Internet Modeler : New Releases : Aviation RSS News Feed

Eduard 1/72 Bf 110E Decals

By Matt Bittner

Since releasing their excellent 1/72 Bf 110E kit, Eduard has continued with more aftermarket for it. We've already reviewed the Workshop Ladder as well as their separate photoetch set for it, but this time they've released decals.

There are four separate Bf 110Es on this release:

• 7./ZG26, Mediterranean, 1941/42
• 1./Erg. Zerst. Gr. Deblin-Irena, Poland, December 1942
• 5./NJG1, Deleen, Holland, Spring 1941
• W.Nr. 3866, Hans-Joachim Jabs, Staffelkapitän 6./ZG 76, Argos, 1941

The first, second and fourth machines are RLM74/RLM75 over RLM 76 undersides, while the third machine from Deleen, Holland, is all-black. While the instructions supplied with the decals are adequate for profiles and decal placement, you're better off by visiting their site and downloading the PDF instructions.

However, even with the PDF instructions I feel Eduard hasn't provided all they could. Each, separate scheme has something different from the others, and only two can work with the instructions provided with the kit. For example, the first machine on the instruction sheet - 7./ZG26 - appears (according to the profile) to carry three fuel tanks (one under each wing and the third under the mid-fuselage). However, when you look at the kit's instructions, those items are marked "not for use", and the instructions with the decal sheet provide no clue (aside from the profiles) on how to use those fuel tanks and what needs to be accomplished with the kit to use them. The same holds true with the all-black, Holland machine. Again according to the profiles it appears it uses the "large", underside fuel tank, but again, nothing is mentioned on the decal instructions "how" to use the kit parts to achieve this model.

In addition, it appears three of the four on the instruction sheet uses fuselage parts H10 and G1, while the 7.ZG26 aircraft uses parts E20 and E1. Again, this is not called out in the decal instructions, but you can come to that conclusion by looking at the separate profiles, and studying the kit instructions. However, the same can't be said for the different ordnance.

If you don't mind performing your own research - as well as trying to figure out how to use the different orndance provided for in the kit, but not called out for in the kit instructions - then you won't mind using these decals. But, if you're the type that likes to have all that information "up front", you could be disappointed with this release.

The decals, though, are top-notch and appear to be in register.

My thanks to Eduard for sending these decals to review.