There weren't any details of the forthcoming Royal Class Messerschmitt Bf 110 in Eduard's usual announcement of the month ahead's releases. The reason is clear now - it's set to be an absolute stunner that fully justifies a News item of its own!

As predicted, along with two complete standard kits, the first important in change Royal Class version is the optional “long” fuselage for the Bf 110D and some Bf 110Es. Another additional sprue provides the optional engine nacelles for the Bf 110E Trop, with enlarged oil coolers. Another new addition is the FuG 202 Lichtenstein BC radar aerial, which is composed of plastic and photo-etched parts.

With respect to the accessories, this boxing includes nine photoetched sets and three resin parts. The photo-etched sets contain the usual mix of additional details, while the resin parts are dust filters as seen on many aircraft flown on the Eastern front.

There are 12 colour schemes featured, with Cartograph decals for a mix of all three main versions - the Bf 110C,D and E, with many alternatives, such as night fighters and aircraft with the famous “Dackelbauch” belly tank.

Every Royal Class kit contains a bonus. As Eduard's first twin-engined Royal Class, it's fitting that the Bf 110 contains two. The first may be predictable, with an Iron Cross replica that follows the Royal Class tradition.

The second bonus is a total surpise! A ¼ scale kit of the Bf 110 instrument panel. The kit is highly detailed, with a plastic base and instrument frames, and the faces of the instruments being represented by color stickers. The instruments needles are colour photo-etch, as well as the placards and instruction tabs and other details on the panel surface.

Having built a couple of Eduard's smaller stand-alone instrument panels, I can hardly wait - and Eduard's desciption of the Bf 110 panel looks set to be fair: "...this is a very complex kit in the best sense of the word, and simply looks great! It’s not a difficult build, all parts are made in their correct color, making painting unnecessary….just gluing the parts together."

Eduard's Royal Class Messerschmitt Bf 110 is going to be released in two versions:

The standard edition is limited to 2,100 kits.

A special German edition 400 kits will replace the Iron Cross replica with a resin set of exhausts and ammunition boxes, along with a crystal clear vacuformed canopy.

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.