Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a
Trumpeter, 1/144 scale
S
u m m a r y |
| Catalogue Number and Description: |
Trumpeter item No. 01319 Me 262 A-1a |
| Scale: |
1/144 |
| Contents and Media: |
31 light grey plastic parts on two sprues, 1 clear canopy, decals for 2 aircraft plus a 4 page A5 sized instruction booklet with 4 build diagrams, a parts plan and a separate full colour paint/decal sheet. |
| Price: |
Around AUD$7.50, distributed in Australia by J.B. Wholesalers
Available through specialist hobby shops worldwide |
| Review Type: |
FirstLook |
| Advantages: |
Cleanly moulded, well detailed for the scale, optional open or closed weapons bay and bonus Kettenkrad tow vehicle and draw bar. |
| Disadvantages: |
|
| Conclusion: |
Until recently, 1/144 scale has a bad rap for poor moulding and lack of detail until Sweet and Platz and others began to give the scale some respectability so that when a model comes along with something different, modellers sit up and take notice. This Trumpeter Me 262 is in that category. |
Reviewed by Glen Porter
Trumpeter's 1/144 Me 262 is available online from
Squadron
Background
Trumpeter, along with Sweet, Platz and others have been improving the lot of us 1/144th scale modellers by giving us models with much improved moulding, accuracy and almost 1/72scale like detail. This second ME 262 from Trumpeter, the first was the bomber version, is a fine example.
Apart from decals, instructions and box art, this kit is almost identical to the first. Where the bomber had a two-gun nose, this one has four and of coarse, the bombs under the nose of the original are replaced by drop-tanks.
The Model
There are two sprues in light grey plastic with next to no flash, distortion or ejector pin marks where you don't want them. The main one has most of the aircraft parts, two piece fuselage, split horizontally with wings already attached to the lower half, two four piece engines, a reasonably detailed cockpit tub, tail planes, undercarriage with separate main wheels, under wing air to air rockets and their mounts and a bonus Kettenkrad tow vehicle and link.
The upper fuselage half has part of the upper nose missing with cannon bay detail that would be acceptable for 1/72nd scale let alone 1/144.
The second and smaller sprue has only four parts and two of them are the open and closed gun bay covers with appropriate detail. The other two parts are the drop tanks to go under the nose.
The one piece canopy is well shaped with detail framing but is a little thick so would be better left closed.
Decals with markings for two aircraft look to be glossy and in register with a host of stencils and two piece swastikas. The two aircraft represented are:
Red 2 of 10./NAGr 11 in RLM 82/83 with a low demarcation to an all black underside. No location or date is given.
-
Red “L”(9K+LK) of I/KG 51, 1945, also in RLM 82/83 above with a high separation to 76 below. This aircraft has a red nose and fin/rudder tip.
Although there are only four build diagrams, all parts are covered and their location pointed out. The separate paint/decal instruction sheet is okay but I wouldn't take much notice of the colours shown but rather the colour names given.
All the ingredients are there for a nice little model. All that is required is you. You'll certainly have no trouble finding space for it!
Text Copyright © 2010 by Glen Porter
Images Copyright © 2010 by Brett Green
Page Created 6 April, 2010
Last updated
6 April, 2010
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