Wouter

Get in there Andy. If I can finish the 388, you certainly can finish this this one. Once the cockpit is all set and done it's all pretty straightforward.

These kits look better then they build, but taking it slowly like you do should get a spectaculair result! And a pretty unique model too

Hi all, long time since I have posted anything related to one of my builds. But I'm still here and checking in regularly. Mat asked me how I solved the PE puzzle Eduard made of it's manual regarding the seats. Altough this build is currently not my active build I made some pictures for him. So Mat, here you go :-). Here's the seat with part 23/24 attached. I haven't yet attached parts 45/46 and 47/48, but here's a pic from the Fi156 manual and one reference picture I did some test fitting of the chairs and I'm not sure if you wan't to attach 45/46 and 47/48 to the kit. The front side of the front seat is attached to a bar. Without the triangular parts the seat is level with the floor which looks right to my eye. With the triangular parts the seat would tilt forward. Hope this helps Mat. Cheers, Wouter

Hope this helps: Oberflächenschutzliste 8 Os 163B? This document has so far remained undiscovered but no doubt was drawn up and issued for this aircraft. What the colours could have been listed is not certain, but it is probable that they were 74/75/76, the then current fighter camouflage colours. It is known that the first Me 163Bs were received by Operational Test Detachment (Erprobungskommando) Ekdo.16 on December 24th and 31st, 1943 (Spaete, 1989, pp.197). Following a working-up period, I./JG 400 was formed on May 1, 1944, though deliveries were very slow to the unit, with only a single aircraft received in May, three in June and twelve in July. Series production of the Me 163B is likely to have been initiated in April 1944 (Spaete, ibid., p.217). COMMENT: The slow production and delivery of the Me 163B resulted in it wearing a variety of camouflage colours from the time of the first deliveries (December 1943) to the cessation of production (February 1945). It is known from the many published photos and other documentation that most of Ekdo.16's aircraft were Me 163 BVs (V: "Versuchs", or test/experimental) and many were uncamouflaged, being painted in either RLM 02, or more likely, RLM 76. Other aircraft are known to have had very dark, low contrast upper wing colours, which do not suggest the 74/75 greys, but more likely the 70/71 greens. Their fuselages are interpreted as being painted in 76 with a mottle of 75. The well-photographed aircraft "White 05" is thought to be a Me 163 BV variant, as it and other similarly painted Ekdo.16 aircraft appear to be missing their Werknummern. However, photos indicate that all V-aircraft did at one time have their Versuchsnummer painted on the tail in black, but given the dark colour of these aircraft's tails could be difficult to see. Alternatively, if the aircraft were delivered directly to the unit initially in overall 65 and soon in 76, the number could easily have been over-painted at the unit level when the camouflage colours were applied. As Me 163 production slowly increased, aircraft with moderate-contrast schemes suggestive of 74/75/76 begin to appear. Aircraft with such schemes (or variations) have been documented during the restoration of these aircraft and faithfully reproduced (Merrick and Hitchcock, 1980, pp.48-49). There is also colour photographic evidence of Me 163s painted in the 81/83 scheme (Merrick and Hitchcock, 1980, p.50; Sheflin, 1983, pp.18-19). What is unknown is when this change-over to the late-war colours took place and if it was officially documented. The date of this change could not have been any later than February 1945, as production of the aircraft ceased during this month with a total of 364 aircraft completed and delivered to Ekdo.16, I. II. and IV./JG 400 and IV./EJG 1 (Smith and Kay, 1972). It is thought likely that an order authorizing this change must have been issued sometime in late 1944-early 1945. Link: http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/luftcamdb_3.htm

Just stumbled upon this build. You are doing a great job David! Glad my build is of service to you. Feel free to ask questions if you wan't to. Indeed, it's not a walk in the park, but after closing the fuselage things get more and more straightforward. In the end you will have a unique model. I'm still very happy with mine and I always have a smile when looking at it. Jut wanna say, keep it going! Cheers, Wouter

Great subject, I have some fond memories flying this little glider.

Totally missed this one so far, but not anymore. What a build / conversion. I'm actually speechless. Keep m coming Kent!

So I would say these ac's were all painted in some sort of a RLM 81/82 splinter camo...

Interesting discussion going on here. While I'm by no means a Luftwaffe color expert, I'm actually not convinced these ac's were painted in a single color green. Looking at the pictures posted by John I can see a faint, but otherwise different shade of color, right behind the cockpits. The line goes down from the top of the canopy to the belly of the AC. Especially on the first picture it looks like a splinter camo. I'll try to illustrate with a few pictures.

Thanks Kevin, didn't know that. Just ordered a set. The Tristar set is definitely to small, I've tried but it would look ridiculous. So they will land somewhere in my sparebox I guess. Here's a picture of the Mastercasters version:

I'm going with the desert scheme as is shown on the artwork. Though I'm not convinced with the decal quality; the white looks a but yellowish? Maybe it's specific to Hasegawa decals and it doesn't show when applied or maybe it's because of old age. I'll have to find out or resort to masks (which I'm not really good at). I ordered some wheels, because they were advertised as 1/32 scale but it turned out to be 1/35 scale. I believe they were meant for the Tristar kit in that scale.

There's something to be proud of! Love the details you put in, especially the tiny windscreen wiper.

Great start Jan. I think I'll will try your paint before build technique on my next build.

Hi all, before starting with my Multi Engine GB I figured I would build another simple kit first. Looking through my stash my eye fell on the Fi156 Storch from Hasegawa. It's a pretty simple aircraft and well up for it's task in the day. It's VSTOL capability made for an excellent liason, recon, ambulance aircraft. So out it came from the stash. As it's a pretty old kit (1978 according to scalemates) it lacks some detail, mainly in the cockpit area. So I acquired all the AM for it (which isn't a lot), to get it up to date. Eduard PE set, HGW seatbelts, Master Model gun barrels and a Yahu cockpit. Nothing to complicated, but the end result should be much better than an out of the box build. So far I've build and painted the little Argus AS10 and started adding the PE to the cockpit. Till next update. Wouter

You might be on to something