In Box Review of DML Dragon 1/48th Scale
German Me-262A-1A/U3 Reconnaissance
Jet Fighter
Kit no. 5535
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION:
Price was $30.33 back in the late 90's. Copyright of the kit is 1997.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION:
Price was $30.33 back in the late 90's. Copyright of the kit is 1997.
HISTORY:
The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed Schwalbe (German: "Swallow") in fighter versions, or Sturmvogel (German: "Storm Bird") in fighter-bomber versions, was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft.
Design work started before World War II began, but problems with engines, metallurgy and top-level interference kept the aircraft from operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944.
The Me 262 was faster and more heavily armed than any Allied fighter, including the British jet-powered Gloster Meteor. One of the most advanced aviation designs in operational use during World War II, the Me 262's roles included light bomber, reconnaissance and experimental night fighter versions.
Me 262 pilots claimed a total of 542 Allied aircraft shot down, although higher claims are sometimes made. The Allies countered its effectiveness in the air by attacking the aircraft on the ground and during takeoff and landing.
Strategic materials shortages and design compromises on the Junkers Jumo 004 axial-flow turbojet engines led to reliability problems. Attacks by Allied forces on fuel supplies during the deteriorating late-war situation also reduced the effectiveness of the aircraft as a fighting force.
Armament production within Germany was focussed on more easily manufactured aircraft.
In the end, the Me 262 had a negligible impact on the course of the war as a result of its late introduction and the consequently small numbers put in operational service.
While German use of the aircraft ended with the close of World War II, a small number were operated by the Czechoslovak Air Force until 1951.
Captured Me 262s were studied and flight tested by the major powers, and ultimately influenced the designs of post-war aircraft such as the North American F-86 Sabre and Boeing B-47 Stratojet.
Several aircraft survive on static display in museums, and there are several privately built flying reproductions that use modern General Electric J85 engines.
The Me 262 A-1a/U3 was a reconnaissance version modified in small numbers, with Rb 20/30[96] cameras mounted in the nose or alternatively one Rb 20/20[96] and one Rb 75/30[96] (Rb – Reihenbildner – series-picture, topographic camera). Some retained one 30 mm (1.181 in) MK 108 cannon, but most were unarmed.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter aircraft, fighter-bomber & reconnaissance acft.
Manufacturer: Messerschmitt
First flight: 18 April 1941 with piston engine (Junkers Jumo 210), 18 July 1942 with jet engines
Introduction to service: April 1944
Retired: 1945, Germany, 1951, Czechoslovakia
Primary users: Luftwaffe, Czechoslovak Air Force (S-92)
Number built: 1,430
The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed Schwalbe (German: "Swallow") in fighter versions, or Sturmvogel (German: "Storm Bird") in fighter-bomber versions, was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft.
Design work started before World War II began, but problems with engines, metallurgy and top-level interference kept the aircraft from operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944.
The Me 262 was faster and more heavily armed than any Allied fighter, including the British jet-powered Gloster Meteor. One of the most advanced aviation designs in operational use during World War II, the Me 262's roles included light bomber, reconnaissance and experimental night fighter versions.
Me 262 pilots claimed a total of 542 Allied aircraft shot down, although higher claims are sometimes made. The Allies countered its effectiveness in the air by attacking the aircraft on the ground and during takeoff and landing.
Strategic materials shortages and design compromises on the Junkers Jumo 004 axial-flow turbojet engines led to reliability problems. Attacks by Allied forces on fuel supplies during the deteriorating late-war situation also reduced the effectiveness of the aircraft as a fighting force.
Armament production within Germany was focussed on more easily manufactured aircraft.
In the end, the Me 262 had a negligible impact on the course of the war as a result of its late introduction and the consequently small numbers put in operational service.
While German use of the aircraft ended with the close of World War II, a small number were operated by the Czechoslovak Air Force until 1951.
Captured Me 262s were studied and flight tested by the major powers, and ultimately influenced the designs of post-war aircraft such as the North American F-86 Sabre and Boeing B-47 Stratojet.
Several aircraft survive on static display in museums, and there are several privately built flying reproductions that use modern General Electric J85 engines.
The Me 262 A-1a/U3 was a reconnaissance version modified in small numbers, with Rb 20/30[96] cameras mounted in the nose or alternatively one Rb 20/20[96] and one Rb 75/30[96] (Rb – Reihenbildner – series-picture, topographic camera). Some retained one 30 mm (1.181 in) MK 108 cannon, but most were unarmed.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter aircraft, fighter-bomber & reconnaissance acft.
Manufacturer: Messerschmitt
First flight: 18 April 1941 with piston engine (Junkers Jumo 210), 18 July 1942 with jet engines
Introduction to service: April 1944
Retired: 1945, Germany, 1951, Czechoslovakia
Primary users: Luftwaffe, Czechoslovak Air Force (S-92)
Number built: 1,430
THE KIT:
DML Dragon is a prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color photo of the Me-262A-1A/U3 model made up and sitting on its landing gear against an all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya does the majority of their box arts too.
It is in a squiggle pattern of dark-green over light-grey with light-blue undercarriage. It has a red no. 26 outlined in white on the sides of the nose and skeletal white fuselage cross.
The box art says it is an unassembled kit of 131 parts and is for modelers age 10 and older. Box contains a model of one aircraft.
One side panel has 3 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme, followed by the copyright date of 1997, over DML's street address in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made there.
DML Dragon is a prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color photo of the Me-262A-1A/U3 model made up and sitting on its landing gear against an all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya does the majority of their box arts too.
It is in a squiggle pattern of dark-green over light-grey with light-blue undercarriage. It has a red no. 26 outlined in white on the sides of the nose and skeletal white fuselage cross.
The box art says it is an unassembled kit of 131 parts and is for modelers age 10 and older. Box contains a model of one aircraft.
One side panel has 3 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme, followed by the copyright date of 1997, over DML's street address in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made there.
The other side panel has a color photo of DML's kit no. 5534 of a FW-190D-12 Torpedo Flugzeug Fighter made up, followed by CAUTIONS in 6 languages, including English to not use paint or cement near an open flame and be in a well-ventilated room when you do use them. Kit is for modelers over 10 years of age.
Kit is unsuitable for children under 3. The copyright date is repeated and DML's address.
Kit is unsuitable for children under 3. The copyright date is repeated and DML's address.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 7 medium-grey trees, 2 clear trees, black vinyl tires in 7 sealed clear cello bags, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art and the parts trees illustrations. Some parts are shown blue-out. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Page 2 begins with CAUTIONS, above international assembly symbol explanations and a suggested paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints, in 6 languages, including English.
The bottom of the page has the 1st assembly step.
Page 3 through 6 give a balance of a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
Page 7 & 8 are painting and marking instructions.
Page 7 has a 4-view of a 262 of 1/NAGr.6, Lechfeld, Germany, May 1945. It is in the same camouflage scheme as the box art scheme. It has a dark no. 2 on the nose. Alternate 2 digit numbers are shown to choose from.
Page 8 has an illustration of the top and bottom of the 262 showing where the marking go, over a repeat of the copyright date, printed in Hong Kong and decal application instructions in the 6 languages.
The largest of the 2 decal sheets says it is from DML's kit no. 5507 of the Me-262A-1A Jabo and only the stencils and crosses are right for this kit.
The kit contains 7 medium-grey trees, 2 clear trees, black vinyl tires in 7 sealed clear cello bags, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art and the parts trees illustrations. Some parts are shown blue-out. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Page 2 begins with CAUTIONS, above international assembly symbol explanations and a suggested paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints, in 6 languages, including English.
The bottom of the page has the 1st assembly step.
Page 3 through 6 give a balance of a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
Page 7 & 8 are painting and marking instructions.
Page 7 has a 4-view of a 262 of 1/NAGr.6, Lechfeld, Germany, May 1945. It is in the same camouflage scheme as the box art scheme. It has a dark no. 2 on the nose. Alternate 2 digit numbers are shown to choose from.
Page 8 has an illustration of the top and bottom of the 262 showing where the marking go, over a repeat of the copyright date, printed in Hong Kong and decal application instructions in the 6 languages.
The largest of the 2 decal sheets says it is from DML's kit no. 5507 of the Me-262A-1A Jabo and only the stencils and crosses are right for this kit.
The smaller decal sheet just has white outlined numbers on it. No swastikas are on these sheets or any of the pictures on the box or on the instruction drawings. This is to keep the kit "Politically Correct" in countries where it is sold that have that symbol outlawed.
Light-grey letter A tree holds: fuselage halves, engine necelles parts etc. (19 parts) 4 parts are excess.
Light-grey letter B tree holds: the cockpit floor, bulkhead, dashboard, more nacelles parts etc. (26 parts)
Light-grey letter C tree holds: wing halves, elevators, bulkhead etc. (23 parts) 1 part is excess.
There is no letter D tree.
There is no letter D tree.
Clear letter E tree holds the cockpit clear parts (4 parts)
Lettering jumps to the letter H tree. It holds: the cockpit tub, bulkheads etc. (19 parts) 3 parts are excess.
Lettering again jumps to the black letter M tree. It holds the vinyl tires (3 parts)
Light-grey letter N tree holds: landing-gear legs etc. (31 parts) 6 parts are excess.
Again another jump to light-grey letter Y tree. It holds the drop tank etc. (8 parts)
Light-grey letter Z tree holds antennas etc. (6 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
Nice engraved detail. No pilot figure included and flaps are all molded solid.
Recommended.
Recommended.