Me262B-1a/U1

Subject:
Messerschmitt
Me262B-1a/U1
Nachtjager
Kit Used: DML 1/48

Model & Review by:
Jerry Fraske
Pictures: R. Forys

November 2003
Model of the Month

History: The Messerschmitt Me262 was the first and only fully operational jet-powered fighter aircraft developed during World War II. It was not a terribly difficult plane to fly however some experience was required, and by the time of its introduction, there was a serious shortage of trained pilots with little time to train new replacements. Because of the special handling characteristics of a jet powered aircraft verses a propeller driven one, a two seat training conversion became necessary. This was designated the Me262B-1a, and was equipped with a second seat for the instructor along with full dual controls, and a pair of external fuel tanks.

There was a specially designed night fighter version of this plane with a stretched fuselage called the Me262B-2a, however the need for the night fighter version out weighed the extra time it took to complete the modifications, so therefore it was decided to simply adopt the trainer version by adding the FuG218 Neptun radar system and the FuG350 Naxos heat sensing unit, which allowed the fighter to track the exhaust of the British planes. This was designated the Me262B-1a/U1, and the first of these aircraft were delivered to the experimental night fighting unit Kommando Welter during February - March of 1945. This unit served in the defense of Berlin and became NJG11, but by the end of the war, they had only received a dozen of these new jet aircraft.

The Kit: The 1/48 DML Me262B-1a/U1 "Nightjager" kit was originally issued in 1993 and was just recently issued again. In many ways, it's the typical DML kit; beautiful in the box but challenging in the build-up due to several fit problems. Photo-etch parts are provided that add to the cockpit detail and main landing gear wells in particular. However the wing to fuselage attachment is precarious at best and requires much filling and sanding to complete properly. The jet nacelles to wing attachments are likewise challenging. None of this is impossible to deal with, but will require some time and perseverance. Still the overall detail and molding is excellent and worth the extra effort.

[The mottling took almost five hours of patient application at low pressure to complete.]

I've always been attracted to "Red 10" with its distinctive night fighter scheme featuring the tight RLM 75 grau mottling over RLM 76 hellblau on the top sides and black underside. The mottling was carefully applied with my trusty Badger 150 airbrush, which took almost five hours of patient application at low pressure to complete.

The box art depicts heavy wear and pealing of paint on the external fuel tanks. This lent itself to a technique I've wanted to try, "salt masking". I first painted the tanks anodized metal, wet them with water, dusted some plain table salt on primarily the forward areas, and then over-sprayed them black after the salt had dried. Afterward, the salt was rubbed off and voila, ...instant and very realistic weathering down to the "bare metal"!

The kit provides rubber tires, which look great but don't take paint very well and may deteriorate after time, so I replaced them with the fine after market resin set produced by Aires.

Finishing: "Red 10" and other markings are provided in the kit, bit I chose to use the excellent decal set #48-337 from Aeromaster, which are superior in quality and more accurate than the kit decals. Following some subtle highlighting of panel lines with pastel chalk, the entire model was sealed with a coat of Testors Dullcoat with a bit of Glosscoat added to provide a very slight sheen to the finished product.

Overall, despite the construction challenges, I am very pleased with the end result and enjoyed completing this subject. I highly recommend it to experienced builders.

References:

      Messerschmitt Me262, MBI
      Me262 Schwalbe, Peregrine Publishing
      Stormbird Colors, Eagle Files #5
      Stormbird Rising, Hugh Morgan