operation Sea Lion. British historians state the battle ran from 10 July to 31 October 1940, which was the most intense period of daylight air raiding. However, German sources begin the battle in mid-August 1940 and end it in May 1941 on the withdrawal of the bomber units in preparation for the attack on Russia. The Battle of Britain was not the first major battle to be fought entirely in the air, as the British mainland had already suffered a campaign of attacks by Zeppelins and long range bombers during World War I. However, the battle was the largest and most sustained bombing campaign yet attempted and the first real test of the strategic bombing theories that had emerged since the previous World War.

Messerschmitt Bf 109E

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.

Volkswagen VW 82 Kubelwagen

Designed by Ferdinand Porsche as a low-cost and light-weight utility vehicle, the Kubelwagen prototype was completed in 1938 and entered full scale production in February 1940. The chassis design was initially derived from the highly successful Beetle while the bodywork was kept deliberately light-weight and functional. In fact, the name "Kubelwagen" literally translates to "Bucket Seat Car". Unlike the US Jeep, the Kubelwagen was a two-wheel drive vehicle but its high ground clearence and low gearing yielded excellent off-road performance and enabled it to keep pace with marching soldiers. The Kubelwagen was a mainstay of the German Military and saw action in every theater.

Dragon's Bf 109 series includes the early E model and the later aerodynamically improved G model with a "tropical" air filter for tropical/desert theatre releases. This model's optional center mounted drop tank is easy to configure and installs quickly. The one-piece main gear subassembly is robust and easily slips and locks into place. The canopy is configurable and can be displayed in the open position, allowing for easy viewing of the cockpit interior and instrument panel details. The rudders are moveable on both variants as are the flaps on the G model, a feature uncommon in 1:72 scale.