Messerschmitt Bf 110C

Eduard Weekend Edition, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Mark Davies

Eduard's 1/48 scale Bf 110 C Weekend Edition is available online from Squadron.com

Eduard’s 1/72-scale Bf 110 kits have been widely reviewed, including the Bf 110E Profipack boxing by HyperScale’s Brett Green in July 2012.

This release shares almost all of the same styrene parts with the BF 110C 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.

I shall focus more on the “Weekend Edition” aspects of the kit. The “Profipack” boxing comes complete with all the goodies Eduard does so well such as regular and pre-coloured PE details, pre-cut canopy masks, and several decal choices. Previously, Weekend Editions have lacked the Profipack’s PE details and canopy mask, and offered only one decal option. More recently this has changed, as this review sample is the second or third Weekend Edition I have seen with two decal options and a set of Super Fabric seat-belts included.

(Note: you must use white glue, not superglue, to fix these belts in place)

It’s easy to overlook or be dismissive of the Weekend Edition if you adopt an “I’m not interested in the base model” attitude. But this would be quite wrong because the Weekend Edition Bf 110E should be compared to other Zerstorer kits without multimedia additions, rather than its Profipack release. When you do this comparison the Weekend Edition shines.

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 Profipack option and the instructions convey the same assembly information, but with less glamorous paper than the multi-coloured and glossy Profipack’s. The review kits’s instructions can be viewed or downloaded as a PDF here.

You will end up with some spare parts because several different boxings share common sprues. As mentioned earlier, the kit decals now offer two options compared to the Profipack’s four.

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 110C kit to buy, you may ask why buy the Weekend Edition in preference to the Profipack 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. After all, a closed cockpit model with a nice paint-job is enough for many modellers. The stock plastic cockpit is very good, and is of a similar high standard to Tamiya’s 1/72 scale kits in this respect; but now with the added benefit of Super Fabric seat-belts.

Aside from the lack of PE, what about the other differences between Profipack and Weekend Editions? The absence of an Eduard mask would seem the most significant difference, as there is a lot of framing to mask with a Bf.110! However, the canopy lends itself to masking of alternate horizontal and vertical fames, which is easier than masking off each clear panel, or the mask set can be purchased separately.

Markings

Having two decal choices versus four probably does not matter to modellers with big stashes of decals; whilst those without may be happy with Eduard’s choices. These being:

• 2N+Ap of 9./G 76, flown by Obl. Urban Schlaffer & Bordfunker Gfr. Franz Obser.

• 2N+IR of 1.(Z)/G 77, flown by Theodor Wesenberger, Norway, September, 1941.

The decals are produced to Eduard’s usual very high standards and appear to be excellent in all respects.

My past experiences with the brand suggests that they should perform very well.

Weekend v Profipack Edition

Obviously, it just comes down to what you want, and how much you wish to pay. The Profipack issue costs around three quarters more than the Weekend Edition, but I feel it is justified if you want the extra detail and convenience of a canopy mask.  Either choice remains a bargain compared to the alternatives.

Eduard offers two Profipack Edition BF 110C kits as either a combined Bf 110C/D or Bf 110C-6 boxing.  

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 a Weekend Edition is the kit for you; and after all, you still get the easy to use Super Fabric seat-belts. You may miss having a paint mask for the canopy, but the Bf 110’s canopy is a simple one to mask despite having a lot of framing.

If the Profipack Editions with their extras did not exist then Eduard’s Weekend Edition Bf 110 kits would the best, rather than just second-best, in “The One True Scale”. As such, this Weekend Edition of Eduard’s Bf 110C is a winner that blows its competition away, and is definitely recommended.

Thanks to Eduard for the sample

Review Text Copyright © 2015 by Mark Davies
Page Created 13 April, 2015
Last updated 13 April, 2015

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