Me 262 from the Trumpeter kit in 1/32

[al49]

Hi everybody,
I'm starting working on this kit and the first impression on what is in the box is very good, but there is the issue with vinyl tyres that should be replaced.
So I found two options from MasterCasters

The difference seems to be on front wheel only, I did some search but I was unable to find which one will be correct for an A-1a bird, any suggestion?
Many thanks for your help
Alberto

 

[Wurger]

To be honest I have found three kinds of the front wheel for the Me 262. According to my references the standard wheel was of 660x160 size with the transverse track profile and the hub like the one of the MST32005 set. It is said the one was the early type. The second one ( the later variant ) had the same kind of the tyre track profile but the hub should be like the one of the MST32006. A part of the Me 262 jet planes had the nose wheel of 600x190 size with the slick tread profile like the one of the MST32006. But its hub looked different from these two mentioned above. There were 8 screws for the inner hub ring mount. These above have six of them only. ALso the central stud had a bigger diameter.
Tu sum up... it would be better if you had an image of the particular plane you want to assemble. And the wheel would be seen in. If there isn't a such one I would suggest using the one of the MST32005.

 

[stona]

MST 32006 shows the standard Me 262 nosewheel with the 660 x 160 tyre,it is essentially a mainwheel from the Bf 109 G.
The other option is,I think,the standard Bf 109 K-4 mainwheel which was at least tested as the Me 262 nosewheel with the larger 660 x 190 tyre. This was planned for use in the night fighter versions along with larger mainwheels.

I've gleaned this from Smith and Creek's Me 262 volumes and Sengfelder's imaginatively titled "German Aircraft Landing Gear".

For a production aircraft like you are planning I would use MST 32006.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Wurger]

The 660x190 wheel with the slick tread profile...

 

[stona]

That looks like the K type wheel. One was initially installed on W.Nr. 130167 for testing in January 1945 and intended for nightfighters.

Here's some drawings of the standard sized nosewheel and tyre.

I think this is MST 32006. Notice the six "segment" lines,I think it should be five but you can't have everything!

To fit the larger G-10/K type tyre the gear leg had to be modified as per this Messerschmitt drawing.

Unless you have some very good evidence that this was done to your intended subject then the standard version would be most likely in my opinion. Notice how late the date at which the drawing was issued is,February 1945.

Edit: It's just occurred to me that the two might both be for the same tyre size,impossible to see in the photos. In that case go with the smooth tyre unless,again,you have some good evidence for something different.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Vaughan]

I'm looking forward to your build Al49 I have one in my stash and I'm still considering it for the GB17

 

[Wurger]

Here are examples of hubs used for the 660x160 front wheel of Me 262. It seems that the tyre with the slick tread profile appears more often. However it is difficult to say which hub and tyre were attached looking at pictures.

 

[al49]

Many thanks for the quality and quantity of answers I received in just a few hours!

By the way Wurger's suggestion is quite correct: I should first decide the real bird I intend to replicate and base my decision on that.

Honestly for some reasons, may be just emotional, I was thinking to do Galland's White 3 machine and I started searching the web to find pictures, but I only found reports on kits sporting that livery (Hasegawa, Toy Soldiers etc.) I will keep searching.
In any case, once decided I will have to buy decals from the after-market because I got an A-2a Trumpeter kit but I intend to do an A-1a. All needed parts seems to be in the box, I only need correct instruction sheet, does anybody know where I could find them?
Alberto

 

[stona]

I was thinking to do Galland's White 3 machine

You might want to check that. I believe that "White 3" was Franz Stigler's aircraft and I am not alone

Steve

 

[Erich]

it was Gallands, Stigler never flew white 3 even as the units T.O., of course Galland also flew white 1 in JV 44 overall very dark greens as with all JV 44's birds. my opinion do up a bird from JG 7.

 

[Vaughan]

Alberto are you missing the instruction sheets? if so I have the ones for mine if it's the same model and could copy them for you.

 

[Wurger]

I think the instruction for A-1a is needed....

 

[stona]

it was Gallands, Stigler never flew white 3 even as the units T.O., of course Galland also flew white 1 in JV 44 overall very dark greens as with all JV 44's birds. my opinion do up a bird from JG 7.

Galland was photographed with the aircraft but Stigler always claimed that it was his. I believe that Galland confirmed this but can't find a reference.

I did find this online but I obviously can't vouch for it.

http://www.thirdreich.ca/ober.php

Cheers
Steve

 

[Erich]

Steve I interviewed Franz by letter, surely they both could of flown the crate as their were more pilots than jets in JV 44 just like in Jg 7 but since Franz never flew any ops I'll take Galland in this case......

 

[stona]

surely they both could of flown the crate as their were more pilots than jets in JV 44 .....

For sure

Though not according to this reputable source.

http://109lair.hobbyvista.com/articles/pilots/stigler/stigler_p6.htm

Steve

 

[al49]

Alberto are you missing the instruction sheets? if so I have the ones for mine if it's the same model and could copy them for you.

Many thanks, but I have the same instruction you have, what I'm looking for are the instruction for the A-1a kit in order to know how to exactly assembly the gun bay.
Alberto

 

[Rogi]

If this kit was a Dragon Me-262 I could help out, if you want I could photo copy a couple pages of the Dragon kit and see if there similar? I've got a Mistel Me-262 and 2 Seater 262 from Dragon that have gunbay detail.

If you want the instructions for that one Alberto, you got it


Regards,

Igor

 

[stona]

I have a stash of instructions in my loft. I will check for you in the morning........fingers crossed!
Steve

 

[al49]

If this kit was a Dragon Me-262 I could help out, if you want I could photo copy a couple pages of the Dragon kit and see if there similar? I've got a Mistel Me-262 and 2 Seater 262 from Dragon that have gunbay detail.

If you want the instructions for that one Alberto, you got it


Regards,

Igor

Thanks Igor for your offer, but what I need, if possible, are the correct Trumpeter instructions, in order to be able to identify required items on the sprue, if they are there, otherwise I will have to scratch-build based on the several pictures I have of the gun bay.
Thanks again
Alberto

 

[stona]

Here's the relevant page from the Trumpeter Me 262 A-1a kit.

I think it's just about legible. If not I can send a higher res version to an email address.

Cheers

Steve