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Very good kit, a bit old (raised panel lines) but detailed. The best 1/72 Komet, at least until we see the new Academy offering. Cockpit is decent for its age but needs to be detailed. I scratch-built a new instrument panel and control stick. I also detailed side consoles/fuel tanks with dials and straps. A new seat (the kit part is too narrow) was added from the spare-box with a PE harness and buckles from Eduard. I also added the flap wheel-lever, throttle quadrant, gun-sight, canopy vent, oxygen tube and amour-glass supports. No fitting problems were found, just a bit of filling on the under fuselage-wing joint. A rocket nozzle from styrene tube was added. I made a new under-wing antenna from wire and also replaced the tip of the mast antenna with wire. Wheels came from another kit, may be Huma 263. I used the Falcon Vac canopy which is really great (thin and crystal clear) with a handle and retaining strap added. Wings and fuselage were airbrushed with Aeromaster and Compucolor enamels. Blotches on fuselage were painted with a # 1 brush. Tail wheel was painted red primer.
Version : Messerschmitt Me 163 B-1 flown by Jupp Mühlstroh, Lieutenant of 2/JG400, 1944
| KIT | Messerschmitt Me 163 B - Heller 1/72 |
| COMMENTS | Very good, no putty |
| MODIFICATIONS | Detailed cockpit (stick & inst. panel scratch), reworked wheels, nozzle and antennas |
| REFERENCES | Planes of the Luftwaffe Fighter Aces Vol 2, Barbas, Kookaburra The Official Monogram Painting Guide to German Aircraft 1935-45, Merrick & Hitchcock Areodetail 10 - Me 163, He 162 World War Two Fighting Jets, Ethell & Price, Arlife German Jets of WWII, Model Art 348 Luftwaffe Camouflage Markings Vol 1 Day Fighters, Model Art Rocket Fighter, M.Ziegler, A & A Press
Magazines : |
| PAINT | General - Underside and base coat Aeromaster RLM 76, Upperside
: RLM 82 Compucolor CG 26 & RLM 81 Compucolor CG 25 Airbrush mix - Aeromaster 1.5 Paint + 0.5 Humbrol thinner Varnish - Micro Satin Airbrush mix - 1 Paint + 2 Water Detail - Cockpit : RLM 65 Tamiya XF63 German Grey, hubs : Tamiya X18 Semigloss Black, tires : X18+XF63. All brush painted |
| EXTRAS | Photo-etched buckles Eduard German WWII 1/72, canopy Vacu Falcon |
| DECALS | From the kit, Superscale & Ventura |
| FINISHED | November 95 |
| HOURS | 11 |
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