Reviewed by Brett Green
 

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FirstLook

The 1/48 scale Revell and ProModeler Messerschmitt Bf 110G kits are very nice indeed. The model features crisp engraved panel lines, the cockpits and wheel wells are well detailed and ample armament options are supplied.

The 1997 release of the first in the family of kits, the Bf 110G-4, quickly identified a number of problem areas. These were:

• a moulding flaw on the upper fuselage just behind the canopy;

• the angle of the main gear legs was too sharply raked forward; and

• incorrectly sized and shaped engine nacelles and spinners

The first two problems can be addressed by any modeler with some experience under his belt. The problem of the nacelles and the spinners has remained unaddressed until today.

The Cutting Edge Correction Set

Cutting Edge's Bf 110F/G Correction Set comprises 18 parts in grey resin. Casting quality is perfect on my sample.

The set addresses the issues of the engine nacelles, the wing "humps" right back to the flaps, the spinners and the propeller blades. Two different styles of oil coolers are supplied as separate parts. The cooling scoops on the upper wing bulge are also provided as separate parts.

For this analysis, we will start at the front of the aircraft and work backward.

Spinner

Probably the most noticeable problem is the size of the Revell spinner. The spinner from the Bf 110G was the same factory item as the spinner for the Messerschmitt Bf 109F/G/K series. In 1/48 scale, the Revell spinner is almost 2mm smaller in diameter than the 17mm that it should be. Although 2mm might not sound like a large measurement, the ProModeler spinner does look puny compared to a full-sized Bf 109G spinner.

In addition to the size, the ProModeler part does not quite capture the side profile shape of the spinner, and also omits the thin circular cap covering the redundant hole for the cannon muzzle of the 109F/G/K series.

The single-piece Cutting Edge spinner is correctly sized and the shape looks much more accurate. The CE spinner also features a narrow spacer at the back of the part, which will make the part stand off the front of the engine nacelle a fraction. This is a good representation of the small gap usually seen between the baseplate and the front of the engine nacelle. The resin spinner, being a single part, has the pitch collars cast in place inside the spinner cap. The indentations may need to be hollowed slightly before placement of the propeller blades.

Engine Nacelles

The undersized Revell spinner transfers the problem to the mating face of the engine nacelle. The height of the nacelle is noticeably low, in proportion with the spinner. The shortness seems to be mostly at the top half of the nacelle, meaning that the "hump" does not look quite pronounced enough. Furthermore, various panels appear to be located incorrectly and the cutout for the exhausts seem to be positioned slightly too high.

The Cutting Edge nacelles address all of these issues.

The resin replacement nacelle is attached to a casting block. Do not remove this block as it acts as reinforcement during construction.

Wing Hump Insert

Because the hump on top of the nacelle is too low, the matching section of the wing hump is low too. It also does not go quite far enough back on the kit. This results in the most dramatic aspect of the conversion - an insert for the wing behind the nacelle.

The general hump is more accurate than the kit part, and the "lump" over the magneto is much better defined than the same area on the ProModeler kit.

This part of the correction looks more difficult than it is. The insert is cleverly engineered to ensure a snug fit with reinforcement strips along the bottom of the part. The front of the hump rests on a ledge moulded as part of the kit wing.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Additional Construction Notes

The kit lower rear nacelle parts, incorporating the main wheel bay, need to be cut off the main nacelle halves before the resin parts can be mated to the kit. This cut is not along a panel line, so careful planning will be required. I cut off too much nacelle had a large gap on the outboard side of which I filled with Milliput on one side, and with a sliver of styrene cut from the nacelle on the other side.

It is very likely most modelers will find that filler and sanding is needed at this lower nacelle join. Some modelling skills are required!

When the nacelles are glued in place, there is also a small rectangular gap above and near the rear of each exhaust cutout. I filled these gaps with chunks of scrap white plasticard, then sliced and sanded them flat.

Another issue resulting from the relocated slots for the exhausts is that the kit flame dampers will not fit correctly. Cutting Edge has already picked up this problem and are in the process of producing replacement resin exhausts that will adapt to the flame dampers. These will be included in future batches of the set and supplied to anyone who has already purchased it.

Many modelers will either not notice or not care about the shape and size problems of the ProModeler 1/48 scale Bf 110G. If you fall into this category, the Cutting Edge correction set will be of little interest.

However if you, like me, have been scratching your head for five years trying to figure out how to fix the undersized nacelles and spinners of the ProModeler Bf 110G, then you will love this set. I know that I do.

Cutting Edge's 1/48 scale BF 110F/G Correction Set is accurate, clever, beautifully cast and will make the front of your ProModeler Bf 110G noticeably more chunky. The inclusion of the short, wide oil cooler lends more potential for variations on the theme.

You will use some modeling skills when you are preparing the kit parts and making the join at the lower nacelle in particular, but most of these tasks are within the realm of any moderately experienced modeler.

Highly Recommended for experienced modelers wanting a truly accurate Bf 110F/G.

Thanks to Cutting Edge Modelworks for the information and images.

Review Copyright © 2002 by Brett Green
This Page Created on 09 December, 2002
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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