Jakko’s Messerschmitt Bf 110

[Jakko]

My choice did fall on the Bf 110 to start with. My kit is a Revell re-issue, but an early one when they still did the three-colour plastic. Here’s what you get:



You can tell it’s a Revell kit from the front of the box alone by the “Der grüne Punkt” recycling badge, and of course by the Revell name and address on the back, plus the number 40115 rather than PK-115 that Matchbox called this kit.

(The sticker on the front is not from the shop where I bought this kit. I got it from a web shop with a lot of second-hand kits last year, and I guess they got it from that shop selling off its old stock?)

Inside the box are four sprues:



I’m not convinced that Revell got the colours right. I seem to recall reading once that they had to reverse-engineer things like this, as well as the markings, when they did these re-issues in the 1990s. Looking the original 1976 version up on Matchboxkits.org, it turns out I’m right: originally, it was pale blue, red brown and yellow— not medium blue, darkish green and light grey. The 1979 version, though, seems to have had a green sprue. Anyway …

Here’s evidence I’ve built one before:



Top the Revell instructions, bottom the Matchbox ones. The build instructions look like this:



This is the Revell sheet, but the Matchbox one is identical. The paint instructions are not, of course, because the re-issue references Revell paints instead of Humbrol:



Strangely, they didn’t just translate the Humbrol numbers to Revell but actually changed some of them completely. They then didn’t change the painting callouts, neither on the back of the box, nor on the instructions:



Thus, Revell would have you paint the pilots’ faces basalt grey rather than flesh, for example, the wingtips that are clearly yellow on the back of the box, with matt white, and the white fuselage with graphite grey. I think I’ll use the Matchbox colour instructions instead, thankyouverymuch However, despite my collection of Humbrol paints:



… I discovered that I don’t have all I need

Note Revell have also retained the instructions for applying the swastika decals, despite not including them on the transfer sheet:



The empty area at top right is where they went on the Matchbox sheet, according to photos on Matchboxkits.org.

 

[Jakko]

Construction has begun. I started painting the inside bits with the Humbrol-suggested grey, though I used an older tin with the old-style HG-numbering, and being an Experienced Modeller™ I decided to paint more than the instructions would have me:



Next, I painted the pilots:



These are also done in the recommended colours, except when I didn’t have them, at which point I used my old technique: look for a paint that seems like it might be somewhere close. For this reason, the uniforms aren’t Khaki Drill but Natural Wood and the boots aren’t Black Green (don’t ask me why it tells you to use that) but some other shade of green. Oh, and the faces are Tamiya Flesh because I didn’t have any Humbrol Flesh.

Oh, didn’t I say? I’ll be building this kit much like I used to in the early to mid-eighties And, of course, I shall be using the manufacturer’s recommended techniques:



Where is this from? Well:



Only probably my favourite book when I was a child This is actually my second copy, that I bought ten years ago or so in almost-new condition. My old one looks a little more worn …

Here, by the way, is the page with my Bf 110:



Oh, and I also put the cockpit together:



Strangely, the seats are far too low for the pilots to sit in properly.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Interesting idea. I thought about doing something along the same lines, but decided I have too many other things on the go to join in....For info, I have just found a first edition of that ME 410 pictured on the same page....also a Jagdpanzer 4 and a Thunderbolt....all boxed complete, and all from the very early 1970s.

 

[Jakko]

Interesting idea.

It’s the way I usually build Matchbox kits, when I take one out of the stash every couple of years or so

I thought about doing something along the same lines, but decided I have too many other things on the go to join in....

The advantage of this is that it doesn’t take long. That is, it’s already taking longer than this same kit would have when I was ten, of course …

For info, I have just found a first edition of that ME 410 pictured on the same page....also a Jagdpanzer 4 and a Thunderbolt....all boxed complete, and all from the very early 1970s.

I’d consider those too rare to build — that’s why I’m not going to put together the Swordfish I’ve got, though I may build my Wellesley kit that’s a little younger.

 

[colin m]

Looks nice Jakko. If it goes to a poll, I'm voting winter camo.

 

[Fernando N]

Very nice Jakko, those coloured sprues take me back to childhood moggling

Neat start on the office and figs

 

[Jakko]

Looks nice Jakko. If it goes to a poll, I'm voting winter camo.

Thanks, and that’s the one I decided on anyway The other one I built is green (I still have it somewhere in a box in the loft) so making this one white means I’ll have built both. I have been thinking about how to get that to cover over the green and blue plastic, though. I’m thinking I’ll paint the whole model with the light blue underside paint first so that the white will cover better on the top.

Very nice Jakko, those coloured sprues take me back to childhood moggling

Neat start on the office and figs

Thanks, and same: it takes me back to how I used to build models when I was young(er ). Though this time I decided to use liquid cement rather than a tube like back then — though I have done that too with some old Matchbox kits

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks, and that’s the one I decided on anyway The other one I built is green (I still have it somewhere in a box in the loft) so making this one white means I’ll have built both. I have been thinking about how to get that to cover over the green and blue plastic, though. I’m thinking I’ll paint the whole model with the light blue underside paint first so that the white will cover better on the top.


Thanks, and same: it takes me back to how I used to build models when I was young(er ). Though this time I decided to use liquid cement rather than a tube like back then — though I have done that too with some old Matchbox kits

Jakko, the light blue undercoat could do the trick plus help with the panel shades. Matchbox, dontcha just love those colored plastic. My only gripe with its kits other than the panel drains is the lack of interior but ideal for scratchers.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Lee Drennen]

Jakko. Great start and I’m in on this one hey looks like the truck I’ll be building on the cover of your catalog

 

[Jakko]

the light blue undercoat could do the trick plus help with the panel shades.

Panel shades? This model will be finished old-school, just painted white with some green (semi-)drybrushing to represent the paint underneath shining through, like the painting instructions suggest. Nothing fancy here

Matchbox, dontcha just love those colored plastic.

Definitely

Jakko. Great start and I’m in on this one hey looks like the truck I’ll be building on the cover of your catalog

It is, yes. The trailer is on the rear cover, you can just see its tow bar behind the truck in the photo.

 

[Jakko]

I wanted the propellers to spin, but lost one of the rings that glue to their shafts, so being an Experienced Modeller™ I made a replacement from a bit of sprue:



After that I had little trouble putting the rest of the model together. First, close-ups of the cockpit without the canopy:



And after a little more work, the completes model, only minus its wheels:



All that remains to be done now is paint everything (and stick the wheels on, of course).

 

[stona]

Wow! That really is a blast from the past, and I'm old enough to remember the Airfix kits in bags!

I wonder if the one colour green is because it was not realised that Luftwaffe camouflage comprised two greens (in the 70/71 scheme) in the '70s? The contrast between the colours does not show up in B&W images and is difficult to see even in rare colour film.

Nice job, and good to see that these kits can be built properly with a bit of effort and expertise.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Jakko]

I wonder if the one colour green is because it was not realised that Luftwaffe camouflage comprised two greens (in the 70/71 scheme) in the '70s? The contrast between the colours does not show up in B&W images and is difficult to see even in rare colour film.

I was wondering about that too, but other Matchbox kits of the era do show both, as I recall.

Nice job, and good to see that these kits can be built properly with a bit of effort and expertise.

Heh I deliberately didn’t even clean up mould lines or seams on this one, let alone use more advanced painting techniques than applying a single layer of the indicated colour For a follow-up model for this group build, though, I’ll probably try to make it closer to modern standards.

 

[stona]

Heh I deliberately didn’t even clean up mould lines or seams on this one, let alone use more advanced painting techniques than applying a single layer of the indicated colour .

Yeah, but I bet you haven't got glue seeping out the seems or a nice thumb print on the canopy.

I always used to try to paint a second colour before the first had dried, there was only Humbrol enamels and a twelve year old was NEVER going to wait for them to dry

Cheers

Steve

 

[Jakko]

Yeah, but I bet you haven't got glue seeping out the seems or a nice thumb print on the canopy.

This is because I am an Experienced Modeller™ I did toy with the idea of using tube cement for this, but the only opened tube I have is mostly dried out, and opening another for this kit felt like a waste, which I don’t like. Otherwise, I might just have glue seeping from a seam, sure

I always used to try to paint a second colour before the first had dried, there was only Humbrol enamels and a twelve year old was NEVER going to wait for them to dry

No, I don’t think I ever had that problem. I had been taught that you need to let paint dry, so I let the paint dry before adding the next colour. If you want badly painted models, I can show you some of my brother’s, who didn’t have that kind of patience

 

[Jakko]

First coat of paint is on. As I mentioned above, I decided to paint the plane all over with Humbrol 65 Aircraft Blue, the underside colour, because that should provide a light enough undercoat for the white top. After spending five minutes vigorously but carefully stirring a very old tin of said paint, I used a big brush to put it all over the model:



Well, not quite all over — I didn’t paint the central bit at first because I needed somewhere the hold the model You can see the tin in the first photo, I would guess it’s about 40 years old, possibly more, and though it had been used before (there was some paint on the rim) it was still basically full — and paints quite well still.

After this had dried, I just now painted the rest as well:



It’s a little glossy because the paint is still wet in this photo

Coverage isn’t all that great, as you can tell, but I already touched up the underside where this matters. The top will be overpainted in white anyway, plus drybrushing with green to suggest wear, so perfect coverage here isn’t overly important.

 

[peterairfix]

Coming along nicely.

 

[Jakko]

White paint on:



As I didn’t have any Humbrol or Revell enamel white, I went for Vallejo instead. Not entirely (entirely not) period-correct, but it’s the only white paint I actually have that isn’t in a spraying can, so I had to use it. Obviously it’s not covering all that well yet, so when it’s dried a bit more I’ll have to do a second coat.

 

[Jakko]

Two layers of white:



Three:



And four (thinner and quicker than the previousj:



At which point I think it’s not going to get much better, so I’m going to leave it like that. It looks like somewhat worn whitewash, so this should go well with the green I’ll add later.

I then went on to the yellow undersides of the wingtips, but that didn’t go entirely as expected:



The instructions recommend Humbrol 99 Lemon (light yellow) but I don’t have that, so I went for 24 Trainer Yellow instead. After spending another 5+ minutes reviving the tin that was almost as ancient as the last one I showed, actually painting with it gave the impression there was sand mixed in. Some more stirring didn’t help, so I shelved that. I’ll instead try the tin of Revell 15 yellow that I also discovered in the paint drawer, hoping that will still work.

 

[Jakko]

I continued painting by drybrushing Humbrol HP5 US Marine Corps Green over the plane to represent wear of the whitewash, and painted the propeller blades with the same colour. The instructions say to use 91 Black Green, but I don’t have that, so I took the darkest Humbrol green I have — to be honest, it’s probably too light, but hey



Also painted are the exhaust pipes, with Revell 37 acrylic, which is the equivalent of Humbrol 70 Brick Red that the instructions indicate. I actually have a tin of that same Revell colour in enamel, but it’s too thick to paint with and didn’t respond well to being thinned, so I had to resort to acrylics.

The machine gun and cannon barrels got a coat of Humbrol 27002, one of the light Metal Cote colours. The instructions say to use 56 Aluminium, which I don’t have, but I do have a tin of Revell 66, which is the equivalent, but on opening it, I discovered that it had completely dried out. Very bright Metal Cote it is, then

You may have noticed a dark blob on the left wingtip. I have no idea how that got there, so I’ll have to repaint it to get rid of it.

On the underside, I put three coats of Revell 15 yellow on the wing undersides and painted the bombs with the same grey I had used for the interior; I also touched up the undercarriage and wheel well doors with that:



I get the impression Matchbox mixed up the wheel colours, though. This is as per the instructions, using the exact Humbrol colours Indicated:



I think I’ll repaint them with the colours reversed, as this just looks odd.

Also, it dawned on me that I had the aerial mast in the wrong place … For some reason I had glued it into a small recess in the bottom of the fuselage, and completely not noticed that meant I didn’t have a mast for the top of the canopy … So after taking the photos here, I cut it off and fixed it in the correct place I just need to wait for the glue to dry before painting it white, together with the wingtip.