This is Pegasus Hobbies’ 1/48 “E-Z Snapz” kit of the famed Messerschmitt Me262 jet fighter, nicknamed the ‘Schwalbe’ (Swallow), undoubtedly for its distinctive wing shape. One of a series of ‘easy build’ and ‘snap-tite’ variety kits that I’ve built just for fun in the last year, this one has great lines and some nice detail, in spite of its robust toy-like construction…but rather poorer overall fit than most of the others of the ilk that I’ve tried. Still, since I had intended from the beginning to glue and putty as with any regular kit, the fit issues – almost all concerning the wings – were easily dealt with. (One big shout-out to the manufacturer that I will happily add, however, is for the included nose weight, perfectly-shaped to fit under the gun-bay cover.)
I added an on-hand Eduard etch instrument panel and seat harnesses and scratchbuilt a Revi gunsight to add to the sparse cockpit detail – and scratch-built missing external bits like the pitot, DF loop and the under-fuselage FuG16ZY aerial mast (all presumably deemed too fragile for the snap-kit’s intended play-toy audience.
I kicked the kit’s included single scheme decals (for Heinz Bar’s aircraft) to my spares box, and went with an old Ebay-acquired SuperScale sheet featuring my favorite-ever scheme, NASM’s colorful and beautifully-restored JG7 machine in its authentic original wartime markings. I have visited this aircraft many times over the years, and it never gets any less breathtaking. Since Pegasus’ kit includes delicately-rendered versions of the R4M underwing rockets that the museum bird had been equipped with during its wartime service, I figured those markings were surely its true destiny.
Hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed the build. Merry Christmas and Season’s Greetings to all!
