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

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)

new tool Airfix Bf110 C/D (5)

Lots of filling and sanding of panel lines which even a couple of coats of primer could do nothing to disguise. Fit around the lower engine cowls was poor - they stand quite proud of the mount. Scratched the fuselage 'towel rail' antenna and the aileron balances. Have since added the crew boarding ladder and drilled out the supercharger intake and the cowl engine instrument faces. Hope to get some pre-shading and lower surfaces painted soon !

Otherwise the amount of things to hang under the wings in the box is quite impressive and includes the fuselage oil tank first seen on the 'D' variant and the the smaller 'fighter-style' drop tanks which will go to the Fujimi build.

new Airfix Bf110 C in 1/72

Airfix Bf110 construction proceeds apace. Fit isn't brilliant and the panel lines are either overdone or not there at all. Have decided to finish this as M8+ HE of II./ZG 76 during the Battle of Britain as in the photo from Erik Mombeeck's Luftwaffe Gallery. Will be using the kit decals as far as possible.