Corgi AA38506 Bf110 C-4/B, Schnell Kampf Geschwader 210, Russian Front 1941

One of the most famous of the Messerschmitt Bf110 units, Geschwader 210 adorned their machines with a very recognisable emblem on the nose of their aircraft. The ‘Waspen Staffel’ as they became known, operated across all fronts during the Second World War, from the arid climate of the North African front to the bleak winter tundra of the Russian front in the winter of 1941, as depicted by this faithful replica. The winter wash was applied to help the normally dark coloured Bf110 blend in better when on operations over a snow covered landscape. However, care was taken to ensure that the winter wash did not encroach upon the elaborate unit markings, or the tactical and unit markings of the aircraft. Used as ground attack machines on the Eastern Front, the Bf110 pilots found the early period of the war on the Eastern Front to their liking, scoring a large number of ground kills and coming up against weaker fighter opposition. The Bf110 was able to use its strengths and not have its weaknesses exploited to the same extent as on the Western Front. However as the war progressed, the Bf110 was also found to be a vulnerable machine in the East, more and more where converted to night fighting tasks.