 JFS Me 262 |
 Geli Me 262 |
 JFS Me 262 |
 JFS Me 262 |
 JFS Me 262 |
 Geli Me 262 |
 Geli Me 262 |
 Modelick Me 262 |
 Modelick Me 262 |
 Modelick & Geli Me 262 |
 Fiddlers Green Me 262 |
 Clark's Me 262 |
 Clark's Me 262 |
 Clark's Me 262 |
 Fiddlers Green Me 262 |
I completed the JFS Me 262. Although there are some spots that are damaged from my inept craftsmanship, all in in all the final model has a authentic presence to it. Since my last report, I have acquired a set of blue prints with cross sections and have checked the JFS parts against the blue prints and the designer has done a very faithful job of translating the form to a paper model. I am sure that now that I know how everything is supposed to go together I'll be able to construct another one with out the problems I had on the first one. I have had a chance to further compare the JFS with the GELI, MODELIKand WILHELMSHAVEN kits that I purchased, here are my observations:
a. The JFS model has no instructions, or drawings that show where things are supposed to go or to aid the builder. If you are a first time builder, this kit would be very difficult and I found it difficult myself. The other three have 3-view drawings and schematics of one sort or another to provide guidance in the construction. The Wilhelmshaven has some very nice three dimensional drawings in addition that are quiteeffective.
b.Modelik and Geli are 1:33 and JFS and Wilhelmshaven are 1:50. I have a better sense of what Emil Zarkov discussed about scale awhile back and the impact on difficulty. At 1:50 to properly shape some of the small parts that are detail, is very difficult. The Geli model is printed on coated stock while the others are lighter weight and dull or matt finish. Although I have not built the Geli to date, my experience with various papers leads me to believe that the paper stock used for the Geli will be difficult to work with.
c.The Geli's printing is inferior in quality to the other three, but the kit has a nice feature since all the interior structure is printed on card stock of about 3mm so that those parts do not have to be mounted. As a kit design feature that is a plus. The Geli also has a cockpit that can be built into the plane and the manner of attaching the landing gear is superior.
Thomas Pleiner wrote: The JFS-Me262 design suffers from a color-scheme being not that authentic as well as from the poor landing gear design.
I added parts to the JFS landing gear to make them more accurate and substantial by adding tooth picks shaved and formed to fit inside the struts. Other wise the parts are not strong enough to hold the weight of the model. the nose gear door is on the wrong side in the model, easy to correct, but I didn't have three views at the time and was follwing the photo on the kit cover which has the door on the wrong side. The Modelik design is the only accurate kit in landing gear at least according to my references, since it is the only kit that includes the main gear wheel cover in two parts.
d. The JFS has interior wing, tail and stabilizer forms that help to maintain the rigidity of the wings, etc. and that is a plus in my judgement.
e. The color scheme is different in each model with the Wilhelmshaven quite close to the the photographs I have of the original, but according to my reference the color scheme varied over time. The reference I have shows the Smithsonian reconstruction which is very similar to the Modelik color scheme. The JFS is attractive in its color scheme although it is the most different from the others.
Part two:
I have now completed the Geli (1:133 scale) and the cockpit and wing, landing gear section of the Modelik. The review of the JFS can be found on Saul Jacobs page.These are my observations:
1. The Geli model is not a very good representation of a scale model of the Me262. In comparing its cross sections to the base plans I have it can be seen that the designer took a lot of liberty with the shapes. The fuselage ends up sort of looking like the Me 262 but is much slimmer and not as wide. The length of the landing gear and size of wheels are much out of scale.
2. The Geli fit is not very consistent. It is loose in places and tight in others. The wing in particular does not fit very well and the inner wing structure is very flimsy and had to be reinforced to work atall. The wheel construction was poor and does not look good whenfinished.
3. The paper which is glossy, cleans up well if glue is smeared and is easy to work with to form the various parts. The final model does not compare well with the other models completed to date in the "look" of the finished model. The diagrams are clear where they are provided and by and large the model went together fairly well, but I am sure that the work I did with the JFS model went a long way in helping me to construct.
4. The Modelik (1: 133) is very close to the form of the real aircraft. I have compared the cross sections and they are quite true to scale. I built the center section and wing roots out of a xeroxed copy to test so can not report on the paper at this date.
5. The cockpit interior and "bathtub" is quite accurate for a paper model and the detail provides a difficult challenge to build but with care turned out well. I used clear film for the cockpit cover and it fit well.
6. The wheel wells are fully formed and open for extra realism which is a unique feature among all the models and provides for the attachment of the main gear. Of all the kits the Modelik is the only one that presents the landing gear correctly and when a few extra scratch built parts were added gives a nice realism to the model. The scale of the landing gear as well as the rest of the kit is quite accurate.
7. The instructions for the Modelik could be improved but by this time I have enough experience with this airpane and with my references so I can figure out where things should go. If I were to build this model for the first time it is a challenge and if I had no experience withaircraft model kits in paper I believe it would rank as DIFFICULT. It is a good model.
Two general observations: The larger the scale the more noticeable any mistakes show up more than in the smaller model (1:50) so they require special attention to getting all alignments as accurate as possible.This is probably a given ,but worth mentioning.
The second concern is with the instructions for paper models. Most of the models I have seen are rather skimppy in the instruction area and often are literary in nature. For example: "Next cut out 4a, score andglue to 4b." This goes on for paragraph after paragraph and if it is in a foreign language is not useful. I think if producers would spend a little more time on creating a series of diagrams that are clear the model builder would have a better chance of getting things together with less frustration. I think plastic model kits do a better job overall here. Even though paper models are realitively inexpensive in comparisonif we are interested in broadening the base of the paper model audiencehere is where we need to do a better job.
Part three:
In the Summer Issue of "The CardFormation Newsletter" there was an interesting article on the European Card Modelers Convention by Kell Black. In that article Kell quoted a Karl-Harro Reimers, a collector, builder, and designer from Germany. I thought this quote characterizes my exploration of the various kits of the Me262.
Black: "He (Reimers) also spoke quite eloquently of the role of paper modeling in German culture, and he pointed out that the common German word begreifen,( to understand,)...
Reimers: "quite literally means to take hold of an idea- to grasp- and that this inherent need to understand through doing, through creating and recreating, is at the heart of all paper modeling,..."
My project has not only involved the building of the models, but I have done some bibliographical research to help me to understand what the Me262 was really supposed to look like. Here is the list of books I have consulted:
1. Arrow to the Future-Walter J. Boyle- This book contains a definitive set of three view drawings with cross sections of the Me262A-1a on pages 120-124, which I have used to compare the bukheads for the various models, as well as scaled drawings and dimensions. In addition a finecutaway of the structure p. 124-125. 2. The Luftwaffe Profile Series No.1 Me262 -Manfried Griehl- In addition to many photographs this book contained on pages 24-29 a fine set of color scheme paintings and a partial set of line drawings by Messerschmitt of the three views. These were quite helpful in researching the actual landing gear and cockpit. 3. Warbird Tech Me262 Vol 6 - Dennis R. Jenkins- excellent structural closeup photographs of wheel well and fuselage construction. 4. Stormbird Rising by Hugh Morgan-pages191-193 a complete set of Messerschmitt three view drawings ( of which there were only a partial set in above ). 5.Aircraft of the National Air and Space Museum-Smithsonian Institution- a small set of three view drawings and dimensions.
I have completed the Geli (1:33) model and the xerox version of the Modelik (1:33) with detailed cockpit and nose section with tricycle landing gear along with the JFS model reported on earlier.
The Geli (not rated in terms of difficulty), when completed makes a nice model, but is not very accurate in its proportion to the scaled three view drawings I have compared it to. The model goes together well for the most part, in terms of fit, if not a little loose. The landing gear construction is poor, out of scale and not very good looking when complete; nose gear door is on the wrong side as is in the JFS. The most difficult part was to get the wings on correctly. The super structure is not very substantial and the fit with the body is not very good. Although the paper is slick surfaced and glue cleans up nicely it does not stick well and has to be held a long time to secure. I will take pictures and ask Saul Jacobs to post with the others on the Me262 review page.
The Modelik (rated as difficulty 3): I built my model as a xerox copy because I wanted to compare it quickly with the Geli which was in progress and it had quite a different construction because of the detailed cockpit, wheel wells and landing gear. Because I built it out of 20# paper it was a little harder to get it together smoothly because the glue warped the light paper. The actual model kit paper will go together well because it is heavier. This model is a real beauty if you like accuracy and good paper design. Compared to the section drawings of bulkheads on the master three views it is almost perfect. While I had difficulty with the intricate construction of wheel wells and cockpit it was more from lack of good instructions to follow, the paper I used rather than design, and my own lack of experience with aircraft building( although by now I have gotten onto most of the construction processes that seem to be common in this model field). When I got the landing gear and the front section together with clear film canopy it looks quite good. I added details to the landing gear from my research and the technique of buiding the wheels is the best of the three models. I will also take photographs to be included with the Geli.
Fiddlers Green Me262 is next and then the Wilhelmasven. Good building to you
Part four:
I am about 75% into Fiddlers Green Me 262. Since it was so different in approach to the JFS, GELI, and Modelik I thought it would be a change of pace. Unfortunately after three aircrafts using a similar type of construction I found my self wanting the those attributes. For example, the FG Me 262 fuselage is tab constructed and the instructions show a cross section and says "shape the fuselage like this", but the sections don't naturally hold the shape so I had to go back and using other references, scratch design and build several bulkheads for the cockpit section so that the fuselage will assume the correct cross section. In order to get the wings to form correctly I had to add tabs and clip the tips of the wings, I could then force the paper to hold its shape and attach to the fuselage with only a butt joint (there are no wing spars).
Chip did a nice job with the design of the basic engine using only one peice. It formed a reasonable replica of the Jumo ram jets and attached to the wing well. The engines had no interior so there was just a hole. I don't know why he did not provide interior intakes. I worked out a cylinder and a cone to fit both ends, colored them with marker and now they look pretty much like all the other models. There is plenty of room on the card sheet to have added these little developments (2 bulkheads, 4 small nose cylinders, and 4 engine nose cones, and wing tabs) and in my judgment these additions would have improved the model construction and look of the finished model. The paper and printing are appropriate for the size of the model and in my judgment is better suited to the construction process than the card stock used on five other FG aircraft I have. I don't know the weight of the sheet , but it seems to be close to a 65# offset cover stock.
All in all Chip Fyn has designed a nice little model using minimum parts and in places ( the engines ) it excells in design ingenuity. It requires some scratch building to come up to the "look" of the other kits. I will send pictures along with the Wilhelmshavener Me262 for posting on Saul Jacobs site when both are complete. I sent photographs to Jacobs of the completed Geli and the Modelik and they should appearin the near future on the updated review page. Good Building to all.
Part five:
About ten days ago I finished the FG Me262 by Chip Fyn. I have posted an earlier in progress review. Since I made a number of changes from the original intention of Chip Fyn I decided to complete the job and redesign his model more or less completly. I plan to post pictures in the near future. The changes I made were structural in nature adding bulkheads and redesigning the center section of the fuselage adding wing spar and a different design of the wing intersection with the fuselage. As an exersize I also scratch built a set of landing gears that are prototype scaled and detailed so that when I take photographs of the two you will be able to compare the different effect that the landing gear has on the over all model. Chip's landing gears are too long and lift the airplane up off the ground too high. In redesigning I used the process outlined by Emil. I went back to the prototype plans and elevations, scaled them to the size of the FG model and used them forthe development of the bulkheads and other changes. In the process ofcomparing the two I discovered that the elevators on the FG model are quite large in relation to the prototype, although shaped the same. I borrowed some of the ideas of the other kits already completed in doing the redesign, choosing what I felt were the best features. All in all it has been a good learing experience for me and I think the completed model is credable although the graphics which are hand done with maker are not as finished looking as the kits. I have also discovered that I had overlooked one other Me262 from my review process and so have added the L'AEROTECA kit to my project. It is a 1/48 scale. The graphics are comparable to the Geli and the paper seems to be the same. An overview of the kit shows that it is well designed with bulkheads and sufficient inner structure to assure that the unique shape of the Me262 can be developed and sustained. There are no landing gear parts and the photo supplied of the completed model indicates that it is to be displayed as if in flight. Since I have not constructed it I can not address the issue of fit, but will add to the report when I have accomplished the task. My little unplanned side trip in redesigning FG's model has put me behind on the Wilhelmshaven but it is next. Will post pictures in the near future of the above models.
Here is an address that contains a lot of model (plastic) and photos, history and data on the Me262. It is called the Australian Connection.
Here is another address for a site that provides pictures and speifications on the Me262. Warbirds Resource Group The difference between this site and the one above is that this one has many of the photographs from the books I listed and focuses on the actualaircraft rather than models. Through this site you can get to a lot of diferent aircraft.
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This page was created by:
Saul H. Jacobs M.Ed.
Microcomputer Technology
Pima Community College
Tucson Arizona