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Messerschmitt Me-262 - Airfix 1/72nd


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After a six month modelling hiatus following my Defiant caused by life, work, family, Dragon-in-Law, I have managed to find some time to get back to the bench. To ease myself in gently I am going to have a go at the new Airfix 262, one of my favourite kits from years gone by, or one of my favourite aircraft. I must admit I was delighted when Airfix said they were going to retool it, and on a pre-Christmas visit to Salisbury I popped into Endless Models and secured myself the last one on the shelves. On that note, obigatory box top shot...

 

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On opening the box, as usual everything got a close inspection and as per Airfix latest stuff, it all seems beautifully moulded in their usual soft grey plastic. Having read reviews it does look as it will fit together tightly so the normal care on cleaning up painted surface will have to be done. I am not going with the decals in the kit, I have found Xtradecal set X72269 which contains decals for loads of different aircraft in a variety of schemes, so I suspect their will be a few more of these in my future.

 

Cutting, cleaning and sticking wise, not much has happened yet, other than I have joined a few of the interior bits, and taken the rest off the sprue ready to get some paint on them. Not much to see really, but as I'm still trying to get used to Flickr, here's a few pictures I took as a test...

 

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I've also glued in the spars on the wings that locate the cockpit tub etc., so hopefully they will good and solid by the time I get some paint on there ready to get the thing together.

 

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Not much I know, but it's a start. Now I'm back in the saddle hopefully benchtime and updates will happen regularly.

 

More soon

 

Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update time..

 

After a weeks wait, the decal sheet has arrived, so I can now crack on having decided which scheme I'm going for..

 

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I scheme I have chosen is an old favourite, Red13 of Heinz Bar.

 

So this is where I am at after a few hours at the bench..

 

The tub has been painted, RLM66, panels black and a dry brush of light grey.

 

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IP base coated black then kit decal used. Simple but effective..

 

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Other interior bit sprayed with Alclad Aluminium...

 

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Tub closed up and in place on the lower wing. Fit here is very precise so everything was cleaned of paint, and has now been left to set up so it all stays aligned.

 

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This is where I am now, fuselage joined and lower wing parts setting. 

 

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Hoping to get up to Hendon tomorrow to get some reference photos of the 262 there as I need some good detail shots of undercarriage, engines and other bits and bobs.

 

More soon hopefully.

 

Steve

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  • 1 month later...

After some freezing weather, then a lot of catching up to do in the garden left not a lot of time for modelling, I managed to get some bench time in so here's a bit of an update.

 

Firstly, the wings. There are some pretty prominent ejector pin marks on the inside if the wing halves that need to be dealt with to get them to join properly. Not much effort, but frustrating nonetheless.

 

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On the ends of the wings there are some small inspection hatches that for reasons unknown are represented by three raised lumps, these were sanded back and then replaced with some very light punch marks. They for some reason look heavy and out of line in the pictures, but in reality they are not.

 

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Also, the join between the wing halves left a small step along the leading edge, but a little sanding soon sorted this.

 

So after this work, I was left with this. I left it like this for the wing joins to cure properly so I could then attack what is supposed to be the main failing of this kit, the fit of the nacelles.

 

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Whilst waiting for this, I addressed the lack of detail on the rear of the cockpit, there appear to be a couple of holes and a small hatch on there so these drilled in and made from a sheet of thin card.

 

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Once it was dry, the card was sanded back to make it thinner and the holes tidied.

 

So next up was the nacelles, and yes the fit is horrible.

 

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They seem to be a combination of poor design and execution, the fit is wrong in three axis. After much sanding of the nacelle, the wing and then some packing out with thin card, I managed to get an acceptable fit with the use of plastic weld and some clamps.

 

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The fit in this area really is poor and I can see many young modellers giving in here and just lobbing the whole shooting match in the bin. It's a shame, because the rest of the kit is nicely moulded and fits really well. Poor design, which hasn't recently been an Airfix trait, really lets the kit down.

 

So after coat of Halfords Plastic Primer and a polish with 12000 grit mesh, it was on with the first of the camouflage colours. The call outs are for RLM81 over RLM82, I have some Xtracrylix colours which are pretty nice, but they seem to have been affected by the cold as I left them in my shed by mistake. I do however have a Vallego Modelair late war Luftwaffe set which includes these colours so I thought I give them a go. Paint was mixed well and thinned with the thinner medium that came with the set, then sprayed at about 13 psi. They went on quite well, a little differently than other brands, they needed quite a few very thin coats to get a good covering, but they dried very smooth. This is the first coat of 82, not a bad match for the Xtracrylix.

 

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Once this had dried, I masked up and sprayed the 81. This colour is a lot more different to the Xttracrylix, a lot less Violet and much more Olive brown. Not sure I like it,

but will go with it.

 

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That's it for now, going to leave it overnight in a warm place to cure then it on with to the undersides.

 

Hopefully not so long for the next update...

 

Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...

This supposedly quick build that turned into a stop/start build, has started again. After freezing weather that stopped me getting in the shed, then we had the ludicrously hot weather which did the same. But, last couple of days I've managed some bench time....

 

Underside done at last..

 

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So basic camo done...

 

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Then bloody disaster. I hamfistedly knocked over a bottle of Alclad airbrush cleaner all over my desk. Fortunately the model didn't suffer too much as it was the other end of the bench and sat on its engines...

 

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Can't say my cutting mat fared quite so well though.... ahh well, was looking for an excuse to buy a new one...

 

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Repairs complete, got some mottle on, then a coat of Future and then the main decals. The Microscale decals behaved immaculately, despite being so very thin..

 

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That's it for now, she's all ready now for a marathon stencilling session, then I should be on the home straight...

 

Steve

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  • 1 month later...

So, after another lengthy delay, this time caused my by hamfistedness in breaking the canopy and then ruining the only vac one I have, I decided to contact Airfix to see if they could send a replacement. Took a couple of weeks following my email, but arrive one duly did, at no cost as well. Good stuff Airfix.

 

So, stencils on..

 

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And then, basically that was that. Here's a couple of Iphone shots of the finished article, I'll put some decent one up in RFI if my son ever returns my camera.

 

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I have to say, with the care you need to show these new Airfix kits, this one builds up into a very nice little model. As long as the seam lines are clear of paint everything fits well and it is a well thought out and structured build. The decals I have came with several interesting schemes so this most definitely won't be the last I build.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Steve

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