Fujimi Bf 110 C - Luftwaffe over Africa ZG 26

Third model finished this week - although started this one last month. This is Fujimi's venerable but decent Bf 110 C (72nd) as a machine of III./ZG 26 in the Med during 1941. Built it alongside the new Airfix kit - has some shape issues especially around the nose and the undercarriage is a bit stalky. Decals from the superb Kagero 'Luftwaffe over Africa' Top Colours booklet were the thinnest I've ever seen - and quickly wrapped themselves over each other - some hairy moments!




Below; ZG 26 'E' variant, note the cool air intake on the nose

new-tool Airfix Bf 110 C/D in 72nd scale

'M8+AP' Hptm. Heinz Nacke (12 vics) 6./ZG 76, Greece, May 1941

The Airfix Bf 110 was one of the early new-tools from the 'new-look' Airfix. (I'm editing this in 2021 - some eleven years after I built it!) It's not a bad kit - but its not brilliant either and certainly does not compete with the the Eduard 72nd Bf 110. Here I've finished it in that nice ZG 76 scheme with lots of yellow. Decals are odds n' sods from Italeri/Techmod although I did use the Airfix 'sharkmouth' and crosses - albeit not very successfully as it required a lot of touching up! There is a lot of kit in the box but not much guidance in the instructions on possible loads etc. In the end I put almost everything on it apart from the smaller drop tanks which have gone to the Fujimi 110 I'm just finishing. This is a much better kit than that one - apart from the panel lines and the canopy perhaps. One or two detail bits missed off (in this Airfix kit) which I've added, such as aileron balances, fuselage antenna. Not happy with my 'sprue' aerial wires - too thick and not taut enough. These have subsequently been modified - there was only one wire to the port fin though IIRC

Airfix Battle of Britain Emil 1/72

Nice new red box but 1976 plastic covered in raised rivets and panel lines. Sanded them off, re-scribed the slats but rather than do the entire airframe I simply 'pre-shaded' the panel lines. New decal sheet with two options - finished this as a III./JG 26 machine. The actual airframe shape is okay as 1/72 Emils go..

Airfix Spitfire Mk 1 series in 72nd scale

still awaiting the arrival of the new 72nd scale Airfix Spitfire Mk 1a. A line up of 72nd scale Airfix Spitfires including the Mk 1, Vb, PR XIX and IX







AZ-H was a Mk. 1 of 'A' Flight, Red Section 234 Squadron. On the evening of 15 August 1940 it was damaged in combat over the Channel and made a forced landing near Cherbourg, P/O R. Hardy being taken captive. From the following shots it appears that AZ-H landed wheels down. Some souces state that AZ-H was brought down by Oblt. Georg Claus of III./JG53. Note the damaged area behind the cockpit - this may have been the result of the Luftwaffe pilot's fire or was caused by the demolition charge activated to destroy the radio equipment. AZ-H was later transferred to Rechlin for testing and received the code 5+2.

Airfix Valiant (72nd) and Sea Vixen (48th) - first sprue shots

Also on display at the Medway Modelling Club show in Gillingham were the first sprue shots of two new long-awaited Airfix kits. Trevor Snowden from Airfix was on hand to explain that he's already build up three of the new 72nd scale Valiant kits but that Airfix were still working on the fuselage/wing join which was proving a little problematic. The Valiant won't be available until 2011. The Sea Vixen should prove of interest to purists..according to Airfix's research among De Haviland archives and measuring the real machines the aircraft is some two foot shorter at 53ft. than most published info states.

Terry Plaw's Battle of Britain/Pacific air war collections - edit July 2011

Terry Plaw is membership secretary of the Medway Modelling club based in Gillingham, Kent and a prolific modeller who has built a number of huge themed collections. His Battle of Britain themed collection numbering some 320 models (currently) was on display this weekend at the Medway Modelling Club show. Terry builds at the rate of two models per week now that he is retired and while he modestly rates himself only an 'average modeller' the research and attention to detail he puts into his work is second to none. If you're wondering I counted some 48 Me109s in the line up below..









And two views of Terry's Pacific Air War collection on display at a previous Medway show....

Fujimi and Airfix Bf110 C/D in 1/72 (6)

The Airfix One-Ten has been in the sprayshop today - have decided against my original planned scheme and opted for something a little more colourful - a ZG76 machine based in the Greek theatre during May 1941. This will be Bf110 D-3 M8+AP flown by Staffelkapitän 6./ZG76 Hptm. Heinz Nacke. According to Vasco/Estanislau in their excellent Bf 110 guide (Classic Publications) the 'D' sub-type featured a longer rear fuselage. Airfix have the parts in the box but I've omitted it here since Kagero portray Nacke's machine with the shorter rear fuselage. As Vasco/Estansislau also state its is very often impossible to be sure from photos what a particular variant is, since many Bf110s display the characteristics of a number of different sub-types. At least we know this one is not an 'E' since it does not have the nose air intake for the cockpit heater. It does however carry the ventral oil tank and is fitted with the enlarged 'D' tail wheel. I'm painting this in RLM76 undersides and standard 74/75 uppers with plenty of yellow theatre markings. Using the kit decals as far as possible - the sharksmouth was hopeless at settling down around the nose curves though and I've had to cover up the gaps, my mistakes etc etc with suitably coloured decal strip from the spares. I'm spending far more time on this Airfix kit than I am on the old Fujimi Bf110 being build alongside. That said I think the Airfix kit has a better shape -especially around the forward fuselage- and better detail. The wheel wells, undercarriage legs and bulged main wheels are particularly well done on the Airfix kit. The Airfix decals are poor and will probably not be fully used. (Click on the pics to get in close)