Hobby Master 1/48 HA8767 BF 109G-6 “Capt. Constantin Cantacuzino” W.Nr.166133, Italy, 27th August 1944 (RRP £82)

Limited edition 500 models globally

In August 1944, USAAF Lt. Col. James Gunn, commanding the 454th Bomb Group, was shot down over Ploesti, Romania, during a B-24 raid. Captured by Romanian forces, he became a POW in Bucharest. While Colonel Gunn's bomb group was attacking by the air, however, the Soviet Red Army had begun an invasion of Romania from the north. On August 23, 1944, Romanian King Michael gave in to the extreme pressure from the relentless Soviet advance and surrendered to the Russians.

As the Soviet Red Army advanced, Romanian Captain Constantin Cantacuzino offered to fly Gunn to Allied territory in a Bf 109, with Gunn hiding in the radio compartment. Cantacuzino, a leading ace who had flown bomber interception missions alongside the Luftwaffe, was now prepared to assist the American airmen he had recently fought. To help avoid Allied fire, Cantacuzino's Messerschmitt was provided with some of the strangest markings ever seen on a combat aircraft in World War II. A large American flag was crudely painted on both sides of the fuselage and early war type, US Army Air Corps, stars were painted on the wings. The daring flight succeeded, bringing Gunn to Italy, where he helped co-ordinate Operation Reunion to rescue over 1,100 Allied POWs from Romania, one of WWII's most remarkable escapes.

Early 1940 began with design improvements with the Bf-109 as well as the addition of the new DB 601E engine. The under-wing radiators were reduced in size and recessed; cutting down on drag as well as some other changes. A redesigned cowling and a repositioning of the air intake for the supercharger along with a larger propeller hub also helped reduce drag. The overall airscrew diameter was reduced by 4 inches by using wider blades. The most noticeable change was the removal of the tail-plane bracing struts. The result of this program was the Bf 109F