Search the Community

Bf-110C Instrument Panel Eduard 1:4 This interesting subject of a kit arrives in a bright yellow and blue top opening box with a picture of the completed panel on the front. Inside there are two sprues of blue/grey styrene, the one piece panel itself, two sprues of clear styrene, two small sheets of pre-painted etched parts and a sheet of decals. The instructions, in a pleasing, colour printed A5 sized booklet are very clear and quite easy to follow which is a welcome change for Eduard. The only comment would be that it would have been nice to have the names of the individual instruments and controls included, which would have made this an informative/educational kit as well as being an interesting model. The parts are all very well moulded with some fine detail, no sign of flash and moulding pips only on the panel, which will need some cleaning up. The clear parts are very clear and well protected, each sprue being in separate poly bags. The pre-painted etch is very nice and can be used straight from the fret, with the exception of a couple of parts which will need to be bent to follow the curves of the underlying plastic parts. It may be advisable to paint the majority if not all the parts before starting the build, but the modeller will know what suits them best. The build starts with the construction of two switch boxes for the undercarriage and flaps, consisting of the backbox, two switches an etched guard for the undercarriage selector and etched nametags for the switches, the placards for the flaps and landing gear selectors should be reveresed as the instructions appear wrong. The mixture controls, which are made using a two piece control box, etched nameplate and control knob, which shouldn't be glued leaving it moveable. These are all then fitted to the main panel along with their associated etched nameplates and the undercarriage/flap indicator bezel and etched speed warning label. To the bottom left of the main panel the hydraulic pressure gauge made up of the indicator card, needle, glass, bezel and nameplate fitted with two screws, is attached. Beneath this are two selector buttons, one for the flap system pressure and one for the undercarriage system. On the top left corner of the centre panel there is a large red pull knob is fitted along with its associated etched nametag, whilst the wording is readable, I cannot find out what this is actually for, even using translation software. Next to this is the gun armed/un-armed panel is attached, having previously been painted, once fitted the decals can be added. To its right there is a gun selector switch, (either two or four guns), a pitch/roll trim gauge is made up using the card/needle/glass and bezel construction. Beneath this is a rudder trim gauge of card/glass/bezel and decal. Still on the centre panel to the left hand side the gyro compass instrument is fitted, this instrument has lower and upper etched cards, glass, bezel and center knob. To the left of the GC is the ammunition counter with simulated amounts of ammunition with the counter windows. To the far right of the centre panel is the VSI, (vertical speed indicator), again built up using the card/needle/glass and bezel arrangement. The rest of the centre panel consist of the standard up-side down T shape of aircraft instruments, consisting of, in order, Turn-and-bank indicator, altitude indicator, HSI, (Horizontal Situation Indicator), and ASI, (Air Speed Indicator), all built up as per the other instruments mentioned above. The bottom of the center panel is made up of two oil temp gauges, a central fuel gauge, with selector switches either side to select which tank the gauge is reading from, there are also three selector switches beneath the gauges which I presume are the left and right radiator flap controls and a central heating control, but again the translator didnât help much. Finally, the right hand section of the main panel is populated top to bottom with a stopwatch, two pressure gauges, two RPM gauges and lastly two oil pressure gauges, all constructed in the usual fashion of card decal/needle/glass and bezel with their associated nameplate/warning plates. Decals The decals for the instruments are beautifully printed, and of course, in this scale are very readable. They are nicely dense, opaque and in good register. Conclusion This is a great kit and is so different it would make for a useful model to keep the old mojo going during a downturn. Whilst not looking too difficult to build it will certainly benefit from some good painting and careful yet restrained weathering. Eduard are to be commended for releasing this as a separate kit, the like of which were only previously available in their Royal Class kits. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of