I want to keep up some momentum on my DAW theme, so I have done some important basic work on a couple of builds. For the 110, I finished checking the fit on the cockpit and gun nose fit and correcting the terrible instructions. As with the nacelles, I have found the fit to be superb. I had no trouble getting all detailed components in place and experimentally joining the fuselage halves. Ditto for the nose and belly guns. The nose cap fits over the guns beautifully. I love the engineering on this kit - very relaxing to build. Even the instructions won't throw you off too much, as long as you patiently check where the slots for the parts actually are and ignore aberrations in the numbering system. I also looked at a few WIP photos on-line.

So, I took apart my trial build, mounted all the parts for the pit and wheel wells and set to work on a three-stage painting process prior to final assembly. First, I gave all parts that would be RLM 02 a primer coat of Tamiya Flat White. This really helps to keep the MM Acryl of the RLM 02 from beading out on the plastic and forming "eyes" while airbrushing . Before doing the 02, I also did a pre-shade on ribbing, rivets and wiring with a mix of Tamiya German Grey and Flat Black. I also painted some larger components like guns, ammo drums and radios with the same mix. So, when I finally did the MMAcryl RLM 02 coat, it went down smoothly and gave me some shadow effect on the side walls from the pre-shade.

I'd say its pretty much ready for application of the Eduard color etch, including seat belts. The seat, BTW, is very nice. I only had to drill out the slot for the shoulder harness. I will detail the mechanisms by brush painting. I am considering doing a coat of Tamiya Clear and doing a dirty oil wash to bring out more detail and add weathering. I will need to do that before doing the etch for the throttle console and installing the IP. No big deal.

That's it for now. I thought this was worth sharing as a follow up to a kind of kit review. So far, the Dragon Bf-110 gets 4.5 stars out of 5, let down only by the instructions and saved by quality engineering all the way. I also thought the major painting was worth detailing as well, given the trickiness of using MM Acryl but the nice results if you are careful. Hope you find it worthwhile. Happy modeling.

This is such great, solid progress, my friend @coling!
Looks like fit is good so far. I like what you did with the RLM02: priming did help a lot, the following clear coat darkened it nicely. Yes, I also agree on matching the Eduard 02, there's no such thing like absolute accuracy, but all RLM02s at a model should look close.
Looking forward to this super build!

Nice work on what looks like a nice kit, @coling. I really like the 110, and look forward to seeing what you can do with this. The cockpit should be beautiful once all the details are picked out and assembly complete.

Here is the latest progress on the Dragon Bf-110. I did a fairly heavy oil wash to suggest wear and deepen shadows. I also added some CMK pigments - Dark Dust and Sandy Dust on the floorboards and seat - to give it a dusty desert operations feel. I may add a bit more as I assemble further. I will try to describe the assembly and mods I have done as briefly as possible to give some context for the pics.

I found that the rack arrangement for the radios behind the pilot's seat left hollow openings visible from the molding of the rectangular radios. I didn't think this looked right and decided to cover it with styrene sheet cut to size. I may add a solid seat armor plate later but I like the now black painted insert for now since it preserves the tubular bracing for the rack. Next up was to add the details of the Eduard color etch for the pit and separate Eduard set for the belts and harness. Photos I could find on line suggested a full belt and harness arrangement only for the pilot's seat. The gunner and radio operator's seat have lap belts only. I used the Eduard color etch belts for two out of three seats, rather than paper as originally contemplated. This was because the metal belts had really nice color and realistic rough texture. However, I actually made the lap belt of the center seat from scratch as I only had two lap belt sets from the Eduard set. It is made from scrap pieces of etch and paper. The detail for the radios, and for the gun arrays provided in the kit is extraordinary. I painted all of this carefully using oil wash over MM Acryl RLM 02 and pencil scrapings for graphite rubbed over the Flat Black guns and ammo drums. Here are a couple of pics of the assembly and painting process before inserting the cassette into the floor (see other pics. above with guns in place in the floor). The blue bottles are for oxygen, as I understand it. I hand painted the leather straps for the ammo drums on the rack at the back. I have tried to lay all of this out first in the photos and then show it partly assembled. Details will be harder to see when everything is in place and closed up, so I am photographing it now for a better view. BTW, the Eduard etch components for the IP and side throttle console are an odd color, closer to RLM 66 than RLM 02. I painted over the color etch for the throttle console with RLM 02. I haven't done this yet for the IP as many builds I have seen, as well as pics of museum birds seem to show the IP as darker in color, even if the pit was overall RLM 02. with the starboard sidewall and seat attached, I think the overall blending of RLM 02 tones is pretty good and realistic enough for my tastes. Comments welcome.

Superb detailing on your 110, Colin @coling
Searbelts are indeed really nice looking, as well as the applied wash.
To my understanding these blue bottles were compressed air.

Perfect cockpit so far, my friend @coling.
Covering the radios' backplate was a good idea: looks way better now!l
Weathering is really amazing, fooling the already big 1:32 scale: could easilly pass for 1:1.

I can't quite believe it's been a whole year since I last posted anything on this. I got stuck on how to complete the build when it came to the final color scheme, with resulting loss of mojo. Basically, I suspected that the monochrome RLM-79 Sandgelb upper surfaces of the desert version I planned would be lacking in visual interest, even with weathering at this large scale. This was particularly because the broad expanses of the wing panels have very little rivet detail so look a bit toy-like. Interestingly, the Eduard 48th scale version has complex rivet patterns on the inner wing - easily seen in photos - so I thought I would take that as a starting inspiration. In the end, I elected to get a good rivet pattern plan (courtesy of Kagero) and add all the detail myself with the Rosie the Riveter tool, a straight edge, and a roll of Dymo Tape. Doing the upper and lower wings took a day and a half. I did the patterning before assembly since it was easier to hold the plastic still when working with flat parts, instead of the complex curves of the assembled wings. Here are a few pics of the results. starting with the double rivet lines of the inner wing upper surfaces. This was tricky to do with a Dymo tape guide, but careful measurement, and marking the lines with thin strips of masking tape in advance, helped me to figure out where the lines should be relative to the engraved detail of various panels.

I think the final result looks better than the rivet work on the Eduard stock surfaces in 1/48, but you can judge for yourself. I am personally satisfied that rivet engraving will make the model look more realistic and interesting in this large scale. BTW, The pics are a bit dark but too much light made the riveting harder to see in photographs, so I did less brightening than usual in the image processor.

I am assembling and detailing the engines right now. I should have them on soon for a build update in a few days. Incidentally, I find that the very finely engineered system of supports provided by Dragon makes the mounting of the engines a breeze and allows for careful test-fitting before committing to liquid glue. The instructions may have some errors in parts numbering but there is no doubt how to get the engines mounted correctly and precisely as long as you take time and care. Otherwise, if you rush and force fit them, you could get them reversed.

Hope this riveting stage is of interest. Comments welcome.

The result is really amazing, Colin @coling
A lot of work but definitely worth it.