ME-262: Reich Defender II 10/09-7/10

LOL thats good!!! There will be other GBs that it can be used in, so if I don't get to it, will save it for a rainy day.

As it stands, we're running this one through the end of May.  So, about 9-10 weeks to go.  Should be enough time (though, I have never been a stickler about end dates LOL).

Not yet. My B'day is in a lil over two weeks sooooooooooo will drop by the LHS and see what's there. How long is the build got left btw?

Hey Richie, good to see you mate!  I sure would like to see you work your magic on a 262, have you gotten your hands on one yet?

Yes Frank , you are a sick man!! thats small!!! Looking forward to more progress!!!

Nice work everyone! Don't have a Schwalbe in my stash, might have to change that.

LOL, thanks guys!  I had originally intended to go with one of the two night-fighter schemes, but while searching for more info on these I realized that almost every 262B I can find is painted in one of those two versions.  I am changing my mind on this one, and going with one of the two trainer schemes.

Daywalker you are one twisted man doing one of these again I am amazed at your masking on the canopy I have a hard time doing that in 1/48 scale and here you are masking 1/144. Glad you were able to find that itty bitty canopy too, and cant imagine the size of the antennas for this tiny aircraft.

Small progress report on the little 262...

I have finished masking the canopy and gear bays, though after doing so I was mounting the little thing onto it's paint stand and dropped it into a tool box on the basement floor- canopy flew off and I spent two hours looking for it!  Finally found it and glued it back on.

Next, I need to fashion the antenna post and other antenna bits, bend up the PE radar poles, then I can start painting it!

Randy, great looking build!  I would be proud to put that one on the shelf. 

Hey Vetteman42, Great finish, the mottling looks "spot" on! I really like the last photo, looks very cool.

Mobious

Randy, well done on an excellent job, the paint looks great and the decals have pulled it all together nicely. Good job on that canopy, your hard work paid off

Cheers...

Karl, Steve, Mucker, and Frank complements like these coming from builders of your skills is huge to me. Gentleman I thank you. To answer your question about the swastikas the decal sheet didn't have any of them and I didn't have any in my spares box sooo.

Frank I will be joining RDIII as soon as it is started cant wait to start the FW-190 now that I know I can paint a motteled aircraft.

Randy- OUTSTANDING!  I would call this build a smashing success.  Your ME-262 is a sharp looking build, proving that the old Monogram kit can still be turned into a beautiful rendition of the real thing.  I updated page one for you, and look forward to seeing you soon for RDIII!  Did you leave the swastikas off on purpose?  Just curious...

Randy, great  job on your build and the finish looks spot on to me. Very nicely done but wheres the swastika on the fin???. The motteling looks great and the overall finish is great. Love the last pic it came out well

Steve

Randy, sweet looking Schwalbe.

You should be proud of her as you've done a stunning job.

Finally picked up my Trumpy 1/32 262 today, liking what I'm seeing in the box.

Karl

Guys as promised I am calling this M2 262A-1a finished. Not one of my better builds but I am quite happy with the way the paint came out. I have learned a lot during this build about my air brush and making an ill fitting canopy comply to my will. I can see from this build I need to learn to scribe and to be a bit lighter handed after preshading. Its there but you cant see it in the pictures sadly. Thanks for looking and Daywalker  thanks for allowing me to join such a talented group of builders.

This ones just for fun, decided to play around with the camera a bit.

Spike thank you sir. Frankly I was worried it was going to come out this well. I am looking forward to the FW 190 build now

Daywalker your kidding, I would need to be taken to the nut house even thinking of trying a paint job like that, let alone doing it on a 1/144 scale.

Guys I got the decals on today took all afternoon ( can you say slow ) They were a real PITA as they kept braking up on me, but I got lucky and saved them.  I will shoot some more future on it in the morning, then its on to weathering her a bit, then the dull coat. Should have finished pictures this week.

Oh Lordy that will be impressive. Good luck with that one!!

Cheers...

Randy- I'll be looking forward to seeing those pics! 

Mike- LOL, that sounds rather personal, doesn't it?  Yep, I'll be squiggling alright.  Planning on painting it like this one:

Randy well done on your mottle it looks good to me, all those decals will help pull it together but it looks like a very good job especially for a first attempt.

Jason, I look forward to more of your evil plan

Frank, cant wait to see some paint going on, will you be squiggling?

Cheers everyone,

Thanks guys for your comments and for taking the time. I have decided to go ahead and finish my 262 as it is so as of this evening she is sitting on the gear and has had a coat of future shot on in preparation for decals and weathering. Oh and the future really made the preshading pop out nicely, guess I wasnt as heavy fingered on the AB trigger as I thought I was. Hopefully it will show up better in the pictures this time. Should have her finished with pictures on Wednesday or Thursday.

Randy, as Frank said there were as many variation in 262 camo, as there were 262s!

Earlier ones often had a fairly hard edge to the camo demarcation line along the fuselage, but this softened, and was placed lower on the fuselage as time went on.

Which aircraft are you doing? Let me know, and I'll see if I can't find a picture of the real bird.

Frank, I've penciled the big 262 in to start on April 1st, which gives me a few week to finish the Trumpy E 100, and thus a couple of months to finish the 262.

Having said that, I won't be opening up the panels like yours, as I want that clean look.

Sacrilege I know, what with all that lovely detail, but I always like the lines of the 262 clean.

I know what you mean about inclination to build.I've been pulling 10-11 hours days the last few weeks at work, and with a 2 hour commute each day, I don't feel much like spending time at the bench when I finally get home.

Karl

Randy- I am no 262 expert but the mottling looks great!!! I am sorry I cannot help on your question. I think the aircraft looks good as is.

Cheers & Semper Fi-Jason

Daywalker guess I wasn't too clear in my question, not suprising LOL. Anyway what I was thinking is the masked camo RLM75  over the 76 doesnt seem to finish the camo for me almost like I need to mottle the RLM75 over the RLM 76 like I did on the sides, motteling the 76 over the RLM 74. As for markings I think they will be kind of generic as the kit doesn't  offer any particular aircraft decals more like a few different models of the 262.

I have had fun building this ole Monogram kit and have learned a bunch about my airbrush. So with that in mind I will be building another 262 in the near future and hopefully will do a better job of it than I did on this one

Randy- Not bad at all, I like it!  I would love to help, but I am afraid I don't quite understand your question.  Do you know which markings you are using on this one?  That might help me to understand.  The ME-262's carried many variations of camouflage on them, so you do have some leeway here. 

Thanks guys for all the encouragement. This is the second time I have tried preshading and let me tell ya it is just as scary as the first time was, that was on a P-61 I built last year. Daywalker  you are one twisted individual building such drastically different scales of the 262. However I really like seeing your talented work

Now for some WIP pictures and a help request. I have painted on the three colors RLM 74, 75 and, 76, I think I was a bit heavy handed as the preshading came out very subtle and you cant see it in the pictures at all. I will more than likely do some post shading with water colors and maybe do a bit of fading work also. What I need help with, this is my first attempt at a German camo, AKA motteling. As the model sits now it doesnt seem finished to me at all after masking and adding the RLM 75. Here's what it looks like now.

My question is should the RLM 75 also be motteled on the top over the RLM 76 ? Or would this be correct as it is. Also a comment. My hat is off to all of you that can do this motteling so well, the airbrush control to do a good job of it is mind bending. If nothing else I have learned better control and will now get better using my brush.  Thanks for looking and for the help.

Thanks fellas, glad you like it so far!  Yep, I think you're right- I am nutz.  Quite a different experience having both 1/32 and 1/144 planes on the bench at the same time.  I held up the engines from the 1/32 bird to the 1/144 version, looked like Anakin's pod racer.

Right on Karl, added your Trumpeter 262 to the roster, can't wait to see your progress!  Mine has stalled, not sure why.  Just don't have much interest in working on it of late.

Randy, the pre-shading looks fine.

I find it works even better if the lines are more diffuse, prevents that stark tram line look on the finished paint job.

Jason, nice job on the paintwork and decals.

Looking forward to seeing that one finished.

Frank, you are officially insane!

The lil' Schwalbe looks stunning.

With regard the onions, zwiebeln, on the big 262, these were often a sooty pale gray in colour.

Oh and finally made up my mind.....

...put me down for Trumpy's big 262 too.

Karl