Subject: Me110D

Manufacturer: Airfix

Constructed in 1965.

As a youngster, every Christmas I was given the current bound annual volume of "Flying Review International", a monthly aviation magazine which had in the 1950's called itself the "RAF Flying Review". An authoritative and very absorbing read it was too - and each magazine had at least five colour pages - wow! On Christmas Day 1965 I curled up in a corner with the 1964/5 volume and within minutes was absorbed in an article titled "Messerschmitt's Zerstorer". This included a colour three-view plan of a 110C of 5./ZG 1 "Wespen-Geschwader" (Wasp Squadron). I was really taken with the wasp nose-art. I had an unmade 110. My 110 had to look like the one in Flying Review!

I gave this kit my all but the odds were stacked against me. Not only were youth and inexperience not on my side but Airfix released the kit in 1959 and even for them these were early days. The parts were crude and their fit poor. There was no attempt to provide internal detail and the wing trailing edges were thick. Modern adhesives and fillers were unknown. I remember using "Pollyfiller" household plaster filler, far too coarse for the job and acting like a sponge when it came to painting.

So how come this dreadful amalgam of late 50's kit quality, dearth of modern materials and early teenage inexperience has survived? I was pleased with the product of my labours. The thing really did look like the illustration in the book. I had learnt a lot and made much progress up the learning curve. I can't bear to bin it!