Gary Brantley Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 (edited) The Me-262 is, hand’s down, my all-time favorite aircraft. I really love them! In fact, when the “Stormbird Project” was building its replicas, I got in touch with them about volunteering. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_262_Project Unfortunately, the commute from central Texas to Seattle, Washington killed the deal. 😉 I built this Monogram Me-262 somewhere between 1992 and ’96 I’d guess. I really should’ve kept better build records back then. I knew very little about weathering and wear, and looking back now, my models from that era look more toy-like I guess. Because of that, I had never taken the Me-262 out for a proper photo session. So, a couple years ago, I decided to take her out to the airport, along with a Monogram F-15 in Israeli livery that had never been photographed either. Both the Me-262 and the F-15 photographed well out there, surprisingly. Nothing like a good background of hangars and skies to bring out their best I guess. This aircraft belonged to 2./KG (j)54, based at Giebelstadt in March of 1945. The paint is Model Master and Humbrol enamels, sprayed through my Paasche Model H. The red paint was from an ancient little tin that I bought when an old hardware store in Cameron was closing it's doors. Amazingly, the paint was still viable and worked great through the AB. I did make some belts and buckles for the pit as well. So, here’s a look at this old warbird. It’s best to go ahead and lower your expectations jes’ a lil’ bit before diving in though. Thanks for your interest and support! 😀 Edited March 13, 2020 by Gary Brantley add tags 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimea River Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Nice one. I never got around to photographing my models like that but have always wanted to. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted May 31, 2019 Author Share Posted May 31, 2019 42 minutes ago, Crimea River said: Nice one. I never got around to photographing my models like that but have always wanted to. Thank you sir! I just suck at indoor pictures. I don't have the space for a good photo setup, with multiple lights and a nice backdrop and even if I did, I'm not much of a photographer at best. So, I've found that my best results stem from taking outdoor pics at airports in natural light. I like how the sky changes with every trip for pics, and I think that sort of enhances my models. So far, I've been able to use two different small-town airports for photos and would like to find another in the near area that I could use for some variety. Even I get tired of the same old airport scenes! 🙂 If you get the opportunity, try some photos in their natural environs! Thanks for the comments! Cheers! 🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith in the uk Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Wonderful , that sir is a very nice ME262 indeed , 10 /10 in my book. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted May 31, 2019 Author Share Posted May 31, 2019 19 minutes ago, keith in the uk said: Wonderful , that sir is a very nice ME262 indeed , 10 /10 in my book. Oh, super nice comment Keith! Thank you very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith in the uk Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Your very welcome Gary , keep up the good work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert_ Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Looks great Gary and the pics are spot on. Curious- what belts did you use? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 That is very nice. My turn now. I have two of them on the bench right now. The Hobby Boss recon plane and the bomber. I'm doing them in the Specialist group build. I had trouble with one of the kits because the front wheel bay part connection lugs are too long. I ended up binning the first bomber kit and starting again. By this time I had worked out what the problem was. The second time all went well. I'm up to black basing them. The recon one was ok because it has a one piece fuselage. You can see the build report at the Specialist group build thread. At the moment I have seven of these kits. Including two Tamiya ones. You might say l like these as well. I have two more to get to have a complete set. Even with it's issue I think the Hobby Boss kits are really good. Especially considering their price. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzby061 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Good to see another nicely built & painted Monogram kit. Always had a soft spot for them. My uncle had a friend who owned a model shop & he always got me a Monogram 1/48 aircraft for Christmas. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobo Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Another great looking Monogram kit! Well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted May 31, 2019 Author Share Posted May 31, 2019 1 hour ago, Robert_ said: Looks great Gary and the pics are spot on. Curious- what belts did you use? Thanks Robert! If I recall correctly, they were made of masking tape, with wire buckles. 31 minutes ago, Greg Law said: That is very nice. My turn now. I have two of them on the bench right now. The Hobby Boss recon plane and the bomber. I'm doing them in the Specialist group build. I had trouble with one of the kits because the front wheel bay part connection lugs are too long. I ended up binning the first bomber kit and starting again. By this time I had worked out what the problem was. The second time all went well. I'm up to black basing them. The recon one was ok because it has a one piece fuselage. You can see the build report at the Specialist group build thread. At the moment I have seven of these kits. Including two Tamiya ones. You might say l like these as well. I have two more to get to have a complete set. Even with it's issue I think the Hobby Boss kits are really good. Especially considering their price. Thanks Greg! I'd say you were a fan of the type, yes sir I would. I love them. Their swept wings, elegantly slung engine pods and that oh so cool shark-shaped fuselage just captured me from the first time I saw a picture of one. If time and fate allows, I would really like to build another, next time a really nice, more modern kit. I've read some good things about the Tamiya kits, don't know much about the Hobby Boss versions. I've only built one HB kit, their 1/48 MiG-17. It had a few issues as well. 😀 28 minutes ago, Buzby061 said: Good to see another nicely built & painted Monogram kit. Always had a soft spot for them. My uncle had a friend who owned a model shop & he always got me a Monogram 1/48 aircraft for Christmas. Pete Thanks Pete! Man, that sounds like one cool uncle! I bet you were looking forward in anticipation each year. 😊 21 minutes ago, Hobo said: Another great looking Monogram kit! Well done. And thanks again Hobo! I appreciate your comments sir.🍻 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 The only advantage of the Hobby Boss kits are all the different types you can get. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted May 31, 2019 Author Share Posted May 31, 2019 Well, it's nice to have all those choices. I also like the two-seat night fighter versions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Yes it gives me a few years when I can pick one up as a break from the bigger more complex kits I have to build. Once you know the problems they become a very easy kit to build. I have the two seater. It was the first one I bought. The challenge with these planes is the paint scheme. Lots of mottling or squiggles. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted June 1, 2019 Author Share Posted June 1, 2019 15 hours ago, Greg Law said: Yes it gives me a few years when I can pick one up as a break from the bigger more complex kits I have to build. Once you know the problems they become a very easy kit to build. I have the two seater. It was the first one I bought. The challenge with these planes is the paint scheme. Lots of mottling or squiggles. Ah yes, those squiggles! 🙂 I did that on my Hobby Boss MiG-17. They completely cover the airframe and frankly were a bit intimidating. My airbrush is a single-action Paasche H and I wasn't sure if it (or I) was up to the task. I pondered ways to do it, including the use of Silly Putty to mask the squiggles and then one fine Saturday morning I said, "Sod it. I'm just going to dive in and paint the damned thing!" And I did and it turned out okay. I reckoned that the Vietnamese painter probably didn't get them perfect, spraying under a camoed tarp in the jungle! 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 That's an excellent model. You really do some nice work. My problem is I have this annoying tremor which makes painting difficult, even building. The other night I was attempting to put together an engine wheel bay part which had to be held lightly. It kept slipping out of my hands. If it wasn't for it I would have twice as many builds done. I always slow down when it comes to the painting stage because of it. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it 😂. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted June 1, 2019 Author Share Posted June 1, 2019 2 hours ago, Greg Law said: That's an excellent model. You really do some nice work. My problem is I have this annoying tremor which makes painting difficult, even building. The other night I was attempting to put together an engine wheel bay part which had to be held lightly. It kept slipping out of my hands. If it wasn't for it I would have twice as many builds done. I always slow down when it comes to the painting stage because of it. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it 😂. Thanks Greg! Much appreciate that. 😀 I can relate about those hand issues; I lost all fine-feeling in my right hand 30 years ago due to nerve damage. Now because of a herniated-disk, I've lost a lot of feeling in my left hand now. It does get frustrating, I know. I've picked up the same piece and dropped it three or four times! Arrghh! And of course, as I age (now 66), my eyesight diminishes too. 😪 Waa waa waa...Oh, the troubles of an old(er) modeler! 😎 But, each new competion just means that much more, right? Hang in there brother! Keep building! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 That's no good. You are doing very that's for sure. Considering those issues. By the way we are the same vintage. Eye sight hearing all going down the toilet here as well. Still I can't complain considering we have lived through the best of times.😀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted March 12, 2020 Share Posted March 12, 2020 Great work on your 262 and even better photography. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matti64 Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 It's a classic, beautifully done and fantastic photography. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Keg Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 As always, very nicely done Gary!!! The photography is superb as well. 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 Great build of a very eloquent classic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted March 13, 2020 Author Share Posted March 13, 2020 16 hours ago, Walter said: Great work on your 262 and even better photography. Thank you for the kind words Walter! Good to have your comments!🍺 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted March 13, 2020 Author Share Posted March 13, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, matti64 said: It's a classic, beautifully done and fantastic photography. Thanks a lot matti! Ya gotta love digital photography, right? Take a hundred pics and get 5 good ones! 😃 6 hours ago, Sky Keg said: As always, very nicely done Gary!!! The photography is superb as well. 👍 Sky Keg (love that name!), thanks for those comments! 🍻 Much appreciated! 6 hours ago, F-32 said: Great build of a very eloquent classic The Me-262 may be my favorite aircraft of all time F-32. I've felt that way since seeing one for the first time. Thanks so much for your comments! 😀 Edited March 13, 2020 by Gary Brantley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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