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

Thanks guys.  I hope to add the most amount of detail that I can. 

After I plumb this engine, I'll start on the other.  The instructions have you building both at the same time, but there are so many pieces that it was hard enough to keep track of the parts for the one.

Mucker, the kit gives clear nacelles for both sides, so dispalying shouldn't be a problem.  The only real question is, do I do both as visible, or do I stick to half the plane being visible, the other half as normal?

-Fred

Gigatron

 the kit gives clear nacelles for both sides, so dispalying shouldn't be a problem.  The only real question is, do I do both as visible, or do I stick to half the plane being visible, the other half as normal?

-Fred

I would think that depends on how much you like working on this model. Detailing two complete jet engines will take a whole lot longer then just one.

That is true - it would probably take twice as long LOL.

The thing is, after the engines, there's not much left to detail.  The office is done, as is the gunbay.  There will be some detailing in the gear bays, but a lot of that is addressed with the PE sets.  I want to add the rudder and elevator actuator rods, but I'm waiting on some reference material for that (I'm hoping it also shows the wiring for the radios).

Even with all this stuff I want to do, I can see it taking considerably less time than the Fort did - not that that's a bad thing, mind you.

Decisions, decisions - sometimes I wish I could just build a little 1/72, straight OOB and be done with it.  I could probably build 2 kits a month instead of 3 a year (if that many).

-Fred

darson

 

 The quote function is there, you just hit reply (not quick reply) and then click on quote at the bottom of the original post.  Painful yes, intuitive no.

Now back to important thing, Bish that 262 cockpit looks stunning although the last photo is a little blurry.

By the way why was a tail strengthening band required, I didn't know the 262 had a problem in this area?

Right, found it, thanks, i obviously wasn't looking properly.

The C-1a, also known as the homeland protector, had a Walter 509A-2 rocket motor fitted inside the reae fuselage. I think the idea was to help the 262 acclerate faster, especially on take off. The band added extra strength to support the tail with the rocket fitted.

Dirkpitt289 Thanks for the comment. I used Xtracolour X203 RLM 66 for my pit, and it comes failry close to the pre-painted Eduard PE parts. This also is more of a blue grey colour. Mine also is 1/72nd, and it is hard to get a decent photo of the cockpit when its that small. Looking at it now and the detail stands out perfectly, but trying to get that across with a picture, is alot harder than building it.

Hey guys just to show that I have started on this build. Once again its the tamiya 1a clear edition. I still havent  finished all my ideas on how to finish it but have a basic plan.

Fred, looking great and I am paying attention to some of your extra goodies you are doing, hope you dont mind if I try some on my kit. What kit is it that you are doing.

I have the pit and the fuel tanks all done as of last night and will soon move to the gun bay and front gear assembly. Also need to do the detail work on the Jumos.

Steve

Nice work guys

 Bish, nice work on the 1/72 Me, the pit looks nicely detailed.

 Gig, The Trumpeter kit is looking vary cool. Nice added details and paint.

 Sidure, The 1/48 Tamiya pit looks nicely done, lots of progress.

 Mo.

Thanks, Mo

Steve, I'm building the Trumpeter 1/32.  Feel free to try any of my tricks - maybe they'll work out better for you LOL.  On your engines, I'd replace the yellow with testor's gold.  The section is actually fabricated from either copper or brass (hard to say from my pictures), but it's a bare metal, not painted.

Anyway, so I started plumbing the engine last night and I've noticed a few things and come to a few conclusions.  First, I'm only doing this on the one engine.  I've decided that, from both, a complexity and aesthetic standpoint, it's better to have one clear side and one painted side.  Having a clear engine on the painted side detracts from the cutaway look of the clear side.

Second, for all of trumpeter's added detail, they seem to have left off a major area on the engine.  There's a small, engine-mounted bulkhead, where all this plumbing converges.  It's got valves and pass-throughs; basically a lot of detail - and they left it off.  So now, I've got try and figure out how to scratchbuild it and continue plumbing.  My plan is to do 4 or 5 lines a night and hopefully the engine will be done in a week or two (yes, there are that many hoses on this thing).

-Fred

Very nice, Steve! THe IP looks great.

Gigatron, Bish, Sidure - AWESOME work, you guys! Really hoping that I can jimmy this 262 into my build schedule soon.

Thanks for the comments guys. Fred thanks for the headsup on the colour, I was thinking of making it a more gold colour. I am keeping it mostly out of the box but will add wiring if I see where it will benifit the detail. Thata why I am keeping watch on what others are doing and trying to improve where I can

Steve

That is some excellent work Steve, well done!

Haven't been around much lately, as the new forum does not appear to be very Firefox friendly.  Took a few tries just to reply here, as the page times out before loading.  Very, very frustrating...

Anyway, here's a couple of photos of where I am at.  Did a wash for the panel lines, and finally a coat of clear flat.  Next up, adding the fiddly bits and a bit of weathering.

Daywalker  that is looking awsome. Hope you don't mind me asking, but while i have learnt how to weather armour, just need more pracctice, i have still to figure how how to weather aircraft to produce a decent finsih. I currently use pastel chalks, but am always looking for other methods which might give me better results. I take it it's just run into the panel lines, like a pin wash on armour. What do you use for the wash.

Thanks in advance.

Bish,

Thank you!  For the wash, I used the Promodeller washes, specifically dark dirt on the bottom and black on the top.  Over a gloss coat, they run freely into the panel lines and wipe off just as easily.  Over a flat or satin coat, they need to be scrubbed off and that can damage the paint.

For aircraft weathering, I use washes for panel lines, inks for oil and fuel stains/runs, and very thin (90-95% thinner to paint) mixes of black and brown for exhaust stains, Tamiya NATO black with it's green tint for cordite stains, and Tamiya buff and flat earth for dirt and dusty overcoats.  You can see the effects of all of these on this model:

I hope that helps!

Frank  Thanks, that helps alot.  I've just found that pro-modeller washers on a site over here i have used a few times. I will give that a try. Pastel's are nice to use but somtimes i think they are just to subtle. 

Frank, great work on the giant penny, err, I mean small 262.  Yet another display of talent. That's got to look nice on your shelf, albeit you need to great pretty close to see it!

the second one is a funky looking 262...is that the propeller variant?

Hey guys, just found my way back.  Don't like the new forum format at all but that's life I guess...

Everyone's projects are looking good.  Haven't been able to get any time at the bench due to projects around the house but hope to get back at it next week.  Found the markings I wanted for my Trumpy 262 so I hope to get going on that one and finish up my Revell 262,

Charles- Yep, that's the TOP SECRET prop variant, looks a lot like a 109, doesn't it?

Mike- Glad to see you found your way back!  You're right- a bit tricky to find your way around here but it is getting better every day.

Well, the engine is finally finished.  I decided to leave out the small plumbing when I couldn't determine where, or to what, it was connecting.  But I managed to get almost all of the visible lines installed.  There are some that had to be deleted due to fittment of the nacelles, but the majority of them are there.

Ok, the first 2 are of the engine without the nacelles

Enjoy.

-Fred

Very cool stuff there Fred. The engine is very nicely done. Thanks for posting.

M0

Some great work here guys, apologies for absent for while, work has been a little hectic.

Fred, the clear 262 is looking stunning, loving the engines and the forward wheel bay.

Frank, that is absolutely stunning in any scale, let alone 1/144.

Karl

Frank, can't believe I have not commented on this, but excellent work on a tiny 262. ( I still think he had elves help him). Looks great. Now if you make a visible 1/144 262, that will look really good.

I have reached the major paint stage, this build is going to be special for me, I am going to attempt my first panel wash. Pics guarenteed later.

I'm glad those piece-of-art engines aren't going to be unseen...terrific job on those, Fred

Thanks Karl and Andrew, hoping to have her finished up in a day or two!

Fred- Again, I am most impressed with your work here!  Really some incredible stuff there fella.  Top marks all 'round!

Frank, really great work on the mini 262. What was it you did to blend the two top coats colours together. I really dig that look.

Fred, really great work on the Jumo, it really pops. It looks great in the see through nacells also. It will look great hanging from the wing

Steve

Thanks Steve!  To blend the two colors together, I mixed a bit of the brown to the green and thinned it even more, then did a couple of light oversprays to blend them together.

Did some work to this lil' bugger tonight, and it really dawned on me how tiny it is when trying to add the landing gear, LG doors, struts, and tires.  YIKES!  Broke off both tail planes trying to handle it, so once the last couple of bits are on, I am calling her finished.  No brake lines for this puppy!

OK, I am calling this one finished!  After struggling with all of the landing gear parts (All 15 of them!!!) I decided to ignore the brake line of the front strut.  Also left off most of the antennas as I broke off a few bits adding the landing gear.  I did make a tiny loop antenna for the spine, but that's it. 








Sitting next to the Tamiya 1/48 ME-262A-1a

Thanks again, guys .  Last night I built the other engine, but leaving off all the doo-dads.  I built it strictly for structural purposes.  It's such a releif not sanding or painting - just building for the sake of building.  But the fit of the nacelles is absolutely a nightmare.  For whatever reason, they don't fit nearly as well as the clear ones.  The clear ones almost fell together; these, I had to fight tooth and nail.

Frank, that is some killer work.  I can barely get that kind of result in 1/48, let alone micro-scale.

-Fred

Frank, some awesome work there and in such a small scale. That would have me seeing double for a week. Hats off to a nicely completed itsy bitsy 262.

M0

Ditto the above praise, Frank -- that's an amazing exercise in miniature work. With my eyesight I don't think I could tackle the truly teensy anymore, I'm building bigger these days

Stupendous, my friend -- you made that lil sucker look like the real deal, it's a shock to realise just how tiny it is!

Cheers, Mike/TB379