This is a kit that I have started to build whilst at work when I am sitting loading bays waiting to be loaded or tipped. I picked this up at IPMS(UK) Nationals in 2011 for a very good price, especially a kit that includes the engines as a bonus extra.
Being my usual self, I started the build by not following the instructions (just have to live dangerously!) and decided to tackle the engines first. These are fairly detailed for their size and the general construction is not too bad. The instructions are not clear how some of the pipework on the engine is routed, this was a bit frustrating and it was only through perseverance that I worked out where they all went. I also built up the undercarriage bays with the engine mounts to help with the process of working out the position of the large hose which ran along the side of the block. The instruction diagrams did not show clearly where this hose sat and where it went to, but as the radiator was mounted to the engine, the path of this hose became clear. The engines have been left unattached from the mounts to make it easier for painting and weathering of them and the engine bays.
When I built the second engine, a little problem emerged. The hose which I had trouble working out goes to a hole in the bulkhead between the engine bay and undercarriage bay which would be on the lower right-hand side. On the bulkhead for the second engine, this hole has been moulded on the left-hand side of the bulkhead (see blue arrows in photo below). The trouble is, the engines are identical and not left or right handed so the hose on the second engine does not match up to the hole in the bulkhead. So a little job to do before any further assembly of the wings will be to re-position the hole for the hose in the bulkhead.
Below are the two bulkheads and the positions of the location holes for the hoses from the engines. The one on the left is correct and the one on the right needs to be altered.
Now that the engines have been done, it was time to start on the cockpit interior. Dragon have produced a very nicely detailed engine for this kit, and the detail continues with the cockpit interior. The below photos are of what had been done so far, there is a lot more assembly to do on this interior before it is completed. I am first assembly the main structure of which is to be painted in the same colour. All of the other items like the machine guns, ammo packs, dashboard and other various parts, will be painted before adding to the rest of the interior. There is also some etched seatbelts that will need to be painted before adding to the seats.
My opinion so far of this kit is that it is very nice, except for the little hiccups with the engine instructions and wrong positioning of the hose for one of the engines. Otherwise, this is a very detailed kit and I hope I can do it justice with the finished model. We will have to wait and see! But continuing with the Messerschmitt Bf110 theme, I also have one of Eduards kits of this aircraft in my stockpile. That one is a Profipack Bf110E (8203) version, which comes with a little resin Dachshund dog in the box. It would be good to compare these two kits and finished models at a later date. So, an update on this project will follow soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment