Dragon + Large Scale Conversions 1/32
Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4

by Chris Parsons

Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4

Dragon's 1/32 scale Bf 110 E-2 Trop is available online from Squadron

I've had an example of Dragon's Bf 110 D/E kit in my stash for a few years.

I had no intention of a conversion at the time of purchase but, that nasty internet opened me up to finding Large Scale Conversion's website and then the review was located on Hyperscale, I decided to give it a try, what did I have to lose? (other than a very expensive kit).

The review pictures looked promising and the order was placed.

I began work on cleaning up and test fitting as soon as my conversion arrived.

One problem I noticed fairly quickly...(not as quick as I should have to be honest) was that I had been supplied with two port side engines. I contacted the manufacturer on that issue but kept working on the model. I never did receive my starboard engine but, having a momentum behind me I decided to botch together a conglomeration of the kit nacelle and LSC resin engine parts.

I also found the cockpit interior resin sidewalls warped pretty badly, I gave them the boiling hot water treatment and got them straight then ruined them cutting them from the webbing (live and learn) I reverted back to the kit parts. All seems well though because the cockpit is so cramped not much can be seen in there anyway. Carrying on with the problem areas, the rear glazing (vacuum formed) seemed to have been manufactured too narrow and also too short. I ended up sanding the original kit part smooth and used it to plunge mold a making of my own and framed it with aluminum tape. Many other parts in the resin conversion were damaged or deformed in some way but not bad enough to complain too much about.

On the good side there were various duplicate parts included, delicate items such as throttle levers, oxygen bottles, exhaust stacks, radar dipoles, etc...

The instructions for the conversion kit are pretty good although their is no exact placement for the upward firing guns (enter the reference library and internet again)

The DML kit instructions seem to have been fixed since my building a few years ago of their 1/32 Bf 110E at least their were far fewer issues that I found.

That kind of makes the basic DML kit a shake and bake model.

The resin parts, once the warts were removed, was a rewarding project that gave me hours of great modelling enjoyment. While I have made some complaints about the conversion I'd buy another one in a minute.

I did take the easy road and bought Master models (Poland) brass radar dipoles and would recommend those to anyone.

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I may be stepping into a minefield with this model with any experts looking closely, my redeeming argument is that the markings are spurious and placed for aesthetics more than for historical accuracy.

The project was painted entirely with Tamiya acrylics thinned with Tamiya thinner and retarder sprayed through an Iwata Revolution CR at about 15 psi.

I kept weathering to a minimum as I doubt these aircraft lasted long enough to get too beat up.
A fun build and a different looking 1/32 Bf 110 on the shelf.

Thanks to Large Scale Conversions and DML!

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2014 by Chris Parsons
Page Created 10 December, 2014
Last Updated 10 December, 2014

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