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

[Airframes]

I've made some good progress with the wings.
Having ascertained that they should fit when attached properly, after a series of test-fitting and filing down the locating tabs, both wings have been assembled, and the first parts of the gear bays installed, and the joints sanded smooth.
The first stage of the starboard nacelle has been completed, and the unit fitted to the wing successfully, after more test-fitting and some slight modification to minimise the gap that I've been warned about.

PIC 1. Main wings assembled, with the first detail parts of the gear bays installed from the inside, and the wing joints sanded smooth. Considering the huge amount of tiny detail parts included in the total of 340 parts in this kit, I was somewhat surprised that there are no transparent parts for the wing tip navigation lamps, these being depicted by engraved lines, although there is a clear part for the landing lamp. I've yet to decide whether to cut out the lamps, and attach some clear sprue, sanded to shape and polished, or to just paint the areas in the appropriate colours.
PIC 2. Starboard engine nacelle assembled, and awaiting sanding of the joints. I only noticed the 'flashed over' intake after assembling the parts, and this has since been opened and cleaned up.
PIC 3. First trial fit of the nacelle showed the gap at the rear joint, much expected after being pre-warned by Andy and Karl, and after reading some on-line build reviews.
PIC 4. To improve the fit, grooves were filed into the leading edge of the recessed area, indicated by the arrows, where the curve of the nacelle buts against the wing fillet. Although there is still a gap, the fit is now much improved.
PICS 5 and 6. The starboard nacelle fitted and cemented in place, and the joints sanded. There's still a gap at the rear, but it's now much reduced, and will be filled and sanded flush once the under side panel has been fitted, and the assembly has fully set.

Next step involves assembling and fitting the underside intake panels, and the remaining internal detail parts into the wheel bays, fitting the radiator screens and rad bath, and then repeating the sequence on the port wing, before filling the gaps, sanding flush, and fitting the wings to the fuselage.
All being well, I should have all of this done by some time tomorrow.

 

[Crimea_River]

Good stuff Terry. FWIW, here are some pics of the wheel wells that I've kept for details. In case you want to jazz up the wells a bit.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy,
Those pics will be useful. I won't be doing much in the wheel bays, but the colours will help. I didn't even bother drilling out the lightening holes, intending to just use a dark wash on the detail.
I'm hoping to find some time today to get the other nacelle done, and possibly get the wings fitted too, although I have some errands to run, and I'm going out tonight, so maybe won't get the wings fitted.
Having checked my references, I see that the wing-tip nav lamps had clear covers, with coloured bulbs, so I'll cut out the lamp shapes, and add some suitable clear parts, found in the spares box, after the model has been painted.

I've also been playing around with the 'boat tail' fitting for the other Eduard kit, and have managed to cut the fuselage and adapt the Fujimi part which, when fitted, should only need a touch of 'Milliput' to blend it in.
Depending on the progress of the 'Dackelbauch' build, I might enter this second model, as a Bf110D bomber of Erp.Gp 210 in August 1940.

BTW, which '110 is that in the wheel bay pics ?

 

[Crimea_River]

I don't know Terry. I got these off the net back when I did my 110C and didn't note the source. I tried an image source and and got some nice pictures of toilets so I don't think they are around any more.

 

[Airframes]

OK Andy, no problem - don't think I'll bother fitting a toilet to the '110 !!!

Before continuing with the wing assembly, I decided to cut out the wing tip navigation lamp housings, deliberately making the cut-out slightly larger than the required clear cover size, to facilitate masking when painting the model.
However, the clear lamp parts I'd sourced from the spares box didn't work out as hoped. The shape, length and width were fine for my needs, but the depth was too thin. So, back to basics, and attach some clear sprue, which will be filed and sanded to shape, then polished.

PIC 1. Shows the first wing tip cut ready for the clear sprue, with the wing on the right showing the original moulded lines for the lamp cover.
PIC 2. The starboard wing, with the roughly cut piece of clear sprue attached with CA adhesive. This was first drilled, and blue paint dropped into the hole, before fitting to the wing. It will be filed and sanded to match the wing tip contours, and then polished. The joints will then be filled at the same time as the other nacelle joints, and the clear part masked to reduce the overall dimensions, the 'excess' clear areas being painted as part of the wing. The red port lamp will be done in the same way.

With a bit of luck, I should get thos done, and the nacelles completed and the wings fitted tomorrow, before moving on to the tail planes and the large ventral tank.

 

[Crimea_River]

I need to make this part of my standard build procedure as I keep forgetting to do it until after the model is painted.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Jeff Hunt]

Like the wingtip light idea. Sadly I am just a general practitioner as opposed to a skilled surgeon.

Jeff

 

[T Bolt]

Your doing a wonderful job dealing with all those fit problems Terry. I'd expect something better from Eduard. I glued the wings on my Hobbycraft 109 last night and the wing to fuselage joint was near perfect, just needs a bit of attention at the wing leading edge, and that's a HOBBYCRAFT kit.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks chaps.
Haven't got any more done as yet, as I've been dashing around like a blue Rsd fly (OK, scooting around at 4 mph max !), and I'm going out very soon. Should get more done over the weekend.

Yes Glenn, I'm surprised at the fit issues, for an Eduard kit. I've built a few Hobbycraft kits (many now under the Academy label), and haven't had any major fit problems. Test fitting on the Fujimi Bf110 shows near perfect fit all around too, with very nice surface detail, and it was originally released in 1975 (my example is from 1987).

 

[Airframes]

The wings are nearly ready to fit to the fuselage, with both nacelles fitted and the internal detail parts attached and painted in the basic colours, although detail painting has yet to be completed.
The oil coolers and lower cowling panels have been attached, along with the radiators, after painting the internal parts, and both wing-tip navigation lamps have been filed and sanded to shape.


PIC1. The nav lamps filed and sanded to shape.. The joints will be filled, and then the clear parts polished, before masking, leaving the edges uncovered, to be painted in the camouflage colours, and have the edge seals added, represented by thin black lines.
PICS 2 and 3. The wing assemblies, with the wheel bay internal detail added, along with the oil coolers, lower cowling panels and the radiators.
The gaps at the rear of the upper cowlings have yet to be filled and sanded flush, which will be done at the same time as attending to the nav lamps.

So far, this has turned out to be a very labour-intensive kit to build, with virtually every part needing filing or sanding, but I hope to get the wings finished and fitted, along with the tail planes and the huge ventral tank, some time tomorrow.

 

[Crimea_River]

Looks good Terry. I think you are past the hard parts now.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy - still go to do a bit of fiddling, as all of the locating points for antennae, pitot, mass balances, control actuators etc, have to be identified and drilled.
But, I've made a lot more progress, and have broken the back of it, with the nacelle gaps filled and the cowling joints scribed, nav lamps done, and the main wings fitted to the fuselage.

PICS 1 and 2. The nav lamps have been polished, although the lighting here makes it look otherwise, and the joints filled with CA and blended in. The masking tape has been applied and sealed with gloss clear, leaving a 'border' which will be painted in the relevant camouflage colours.
PIC 3. The gaps where the nacelle assemblies join the wing have been filled, by melting stretched sprue into the gap and sanding flush. As this is the line of a cowling joint, this has been scribed in.
PICS 4 and 5. The wings have been fitted, after first 'roughing up' the mating faces of the wing roots, to facilitate bonding. The wings fitted quite tightly, although there are still gaps at the roots, but fairly small and easily filled. If the wings had been pushed up hard against the fuselage root, thereby closing the gap, the dihedral would have been to great, but the gaps aren't a problem, and I'm fairly pleased with the result, having expected worse.
PIC 6. Gaps on the underside wing joints, again easily filled, once the domed wing bolt covers have been fitted.
PIC 7. How the model looks so far.

Next step is to take care of those wing root gaps, then fit the tail planes, omitting the fins for now. Once they are set, the wing bolt covers can be attached, and then the huge ventral tank can be fitted, and I hope to get this done later today.

 

[Wurger]

 

[rochie]

Great stuff Terry

 

[parsifal]

great stuff terry. Very skilful work

 

[Airframes]

Thanks chaps, it's much appreciated.
Just having a quick break from working on the wing roots - back later with some more pics.

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice to see it together.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy.
Steaming ahead now (which is worrying !), and got a lot more done - getting relatively close to the first painting stage.
Wing root gaps are filled, tail planes and wing bolt covers attached, and the belly tank improved and fitted.

PIC1. The wing root gaps were filled using stretched sprue, melted into the gap with liquid cement, and then shaved and sanded. Here, the first length of sprue is being inserted.
PIC 2. Once set and almost flush, the sprue was shaved, using the blade on the curve of the engraving tool, followed by a light scrape with the edge of a scalpel blade, before light sanding.
PICS 3 and 4. Top and bottom gaps filled and sanded.
PICS 5 and 6. As with the main wings, the tail planes would not fit. The very short locating tabs had to be reduced in thickness by filing, and the parts were then cemented in place, with a small bead of CA reinforcing the joints. They have yet to have the tiny gaps filled, which can be done with PVA.
PICS 7 and 8. The ventral tank lacked the detail for the two vents (or hand holds ?) and filler flap, so these were engraved.
PIC 9. The dachshund belly in place.

Going to have a bit of a break from the bench now, as my neck and shoulders are really aching, but I hope to be back tomorrow with another up-date.
Thanks again for the kind comments and continued interest.

 

[Wurger]