In Box Review of Revell-Monogram 1/48th Scale
Messerschmitt Bf-110G-2
Kit no. 85-5839
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1998
Available at one place in Europe for 19.00 Euro or from one individual in the U.S.A. on the web for $25.00.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1998
Available at one place in Europe for 19.00 Euro or from one individual in the U.S.A. on the web for $25.00.
HISTORY:
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,[Note 1] is a twin-engined Zerstörer (destroyer, heavy fighter), fighter-bomber (Jagdbomber or Jabo), and night fighter (Nachtjäger) developed in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and used by the Luftwaffe during World War II.
Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, believing its heavy armament, speed, and range would make the Bf 110 the Luftwaffe’s premier offensive fighter.
Early variants were armed with two MG FF 20 mm cannon, four 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns, and one 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine gun for defence (later variants would replace the MG FFs with MG 151s and the rear gunner station would be armed with the twin-barreled MG 81Z).
Development work on an improved type to replace the Bf 110 - the Messerschmitt Me 210 - began before the war started, but its shakedown troubles resulted in the Bf 110 soldiering on until the end of the war in various roles. Its intended replacements, the aforementioned Me 210 and the significantly improved Me 410 Hornisse, never fully replaced the Bf 110.
The Bf 110 served with considerable success in the early campaigns in Poland, Norway, and France. The primary weakness of the Bf 110 was its lack of maneuverability, although this could be mitigated with better tactics. This weakness was exploited by the RAF when Bf 110s were flown as close escort to German bombers during the Battle of Britain.
When British bombers began targeting German territory with nightly raids, some Bf 110-equipped units were converted to night fighters, a role to which the aircraft was well suited. After the Battle of Britain, the Bf 110 enjoyed a successful period as an air superiority fighter and strike aircraft in other theatres and defended Germany from strategic air attack by day against the USAAF 8th Air Force, until an American change in fighter tactics rendered them increasingly vulnerable to developing American air supremacy over the Reich as 1944 began.
During the Balkans and North African campaigns and on the Eastern Front, it rendered valuable ground support to the German Army as a potent fighter-bomber. Later in the war, it was developed into a formidable radar-equipped night fighter, becoming the main night-fighting aircraft of the Luftwaffe. Most of the German night fighter aces flew the Bf 110 at some point during their combat careers and the top night fighter ace, Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, flew it exclusively and claimed 121 victories in 164 sorties.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 2 or 3
Length: 12.0714 m (39 ft 7.25 in)
Wingspan: 16.2497 m (53 ft 3.75 in)
Height: 4.128 m (13 ft 6.5 in)
Wing area: 38.4000 m2 (413.334 sq ft)
Airfoil: root: NACA 2R1 (18.5%); tip: NACA 2R1 (11%)
Empty weight: 4,425 kg (9,755 lb) * Empty equipped weight: 4,885 kg (10,769 lb)
Gross weight: 6,028 kg (13,289 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 6,749 kg (14,880 lb)
Fuel capacity: 1,272 L (336 US gal; 280 imp gal) in 4 centre-section tanks
Powerplant: 2 × Daimler-Benz DB 601A-1 V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engines, 780 kW (1,050 hp) each for take-off
820 kW (1,100 hp) at 3,700 m (12,140 ft)
Propellers: 3-bladed VDM variable-pitch propellers
Maximum speed: 475 km/h (295 mph, 256 kn) at sea level; - weight = 13,289 lb (6,028 kg), 525 km/h (326 mph; 283 kn) at 4,000 m (13,120 ft), 541 km/h (336 mph; 292 kn) at 6,000 m (19,685 ft)
Cruise speed: 262 km/h (163 mph, 141 kn) maximum continuous at sea level, 489 km/h (304 mph; 264 kn) maximum continuous at 5,000 m (16,400 ft), 484 km/h (301 mph; 261 kn) maximum continuous at 7,000 m (22,970 ft), 349 km/h (217 mph; 188 kn) economical cruise speed at 4,200 m (13,780 ft)
Landing speed: 150 km/h (93 mph; 81 kn)
Range: 774 km (481 mi, 418 nmi) at sea level with normal internal fuel at maximum continuous cruise speed, 850 km (530 mi; 460 nmi) at 5,000 m (16,400 ft) at maximum continuous cruise speed, Range at economical cruise speed: 909 km (565 mi; 491 nmi) at 7,000 m (22,970 ft) at economical cruise speed, 1,094 km (680 mi; 591 nmi) at 4,200 m (13,780 ft) at economical cruise speed
Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,810 ft)
Rate of climb: 11 m/s (2,200 ft/min)
Time to altitude: 6,000 m (19,685 ft) in 10 minutes 12 seconds
Wing loading: 173 kg/m2 (35 lb/sq ft)
Power/mass: 0.241 kW/kg (0.147 hp/lb)
Armament:
Guns: ** 2 × 20 mm (0.787 in) MG FF/M cannon (180 rpg—3 drums with 60 rpg, cannon were reloaded by rear gunner or radio operator during flight), 4 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 17 machine guns (1,000 rpg), 1 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 15 machine gun for defence.
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,[Note 1] is a twin-engined Zerstörer (destroyer, heavy fighter), fighter-bomber (Jagdbomber or Jabo), and night fighter (Nachtjäger) developed in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and used by the Luftwaffe during World War II.
Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, believing its heavy armament, speed, and range would make the Bf 110 the Luftwaffe’s premier offensive fighter.
Early variants were armed with two MG FF 20 mm cannon, four 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns, and one 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine gun for defence (later variants would replace the MG FFs with MG 151s and the rear gunner station would be armed with the twin-barreled MG 81Z).
Development work on an improved type to replace the Bf 110 - the Messerschmitt Me 210 - began before the war started, but its shakedown troubles resulted in the Bf 110 soldiering on until the end of the war in various roles. Its intended replacements, the aforementioned Me 210 and the significantly improved Me 410 Hornisse, never fully replaced the Bf 110.
The Bf 110 served with considerable success in the early campaigns in Poland, Norway, and France. The primary weakness of the Bf 110 was its lack of maneuverability, although this could be mitigated with better tactics. This weakness was exploited by the RAF when Bf 110s were flown as close escort to German bombers during the Battle of Britain.
When British bombers began targeting German territory with nightly raids, some Bf 110-equipped units were converted to night fighters, a role to which the aircraft was well suited. After the Battle of Britain, the Bf 110 enjoyed a successful period as an air superiority fighter and strike aircraft in other theatres and defended Germany from strategic air attack by day against the USAAF 8th Air Force, until an American change in fighter tactics rendered them increasingly vulnerable to developing American air supremacy over the Reich as 1944 began.
During the Balkans and North African campaigns and on the Eastern Front, it rendered valuable ground support to the German Army as a potent fighter-bomber. Later in the war, it was developed into a formidable radar-equipped night fighter, becoming the main night-fighting aircraft of the Luftwaffe. Most of the German night fighter aces flew the Bf 110 at some point during their combat careers and the top night fighter ace, Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, flew it exclusively and claimed 121 victories in 164 sorties.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 2 or 3
Length: 12.0714 m (39 ft 7.25 in)
Wingspan: 16.2497 m (53 ft 3.75 in)
Height: 4.128 m (13 ft 6.5 in)
Wing area: 38.4000 m2 (413.334 sq ft)
Airfoil: root: NACA 2R1 (18.5%); tip: NACA 2R1 (11%)
Empty weight: 4,425 kg (9,755 lb) * Empty equipped weight: 4,885 kg (10,769 lb)
Gross weight: 6,028 kg (13,289 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 6,749 kg (14,880 lb)
Fuel capacity: 1,272 L (336 US gal; 280 imp gal) in 4 centre-section tanks
Powerplant: 2 × Daimler-Benz DB 601A-1 V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engines, 780 kW (1,050 hp) each for take-off
820 kW (1,100 hp) at 3,700 m (12,140 ft)
Propellers: 3-bladed VDM variable-pitch propellers
Maximum speed: 475 km/h (295 mph, 256 kn) at sea level; - weight = 13,289 lb (6,028 kg), 525 km/h (326 mph; 283 kn) at 4,000 m (13,120 ft), 541 km/h (336 mph; 292 kn) at 6,000 m (19,685 ft)
Cruise speed: 262 km/h (163 mph, 141 kn) maximum continuous at sea level, 489 km/h (304 mph; 264 kn) maximum continuous at 5,000 m (16,400 ft), 484 km/h (301 mph; 261 kn) maximum continuous at 7,000 m (22,970 ft), 349 km/h (217 mph; 188 kn) economical cruise speed at 4,200 m (13,780 ft)
Landing speed: 150 km/h (93 mph; 81 kn)
Range: 774 km (481 mi, 418 nmi) at sea level with normal internal fuel at maximum continuous cruise speed, 850 km (530 mi; 460 nmi) at 5,000 m (16,400 ft) at maximum continuous cruise speed, Range at economical cruise speed: 909 km (565 mi; 491 nmi) at 7,000 m (22,970 ft) at economical cruise speed, 1,094 km (680 mi; 591 nmi) at 4,200 m (13,780 ft) at economical cruise speed
Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,810 ft)
Rate of climb: 11 m/s (2,200 ft/min)
Time to altitude: 6,000 m (19,685 ft) in 10 minutes 12 seconds
Wing loading: 173 kg/m2 (35 lb/sq ft)
Power/mass: 0.241 kW/kg (0.147 hp/lb)
Armament:
Guns: ** 2 × 20 mm (0.787 in) MG FF/M cannon (180 rpg—3 drums with 60 rpg, cannon were reloaded by rear gunner or radio operator during flight), 4 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 17 machine guns (1,000 rpg), 1 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 15 machine gun for defence.
THE KIT:
Revell-Monogram is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in Morton Grove, IL. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 2 Bf-110 G’s flying above the clouds.
They both are in camouflages of a dark-grey spine, over light-grey sides, with medium-grey spot pattern. Their propeller spinners are banded in red, white and black. Both have large black and white German crosses on their sides and black swastikas, outlined in white on their rudders.
On the one in the foreground the fuselage code is small black 2N + white E outlined in black and black M. The E & M are over a wide yellow fuselage band.
The wing on the second Bf-100G-2 in the background covers the lettering on its yellow fuselage band.
Both aircraft carry rockets and drop tanks.
One side-panel of the box says the model is 1/48th scale. For ages 12 & up and the skill level is 3. Followed by a color photo of the model made up in the box art scheme.
Revell-Monogram is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in Morton Grove, IL. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 2 Bf-110 G’s flying above the clouds.
They both are in camouflages of a dark-grey spine, over light-grey sides, with medium-grey spot pattern. Their propeller spinners are banded in red, white and black. Both have large black and white German crosses on their sides and black swastikas, outlined in white on their rudders.
On the one in the foreground the fuselage code is small black 2N + white E outlined in black and black M. The E & M are over a wide yellow fuselage band.
The wing on the second Bf-100G-2 in the background covers the lettering on its yellow fuselage band.
Both aircraft carry rockets and drop tanks.
One side-panel of the box says the model is 1/48th scale. For ages 12 & up and the skill level is 3. Followed by a color photo of the model made up in the box art scheme.
The other side-panel of the box begins with an explanation of skill levels.Level 3 is the most challenging and aimed at modelers age 12 and over.
Next is features of the kit: Length 9 7/8ths, 120 parts, decals are silk-screen water slide type. Over a one-paragraph history of the aircraft.
Followed by: Recessed panel lines, optional open or closed canopy, Underwing stores include drop-tanks, W.GR-2 rocket-launchers and Rustatz MI-MG 151/20 Gun-pod on fuselage center-line. Decals included for Bf-110G-2/R3/M1/M5, 4./ZG76. Molded in light-grey and clear.
Followed by a painting guide and list of paint colors.
Next is features of the kit: Length 9 7/8ths, 120 parts, decals are silk-screen water slide type. Over a one-paragraph history of the aircraft.
Followed by: Recessed panel lines, optional open or closed canopy, Underwing stores include drop-tanks, W.GR-2 rocket-launchers and Rustatz MI-MG 151/20 Gun-pod on fuselage center-line. Decals included for Bf-110G-2/R3/M1/M5, 4./ZG76. Molded in light-grey and clear.
Followed by a painting guide and list of paint colors.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 4 medium-grey parts-trees, a clear tree and the decal sheet in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format.
Page 1 begins with the history of the Bf-110G-2, next to a black and white repeat of the cover art. Over international assembly symbol explanations. Over READ THIS BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions, decal application instructions and a paint color listing in French and English.
At the bottom of the page there is a phone number to use to ask any questions and Revell-Monogram’s street address in Morton Grove, IL. Copyright of the kit is 1998.
The booklet does the Assembly instructions in STEPS that are alphabetized.
Step 1 is the Cockpit assembly in 4 steps, A B C & D.
Step 2 is Fuselage Assembly in 3 steps, A B & C.
Step 3 is Engine Assembly in 6 steps, A B C D E & F.
Step 4 is Wing Assembly in 3 steps, A B & C.
Step 5 is Tail Assembly in 2 steps, A & B.
Step 6 is Main Landing Gear Assembly in 5 steps, A B C D & E.
Step 7 is Radiator Assembly in 2 steps, A & B.
Step 8 is Intake & Exhaust Assembly in 2 steps, A & B.
Step 9 is Underwing Stores and External Fuel Tanks, Rocket Launchers Assembly in 8 steps, that are not alphabetized this time.
Step 10 is Underside Details assembly In 3 steps, A B & C.
Step 11 is Main Wheel Assembly in 1 step that is not alphabetized.
Step 12 is the Gun Assembly in 2 steps, A & B.
Step 13 is the Canopy Assembly in 6 steps, A B C D E & F.
Step 14 is the Propeller Assembly in 2 steps, A & B.
Step 15 is Final Details Assembly in one un-alphabetized step.
Page 15 is step 16 and a painting and making guide, that is on page 16 also. 16. Page 15t shows the schemes on the two aircraft on the box art.
The second one in the background there has a choice of fuselage code small black 2N + yellow B outlined in white, black P or a white B outlined in black with black P choice.
Page 16 shows a 5-view of a Bf-110G-2 that has a dark-grey spine, over light-grey sides and undercarriage. No marks are shown on it. Strange!!
There are 2 side views in the cover art color scheme. One is code BP repeated and the other is code small black 2N, white E outlined in black and black M.
The first medium-grey tree holds: wing upper halves, engine pods, propellers etc. (10 parts)
This kit holds 4 medium-grey parts-trees, a clear tree and the decal sheet in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format.
Page 1 begins with the history of the Bf-110G-2, next to a black and white repeat of the cover art. Over international assembly symbol explanations. Over READ THIS BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions, decal application instructions and a paint color listing in French and English.
At the bottom of the page there is a phone number to use to ask any questions and Revell-Monogram’s street address in Morton Grove, IL. Copyright of the kit is 1998.
The booklet does the Assembly instructions in STEPS that are alphabetized.
Step 1 is the Cockpit assembly in 4 steps, A B C & D.
Step 2 is Fuselage Assembly in 3 steps, A B & C.
Step 3 is Engine Assembly in 6 steps, A B C D E & F.
Step 4 is Wing Assembly in 3 steps, A B & C.
Step 5 is Tail Assembly in 2 steps, A & B.
Step 6 is Main Landing Gear Assembly in 5 steps, A B C D & E.
Step 7 is Radiator Assembly in 2 steps, A & B.
Step 8 is Intake & Exhaust Assembly in 2 steps, A & B.
Step 9 is Underwing Stores and External Fuel Tanks, Rocket Launchers Assembly in 8 steps, that are not alphabetized this time.
Step 10 is Underside Details assembly In 3 steps, A B & C.
Step 11 is Main Wheel Assembly in 1 step that is not alphabetized.
Step 12 is the Gun Assembly in 2 steps, A & B.
Step 13 is the Canopy Assembly in 6 steps, A B C D E & F.
Step 14 is the Propeller Assembly in 2 steps, A & B.
Step 15 is Final Details Assembly in one un-alphabetized step.
Page 15 is step 16 and a painting and making guide, that is on page 16 also. 16. Page 15t shows the schemes on the two aircraft on the box art.
The second one in the background there has a choice of fuselage code small black 2N + yellow B outlined in white, black P or a white B outlined in black with black P choice.
Page 16 shows a 5-view of a Bf-110G-2 that has a dark-grey spine, over light-grey sides and undercarriage. No marks are shown on it. Strange!!
There are 2 side views in the cover art color scheme. One is code BP repeated and the other is code small black 2N, white E outlined in black and black M.
The first medium-grey tree holds: wing upper halves, engine pods, propellers etc. (10 parts)
The second medium-grey tree holds: the rudders, exhaust pipes, rocket tubes, nose (that has the guns faired over), instrument panel, bottom gun pod etc. (37 parts)
The third medium-grey tree holds: a fuselage half, propeller spinners, lower wing half, wheels, drop tanks, landing gear, horizontal tail parts, alternate nose (that has the guns exposed) etc. (34 parts)
The fourth medium-grey tree holds: the other wing bottom, other fuselage half, air intakes, cockpit floor and side walls, seat, tail wheel, dashboard etc. (33 parts)
The clear parts tree holds the canopy windows. There is an optional open closed one, etc. (14 parts)
The kit decal sheet.
I have added a decal sheet, that was sold at the 1982 IPMS USA convention.
Also a decal sheet by Super Scale Intl. brand.
Detail in this kit is excellent.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.