Yes, Finally it will be with me in a couple of days.
Yup! The 1/18 Me 262.
I have not made any building plans as yet apart from the decision to do a Luft '46 2 tone Afrika Korps splinter pattern aircraft just as something different.
Really this is very much a basic build and it will be the paint job and physical size that needs to impress. I will be going with custom paint masks, but need to measure the decals in the kit first before going to Maketar to order. I have also aproached HGW to see if they will upscale their 1/32 ME 262 water transfer set for me and I think that I will just go with 1/24 Luftwaffe seatbelts from them. Might be a bit undersized, but better than nothing.
Last night I had a bit of madness with some spoons, paints and my airbrush.
Here’s my paint results, thinking about what is available from the Luftwaffe paint list and also the Afrika Korps RAL paints.
My first choice is on the left. RLM 79 Sand RLM 81 Brown Violet RLM 78 Blue. The other paints are the Afrika Korps Vehicle paint.
RLM 78/79 are the Luftwaffe desert paints so those are the base ones and RLM 81 Brown-Violet used on late war Luftwaffe European Theatre. This is I personally think the right one for the two tone splinter scheme for the upper surface as it will give a definite shade divide.
However, using the Afrika Korps would be a bit more subtle with the splinter pattern, so I am throwing it open to reasoned arguments and discussion so readers, pile in with what you think. Nobody will be Chastised, laughed at or anything else. It is always good to get other peoples take.
I am also open to imprevements and seatbelts are a sticking point with this. Ideas or alternative products are welcome as well as other forms of detailing. Usually Eduard and HGW are my go to places, but there’s nothing for this scale out there. So, Come on, guys and gals, lets have some flashes of inspiration!
For some reason Pretty Boy from Red Tails comes to mind, although with your camouflage pattern and colors rather than a lozenge type camoflage pattern but still with the yellow nose. Just a thought.
For big scale belts, maybe check at a fabric/sewing store. Buckles might have to be scratched
I work at an auto body shop and got a part in that was wrapped in an embossed bag that looks like a woven belt. Saved it for future use. Can send you some if you want to see or try it. Just pm address.
Probably more like a custom hangar, if only to keep the dust off [:)]
Hmm, my calculator is rendering 23.16666" long by 27.555" wide So, you probably need a 30x30" base at a minimum, probably 42x42 if revetments. And that’s a big honking chunck of camo netting, too.
Gotta pipe in here. One of my favorite builds was the All clear 1/48 version. Now as for inspiration look in craft stores and oddball boutiques for detail stuff. You’d be surprised at what you find.
Ah, sorry for any confusion-I didn’t mean to suggest that this kit originated with 21st Century Toys, just that the scale made me think of their line of finished display models. I never expected anyone to produce a true assembly kit of the 262 in such a large scale.
If you need any reference photos of the actual insides and such I can provide for you. My Dad’s company where I retired to here in Seattle, we built (5) full size Me-262’s, and I have terabytes of photos of those builds.
Let me know if we can help with this gigantic kit you are undertaking.
I am now building and will be doing an OOB build and it will be the paint job that I hope to bring this to life.
when you look closely at the parts and the casting it is pretty much designed to be a toy, not an accurate model as it pretty much snaps and screws together.
As prevously said, I will be doing a desert paint job for a Luft '46 aircraft and have just ordered some custom paint masks.
Would love to be able to have a flight in a 2 seater 262!
I’m looking forward and am excited for you my good friend. I really enjoyed building the see through or visible 262 from Trumpeter 1/32 and the old Monogram/Revell 1/48.
As you mentioned, painting either splinter camo or the night fighter version is always an exciting part of the build!
Wait, just please wait a minute so that my brain and nerves will calm down just a tad bit!!!
I just realized that your going to build a 1/18 scale repeating a 1/18 scale (262)? You’ve gone rabid and mad all at once! Lol!
This will definately be a project and a half, or more likely two projects at once! I don’t think this kit would or could be even fitted in my very modest condo space or lack of there are. Good luck my friend, you’ve given me an out of body experience! Lol! And will be following along sir!
