BF 110D cockpit color variations?

Why am I reading this at 1:00 am? 

Probably because I'm trying to get things done late at night and just happened to decide to peruse the forums before going to bed.

CN>  They recently had a discussion on the cockpit colors for the JU-87 over in the "Stuka GB", so you might read what they had to say there:

Ju 87 Stuka GB - Group Builds - Modeling Subjects - Finescale Modeler Community

Start about the middle of the comments.  This was about Stukas, but applies to all German aircraft.  Apparently that RLM 66 is correct, though you might get by with a lighter shade.

Hope this will be of help.

Gary

I had the same issue when I built my Bf 109 E-3.  Apparently they were painted in RLM 02 up until early 1941 and the dashes were always RLM 66.  It would be safe to say the D version could go either way I suppose, depending when it was in service.  RLM 66 is a boring grey, so I lighten mine with a tad of neutral grey and drybrush the details silver to make it more interesting.  Add a wash to really make it pop.  Here's how I did mine if your interested.  

cs.finescale.com/.../157297.aspx

Hope it helps,

Joe

In the discussions in the Stuka GB I mentioned a page on Swannies models which lists what colur cockpits should be. I can't recall if I posted a link, so here it is.

www.swannysmodels.com/Painting.html

According to this, the 110D should be RLM 02. But as was pointe out in the Stuka GB, it was not always as simple as that, and some early aircraft were indeed painted in 66.So I think either way would be ok, and officially RLM 02 would be the colour to use.

Thanks guys!   I went with the 02 this morning.  This kit has like 260 parts and 258 of them make up the cockpit.  Couldn't bring myself to cover all of that in such dark paint.  Ironically, after all the prep work and priming the RLM 02 was nearly the exact color that Eduard molded the kit in.  I probably could have just hit it with Future and moved on.  I still think it will look a bit more lively than the 66 in the end though.  I'll start the wash/weathering on it tomorrow.

I hadn't seen the wip on your 109 yet, Joe.  Outstanding work as always!

You're right about that Eduard 110, I have the "C" version in the stash and the cockpit detail is insane.

I've got the C stalled as I wait for replacement parts from Eduard.

The cockpit is one of the better ones I've seen OOB. As for color you've already painted yours, but is say 02 is more on point with the D. There are a lot of "experts" online that are no more experts than I am a brain surgeon, so my advice would be not to let total accuracy become an obsession. There is room for artistic license in this hobby. None of us were actually there, so honestly there is no being sure 100% about the exact hue of any colors.

dflu78

There are a lot of "experts" online that are no more experts than I am a brain surgeon, so my advice would be not to let total accuracy become an obsession. There is room for artistic license in this hobby. None of us were actually there, so honestly there is no being sure 100% about the exact hue of any colors.

I couldn't have said this better.  Good advice.  Heed it and you'll live longer.....

Joe

I noticed a part missing on mine as well. One of the pipes on the exhaust manifolds.  I found it odd that those were not one piece like most aircraft especially since they are not hollow.  I sent Eduard an email last night about 10PM and they had replied before I woke up this morning saying that they are sending a free replacement.  So for, I've been nothing but impressed with them.

I've contemplated ordering the Quickboost resin exhaust from Sprue Brothers (I thought it was Squadron but I don't think they sell them).  They look really nice and worth every bit of 6 bucks if it keeps me from having to glue on and drill out 24 individual pipes. Yikes!

I used the Quickboost exhausts on my C....they are beautiful and well worth it. Especially since they are so prominent on this particular plane. I remember the sorry kit examples, one look and I was like..."nah"... Joet

CN Spots

I noticed a part missing on mine as well. One of the pipes on the exhaust manifolds.  I found it odd that those were not one piece like most aircraft especially since they are not hollow.  I sent Eduard an email last night about 10PM and they had replied before I woke up this morning saying that they are sending a free replacement.  So for, I've been nothing but impressed with them.

I've contemplated ordering the Quickboost resin exhaust from Squadron.  They look really nice and worth every bit of 6 bucks if it keeps me from having to glue on and drill out 24 individual pipes. Yikes!

Their customer service is exquisite. I bought my -C at a show. It had been opened, and I called myself going over it pretty good, but it was marked at $20...a considerable savings compared to new, so I rushed and bought it. Got to the ailerons and found they were missing....they had clearly been snipped from the sprue too...so the kit had been cannibalized. I even explained to that Eduard...whole new sprue regardless.

Couldn't stand it.  I just ordered the exhaust from Sprue Bros. : )

LionOfLux

Lawdog! How can you say RLM 66 is a boring color? I think cockpits in RLM 66 look just fine if handled properly. It's such a nice shade... :-D

Agreed, beats zinc chromate or Russian blue.

...Or Russian turquoise green?

LionOfLux

Lawdog! How can you say RLM 66 is a boring color? I think cockpits in RLM 66 look just fine if handled properly. It's such a nice shade... :-D

Yep....boring.  At least Tamiya's example of it (XF 63 German Gray) is to me.....too dark.  Thats why I lighten it with a touch of light or neutral gray.  Works for me.... 

Joe

Nathan T

...Or Russian turquoise green?

I have to concur regarding RLM 66...it just doesn't lend itself well to shading and chromatic variation like 02 does.

I sprayed it here and drybrushed with neutral grey and ran a pin wash around the detail...about as good as you can hope for I think...

Reasoned & dflu78,  Were the wings in your 110 kits kind of dull (sheen wise) compared to the rest of the parts?  I noticed this about mine.  They look almost like they've had a dull coat sprayed on them.  The panel lines and rivets are a bit shallow too.  I wasn't sure if this was inherent of this aircraft type or a mold defect.

Very nice pit dflu78!

I hadn't noticed that...may not have paid that much attention. It's on the stalled build shelf (still awaiting my parts). I'll give it a glance later on and get back to you.

CN Spots

Reasoned & dflu78,  Were the wings in your 110 kits kind of dull (sheen wise) compared to the rest of the parts?  I noticed this about mine.  They look almost like they've had a dull coat sprayed on them.  The panel lines and rivets are a bit shallow too.  I wasn't sure if this was inherent of this aircraft type or a mold defect.

Very nice pit dflu78!

I have a 110D in the stash, and have actually built most of it, but stopped because my kit had one upper wing half that was badly warped at the tip, and there was no way I could correct it 100%. So I contacted 
Eduard  and they sent me a replacement sprue that contained the upper wing halves. I noticed the same thing you mention. The new wing sprue they sent looked much more dull and the detail was different. Not so much less quality, but more small and crisp?? It just made me do a double take, that's all. I'm sure it will look nice under paint and with a wash applied. 

CN Spots

Reasoned & dflu78,  Were the wings in your 110 kits kind of dull (sheen wise) compared to the rest of the parts?  I noticed this about mine.  They look almost like they've had a dull coat sprayed on them.  The panel lines and rivets are a bit shallow too.  I wasn't sure if this was inherent of this aircraft type or a mold defect

No, the wings look the same as the rest, it's the C variant. 

let me throw my money in here

between 1936 and 1942 cockpits of bombers and transports were RLM 41 (Vallejo model colour 70986) The BF110, whilst official designation as a heavy fighter also had bomb carrying capability, so it may be possible that the cockpit could be RLM 41.

I could be wrong, and no doubt member will tell me if I am that my research seems to tell me that RLM 02 was basically the all over primer colour and the cockpit of fighters, ME 109 in particular, was left in that colour until the change in 1941 to RLM 66, but the colour change would only affect aircraft leaving the factories.

With your 1/48 scale build I would suggest that while RLM 66 is technically the right colour for the date, RLM 41 could be a better shade to use for the scale and would show up detail better.

James

"Crisp" is a better description of the detail on these wings too.  It's probably closer to actual scale rivets and panel lines than the rest of the plane but I'm really going to have to watch the paint build up.  I may re-scribe a few to be safe.

The Quickboost resin exhaust arrived today.  They look amazing!  

Thanks for the additional info!