The Monogram kit of the Messerschmitt Me-262 in 1/4...8 scale has been around for a long time. Other more-detailed kits have been issued since then, but I thought the Monogram kit was more my speed. Despite the kit's simplicity, it has a good amount of detail, particularly in the cockpit, and the finished kit just looks right, which is most important. I wanted the finished model to stand on its landing gear without help from the supplied clear plastic prop stick that keeps the model from sitting on its tail when finished. I found there was plenty of room inside the nose to add enough lead split-shot to get the model to stand on its nose wheel, even if you decide to display the gun bay doors in open position. The pilot's office looks good when it's painted up. You can find color photos online as your guide. I couldn't figure out how to mount the gun sight so that the windscreen could be glued down over top of it. Finally I just wedged it in there somehow. The bullet-proof glass was also a problem since I could not figure out how it mounts behind the windscreen. (The Monogram instruction sheet isn't very clear on this.) I finally got it in, but later during assembly it broke free and fell inside the fuselage, so I just left it off. In spite of it all, the cockpit looked so nice that I decided to attach the hood in the open position. I wanted to position the flaps hanging down, but the flaps and ailerons are molded on to the wings, and it would take a lot of work to cut them free since their arrangement is rather complicated. I settled for just scribing the separation grooves deeper to make the flaps and ailerons actually look like separate entities. I did, however, manage to cut the tail elevators free and glue them back on in a slightly drooped position. The tail rudder is a separate piece, so there's no problem positioning it however you like. I replaced the kit's plastic main landing gears with Scale Aircraft Conversions metal main landing gears so that the landing gears don't bend over time from the weight of the model. I did use the kit's plastic nose landing gear since there's not much weight on it, and I thought it looked better than the metal one. There's not much detail in the main landing gear wells, though, and I couldn't find any place to attach the well ends of the retracting pistons. I just left them hanging. The nose gear well is acceptable. The nose gun bay is nicely detailed, so I decided to install one of the two bay doors in the open position. I added a prop rod (not included in the kit) made from thin plastic rod. Use photos to see the correct position of the rod. One engine nacelle is supplied with a model jet engine and a removable cowl panel so you can display the engine. But there is no representation of the prominent structural members inside the nacelle that are visible in photos, so I just glued the cowl panel in the closed position. The worst part in the kit is the ring antenna on the back of the fuselage just behind the cockpit. It's big and clunky and looks totally wrong. I made a much better replacement by bending a piece of thin florist's wire into a nice circle around a paint brush handle and twisting the two ends tightly together. I drilled a tiny hole in the fuselage spine and inserted the twisted end of the antenna into the hole, securing it with Super Glue. I also used the florist's wire to make brake lines for the main landing gears. I heartily recommend florist's wire for model building--it's cheap and useful, and one bundle will last several human lifetimes. The line running down the nose landing gear is molded on to the kit part, and it's very well done. I replaced the kit's decals with after-market decals from Ministry of Small Aircraft Production. I used Vallejo paints from their paint set of Luftwaffe colors, 1941 to war's end. I don't have a spray gun, and these water-cleanup paints are a joy to use. The colors are accurate, and I can make a good representation of Luftwaffe-type camouflage mottling using just a paintbrush. Finally, I made the radio aerial wire from this new, thin, stretchy thread that you can get from hobby suppliers. I don't know the brand name; I have just a sample of the thread that is wrapped around the supplier's business card. It's the greatest thing! At last, aerials that are tight and don't sag! And if you bump it with your finger, it just snaps back instead of breaking loose. It's also great for ship's rigging. Just apply a tiny drop of Super Glue where you want to fasten the end. I am very satisfied with the end result, and I have included photos of the completed model.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Old kit but easy to build. Highly r...ecommended!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
The ME262 is straightforward build and has plenty of detai...l. Gun compartment, engine, cockpit are nicely detailed. Intermediate modelers can bud with No issues.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Parts don't break when u take the...m off the parts tree. I like a model that fits together good no gaps,. This kit seems to be good so far.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Kit came sealed in plastic bag and appears to be complete and ...in good shape
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned