I got to paint the camo on Dragon's 1/48 Me 262B-1a/U1 kit today. Rather than just painting an interpretation of the camo as I usually do, I tried to follow the markings diagram as closely as I could. It was fun and challenging to try it that way !
The camouflage is Model Master enamels, sprayed freehand.



The leading edge slats have been removed, and will be glued in the open position.

I also managed to get the ProModeler Ta 154 painted with RLM 76, but I didn't have time for the RLM 75 spots. The Trimaster Me 262 didn't receive any camo, so I have something to do tomorrow !

Hi Bill

That's looking very nice!

I wish Model Master enamels were easier to get hold of in the UK these days. I've still got a few from when they were available on a limited basis about 15 years ago (part of a link up with Italeri), but I haven't seen them lately.

All the best

Rowan

very nice and clean airbrushing.
Makes me wanna start a Me 262 too

cheerz Q.

Thank you Rowan and Quinten !

Rowan - I use Model Master enamels for the most part. When they were still being made, AeroMaster had some GREAT enamels ! I still have a few of theirs, along with some of the Warbird Acrylic Japanese colors. Model Master is pretty generic (their Japanese colors are TERRIBLE, their RLM 70 is very light), but at least they make most of the colors I need and they're available everywhere in the US.

Quinten - these are the 6th & 7th Me 262 builds that I've shared online. For some reason, this aircraft has a way of making people want to build one.

Thanks again !

Hey Bill-
Looks great as usual! You've inspired me! I actually went down and picked up a 1/72 Hasegawa in Galland's scheme

I know you like a challenge, but the rest of us... well, I need all the help I can get. :-) :-) :-) :-)

Thanks for sharing!
-Scott

Thanks Big Ton !

I get to spend a LOT of time "at the bench," usually 6-12 hours/day, 7 days/week. I'm disabled, so this is pretty much all I do. If I went for the less challenging builds, I'd blow through my stash in no time ! I can't afford to do that. I build about 40 - 50 kits a year.

Thanks again !

Hi Pixilater:

Thats a very nice paint job. I love it.
I also use MM Enamels, they work great.

Thanks Carlos !

MM enamels are very durable. The cover well, and fine lines can be sprayed when the paint is thinned properly. I really dislike acrylics. Every one I've used has dryed on my airbrush's tip.
I'll take enamels any day !

Yes Bill, looking very nice. I have yet to add a nightfighter to my collection and I'm considering starting a He 219 soon. I do have a Revell boxing of what I think might be Dragons 262. It has sprues for many different marks including a single seat nightfighter? do you know if this is correct?
I'm with you all the way on enamels, far better than acrylics.
Mal

Thanks Mal !

I'm unsure of the kit. There are different boxings in Europe. If the kit has two different separate rudders and a choice of nosegear leg with or without "scissors," it's prpbably ex-Trimaster/DML/Dragon. These kits also came with vinyl tires (tyres to you in the UK ), which are best replaced. They deteriorate with age. I only have one set of resin wheels left, so my two seater will have vinyl until I can get replacements.

Thanks again !

That is a very fine looking nightfighter you have there Pixilater, can't wait to see it finished!
Have any of you tried xtracryllyx (spelling?)?. I quite like them but once they are dry, it is a real pain to clean your AB. But then again i have never really used enamels in an AB...probbably becasue i do not want to damage my young and healthy (well i hope so) lungs :-)

cheers

Philip

Hi Mal:
I don´t know about the existance of an Me 262 single seat night fighter, but in my book " Messerschmitt Me 262 - Arrow to the Future" by Walter J. Boyne, there´s a pic in page 126 of a Me 262 A-1a (V056) a single seat Me experimentally fitted with the Lichtenstein SN 2 radar and its Hirschgeweib antennae array.
Don´t know if this was an experiment for a single place night fighter.

I agree that the vinyl tyres are of very poor quality. I built the Italeri Me 262 A 1a "Schwalbe" that is a reboxing of the Dragon kit and I had a lot of troubles with the tyres and the fit in general, specially in the undersides and in the wing to fuselage joint.

I think that the better Me 262 kit in 1/48 is the Tamiya.

Thanks Philip !

I've never tried those paints. I don't care for acrylics in general, I get the results I want from enamels. My lungs are old (50), so I don't let it bother me.

Carlos - the Trimaster/DML/Dragon Me 262 is my favorite kit to build. These are my 13th & 14th. The detail and accuracy are unmatched. They do require more work than the EZ Tamiya kits. I personally don't like Tamiys's kits. They engineer out all the work that I enjoy about building. In my opinion, they're oversimplified, overpriced, and overrated. We all have our own preferrences of what we want from a kit, and Tamiya doesn't do it for me. From what I've seen of their Me 262, their simplification sacrifices detail and accuracy.
The single seat will be wearing the markings of "V056," the one used to test the aerodynamic properties of the antennas. Mine is being built with the ribbons on the tail.

Thanks again !

Philip


Here's Rowans review on hannants latest paints
Xtracrylix
One of the reasons I don't use acrylic paint is that it just dries to quickly and cloggs your airbrush. You should always wear a mask when spraying anyway, so you want be affected whichever paint you use. If you are sprying acrylics without wearing a mask then the atomised spray is still dangerous.
Carlos,
Thanks for the info, the markings for the single seat nightfighter are in fact for V 056.
Bill,
Yep the kit does indeed have 2 seperate rudders and nose gear legs. It is obviously a bargin at £12.95 as it also contains the extra parts to build a version with, drop tanks, bombs, morters and rockets. The photo etche parts have been replaced but plastic.
Mal

thats one heck of a nice paint job, bill.my next model builds will most likely be a revell he 177, then an arado 240, so lots of late war mottling for me to have a go at. what airbrush do you use, and pressure settings, and how do you thin your paint.........? tell us everything! im off to practise mottle on a bf 108 ( and i want one of those 2 seater 262 kits as well!)

Thanks Phil !

I use Model Master enamels, and thin with their airbrush thinner. I mix to the consistency of milk. My airbrush is a Badger 150 (double action), and I get the thinnest lines when spraying under 10 psi. The mottling on these birds was done at 9 psi. I spray between 1/4" and 1/2" away from the surface, and I use the minimum paint flow (it barely flows, so I can move slowly). I do all of my camo painting in a single session. Once the first color is dry to the touch, I apply the next. The first color starts to cure in about two hours, so I have all the painting and touchup done by then.

Thanks again !

i couldn't resist! ive got 3 models on the go but im waiting on stuff to dry on all of them, so i get the arado out of the stash, just to see if ive got all the paint i need, you know how it is, im definatly NOT starting it until ive finished something else..........well the cockpit is going together nicely! im just about to airbrush a coat on the interior so i can drybrush and pick out details over the week

Hi Phil

Actually, clean-up is really easy - just use some isopropyl alchohol - it makes short work of any residue.

Further to Mal's link, I've also received a set of the new Xtracrylix armour colours. Don't let the name fool you - there are a lot of aircraft uses in this lot; cross-referencing with FS paint samples shows some really interesting overlaps.

All the best

Rowan