Messerschmitt Me 262B-1a

by Bob Aikens

Dragon's 1/48 scale Messerschmitt Me 262B-1a/U1 is available online from Squadron

The Dragon/DML 1/48 scale kit of the Messerschmitt Me 262B-1a/U1 was first released (I think) in 1992 as part of the 1/48 scale Master Series.

This series was attractively packaged with great boxtop art,and had extras such as photo-etched detail and rubber tires. This kit, along with Dragon's 262A-1a, were timely additions, especially for Luftwaffe fans as the Monogram kit had been the only 262 in 1/48 scale for too many years!

Anyone who has built a few Dragon kits would probably agree that they are very good examples of model manufacturing-but the knock seems to be that they all suffer from minor fit problems, especially at the Fuselage-to-wing root areas. The scrupulous modeler must either fill with plastic card, or shim the fuselsge sides outwards so that it meets the wing more evenly.

On the 262s, attention must also be paid to getting the engine nacelle joints neatly filled and smoothed.

The kit painting instructions and decals offer two aircraft from 10/NJG 11- "Red 12" 111980 and "Red 10" 110635. 10/NJG 11 was the only Luftwaffe nachtjager unit to equip with the 262,and at that, receiving fewer than a dozen examples of the 262B-1a/U-1.

The upper surfaces of "Red 12" were done with Model Master RLM 76, the mottling with XtraColor RLM 74. The undersides are Tamiya Flat Black..

It is with the greatest of historical and poetic license that I include a picture of "Red 12" at a Swiss airfield. It arrived just after the disbanding of all 262 units in April of 1945.

• William Green - The Warplanes of the Third Reich

• Bunrindo Co. Ltd.-Famous Airplanes of the World, No. 2-Messerschmitt Me262
   

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2004 by Bob Aikens
Page Created 16 June, 2004
Last Updated 16 June, 2004

Back to HyperScale Main Page