ME-210

     This is Italeri's Messerschmitt 210 built SFTB and finished with kit decals, all paints are Extracolor.  This kit is NOT the Bilek tooling, it is all new from Italeri, and builds very nicely-

      The kit comes on two grey and one clear sprue, and is very well moulded with engraved panel lines ( a little softer than your typical Hasegawa but still looks good under a coat of paint).  Decal options are for a pair of aircraft both featured in the Sqaudron/Signal "ME210/410 in action" book.  Both schemes are basicaly the same- 74/75/76 with only spinners and individual codes really varying.  Swastika,s are not included.

     This kit was built basically SFTB, the only interior additions i made were seat straps and a roll bar for the pilot before painting the interior RLM66 with black details and some drybrushing, there is plenty of scope for extra work here if the fancy takes you.

     Fit is a bit of a funny one- every major join needed filling on this model but for some reason it was no chore- all parts fitted level wise so you are left literally filling the gaps and giving them a quick rub down when dry, no vast amounts of sanding to level components up.  The only refining i did was to replace the leading edge intakes with some contrail tube, which was blended in with filler to improve the look of these areas.  Whilst on the engine area i am not overly happy with the shape of the propellors and would replace them next time with better looking items.

     The model is finished with Extracolor paints, after which the kit decals were applied-to do this i sealed them between two coats of Klear to avoid silvering. Swastika's are from Extradecal.  With decals dry a coat of klear was applied with a wide flat brush prior to applying a wash of raw umber oil paint into all the panel lines.  Final finish is Aeromaster flat acrylic.

     To sum up this is a nice model of an under-represented family of aeroplanes, i enjoyed making it a great deal and will build more in the future, at £5.50 or so in the UK it represents great value for money (as do Italeri kits generally)