Messerschmitt Bf 110 D
Weekend Edition

Eduard, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Mark Davies

Eduard's 1/72 scale Bf 110 D Weekend Edition is available online from Squadron.com

Eduard’s recently released 1/72-scale Bf 110 kits have been widely reviewed, including the Bf 110E Profipac boxing by HyperScale’s Brett Green in July 2012. This release shares almost all of the same styrene parts with the BF 110D Weekend edition reviewed here; so I could see little point in covering old ground regarding the kit contents. Instead, I refer readers to Brett's kit review for comments and images regarding the common base kit.

The parts come in a top-opening box and are enclosed in resealable cellophane bags. All of the plastic parts are the same as the Profipac option and the instructions convey the same assembly information, but less glamorously with monochrome diagrams on ordinary photocopy paper rather than being coloured and glossy like the Profipac’s. You will end up with some spare parts because several different boxings share common sprues. The kit decals offer only one option compared to the Profipac’s four. The decals are produced to Eduard’s usual very high standards.

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Several kits have preceded Eduard’s Bf 110 kits in this scale. I shall only mention Bf 110C, D & E versions here. Previously, there have been kits by Airfix (1959 tooling), Monogram (re-boxed by Revell), Matchbox, Italeri, Fujimi, and more recently Airfix again with their 2010 release and a Bf110C from Hobby Boss. Of these Airfix’s and Hobby Boss’s new releases are the most readily available, and the only modern kits; although Fujimi’s has recessed panel lines. They all have various accuracy issues, some severe, and all are easily surpassed in quality and accuracy by Eduard.

If Eduard’s is the best Bf 110D kit to buy, you may ask why buy the Weekend Edition in preference to the Profipac example?  Well for a start, it will appeal to anyone who does not like working with PE; and there are some who do not because it can be fiddly and needs super-glue to fix it in place. Then there are those who simply do not want or need the extra detail it can provide. The stock plastic cockpit is very good, and is of a similar high standard to Tamiya in this respect. And after all, closed cockpit model wearing a nice paint-job is enough for many modellers.

Aside from the lack of PE, what about the other differences between Profipac and Weekend Editions? The absence of an Eduard mask is to my mind the most significant difference, as there is a lot of framing to mask with a Bf.110! Only one decal choice versus four probably does not matter to modellers with big stashes of decals; whilst those without may be happy with Eduard’s single choice.

In this case Eduard’s decals are for a Bf 110D with Dackelbauch long range fuel tank serving over Norway in 1940. This wooden framed and fabric covered fairing enclosed two fuel tanks front and centre, with two oil tanks in the rear. The whole arrangement was designed to be dropped after its fuel was consumed, but in service sometimes was prone to hang-ups at low temperatures, with an attendant explosion risk due to lingering fumes. It was superseded by the use of two large wing-mounted drop tanks in later versions. I believe that only Fujimi’s kit previously included the Dackelbauch option; although theirs was devoid of any surface detail to suggest its fabric over framework construction. The kit includes additional fuselage halves with the extended tail fairing that contained the dinghy pack for long-rage over-water operations. I have included images of the sprues from Eduard's website.

The Weekend v Profipac Proposition

I think that Eduard’s Profipac Bf 110 kits are great value as well; they cost no more (and often less) than an equivalent quality Japanese kit which lacks the PE or masks included with the Profipac. The Profipac issue costs around three quarters more than the Weekend Edition, but I feel it is worth it if you want the extra detail and convenience of a canopy mask.

Obviously, it just comes down to what you want and how much you wish to pay. Either choice remains a bargain compared to the alternatives.  

Eduard’s Bf 110 kits are the most accurate and best detailed available in 1/72-scale; with build articles reporting a very good parts fit. Eduard’s Weekend edition of their Bf 110 kits are tremendously good value as well.

If you dislike PE, or do not require the extra detail level it can provide, then this is the kit for you (provided that you will not miss having a paint mask for the canopy). In fact if the Profipac kits with their extras did not exist then Eduard’s Weekend Bf 110 kits would the best, rather than second-best, in 1/72-scale.

This Weekend Edition of Eduard’s Bf 110D is a winner that blows its competition away, and so is definitely recommended.

Thanks to Eduard for the sample

Review Text Copyright © 2013 by Mark Davies
Page Created 11 April, 2013
Last updated 31 July, 2013

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