[agentsmith]

No, not my first model its my first experience with one of the 1/72 scale HobbyBoss easy assembly kits that are aimed at new or older modelers returning to the hobby of building plastic scale models.
As expected the kit is very basic and has almost no cockpit detail at all which is not really a huge problem since most Luftwaffe cockpits like on this Me 163B were painted RLM 66 black gray and were very drab so in this scale not a great deal could be seen anyway.
Most parts fit together well but there was a big seam line from the top and bottom fuselage halves that needed to be carefully filled and sanded smooth so as not to destroy the surface detail on the fuselage.
My Me 163B was painted with Xtracolor enamel RLM 82 straight from the tin and a custom mix of RLM 81 brownviolet made from Model Master enamels, the lower surfaces were painted with Model Master enamel RLM 76 lightened with some white paint.

On to the pics...

Below is a shot from inside the hangar looking out towards the airfield.

Off to take on the bombers!

After a successful mission a Komet glides home towards its base...

The Komet just after landing resting on its landing skid just before the Schue-Schlepper arrives...

Agentsmith

 

[djnick66]

Very nice... both the model and photos. The Copy Boss Easy Kits can be a lot of fun. Some are much better than others, but most are half way decent. The earliest ones had a seat molded into the fuselage, and thats it. later ones have a cockpit assembly that slips in from beneath. Still very simple but in 1/72 pretty much adequate. The MiG 3 and F-84 are very well done. I like the Corsair also.

 

[agentsmith]

Thanks djnick66!

When these easy assembly kits came on the market a few years ago I bought a few of them to see what they are like. After looking the kits over I was not too impressed but realize they could be great for new modelers wanting to try and build a model or two and have some success, anything that attracts new modelers is a very good thing in the long run.
If HobbyBoss could make a few improvements with these kits they would also be bought by more experienced modelers too.

Agentsmith

 

[djnick66]

The later kits are much nicer than the first ones. They started with the typical Mustang and Messerschmitt stuff. The F-84 was quite nice. They had a list of future kits but I think they stalled out. I haven't seen any new ones in a year or two or three. The Wildcat is another poorish one

 

[Medic17]

Great pics as always! I like what you did with the action pics, you didn't mention if it was a successful hunt!

Medic

 

[agentsmith]

Thanks Medic17!

For the sake of the Komet pilot I think he might have bagged a bomber.


Agentsmith

 

[Cro-Magnon Man]

Amazing results once again, only this time you've gone further and produced 'authentic photographs of aircraft in flight' - thanks for showing.

 

[agentsmith]

Cro-Magnon Man, thank YOU for looking and for the comment!

Agentsmith

 

[fluke]

TOP NOTCH! Wunderbar! Das Goot! :wave::thumbsup:

 

[nohands]

Nohands says gadday to all

A good Sunday to you all mates. As has always been my experience with this forum, when ever I want to see great model building, I come here.

I have been absent for over a year and even put away my model building, not knowing if I would ever return to the craft, but alast, here I am back, thankfully.

I used to be regristered under a different name, but couldn't get in under the previous one, so you will not know me by the new handle.

I am a old time moldeler, my love is WW11 aircraft and the cold war jet fighters, as I was an aircraft mechanic for a number of years.

Anyway, it's good to be back and I love the photos. nohands

 

[agentsmith]

Thanks fluke and nohands!

nohands,
Glad you decided to return to the hobby.

Agentsmith

 

[surfsup]

I like what you have done with this Kit. Very nice indeed.....Cheers Mark

 

[agentsmith]

Thanks very much Mark,
Even though this is a kit aimed at beginners it can still turn out okay if you take care in building and painting it but its not too accurate compared to the Academy Me 163.
There are a few other of these easy assembly kits in my kit stash and look forward to buiding them. Even if they are not most accurate of kits they are still worth building just for the airbrush practice alone.

Agentsmith

 

[schweinhund227]

Awesome work on this little gem !!!

Petite isn't she ???

Take care and keep up the good work !

 

[agentsmith]

Thanks Schweinhund227!

I have a couple Tamiya kits on the bench now, both are about two weeks from being finished.


Agentsmith

 

[Schwinnster]

Awesome Komets!

Like nohands, I've been away for awhile. Was on here a lot last year bashing some autos, and started building up a stash of mostly 1/48 WWII Luftwaffe planes, with a Spitfire and a Typhoon thrown in. Just started on the Typhoon, and so far I'm happy with it.

Decided to check out some of the great HobbyTalk builds, and I've been checking out your Komets most of the evening.:thumbsup::thumbsup: Just gotta add my compliments on your paint jobs, and especially the pics! Love the 'old' B&W/sepia photos the best, but they're all awesome!

I have the old Testors Komet kit, but I'm thinking there's no point in even trying to build/paint it after seeing yours...... NOT! Thanks for the inspiration-- happens every time

John

 

[agentsmith]

Thanks John!

The Testors 1/48 scale Komet is surely not very accurate compared to the more modern model kits of this aircraft but its still worth building even if its only just for some practice with the airbrush.

I recently built the Testors kit of the Me 163B Komet and one thing to watch out for is the decals...mine shattered when put into the water, I coated the rest of the decals with Microscale Superfilm and they held together just fine. Maybe do a test on one of the decals in your kit that you don't intend to use on your model so you won't have any surprises when you are putting the markings on your Komet.

Agentsmith

 

[Schwinnster]

Thanks John!

The Testors 1/48 scale Komet is surely not very accurate compared to the more modern model kits of this aircraft but its still worth building even if its only just for some practice with the airbrush.

I recently built the Testors kit of the Me 163B Komet and one thing to watch out for is the decals...mine shattered when put into the water, I coated the rest of the decals with Microscale Superfilm and they held together just fine. Maybe do a test on one of the decals in your kit that you don't intend to use on your model so you won't have any surprises when you are putting the markings on your Komet.

Agentsmith

Thanks man, I'm trying to 'loosen up', just build my models a little better than I did as a kid, so I don't worry too much about them being completely accurate....... as long as they have 'the look', I'm happy and yours sure do have 'the look' (don't know how they don't melt from that rocket exhaust tho---) I'm looking forward to shooting some pics like yours.

Thanks for the tip on those decals, they're from 1982 30 year old plastic is one thing, 30 year old decals is quite another! They don't look that bad, and I most likely will have to do like you did, but doing a test on one of them first will certainly tell-- thanks again :thumbsup:

John

 

[WarHobby]

Amazing detail

Thanks for the photos OP, that's some fantastic work. I have the He 162 at home ready to go but the finished product will be somewhat less impressive I'm sure. I'm one of these people coming back to modeling after 15 years!

 

[agentsmith]

WarHobby,
Welcome back to the hobby! The HobbyBoss kits are not the only entry level kits on the market, Pegusus has a few 1/48 scale kits of WWII aircraft that are easy to work with and look pretty good at the same time.
After you get one or two of the entry level kits built try building a Tamiya kit, Tamiya kits are some of the best available and known for their proper fitting parts.


Agentsmith