1/33 Bf 110C

[Zenon1947]

I'm working on another aircraft model. Bf 110C(incorrectly called "Me" on the cover) from Mały Modelarz, year 1991.
Like many other MMs, this one is also not that easy to build as there are some inaccuracies in parts.
The finished plane should look nice though. MMs from 1990s are actually not that bad and you can definitely turn them into a decent model.

[Foute Man]

Originally Posted by Zenon1947

I'm working on another aircraft model. Bf 110C(incorrectly called "Me" on the cover) from Mały Modelarz, year 1991.
Like many other MMs, this one is also not that easy to build as there are some inaccuracies in parts.
The finished plane should look nice though. MMs from 1990s are actually not that bad and you can definitely turn them into a decent model.

The Me or Bf designation was settled in 1938, as the company changed it's name from Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG to Messerschmitt AG. This means that any aircraft type designed by Messerschmitt after 1938 should have the designation Me. Any aircraft designed before 1938 should have the designation Bf. This can be found on the German Wiki page about the Bf 110:

"The serial number assigned by the Reich Ministry of Aviation (RLM) for the new destroyer was 110. In accordance with its official designation system, the RLM Technical Office, which is responsible for aircraft procurement, combined the type number with the abbreviation of the manufacturer BFW to Bf 110. The designer Willy Messerschmitt as a shareholder in the manufacturing company gave the type the designation Me 110, which corresponds to its name. Only after the RLM had temporarily stopped cooperation with the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke did Messerschmitt / BFW take over the designation Bf 110 required by the Technical Office -Illustrated The Eagleas well as in the aircraft identification books approved by the RLM (for example intended for the NSFK ) continue to be called Me 110. This designation was also common in other magazines and in everyday language used by the Luftwaffe.

Since the manufacturing company was initially Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG, which was then merged into Messerschmitt AG in 1938 , the name of the technical office was initially BFW Bf 110 , then - while retaining the original manufacturer abbreviation - Messerschmitt Bf 110".

As I don't have a copy of the sheets myself, so I don't know what info is given in the manual about the origin of this particular aircraft. Judging on the paintscheme (standard RLM70/71/65 splinter scheme) the time period is 1939 - early 1940

I am confused though by the color of the 3rd letter in the fuselage code and the color of the spinners. The code 5F+CM suggests this is an aircraft from the 4th staffel (squadron) of Aufklarungsgruppe 14 (gruppe = wing). According to Luftwaffe protocol the 3rd letter of the fuselage code should be white (or black for early war aircraft) for a 4th staffel aircraft. Yellow is used for 3rd, 6th and 9th staffel aircraft.
Spinners were sometimes painted in the staffel or gruppe colour, and should be either white for the staffel colour or red for the gruppe colour, not yellow

Profiles and pictures of a Messerschmitt Bf110C with code 5F+CM are wellknown, however it's obvious this is not the same aircraft





Caption on Wikipedia:
"A captured German Messerschmitt Me 110 C-5 (W.Nr. 2177) of the reconnaissance unit 4.(F)/14 (5F+CM). This aircraft was shot down by the Red Section of No. 238 Squadron RAF on 21 July 1940 at Goodwood (UK). The pilot, Oblt. Friedrich Karl Runde managed to put it down in relatively good condition. It was repaired at Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough with parts from Me 110 2N+EP of 9./ZG76 (Oblt. Gerhard Kadow) that was shot down near Wareham on 11 July 1940. It was flown for the first time again on 15 February 1941. Later it was tested at RAE Duxford, painted in RAF colours (RAF serial AX772). It was assigned to No. 1426 Squadron after the end of the trials. Stored in November 1945, it was scrapped in November 1947."

Airfix has an 1/72 plastic model of this aircraft.

So I have my doubts about the accuracy of the Maly paintscheme, perhaps the designer used to much imagination when creating the model

[Butelczynski]

Maly was always known for taking liberties with colors and schemes of their models.Some of them were really outlandish like Me-262.

Good work Zenon.I tried building this model when it came out but inaccuracies in it made me loose interest in it. too bad because I wanted a companion for BF109E that came out a year earlier.

[Isaac]

Lots of framing for the canopy.


Have fun


Isaac

[Mike1158]

Nicely done, great airframe.

[Zenon1947]

Quick update, the last one before the final.
I will write more, about the building process, history, markings, etc., when the plane is finished.

[Zenon1947]

Bf 110C has been finished.
The start with history, I think Foute Man explained everything in detail. Old MMs are often not accurate in terms of markings. Their newer kits are definitely better in this aspect.

Now, a few words about the building process. The model itself is not too difficult and not too easy. It may be tricky sometimes, so it's good if you have some experience with 1/33 scale.
Thanks to many sources, books, articles I have in my archives, I also managed to recreate the cockpit(which was not included in the kit) and add some additional parts.

If there are any questions, I'll be glad to answer them. Maybe there are things you'd like to know.

[rmks2000]

Well done. I admire those that can scratch build a cockpit.

[MacSongLi]

A great looking model. Very well done Zenon.

Gary

[Knife]

I admire those that can build a Mały Modelarz model. Especially if it comes out well. I have several MM kits. Every time I think about building one, I look at the quality of the paper and just put it back on the shelf. This one turned out really nice. Well done.