Jump to content

Meng Models 1/48 Me-410B2-U4 Hornisse


Recommended Posts

Ok guys,

I am starting this afternoon, after much trepidation I must admit, on the newly released Meng Me-410. There are a few things in the kit that I am worried about, most notably some poor attachment points for some parts like the undercarriage doors and propellers, but I am thoroughly looking forward to the challenges it may present. I have had the kit since Christmas Eve but have wanted to complete my recent 109 first before attacking it. Moulding is superb as you will see as I progress, and the detail looks good, even if some on other forums have attacked some issues that I totally ignored so cannot pass them onto you.

First up, a picture of the instruction booklet:

003-36.jpg

The sprues, even if in plastic you can see roughly what is contained within:

004-38.jpg

005-32.jpg

006-31.jpg

007-26.jpg

008-30.jpg

009-21.jpg

010-18.jpg

Clear parts and etch:

011-18.jpg

Decals:

012-14.jpg

Instruction page one:

013-15.jpg

And the two aftermarket to be used at this stage (Aeromaster sheet and Eduard etch), with Aires wheels inbound from o/s I hope, but if anyone has any they would like to contribute, please let me know in case the others fall through:

001-29.jpg

002-30.jpg

Hope to have some first pics of construction up tomorrow or the day after, just depends on progress.

Edited by kpc7676
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks very nice indeed, will follow this with interest, although I see a certain French-Canadian has been making noises about this kit over on Aeroscale.

Andrew

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool, been looking forward to watching one of these get built up. Like others here too I have the Revel Monogram (in Hasegawa boxing) which is a superb kit by all accounts but which is let down a little by poor transparencies (thick, but still emminently useable). I'll be watching this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I have seen plenty of argument over the inaccuracies and other points that haven't been fixed from the Promodeller boxing, but these complaints seem to come from the usual Chinese kit bashers over on American sites who think they know best. The detail already that I have seen and experienced in the first hour of building, to me at least, makes the Promodeller boxing the second choice. But I will let you guys make up your own minds.

So I have started it this afternoon with the weapons bay, looks all good at the moment. The MG's have hollowed barrel ends which is a bonus, but I have already had to deal with two of the pesky poor sprue attachment points, but with care in the way you remove the part, all is ok.

Pics to follow much later tonight or tomorrow of the gun bay progress, and then it's onto the cockpit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I have seen plenty of argument over the inaccuracies and other points that haven't been fixed from the Promodeller boxing, but these complaints seem to come from the usual Chinese kit bashers over on American sites who think they know best. The detail already that I have seen and experienced in the first hour of building, to me at least, makes the Promodeller boxing the second choice. But I will let you guys make up your own minds.

So I have started it this afternoon with the weapons bay, looks all good at the moment. The MG's have hollowed barrel ends which is a bonus, but I have already had to deal with two of the pesky poor sprue attachment points, but with care in the way you remove the part, all is ok.

Pics to follow much later tonight or tomorrow of the gun bay progress, and then it's onto the cockpit.

I so like to read all those comments on the US websites about Far Eastern kits and their various inaccuracies etc......I'd like to take a closer look at my ten favourite US-manufactured 1:48 scale kits of WWII and Post-War subjects that have been produced over the last 12 months to see if they have any flaws....but wait......only ONE (IIRC, the Ventura) has actually been released !!!

People in glass houses...etc

Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After about 90mins work I arrive here:

006-32.jpg

The weapons bay, sprayed with a base GUnze RLM 02, then small details picked out with Gunze Mr Metal Iron and silver and some silver dry brushing done, then the cannon and MG barrels were placed in position. There is a small clear part that goes in the rectangular gap you see at the front of the bay, this is currently drying after being dunked in Pledge One Go (Australian Future equivalent) and will need a small line painted in it first. This part is obviously an observation window of some sort between the cockpit and the bay. I mentioned in an earlier post about the drilled out MG barrels...here they are:

003-37.jpg

I still need to add a few parts to the top of the MG's that obviously provides support for the cover, these have been sprayed and will be installed today. Then it's onto the cockpit which mounts on the reverse side of this bay, so the support parts will be essential to protect the area from any accidental knocks or bashes.

The sprue attachment points I mentioned can be better seen here:

004-39.jpg

Notice how there needs to be sprue trimmed horizontally once you cut the part off vertically (hope this makes sense). There are a few parts like this but nothing that cannot be fixed without some careful work.

I so like to read all those comments on the US websites about Far Eastern kits and their various inaccuracies etc......I'd like to take a closer look at my ten favourite US-manufactured 1:48 scale kits of WWII and Post-War subjects that have been produced over the last 12 months to see if they have any flaws....but wait......only ONE (IIRC, the Ventura) has actually been released !!!

People in glass houses...etc

Mark

How right Mark, totally agree, will thoroughly look forward to posting this over there once completed for them to cry on their keyboards!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Small update.

I can see trouble ahead!!!

I have glued on the supports for the gunbay cover. Meng have not been to smart here as the parts attach to the barrels which for the outer ones anyways, poorly attached to the gunbay roof. This will mean that there could be issues in the future when these supports are relied upon to hold the cover in place.

001-31.jpg

The cover, you can see the grooves where the gunbay supports attach:

002-31.jpg

Also, the instructions are not clear with where exactly to stick the supports, so out came the cover itself to check for alignment, which I reckon I have got pretty well right, but once again, this will only be determined once the cover is placed on after main fuselage construction.

006-33.jpg

I can see that there may be a requirement to keep this area open, with the gunbay exposed on a base maybe? Strongly thinking that this could be the case, and I have a few different bases sitting ready to display the aircraft, allowing the gunbay cover to be blu tacked to the base so it doesn't get lost, and display the gun next to the aircraft. Could be a good look?

And have started the cockpit construction. A few bits glued in place then out came RLM66 Black Grey. Seats are sparyed too, etch belts to follow on those.

007-27.jpg

Thanks for looking thus far, more to come hopefully tomorrow morning, otherwise in a few days. 43 degree day here today may preclude work, but my modelling room is the coolest room in the house, so that may actually mean a little more time spent.

Edited by kpc7676
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kev, if you need any reference photos just ask. I live right by Cosford where there is a Me-410. Will be happy to help!

Mate,

That would be great. Detail shots of the 410 seem a little rare around the place. Cockpit, weapons bay, undercarriage etc photos would be great if you can get them for me. This one will take me a while so no real rush.

Thanks again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beautiful work up now.

A friend of mine checked the fuselage on a scale drawings and it seems to be more or less 5~6 mm longer then a correct 1/48 scale reduction. The older Revell kit is spot on instead! Have you already verified this?

All the best.

Riccardo

Italy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That looks good Kev.  I think I want one as well.

 

I have been thinking after seeing your build and I think that they have made a error with the armament. I think that the MG151's were deleted in this type to save some weight. The MG17's(?!) were still there.

 

There is a book from a WWP. It's got all the detailed pictures you need. Take a look here.

http://www.aviationmegastore.com/me210me410-in-detail-8086416461-wings--wheels-9788086416465-ww2-german-aircraft/product/?shopid=LM4fd060b917bd6646a5f0b7d95a&action=prodinfo&parent_id=0&art=58652

 

I hope it hase been of use to you.

 

Cheers,

Edited by Arniec
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beautiful work up now.

A friend of mine checked the fuselage on a scale drawings and it seems to be more or less 5~6 mm longer then a correct 1/48 scale reduction. The older Revell kit is spot on instead! Have you already verified this?

All the best.

Riccardo

Italy

 

Not too concerned with this error Riccardo, who will get a tape measure out when it's in the cabinet? Not a bother to me, just doing it for the build factor and not the accuracy one, but will compare to the Promodeler boxing maybe later today and see if I can see a difference.

 

 

That looks good Kev.  I think I want one as well.

 

I have been thinking after seeing your build and I think that they have made a error with the armament. I think that the MG151's were deleted in this type to save some weight. The MG17's(?!) were still there.

 

There is a book from a WWP. It's got all the detailed pictures you need. Take a look here.

http://www.aviationmegastore.com/me210me410-in-detail-8086416461-wings--wheels-9788086416465-ww2-german-aircraft/product/?shopid=LM4fd060b917bd6646a5f0b7d95a&action=prodinfo&parent_id=0&art=58652

 

I hope it hase been of use to you.

 

Cheers,

Oops Meng! Thanks Arnie, but as the above comment with the fuselage length, not really too concerned with inaccuracies, so long as they are not massive.

 

I see a book on Ebay by Werner Stocker too that apparently covers the development and technical; specs well of the aircraft. Will be purchasing it soon to use in the later parts of the build.

 

And I completed the etch on the pilot's seat last night, pics to come later. It reaffirmed why I don;t like working with etch belts, give me a resin seat any day.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You might want to check this build out. It's the Monogram kit, but many of the tips will probably help you out.

http://www.aeroscale.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=136015

 

 

 

 

W

Thanks, had forgotten about Chuck's build. Will use it as required for reference checks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oops Meng! Thanks Arnie, but as the above comment with the fuselage length, not really too concerned with inaccuracies, so long as they are not massive.

 

 

Sorry I have got it wrong and Meng is wright. There were a few aircraft that hade the MG17's deleted and not the MG151's.

This was notisable when the gun holes were ferried over.

 

cheers,

Edited by Arniec
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A little more progress...

 

Managed to get the cockpit finished today, the pilot's half anyways.

 

001-32.jpg

 

I utilised Eduard etch seatbelts and found them, as usual, a little difficult to get right, but after a little bit of angst I reckon they look just fine. The major issue I had was that the small grooves in the seats for where the Meng etch is supposed to go are square, whereas the Eduard etch were triangular. They are also wider and needed some cutting of the seat grooves to have them fit. They still were not perfectly flush, and that has impacted very slightly in the snug fit.

002-32.jpg

003-38.jpg

004-40.jpg

005-33.jpg

As you can see from the photos, I reckon detail is more than adequate, and resin would do only a little to add to the detail level. The little dry brushing with silver has helped in a more realistic look to me, and further pastel application should aid this further.

 

Next up is the aft cockpit section, and then it's onto the side blister guns and getting the fuselage closer to closing.

Edited by kpc7676
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...