Hybrid Hobbyboss/academy me-163 Komet with home vac canopy

[BorgR3mc0]

Build tread here:

http://www.spamodeler.com/forum/viewtop ... =20&t=1508

This is a Hobbyboss kit with the cockpit of an academy kit grafted in. That was an surprisingly easy thing to do. I used Rocketeer decals (highly recommended!) for a post war civil French aircraft. This aircraft was used by Avions Lestrade for research. The French fitted a new canopy with a different "slope" and a frame. Here is a side by side comparison with a normal Komet.



As you can see the profile is very different. I made this canopy by vacforming over a male mold.




The home made canopy is quite clear.

[BorgR3mc0]

And some more pics.

[CallSignOWL]

very sharp!

[BlackSheep214]

Well done!

[BorgR3mc0]

Thanks!

Writing it all down it sounds like a difficult build but it was basically easy. The cockpit graft was a simple affair, just Dremel away. And altough this was my first home vacform canopy I have heat smashed canopies before so this was also not that diffcult.
The only problems where with painting due to my own mistakes.

[Stikpusher]

That looks very sharp! New colors, new canopy, and a different approach to a fairly well known subject. Very well done sir!

[speedgraflex]

Congratulations! You detailed a lot of great techniques during construction as well as made a beautiful and unique version of the me-163B, Avion Lestrade. The Rocketeer decals work superbly at scale, and you blended all of the finishes with great care; I have to recall the weathering techniques for the future, because it is nice to see what a well-maintained aircraft actually looks like at 1/72 scale.

Cheers,

Bruce / speedgraflex

[BsYamato]

Tiny and really good Borg