I was really looking forward to Dragon's new Me 262B-1a trainer - the first injected kit ever produced of this version in 1/48 scale. And here it is... cleanly moulded, packed with detail and etched-metal parts; a stunning nightfighter, but can the kit be built as an accurate trainer?...

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Thanks!

I'm sorry to hear about all the shortcomings. I had planned on setting everything aside to concentrate on this when it arrives in th mail. Now it looks like I will be waiting for the AM correction kits to come out. Thanks for the warning.

To be quite honest I would rather have the nightfighter than the trainer so in a bizarre twist this is sort of good news for me.

Rowan, you write it can be build OOB as a nightfighter except for the decals?
You also write that the antenna parts are shown as not to be used. I understand this as the antenna parts are included in the kit?
I cannot seem to find them on the sprues. Or maybe the antenna is made from some of the PE parts that could look like they could make up an antenna?

Hi Jesper

Yes - the kit contains all you need to build a nightfighter, except decals. The radar "antlers" are on Sprue Q and the dipoles have always been etched items in Dragon's Me 262B.





All the best

Rowan

Hi all!

Thanks for the review Rowan. I am a bit disappointed I must say because I prefer the trainer camouflage scheme over the nightfighter one... However, given the price and what is included in the box I think I will buy this kit and probably try to modify the cockpit a little. Too bad they don't have included a new sprue with extra parts for the second cockpit.

Again thanks for the review and the heads up about the modifications that must be made.

Jean-Luc

Thanks for the review and the extra feedback, Rowan.

I thought those PE parts looked like something for a radar antenna

Well I might try to make the nightfighter then. I think I can overcome the decals with some artistic license.

I have to admit that the review has made me more excited for the model. I have wanted to make the night fighter variant of this aircraft. There was a beautiful example of the ME-262B-1 night fighter at Mosquitocon 2007. I have wanted to build one ever since.

irish

I got mine in the mail today. It looks like an outstanding kit. It has two huge cannons on one of the the parts sprues. What are those? I haven't found any of them in my references for 262s

I cannot wait to see this built. Good luck!

Hi Carl

Sorry - I missed your post while I was away on holiday. Those aren't for use in the Me 262 - they are left-overs from Dragon's Horten 229 which was the kit the engines are taken from.

All the best

Rowan

They are pretty cool looking. I was thinking about using those to replace the spandaus on a Fokker D.VII.

Hi Carl

I wouldn't want to be in any WW1 kite that got in the way or a pair of those! - or any a/c from any era, actually...

All the best

Rowan

Are they 30mm?

Hi Karl

Yes - they're MK 103 30mm cannons and match one of the armament options for the Ho 229 V6 as described in Monogram Close-Up #12.

All the best

Rowan

Guys dont be put off by this review, with all due respect the reviewer is wrong in his criticism of the kit fuselsge and cockpit area. I cant speak for the sidewall detail but the canopy length, shape etc are spot on. I received my kit today and its a beauty. It is the same in form as the excellent hasegawa boxing, though that was in 1/72. The 262 Night fighters were straightforward adaptions of the trainer, the fuselage exterior remained the same. The modifications required to turn this into a trainer would be very minor, I agree with the comment about the weaponry, 4x 30s would be standard.
I'm sorry to say that this kit has been trashed and orders lost because the reviewer has made serious mistakes in his assessment. Buy the kit, its one of the finest I have ever seen

Hi Merv

I think we might have our lines crossed slightly - because I have no issue with the canopy length and shape. It's the interior where I think the kit falls down because, according to the references I consulted, the rear cockpit was modified beween the trainer and nightfighter versions, with the seat moved forward and a fuel tank inserted behind it. The kit doesn't include any dual controls for the trainer and, with the seat in the nightfighter configuration, there's no room for them. If you compare photos of the full-sized aircraft, you can spot the different seating positions of the instructor and the radar operator.

I agree that the kit is excellent for a nightfighter - and, with my remarks like "it's the best Me 262 nightfighter release to date" I hope that came across in my review. But you can't just add new decals and call it a trainer...

All the best

Rowan