Here's a great looking interpretation of Kurt Gabler's 8./JG 300 'Moskito-chaser' in 72nd scale!
" my first completion for 2025, wrapping up the 1/72 Eduard Bf-109 G-6. So impressed with this kit, but found room for some extra detailing with the cockpit, wheel wells and wheels, prop/spinner and aileron mass balances from the Brassin sets. The kit canopy was replaced with a Falcon vac-form, added the Fine Molds brass pitot and the seat belts were scratchbuilt using an old Model Technolgies buckle set. I have tried to follow some of the conventional wisdom that this Mosquito-Jager flown by Kurt Gabler of JG 300, had its fuselage paint removed, leaving a heavily worn natural metal finish. To try to capture this, the fuselage was covered with oxidised pieces of aluminium foil (mainly Reynolds wrap), then painted RLM 75 and gently sanded off with 4000 grit and steel wool to leave the worn finish and paint remnants in corners, around the panel lines and rivets, which was the effect I was looking for. The photos probably exaggerate it in the close up shots, but I am quite happy with the effect in real life. MRP and SMS paints were used with some very subtle oil paint weathering on the painted surfaces added and oil paint washes. The decals are from the EagleCals set, however, I also added the scribble on the rudder using a home made decal. Cannot praise this kit more, it’s a great model to build and I feel it really captures the look and sit of a 109..." Paul from 'Glossy Kits' on FB..
Below; the original Gabler 'red 8' pic here published over two full pages in a two-part feature I compiled for the now defunct 'Model Aircraft' magazine which appeared in the June and July 2014 issues. Entitled "Wilde Sau und Moskito Jagd" the 6000 word article featured the recollections of JG 302, NJGr.10 and NJG 11 pilots Fritz Gniffke and Walter Schermutzki over 12 pages in the two issues with some great artwork by Anders Hjortsberg.
Gabler flew both day and night sorties. For his account of downing the first Mosquito to be shot down over Berlin see the Casemate 'Day Fighter Aces' volume..
Osprey have a new title 'Wilde Sau' title in their combat units series (Streetly, 2024) by Martin Streetly but Gabler is not even mentioned. Nor are other JG 300 wilde Sau aces such as Wischnewski - while pilots that never flew 'wilde Sau' (eg the WWI vet Lindenberger) are featured in the 'Pilot bios' section...according to the publisher's blurb ".. first-hand accounts of Wilde Sau missions are brought to life through archival photographs and newly commissioned artworks of some of the most iconic German fighters of World War 2.." Er...no, not really! The text is simply a list of missions flown and unit strength returns. There are no descriptions of the combats - not one. Of the "up to 30 original colour artworks" according to the back-cover blurb, only a rather measly 21 feature aircraft here. Of course, these are top quality - but all machines illustrated have been done just as well many times before. Nothing new. In fact you do get the impression that the blurb was written for the book Osprey hoped they were going to get - but didn't. Photo content is very indifferent. I counted just 10 photos showing Bf 109s and 12 images of Fw 190s, along with 5 of Me 262s. The chapter entitled "Postscript" starts on page 35. Chapter 5, "Technology" lists all variants of Bf 109 and Fw 190, although many of them had nothing to do with wilde Sau - no Fw 190 A-8 or A-9 ever flew 'wilde Sau'. As an Osprey book addict, I was not at all impressed with this volume. Where are the interesting anecdotes and rare insights into the world of the late-war Luftwaffe? Where are the translated extracts from memoirs long out of print and never printed in English? Not here that's for sure. Not a volume I will return to....