Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4

Eduard, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Eduard's 1/48 scale Bf 110 G-4 is available online from Squadron.com

Hot on the heels of their 1/48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-2, Eduard has now released the night-fighter variant - the Bf 110 G-4.

We have had the option of the Mauve kit (based on the old Fujimi Bf 110 C), and Monogram's Bf 110 G-4 in 1/48 scale until now. Both kits were good for their day, but the Mauve kit is long out of production, while the Monogram kit suffers from noticeably undersized engine nacelles and spinners.

We noted that the dimensions of the spinner and nacelles were very good in Eduard's recent Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4, so at last we have a well-detailed and dimensionally accurate Bf 110 G-4 in 1/48 scale.

Similar to the real aircraft, Eduard's new 1/48 scale Bf 110 G-4 shares most parts in common with July's Bf 110 G-2 release but there are a number of important distiguishing characteristics. Let's take a closer look at what is new in this box.

What's New

Compared to the G-2, Eduard's 1/48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4 provides three brand-new plastic sprues plus different photo-etched parts.

Sprue N contains the new nose parts for the 30mm cannon, plus the large vertical flying surfaces with the big rudders and enlarged Flettner tabs. Fabric texture is beautifully subtle. An ETC rack for the bottom of the fuselage is also attached to this sprue. The smaller rudders are still supplied in the box, although they are marked "not for use".

Sprue T is very busy, containing three styles of mid-production radar, the 30mm cannon and several parts for the flame dampers. The radar dipoles are supplied as one plastic part each. They are admirably thin yet retain the three-dimensional appearance of the original. Handle them with care though, as they are quite delicate.

Sprue V includes two new fuselage halves and the flame damper bodies. The new fuselage has armour plate moulded to the section at the front and top of the cockpit. This is a clever touch, but it may not apply to all Bf 110 G-4s so check your references.

Pleasingly, two styles of flame damper are included - the late-war straight-through version and the more common kinked exhausts.

As with the G-2 kit, the clear sprue contains the revised rear canopy section with the side-opening navigator's hatch. An alternate rear section is provided with holes for the night fighter's upward-firing Schrage Musik cannon.

Two new photo-etched frets offer lovely colour cockpit details for items including the instrument panel, navigator's mesh seat and engine instruments, harness straps and more. Twin ring sights for the new Zwilling defensive machine gun are also supplied.

Some of the updates already available for Eduard's early Bf 110s will still be applicable to this release too, including Quickboost's separate leading-edge slats; and Aerocast's control surfaces and wheels.

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The Details...

Images of the remaining sprue parts may be found in my earlier review of Eduard's Bf 110 C release

This release continues Eduard's recent tradition of world class quality injection moulded parts, remarkable detail and colourful markings.

The styrene parts for the kit are attached to eight sprues via fine connectors. Moulding quality is superb. I could not find a single sink mark or ejector pin in any area that will be visible on the finished model.

Crisply recessed panel lines are partnered with suitably subtle rows of rivets. I like the treatment of the fabric control surfaces too, with rib tape detail being the most prominent feature - no massive sagging of fabric.

The fuselage is broken down into the main halves with a separate nose (upper and lower) plus an insert for the deck immediately aft of the cockpit.

The cockpit is beautifully fitted out with a combination of delicate plastic and colour photo etched parts.

The lower fuselage cannon are visible through the fuselage floor, and plenty of spare ammunition is provided.

The nose is fully equipped with four MG 17 machine guns and ammunition feeds plus oxygen bottles. These may be displayed by posing the separate gun cowl open.

The wings are moulded with the flaps and leading edge slats in the closed position. This may disappoint some modellers, but I did a quick check of several books and nearly half of the Bf 110s were parked with the slats and flaps up. If you really want to drop the flaps and/or slats, the kit engineering will make this task fairly straightforward with the bulges behind the nacelles moulded as part of the bottom of the kit flaps. Also, Quickboost now offers a separate set of leading edge slats for the Edaurd Bf 110 C/D/E releases that will fit this kit too.

Ailerons are provided as separate parts.

Wheel well detail is excellent

The shape of Bf 109 F/G and Bf 110 G spinners has proved elusive to manufacturers. Eduard has done a pretty good job with theirs, although the openings for the propeller blades appear to be too large and lack their characterisic teardrop profile, pinched in at the base.

Eduard masks are also included to ease the pain of painting that maze of canopy frames.

Marking Options

Four attractive marking options are offered.

Decals are beautifully printed, with perfect register and colour saturation.

The specific subjects are as follows:

1. Hptm. Wilhelm Johnen, 7./NJG6, Neubiberg, 1945

2. 6./NJG101, Fritzlar,1945

3. Stab II./NJG1, Langensalza,1945

4. Wr.Nr. 110087, 4./NJG3, Kjevik, 1945

I am delighted that we finally have an accurate and well-detailed Messerschmitt Bf 110 G in 1/48 scale.

This is a beautifully presented kit. The high parts count and some of the smaller and delicate parts mean that some modelling experience will be necessary before tackling this project, but there can be little doubt that a stunning replica will be the result of your efforts.

Thanks to Eduard for the sample

Review Text Copyright © 2009 by Brett Green
Page Created 24 September, 2009
Last updated 24 September, 2009

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