Hobbyboss 1:48 Me 262A-1a/U3

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

Just been doing the Hobbyboss Me 262. This is the recon variant. It is an excellent kit, on par with Tamiya's 262 in 1:48. The metal nose weight integrates extremely well into the nose. The cockpit is very well detailed, but I added an Eduard Seatbelt set as it lacked this part. Apart from this, things have been going very smoothly. The model is now waiting for it's primer coat. I did a really grimy effect in the wheel wells due to me seeing the Australian Me 262, Black X at the Australian war memorial. The wheel wells were extensively weathered on this example, as have tried to replicate it in the last photo. Any comments, constructive criticism is welcome. BTW, the large gap in the engine cowling in the last photo has been fixed


Cheers, John

View attachment 105656

View attachment 105660

View attachment 105661

View attachment 105662

View attachment 105663

 

[papa 695]

Great start John looking forward to more and the paint going on

 

[stona]

Nice. What scheme are you doing, there's always the tricky streaky/squiggle scheme that was on the U3s found at Eger


Cheers


Steve

 

[Alan 45]

Nice start I've built the U4 it's painted but I'm figuring out a mottle effect using a brush and I think I've cracked it but I'm doing more practice to get the best possible look with a brush

 

[takeslousyphotos]

Looking good ......... I'look forward to seeing your brushed mottled camo ........

 

[Eric RENOUX]

Good job !

 

[Dave W]

Looks a nicely detailed kit.The last 262 I built was the old Monogram 1/48 kit over 20 years ago.Time I built another one.

 

[monica]

very nice work John ,do like the painted detail,inside and the cockpit looks great

 

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

Nice. What scheme are you doing, there's always the tricky streaky/squiggle scheme that was on the U3s found at Eger
Cheers


Steve

yep. I am doing the RLM 82,83 squiggle camo. That will be the challenging part- to make it look to chaotic with the squiggles and yet make it look ordered.


John

 

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

Looks a nicely detailed kit.The last 262 I built was the old Monogram 1/48 kit over 20 years ago.Time I built another one.

surprisingly, the monogram 262 is still an excellent kit, despite it's age. The panel lines are recessed and crisp and it has a nicely detailed cockpit with a gunbay. However, the Tamiya and hobbyboss ones now beat this old one. It is still a kit worth building.

 

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

Next update. The '262 has now recieved it's primer and RLM 76 for the undies. The canopy has been masked in preparation for the squiggle camo. Right before I was about to commit the forward par to the canopy to glue, I discovered, with some dry fitting that the back of the instrument panel was visible. I then put some tubing of different sizes and colours at the back to create the electrical piping seen at the back of instrument panels. This can be seen in the first photo. If forgot to mention that Hobbyboss also includes a very well detailed radio bay and hatch in their kit. Although most of the detail is hidden, some can still be seen. I have not started the squiggle camo as I just ran out of RLM 82 and 83... I will have to pay a visit to the hobby shop tomorrow.


John

View attachment 105736

View attachment 105737

View attachment 105738

View attachment 105739

View attachment 105740

 

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

BTW, this kit has two colour schemes, and I think I will do the one captured in April 1945. There is quite a lot of reference for this particular aircraft, as the Americans took this one back to the USA for evaluation and testing.


John

Nice start I've built the U4 it's painted but I'm figuring out a mottle effect using a brush and I think I've cracked it but I'm doing more practice to get the best possible look with a brush

Is the U4 the up gunned one or the night fighter prototype?


John

 

[stona]

Is the U4 the up gunned one or the night fighter prototype?


John

U4 is a typo for U3, as in the title. It was a reconnaissance version with a couple of Rb 30/50 cameras in the gun bay. You can see the bulges which carried on through the gun/camera bay doors on the third photo of the model above.


This is one from perhaps the best know sequence of photos of a U3 which suffered a nose wheel collapse (a common problem) on delivery to 1./NAG 6 at Lechfeld. You can see the bulged covers in the foreground. You can't see the cameras or the one 30mm cannon in the camera/gun bay.


View attachment 105742



I've always thought this would make a great diorama, but scratch building the crane on the back of the Opel truck would be a challenge.


Cheers


Steve

 

[Alan 45]

BTW, this kit has two colour schemes, and I think I will do the one captured in April 1945. There is quite a lot of reference for this particular aircraft, as the Americans took this one back to the USA for evaluation and testing.
John


Is the U4 the up gunned one or the night fighter prototype?


John

Yes it is John a massive 50mm cannon ive never seen one before but from my research this was captured by the Americans in 45 and is now in a museum they named it wilma geane but I don't think this version flew as it says it was supposed to be the best bomber killer

 

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

View attachment 105822

View attachment 105824



(If you can't see the camo pattern properly on the thread, click on the image, and it will expand)


Since I have just restocked on paints, I have now done the squiggle camouflage. This was the hardest bit as there were no masks or any other way out. It had to be done freehand. The undersides have to be touched up tomorrow.


It was RLM 82 with 83 over it with the squiggle camo.


Cheers, John


View attachment 105823



View attachment 105822

 

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

Yes it is John a massive 50mm cannon ive never seen one before but from my research this was captured by the Americans in 45 and is now in a museum they named it wilma geane but I don't think this version flew as it says it was supposed to be the best bomber killer

Just did a bit of research. Apparently, it wasn't the best bomber killer. The massive flak gun in the nose did not operate well with the G forces on it and it frequently jammed, unlike the standard usual armament of the 4 Reinnmetall Borsig Mk 108 Cannons. However, this aircraft only had 2 prototypes finished... If there is one in an American musem, I would like to see it!


Cheers, John

 

[Alan 45]

Just did a bit of research. Apparently, it wasn't the best bomber killer. The massive flak gun in the nose did not operate well with the G forces on it and it frequently jammed, unlike the standard usual armament of the 4 Reinnmetall Borsig Mk 108 Cannons. However, this aircraft only had 2 prototypes finished... If there is one in an American musem, I would like to see it!
Cheers, John

Yeah I read that John and I can't find the museum it's in now which means ive probably read it wrong , however here's a photo I found of some Americans climbing all over it View attachment 105829

 

[stona]

The aircraft above is the Me 262V-083 (W.Nr.170083). The other side of the nose was marked 'Feudin 54th A.D.Sq.'


It was later '000' of Watson's Whizzers, renamed 'Happy Hunter II'. It was flown four times by Heinz Bauer at Lechfield in demonstrations for the Americans.


On 10th June 1945 Watson flew it from Lechfeld to Melun-Dizier in France.


It crashed on 18th June 1945 at Tilleul-Dame-Agnes, Eure, in France (about 60 miles west of Paris). It was being ferried by Ludwig 'Willie' Hofmann to Cherbourg when it suffered an engine failure. Hofmann bailed out and the aircraft was completely destroyed, hence it never made it to the USA.


The other aircraft fitted with a 50mm cannon was W.Nr.111899. It was destroyed by the Germans at Salzburg-Maxglan on 4th May 1945. The Germans usually turned on the fuel pumps and tossed hand grenades into the jet intakes, which did the trick.


I'll edit this last paragraph, as I've now looked up the information rather than going by memory!


111899 was the only one of the two to be flown in action, once, around 16th April '45, with no success.


Only a few rounds were ever fired from the installation during testing and only by 111899. On 5th April Maj. Wilhelm Herget fired 'a few' rounds at a ground target. On 7th April Gerd Lindner flew the aircraft and fired two rounds at a ground target, followed by Herget who fired a further seven rounds. On the 9th Herget flew two test sorties and fired a total of nine rounds.


It is unlikely (though not certain) that 170083 was ever flown with the Mk 214 cannon installed before the Americans captured it.


Cheers


Steve

 

[Alan 45]

I did read some of that Steve but I didn't know it crashed that wasn't mentioned in the piece I read but thanks for the info

 

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

This build will be delayed as I broke my arm/shoulder....Will have to leave it for a week and a half till I can do airbrushing/minor construction....


John