Jump to content

Me262A & Fw190D-9 ‘JV44 Combo’ (two kits)


Paul A H

Recommended Posts

Me262A & Fw190D-9 ‘JV44 Combo’ (two kits)

1:72 Hasegawa

mefwcomboboxtop.jpg

Jagdverband 44 was an elite Luftwaffe unit active in the final months of the Second World War. It was commanded by the legendary fighter ace Adolf Galland and was comprised of elite pilots drawn from other units across the Luftwaffe. The unit’s top five pilots had accumulated more than a thousand victories between them by the end of the war, although obviously not all with JV44.

JV44 was equipped with the high-performance Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9 ‘Dora’. The Fw 190s performed a slightly unusual task within the unit; in common with other early jet fighters, the Me 262 suffered from poor acceleration and a long takeoff run. This made it vulnerable during takeoffs and landings, particularly as JV44 was operating from airfields close to the front line that were well within range of allied fighter-bombers. The Fw 190s were formed into a Platzschutzstaffel (Airfield Protection Unit) and were tasked with providing cover for the Me 262s. Their undersides were painted bright red with white stripes so that anti-aircraft gunners could distinguish them from attacking allied aircraft.

mesprue1.jpg

mesprue2.jpg

Hasegawa’s latest ‘combo’ offering features one each of their Me 262A and Fw 190D-9 kits together with marking options for JV44 aircraft. Turning to the Me 262 first, this is a kit that has been around for a few years now, but is nevertheless ageing well and is still regarded as one of the best 262s available in 1:72. Comprised of parts moulded in grey plastic, the kit bears all the classic hallmarks of a Hasegawa kit; clean, sharp mouldings, fine, recessed panel lines and smooth, glossy surfaces. Hasegawa often skimp on cockpit detail, however, and this kit is no exception. A basic cockpit tub, instrument panel, control column and seat are all that is provided here. Decals have to be used to detail the cockpit as the consoles are devoid of detail. The seat also has a rather noticeable and awkward to remove sink mark in the middle of it.

mesprue3.jpg

mesprue4.jpg

The rest of the airframe is a different proposition. The engines feature nicely detailed turbine blades and the undercarriage is also nicely represented, with crisp hub detail and tyre treads. Optional R4M underwing rockets are provided by way of ordnance, along with two bombs that can go straight into the spares box as they are not used with either of the airframes represented on the decal sheet. The canopy is nice and thin and is moulded in three parts so it can be posed in the open position (although you might want to add some more detail to the cockpit before you show it off).

As with the Me 262, Hasegawa’s Fw 190D-9 is pretty well regarded by the modelling community. In common with its box-mate it features clean moulding, fine recessed panel lines and overall a nice amount of detail. The cockpit is comprised of the same components as the Me 262 and is just as sparse. Again decals are provided to represent cockpit instruments and the sidewalls are not detailed.

fwsprue1.jpg

fwsprue2.jpg

Detail elsewhere is good, however. The propeller is moulded with separate blades, but locating pins in the hub face will help to ensure that they line up nicely. The main undercarriage bay is convincing both in terms of depth and detail, as are the undercarriage legs and wheels themselves. As with the Me 262, the cockpit canopy is moulded in multiple parts and can be posed open. Two different styles of canopy are provided. A drop tank is also included on the sprues but is not used for either of the machines on the decal sheet.

fwsprue3.jpg

fwsprue4.jpg

fwsprue5.jpg

Two options for each kit are provided, unsurprisingly for JV44 aircraft:

• Me 262A, Germany, February-March 1945 (RLM 81/RLM 82 over RLM 76);

• Me 262A, Germany, April 1945 (RLM 81/RLM 82 over RLM 76);

• Fw 190D-9, Germany, April 1945, flown by Oberleutnant Klaus Farber (RLM 81/RLM 82 over red/white); and

• Fw 190D-9, Germany, April 1945, flown by Leutnant Hans Sachsenberg (RLM 81/RLM 82 over red/white).

The decals themselves are the usual Hasegawa fayre; nicely printed but a little thick. Swastikas are provided (on this UK edition, anyway).

mefwcombodecals.jpg

Conclusion

This is a nice little set and it’s good to see a ‘combo’ boxing comprised of two different kits rather than two the same. What the kits lack in the cockpit department, they make up for with surface detail.

Review sample courtesy of logo.jpg UK distributors for logo.jpg

  • Like 1
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...