Tamiya 300060755 300060755-1:72 ME-BF 109E-4/7 Trup aircraft standing model faithful replica plastic kit crafts model kit assembly unpaintedDuring the first half of the Second World War the Messerschmitt Bf109 E was the main fighter of the German airforce. The E-4 housed a 1100hp Daimler Benz DB 601Aa engine and was armed with two 7.92mm machine guns on the nose as well as a 20mm cannon on each wing. For some aircraft bullet-proof glass was used to reinforce the front of the canopy. In addition a 20mm canon which ran through a tube in the propeller was supposed to be installed but was unsuccessful. Displaying superb acceleration and diving ability the E-type planes overpowered the RAF's Hawker hurricane and equaled the Spitfire fighters in the Battle of Britain. However with a flight range of only 560km the E-4 planes were limited to just fifteen minutes of combat over British skies. Thus the bombers were not given sufficient support and sustained heavy damage. As a result the Luftwaffe's strategy to bomb England into surrender ended in failure. To deal with this drawback the E-4 planes were equipped with additional 300L fuel tank. These improved fighters called E-7 were first deployed at the end of 1940. After the Battle of Britain the E-4/7 planes were sent to the front lines of Northern Africa. As the Bf109 F-type fighter's production was advanced the E-4/7 was retired from the front lines. However some veteran pilots continued to use the E-4/7 mainly for ground support duty until the summer of 1942.
