**** DONE: GB-36 1/48 Bf110D - Axis Manufactured Aircraft of WWII

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That had crossed my mind Andy, and I think I might have mentioned this at the time. I couldn't see any convincing evidence of yellow lenses on aircraft in other areas, including NW Europe, but I did see a couple of pics of Heinkels and Bf110s in Norway, where the lens might have been yellow, looking slightly darker than 'usual'.
I'm leaning towards discolouration with age, as I have seen that effect before, but it does make sense to have a yellow-tinted lens for operations in snowy conditions, so I thought I'd take the chance, and go for something a little out of the ordinary. Oh, and of course, the lens didn't fit - the aperture had to be enlarged slightly !
Got a routine hospital appointment and blood test this afternoon, but if it runs to time (unlikely !), I hope to get a lot more done on my return, although I'm supposed to be going out tonight, so may not get to the bench until tomorrow.
 
Thanks very much chaps.
I didn't get any more done yesterday, as I felt like sh*te, with a stuffy head and runny nose !
However, I've made some good progress today, with the remaining undercarriage parts fitted, along with the (fiddly) doors, and the resin wheels, and the slight step in the canopy attended to.
Going to have a break for dinner, and then get down to the final fiddly bits, starting with the nose machine guns.

Pics 1 to 3. The undercarriage complete, resin wheels fitted, and the doors in place, the latter having a 'dirty' wash on the inside before fitting. There's some retouching to do along the hinge line and bottom edges of the doors, which will be done after fitting the scratch-built Lorenz beam approach antenna.
PIC 4. The MG17 machine guns as provided in the kit - note the awkward sprue attachment tabs, on the barrel nut near the muzzles. These are supposed to be mounted in the gun bay at an early stage in the construction, but as the bay will be permanently closed, only the barrels will be used, which will be cut off and inserted through the gun tubes from the outside, which is the next job.

So, into the final stages, with a bit of detail painting to do, and the fitting of the remaining canopy parts, rear gun, antennae and aileron mass balances, and the wing tanks. I just might get it finished tonight, but if not, there'll still be some up-date pics later.


 
Thanks chaps.
I ensured that everything was a Snot Free Zone before re-commencing work - still a bit 'muzzy', but at least the nose has stopped dripping like a leaking tap !
I didn't get quite as far as I thought I might tonight, as quite some time was spent cleaning-up parts (again !), and there was a lot of fiddly stuff to do, but it's now almost at the last stage, with the re-touching done, the guns fitted, the D/F loop 'enhanced' and fitted, and a scratch-built Lorenz beam approach antenna made and fitted, although this still needs some 'tweeking'.

PIC 1. The MG17s were cut down, and fitted into the gun tubes after painting. Hard to see, but the muzzles have been slightly drilled out.
PIC 2. The rear gun mount has been fitted, and awaits re-touching. Again, this needed a lot of work to remove sprue attachment points and moulding seams, a really awkward job. The MG15 will be fitted, after painting, when the rear canopy sections are in place, near the end of the build.
PIC 3. The mounting posts for the Lorenz antenna are lengths of plastic rod, cemented into holes drilled in the underside. Once set, these were snipped off to the required length.
PIC 4. The D/F loop as provided in the kit is a single, solid loop, whereas the real D/F loop was made up of a twin hoop arrangement. This was replicated by engraving a groove around the loop, to simulate the two hoops, a tad difficult to see in this shot.
PIC 5. The 'enhanced' D/F loop painted and in place (complete with a bit of tissue dust !), with the Lorenz antenna rods also in place and painted, these being lengths of stretched sprue. The little blighters kept moving when I was trying to attach them and need to be tidied up and re-aligned slightly.

I should have another up-date some time tomorrow, although, due to the amount of time spent cleaning up parts, I'm not sure if I'll get it finished until maybe Tuesday.


 
Thanks chaps !
I'm not at all happy with that Lorenz antenna, it's a mess. So I'm going to do it again. The rear antenna wouldn't align, as the support post is too far forward, therefore this will be removed, re-positioned, and new antenna poles added.
I'm hoping to get the wing tank fitted later this evening, after re-fitting that troublesome aileron, and I'm anticipating a lot of fiddling about, due to the support struts etc. Given that they go on OK, then it's down to the final fiddly bits and she'll be done.

Pics later .... I hope !
 
Thanks Hugh.
The Lorenz antenna has been improved a little, still not perfect, but as good as my hands will allow at the moment. Working on the wing tanks now, and will hopefully have some pics later.
 
Getting close now, and the larger 'fiddly bits' are nearly done, with the Lorenz antenna improved, if only slightly, and the wing tanks on.

PIC 1. The Lorenz antenna after replacing the mount and rear dipole - still not perfect, but acceptable enough for the cabinet.
PICS 2 and 3. The wing tanks, from the Fujimi kit, had the joint lines enhanced, filler caps engraved, and the main mounting bracket from the Eduard kit fitted, along with fuel and pressure lines from copper wire, before painting the brackets and lines.
PICS 4 to 7. The tanks have been attached to the wings, using pre-drilled holes, with the copper wire lines adding a little strength to the support. Bracing brackets, again from the Fujimi kit, have yet to be added to each side of each tank, a fiddly job I'll tackle tomorrow, when the brackets have fully set.
PIC 8. One pair of the Fujimi bracing brackets. One of the other pair has a break in the diagonal brace, which hopefully can be repaired once in place.
PIC 9. The Eduard kit does not include the retractable boarding ladder, which is rather strange, considering the huge amount of other, tiny detail parts. Therefore, the ladder from the Fujimi kit has been used, as that kit will be built with all canopies closed. It's been painted in RLM 02, as the red/white warning stripes were a later feature, not seen on aircraft in 1940.

So, tomorrow, the tanks will be completed, and the final 'sticky out' bits added, before giving some attention to the props. Yep, you've guessed it - they don't bl**dy fit !
The holes in the nacelles were too small, and have since been slightly enlarged, but there's a raised, circular 'collar' on the rear of each spinner back-plate, presumably to space the prop from the engine nacelle. But the spacing is far too severe, being probably in the region of 2 to 3 scale inches (I haven't measured it properly), and looks totally wrong. The 'collars' will have to be filed down, by trial and error until the fit looks more realistic - Oh, deep joy !!

Back some time tomorrow ..................


 
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