The Ukrainian firm has become the first to produce a 1/48 styrene Messerschmitt Bf 109Z-1 Zwilling… reviewed here by CHRIS CLIFFORD.
Germany explored many unorthodox aircraft developments during World War Two, and the so-called Zwilling (twin) idea was a good example. But while the joining of two separate Heinkel He 111 airframes was a success in that several actually flew, the same could not be said for the Bf 109 equivalent. A prototype Bf 109Z-1 was on the drawing board, using ‘F’ airframes as a basis, but in parallel, Messerschmitt also worked on an improved ‘production’ version based on employing two G-models. To facilitate the ‘marriage’, the undercarriage for both ‘109 components was moved inboard, so each pivoted from the fuselage centreline. This prototype was alleged to have nose-mounted 30mm cannon, another two in underwing gondolas, and a fifth in the centre wing section. However, the machine was destroyed in an Allied bombing raid before any testing was actually conducted.
