Hobby Boss 1/48 Me 262A-1A/U2 Kit First Look
By Dave Manter
| Date of Review | October 2012 | Manufacturer | Hobby Boss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Me 262A-1A/U2 | Scale | 1/48 |
| Kit Number | 80374 | Primary Media | Styrene |
| Pros | Great detail, fine recessed panel lines, fuselage interior detail, metal weight included | Cons | None |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $36.99 |
First Look
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The Me 262 “Storm Bird” was a German Jet Fighter aircraft flown late in World War II. Its design started in 1938 and the first flight was on July 18th, 1942. It first appeared to the Allies in the skies over Europe in 1944. The Germans built about 1300 Me 262’s and they claimed a total of 509 Allied aircraft in combat. The Me 262 family had a variety of roles, including light bomber, reconnaissance and night fighter versions. The Me 262 A-1a/U2 was a single prototype that was fitted with the FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 90 MHz radar transceiver and the Hirschgeweith antenna array, for trials as a night fighter.
The HobbyBoss kit consists of 138 parts of super detailed gray plastic. Very cleanly molded with fine recessed panel lines and rivet deta il, the kit features numerous details on the inside of the fuselage. No flash is present at all. The nose gear compartment is made of metal, thus eliminating the need for additional weight to be added. Nice! The cockpit, the nose gun compartment as well as the onboard electronic sections are fully detailed and can be assembled opened to display their details when finished. Decals for the one prototype are included. All of the stenciling is also included on the decal sheet. A quick check shows that all of the main components fit very well.
My sincere thanks to Squadron Mail Order for this review sample!