MENG 1/32 Me163 ‘KOMET’
MENG 1/32 Me163 ‘KOMET’
Messerschmitt Me163 point defence rocket fighter of JG400.
Kit HWK 109-509 A-2 liquid-fuel rocket motor with some extra plumbing added using mainly fine lead wire.
Giving up to 1700 kg of thrust, this motor could propel the Komet to well over 900 km/hr.
Rear end of the turbine. Once fitted to the fuel tank and inserted into the main fuselage this fine detail will never be seen again.
Fire walls for either end of the 1040 litre fuselage T-Stoff fuel tank. When looking at photos of museum examples I could see that they were painted this dark orange colour which I think was a fire proof lacquer paint called Flieglack 7142 or 7130.
T-Stoff fuel tank with fire walls and rocket motor attached and ready for installation.
Cockpit tub with extra strapping and surface detail added to the 60 litre T-Stoff cockpit side tanks.
Complete cockpit tub (sans instrument panel) with a bit of extra detail added.
Main assembly complete. Nose cone has been sprayed yellow and masked. Glue joins have been filled and given a quick squirt of RLM 02 to make sure no more filling is needed.
RLM 76, 81, 83 cammo complete awaiting decals and weathering.
Decals have been applied and fine weathering has been carefully sprayed over panel lines and rivet heads using my very thin black/brown mix. Some subtle, general streaking was also done using the same mix.
The painted and weathered landing skid. I have repositioned the skid’s mounting brackets so it sits (as per reference pics) at about halfway from its fully extended position.
The main reason it has taken me so long to post these pics is that I was very unhappy with the heavy tread on the kit-supplied soft vinyl tyres. No aftermarket replacements were available at the time and as this was a commission build, the model has long since been out of my possession. I recently rediscovered the original pics and decided to use my Photoshop retouching skills to smooth the surface of the tyres to a much more realistic look. Hope this cheat is OK with you guys.
Some panel line and grain detail was scribed into the wooden holding brackets using a scalpel.
GALLERY
STATIC CAPITAL 
As ever Chris, just superb. A complete lesson in what basic, non faddy techniques applied with infinite care and attention to detail can do when weilded by a master. Do you dabble at all with the modern “oil rendering” techniques and the like? I’ve been a firm user of your black brown mix suitably tweaked for the occasion ever since I saw you use it for the first time. Brilliant
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Craig I did this one ten years ago and I’m pretty sure I just used my usual techniques. I’m really pleased you like it though.
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if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it😁
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Absolutely captures the essence of the real thing – Waldemar
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If I remember correctly, it appeared in Military Illustrated Modeler some time ago (Brett couldn’t pass it unnoticed, could he?😁). Do you recall the general impression about this Meng model? Anyways, superb interpretation Chris, and great to hear from you.
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Hi Tom, as far as as I can remember the kit is pretty good with the only thing that really pissed me off being the vinyl tyres.
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Chris that looks absolutely bloody fantastic !!! I love the Mottles on the forward and rear fuselage-top stuff, very inspirational!
Which model are you thinking of next ?
I hope the weather down Sydney way isn’t to chilli this time of year
Cheers,
Peter
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I’m really glad you like it Pete even though, as you probably realise, I did do this one over ten years ago. As for next, I am impatiently waiting for the new Kotare 1/32 Me109 K and at the moment there is nothing else that particularly takes my fancy. I will probably refurbish one of my older builds in the meantime. Probably armour or fantasy though.
It’s a beautiful, crisp, sunny 19 degrees and the days are getting longer. I love this time of year!
All the best,
Chris.
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