Book Review: Messerschmitt Me 109T: The Luftwaffe's Naval Fighter
By Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Title: Messerschmitt Me 109T: The Luftwaffe's Naval Fighter
Author: Marek J. Murawski
ISBN: 978-83-60445-83-9
Cost: $28.99
The Messerschmitt Bf-109T, or Toni, was originally
designed to be flown from the German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin. With the cancellation of the carrier the
fighters, which were essentially long winged Bf-109E-4s, were allocated to various units and fought on until
the end of the war. This book follows both the carrier and the 109 from conception until the end.
This soft bound book contains numerous black and white photos and ten full color plates. The pictures are
large and very clear, perfect for the modeler who wants to make a Toni. The text is on 50 pages and is easy to
read. Included are several personal accounts which adds to the story of this particular machine. There are a few
previously unpublished photos included and these are a welcom addition. Also included in the color plates is a
fold out section with two large aircraft profiles, one being the flame nosed aircraft of Oblt. Christmann. I noted that
this particular profile did not have the 4th Gruppe symbol or the yellow tail band but it is still quite colorful.
Another section of the book that I found interesting was the line drawings. The drawings are 1/72nd and include
everything from the prototypes to the operational machines. Modelers will find these particularly interesting as they
have the rivet patterns, which seems to be the rage these days, making this an essential modeler reference. The
drawings cover every variant of the Toni and the developmental history of the aircraft.
A nice addition is the inclusion of canopy masks for the 1/48th Tamiya and the ICM 1/72nd Bf-109E4/7. They
will simplify the task that I hate the most about modeling.
The interesting text, great photos, good color profiles, and excellent drawings, not to mention the masks,
makes this book an outstanding value. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Aeroplane Books for the review copy. You can obtain your copy by contacting them through their
website at http://www.aeroplanebooks.com/ . Make sure you tell
them you heard about it here. Here is the direct link to this book:
https://www.aeroplanebooks.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=&idproduct=49140
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