Revell 1/32 Bf 110G Tweak List

By Thierry Laurent

Messerchmitt 110-G4/R3/M2
by Thierry Laurent
TYPE: Messerchmitt Bf 110G
SCALE: 1/32
COMPANY: Revell USA
MOLD CREATION DATE: 1992

The following list is intended to help modelers in improving scale accuracy of an airplane model replica. In no way is it intended to support or be offensive towards a scale model company.

As such, it is only the result of a progressive process and is in no way intended to be absolute or even comprehensive. Hence, it is intended to focus on commonly admitted discrepancies and will probably not cover some errors. It is up to the modeler to decide whether correcting the listed issues is worth the time and money he will have to invest in the quest for accuracy process.

No aftermarket correction or detail set is mentioned in this document as the availability of such items may be very variable. Hence, refer to other LSP sections to find relevant information. Moreover, aftermarket sets do not necessarily correct all listed issues. Please refer accordingly to relevant documentation.

1. NOTICEABLE FUSELAGE ISSUES (from front to rear)

Enlarge and drill gun cooling rectangular intake between Mk108s gun holes in the R3 nose upper part
Add circular filler point for the Mk108 guns gas bottle on the nose port side
Add Mk108 guns gas exhaust and shell ejection ports into lower nose section
Add Mk108 sheet metal cartridge ejector guard on the starboard side
Drill MG151 underside guns troughs (Note the MG151 holes are located a little bit too far from the nose end but this would be a true pain to correct)
Fill wrong shell ejection ports into lower nose section
Improve the fit of the Mk108s guns R3 cover as this part does not fit the fuselage very well
Detail the nose Mk108s gun bay if you want lo leave it opened
Add cockpit additional external armor
Add MG151s gas exhaust protruding shallow scoop (on the front belly)
Change the fuselage hand-grabs on the port side behind the cockpit (oriented in the wrong direction)
Correct the ETC 500/1XB bomb rack (too deep and lacks detail, real one is made of an embossed iron sheet intended to cover bombs hanging & release mechanism)
Add the two MG151 shell ejection ports in the belly
Modify "clothesline" (FuB 12F ILS) antennae under the belly (too thick)
Drill lift bar hole on each fuselage side
Modify the shape of rudders or replace them (shape is correct for earlier variants: up to G2)
Enlarge angle of triangle-shaped cut in the horizontal elevators ends (should be closer to 45°)
Correct too simplified elevator mass balance trim tabs
Add maintenance round hatches on the elevators intrados & extrados
Add the 3 light socket projections on the tail end cone edge

2. NOTICEABLE WING/ENGINES ISSUES

Correct underscaled engines nacelles and replace similarly underscaled kit spinners (too small diameter, too short length and too pointed: refer to Bf 109G kit or aftermarket spinners)
Replace misshaped propeller blades (again refer to 109G ones)
Add missing big bulge on top of each DB 605 engine nacelle
Correct or replace Daimler Benz 605 engines (upper sides should not be sloped but vertical) if you want to leave one nacelle open (but this will not simplify the nacelle shape correction!)
Add triangular shape gauge windows on inner engine nacelles
Correct too large exhaust openings on engine nacelles
Add missing scoops and air inlet ahead of the exhaust stacks
Add detail on the ends of exhaust dampers
Correct oil cooler bath shape under each nacelle (depth & forward edge angle)
Correct misshaped underwing rear radiator fairings and engine nacelles end
Add detail on the radiators faces (grill and support braces)
Add a drop-shaped protruding bulge on the middle of each underwing root (identical to 109 ones)
Correct flaps actuators
Add landing light behind port wing leading edge window
Add fuel and maintenance round hatches on the wings intrados & extrados

3. NOTICEABLE COCKPIT ISSUES

Detail or replace front instrument panel
Add REVI 16 gunsight
Replace misshaped pilot's pedals
Replace wrong shape front seat
Add missing iron bars structure behind the pilot seat
Add MG151 gun bay (gun breeches in the cockpit floor, 20mm ammunition box on each side of the bay)
Add radio and radar Fu boxes (and wiring)
Correct cockpit side details
Replace wrong shape rear seat (crude but more suitable for earlier variant 110s whereas Bf-110-G4s had either a simple flat oblong woven seat or a dual radio/gunner seat made of a similar but shorter flat seat and a rear "bucket" mesh seat)
Detail MG81Z dual machine gun (visors and so on)
Add MG81Z ammunition and cartridge bags on rear bulkhead

4. NOTICEABLE CANOPY ISSUES

Thin or replace too thick canopy parts and replace overscale hinges intended to keep the parts "movable"
Correct rear canopy as the kit one is hinged sideways at the base of the canopy but the real one hinges toward the top on the starboard side
Modify/Replace central Plexiglas panel just above the rear gunner's position to add the missing bulge in the middle of the panel
Add DF loop antenna

5. NOTICEABLE LANDING GEAR ISSUES

Modify or replace threaded tires (correct for earlier variant 110s but later marks such as G ones had smooth tires)
Correct wheel rims (main and rear)
Remove incorrect accordion shock boots on main landing gear legs (correct for earlier variant 110s but later marks such as G ones had none)
Add horizontal operating bars on front of main landing gear legs
Add detail on the internal side of the main landing gear doors
Add details in landing gear bays (e.g. missing strengthening ribs)

6. OTHER NOTICEABLE ISSUES & MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS

Kit rather depicts a G2 airframe
Kit is underscaled (a little bit more than 25mm for the length and 7mm for the wingspan) but this is not very noticeable and would be a true pain to correct
Sand Revel company trademark on the wing starboard underside
Panel lines and rivets are raised
Stencils decals number 8 & 9 are inverted on decal instruction page
Some stencil decals are missing and fuels triangle decals are far too pale
No swastika tail markings
No "schräge muzik" guns option
No drop tanks option
No underbelly MG151 gun pack option

The following sources were used to build this list:

Hopp, Bf110 G, Monogram Close-up N°18, Monogram Aviation Publications, 1986.
Kit & Aders, Messerchmitt Bf-110 Chasseur de nuit, Editions Atlas, 1981.
Ledwoch, Bf 110 Vol. 2, N°114, Wydawnictwo Militaria, 2000.
Mac Kay, Messerchmitt Bf110G Walkaround, Squadron Signal publications, 2000.
Merrick, German Aircraft Interior 1935-1945 Vol.1, Monogram Aviation Publications, 1996.
Nohara & Tanaka, Messerchmitt Bf110, AeroDetail N°21, Dai Nippon Kaiga Co., 1998.
Bf110, Famous Airplane in the World N°38, Bunrin Do, 1973.
Messerchmitt Bf110, Famous Airplane in the World N°41, Bunrin Do, 1993.
Luftwaffe Night Fighters, Model Art Special N° 480, 1996.
Messerchmitt "Zerstörer" Bf110, ExPrint Editions, 2001.
some magazines articles (more particularly from Scale Models & Fine Scale Modeller)
some web pages (more particularly LSP and IPMS Stockholm ones)