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World War II
Discuss WWII and the era directly before and after the war from 1935-1949.
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REVIEW
Dragon's Messerschmitt Bf 110C-7
Merlin
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Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008 - 08:58 AM UTC


Dragon's 1/32 scale P-51D confounded its critics by proving to be a best-seller. Now, the Bf 110 looks set to repeat the act by wrong-footing the vultures waiting in the wings with its sheer quality! Forget any pre-conceptions and read on...

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
alpha_tango
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Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008 - 09:24 AM UTC
Hi Rowan

Great review as always, but you cannot convince me to change my scale

This is surely aimed at all the involuntary kit collectors out there. I cannot imagine that all have their own house to show the finshed 32nd scale models ... well, maybe in the US ... real estate prices are very low right now. hmm, buying anther Trumpeter C-47 kit or a 200m² house ...

But I like to be proven wrong .. at least you will build it ... sooner or later

cheers

Steffen
Merlin
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Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008 - 09:34 AM UTC
Hi Steffen

I know we won't convince you to change your scale! And as a confirmed "quarterscaler" myself, I'd never try. I have to say though, Dragon have aimed this kit at serious modellers - no gimmicks, just beautiful detail! After the Mustang, I was almost dreading this release - now I'm really excited at the prospect of building the beast.

All the best

Rowan
alpha_tango
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Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008 - 09:49 AM UTC
Hello Rowan

you might have noticed that have a little exaggerated. Still I firmly believe that the vast majority of the sold kits will end up in stacks, stashes, garages .. faaar away from SWMBO's sight.

This is in no way a critique against the kit! It looks really good and you did your best to describe it's advantages and the very few shortfalls. Still I cannot believe this Mega-ism is working here in Europe.

1/72 is still the most popular scale so quarterscalers build already large models .. but I can in no way see someone building 3 or more Bf 110 in 1/32 (but Dragon has to generate sales .. such IM tools are very expensive) ...

but hey, maybe I am totally wrong .. feuer frei comments welcome

greets

Steffen
Merlin
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Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008 - 09:53 AM UTC
Hi again Steffen

Just to give you fair warning - Jean-Luc is also going to have one on the way! I think his commitment to the Tamiya magazine might preclude early coverage, but when he can show his work, we'd all better duck! It'll be awesome!

All the best

Rowan
alpha_tango
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Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008 - 10:17 AM UTC
Yeah, of course .. I smell conspiracy

Just some more words as I feel that I did not express my concerns properly.

Again this is a really good model, but I fear that

1. modelling is going large scale ... which is natural as there is much less already done as in 72 or 48 and the modelling community is getting older and older (the larger the parts to assemble and paint, the better) and thus also has a larger budget .. but IMO this will increase the decline of the hobby (glad there is Revell, they try a lot to get newbies in)

2. Dragon might have problems to ammortize the tool cost .. or better will not generate as much surplus as the wanted and thus will again leave the aircraft sector

I know I am a pessimist, so maybe I am all too negative.

Hmm, seems I have captured the thread, which was not my intention .. I am sorry! If you prefer I'll remove my posts .

all the best

Steffen
Tomcat31
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Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008 - 07:50 PM UTC
I have to agree this is a very nice looking kit, but like Steffen if I was to own one it would just sit in the stash along with the other 10+ 1/32 kits that I have. Space is a premium working in predominantly 1/48 so I have nowhere to display anything BIGGER (Even the Tamiya F-16 is built and packed back in the box).

Camogirl and I have even convinced on of our LHS's to try and not stock 1/32 kits and to order on the customers request, as there isn't really a call for them in this area.

IMO Dragon probably find it easier to do kits in this scale as they are use to doing the armour subjects in 1/35.

To be honest I think if this is retailing at around £70, I would rather spend the extra £30 and get the Eduard Royal Class Bf110 kit

Just my 2 pence

Allen
warreni
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Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008 - 08:44 PM UTC
Hmm.. I only build 1/32 now and have no problems showing my models... Then again I live on 1.5 acres and have a Hobby Room in the house and a 9 meter by 6 meter shed to display things in.. :-)

Just a quick one about the review Rowan.. I think you will find thta there are hardly any stencils because the aircraft didn't have much in the way of stencilling. Stencilling was a late war idea and many aircraft happily kept flying with no stencil rubbish all over them.. :-)

I am waiting very patiently for my Bf-110 to arrive... :-)
alpha_tango
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Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008 - 09:02 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hmm.. I only build 1/32 now and have no problems showing my models... Then again I live on 1.5 acres and have a Hobby Room in the house and a 9 meter by 6 meter shed to display things in..


I am soo jealous! .. Still, I find 1/48 the perfect scale for myself .. but I am only 34 and one of the younger Grasshoppers .. sitting 10 or more hours a day in front of the screen will make me want to change in the faaaaaaaaaaaaaar distant future

cheers

Steffen
Merlin
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Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008 - 09:26 PM UTC
Hi Warren

I'm jealous too! Finding the space to build this beast is going to be a bit of a headache for me! LOL! All being well, I'll get started next week.

As regards the stencils (or lack of), by comparison here's Eduard's take on the Bf 110C and the rear fuselage of a Bf 110D:





All the best

Rowan
JohnVasco
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Posted: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 - 12:06 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Just a quick one about the review Rowan.. I think you will find thta there are hardly any stencils because the aircraft didn't have much in the way of stencilling. Stencilling was a late war idea and many aircraft happily kept flying with no stencil rubbish all over them.. :-)


Not so. A lot of the stencils on the airframe were so small that they were not visible in normal photos taken from a reasonable distance.
JohnVasco
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Posted: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 - 12:13 PM UTC
A correction to the review.

I presume the 'cabin air vent' refers to the vent in the first panel immediately aft of the cockpit on the starboard side (and the other air vent on the machine gun cowling). This was not introduced on the 'D' variant, but first appeared on the 'E'. The vents drew air in, circulated the air around the engines, and fed the warm air back into the cockpit.
Merlin
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Posted: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 - 10:12 PM UTC

Quoted Text

A correction to the review.

I presume the 'cabin air vent' refers to the vent in the first panel immediately aft of the cockpit on the starboard side (and the other air vent on the machine gun cowling). This was not introduced on the 'D' variant, but first appeared on the 'E'. The vents drew air in, circulated the air around the engines, and fed the warm air back into the cockpit.


Hi John

Many thanks for the correction. I have your book on order, but I'm not expecting it to arrive until next week at the earliest, so had to I use the Kagero notes on the differences between vaiants.

All the best

Rowan
JohnVasco
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Posted: Thursday, September 11, 2008 - 10:12 AM UTC
Rowan,
The captions in the three Kagero Bf 110 books regularly get the captions wrong as to the variant or sub-variant of the Bf 110 in the photo. If you get the latest book that Fernando Estanislau and I did (I presume that is the one you have on order?), then all will become clear.

Hope this helps.

John Vasco
Merlin
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Posted: Friday, September 12, 2008 - 12:12 AM UTC

Quoted Text

... If you get the latest book that Fernando Estanislau and I did (I presume that is the one you have on order?), then all will become clear.

Hope this helps.

John Vasco


Hi John

Yep, that's the one. It's actually just this minute arrived in the post (days earlier than I dared hope!). It looks fantastic. I'll refer to it throughout my Dragon build and review it shortly.

All the best

Rowan
alpha_tango
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Posted: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 07:49 PM UTC
Hi All

Brett Green of Hyperscale posted a list of errors in the instruction sheet on his site.

I am fully aware that cross referencing to other modelling sites is very much disliked by some members of the board. Please bear with me, but there might be some members that might find this helpful to build the Dragon Bf 110 C.

Bf 110 C-7 Instructions Errata List

all the best

Steffen
Merlin
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Posted: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 08:15 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi All

Brett Green of Hyperscale posted a list of errors in the instruction sheet on his site.

I am fully aware that cross referencing to other modelling sites is very much disliked by some members of the board. Please bear with me, but there might be some members that might find this helpful to build the Dragon Bf 110 C.

Bf 110 C-7 Instructions Errata List

all the best

Steffen


Thanks Steffen

Anything that helps us build better models is fine by me! Interlinking is one of the benefits of being a part of such a wide modelling community.

I still haven't had a chance to start my '110 (or do any more work to the Zero). Only a week late already - and I'll be away next weekend, so that'll make it two... what's new!

All the best

Rowan
alpha_tango
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Posted: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 09:43 PM UTC
Rowan

we think alike, but I got burned several times in the past. I am using this kind of formulation to express my will to change or remove my post if PTB wish.

If you want to see how a thread can go mad just have a look at the "New Tamiya Jagdtiger" thread over at Armorama ... it started as an announcement and is now at a stage of trench warfare between Tamiya likers and haters .. apples and oranges are rolling among each other and the tone is pretty harsh at times .. I do not want such stuff and thus I express my opinion (sometimes) with this kind of "disclaimer" (You know I can upset people, don't you )

cheers

Steffen
airborne1
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Posted: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 11:06 PM UTC
Hi Rowan,

That was a good review .
I have been pretty keen on this kit being released in this scale.

Steffan ,thanks for the link .

As an armour builder its hard to stay focused in that field when you have such a
beasty of a plane like the 110 around.


Thanks

Holdfast
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Posted: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 06:53 AM UTC
I will be getting one of these, probably at Telford. I have already produced the "wasp" mask, but I need to try it on a real 1/32 fuselage.
pzcreations
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Posted: Thursday, September 18, 2008 - 02:40 PM UTC
just added this one to my birthday wish list...comin up in October... I'll keep my fingers crossed!
bill_c
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Posted: Monday, February 09, 2009 - 12:09 PM UTC
Is anyone doing a build log of this baby?

And does the Eagle decal set for this one have the stencilling?
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