Meng 1/32 scale Messerschmitt Me 163B in-progress

[matrixone]

This is not a kit I bought myself instead it was very kindly given to me by jknaus, it might be quite a while before I will be able to again buy any new model kits so when James sent this me this brand new kit I could not resist and started on it even though my work table is plenty full with other projects.

In the pics below you can see the cockpit is painted up but not yet glued together, the rocket motor has been built up but is not 100% finished, one or two small parts still need to be added and detail painting is not done either.
I went ahead and built and painted the display stands now instead of waiting until the end of the build because I thought they could be useful for some of the in-progress pictures. The instruction sheet would have you paint these parts a wood color but these stands could have been made of metal too...I chose to make them look like the wooden version.

In this picture below you can see the leather headrest and this is the best leather effect I have ever done on a model, a custom mix of the leather color was sprayed on the headrest in a thick layer of paint and while the paint was still wet I added texture with some clean course sandpaper by pressing it against the still wet paint, after the paint had dried it really looked like leather.

As you can see in the pictures showing the instrument panel I used the kits instrument decals and they look a bit strange...the instrument faces SHOULD be black with white numbers for reasons unknown Meng decided to reverse this. If anybody else will be building this kit get aftermarket instrument decals if you can find some!

Thanks James for giving me the chance to build this amazingly well detailed kit!!! :woohoo:


Matrixone

 

[Adam]

That wood effect is fantastic! The leather effect is fantastic! Everything else looks fantastic as well!!

You're making me want to buy one...

 

[matrixone]

Adam thanks for the comments, if you bought this kit you would be impressed by it. This is a highly detailed kit and will provide hours of modeling fun. Some of the painting suggestions are a little strange but if you have good reference book(s) like the Classic Publications Me 163 two volume series you should be fine.


Matrixone

 

[jknaus]

Looking good. Really like the method you used for the headrest leather. Will have to give that a try. Next one I do I'll use Airscale instruments http://www.ultracast.ca/products/Airscale/32-scale/AS32-LUFT/default.htm
Looking forward to more.
Btw how do you like those belts?
James

 

[matrixone]

Thanks James,
The seatbelts are great looking but I had trouble getting them to conform to the shape I wanted, looking back at it I should have used much hotter water to soften them, as it was they cracked on me but I still think these are better than the P.E. seatbelts.


Matrixone

 

[Sherman 18]

Following with great interest!

 

[moon puppy]

Gifts from the big guy from the great white north, watch it James, someone might think you're after his job.

Great work Les, all around, can't add a thing.

pulling up a chair and

 

[MrT]

Excellent work! Everything looks great.

Terry

 

[phantom II]

I too really like the leather effect and the wood grain is fabulous

What kit is that anyway ? :hmmm

Cheers, Christian B)

 

[lupanzer]

... as Terry said...

Best!


Luiz.

 

[ij001]

Great start, friend. Have you seen Brett Greens 163 build on Hyperscale ??

Ian

 

[matrixone]

Thanks guys!

Christian,
Its the new Meng kit, this kit is light years ahead of the old Hasegawa Me 163.

Ian,
Yes I did see Brett Green's build of the Meng Me 163, great workmanship on his model but I am not certain if the colors are correct for that W.Nr. on his model, gray camouflage colors were used with the early Klemm manufactured Me 163's in the 440 W.Nr. block. :idonno

I did some detail painting of the rocket motor and its 99% percent finished, there are still two narrow pipes that I need to add to the motor but they are so fragile I will add them at the last minute.

I took more pictures of the cockpit parts before its assembled, once everything is glued together not too much will be seen so ya better look now.

Matrixone

 

[moon puppy]

Great detail and nice chipping in the cockpit!

 

[razordws]

Outstanding work so far Les. Wouldn't expect anything less from you though.

 

[SA Dave]

Outstanding work so far Les. Wouldn't expect anything less from you though.

I was thinking the same thing

 

[matrixone]

Thanks MP, Dave, and SA Dave!

I did chip the paint in the cockpit more than I should have but its for a reason, the Me 163 cockpit is small and cramped and once its assembled not too much of the details will be seen so the heavy paint chipping I did will just barely be seen.

The cockpit has been assembled and glued to the bulk head, the ''guts'' of the Me 163 are nearly finished.
After the rocket motor was built everything else seems easy on this kit, there are some very fine pipes/wires that were a bit fiddly to deal with. :gogo

Matrixone

 

[moon puppy]

 

[phantom II]

Dang, you really did get a kick in the back end with that set up ! :woohoo:

Cheers, Christian B)

 

[matrixone]

Thanks again MP and Christian.

Christian,
Yes that would be quite a ride! I was reading my Classic Publication Me 163 book last night and came across what it was like to fly the Me 163, the G force on takeoff was around 4G's...pretty impressive for a WWII airplane! :coolio

This morning I did a test fit of the cockpit/engine in the fuselage halves and while the fit was a little tricky it all fits well. The painting I did on the cockpit was a bit on the cartoonish side but after looking at it inside the fuselage it looks good to me, the only downside is those ghastly instrument decals. I should have hand painted the instrument faces instead of using the kit decals. :vmad


Matrixone

 

[jknaus]

Yeah those instruments are the one really bad thing on this model. Looks great though
James