Arma Hobby 70084 - 1:72 Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a / WGr.21

Plastic model kit of the German Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a jet fighter with WGr.21 launchers in 1:72 scale

Arma Hobby 70084 is a model kit of the Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a in the rare configuration carrying Werfer-Granate 21 unguided rocket launchers beneath the forward fuselage. Adapted from the Nebelwerfer mortar, this weapon was intended to break up tight Allied bomber formations, forcing them to scatter before a cannon attack.

The model is based on Arma Hobby's award-winning Me 262 kit, supplemented with 3D-printed WGr.21 launchers. The kit is generously equipped: photo-etched parts, self-adhesive masks for the canopy and wheels, and a code giving free access to a 3D cockpit file for home printing.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with the airframe parts
• Clear parts
• 3D-printed WGr.21 rocket launchers with mounting parts
• Photo-etched parts
• Self-adhesive masks for the canopy and wheels
• Decal sheet for two marking options
• Code for a free downloadable 3D cockpit file
• Illustrated instructions with painting profiles

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 70084
• Manufacturer: Arma Hobby
• Assembled model length: approx. 147 mm, wingspan: approx. 175 mm
• Skill level: intermediate (photo-etched and 3D-printed parts)

Marking options:

• Me 262 A-1a "Green 1", Stabsstaffel/JG 7, Rechlin, February 1945
• Me 262 A-1a "Green 3", Stabsstaffel/JG 7, Rechlin, February 1945

Note: Glue, paints and modelling tools are not included. This kit requires assembly.

Building the model:

The kit stands out for precise moulding and good parts fit. The cockpit is best assembled and painted before closing the fuselage - once the halves are joined, there is no way back in. Photo-etched parts and the 3D-printed launchers are attached with cyanoacrylate glue; the printed parts benefit from having their support nubs cleaned up and being washed in lukewarm soapy water first.

JG 7 aircraft in early 1945 wore the typical late-war Luftwaffe camouflage: RLM 81 and RLM 82 greens and greys on the upper surfaces over RLM 76 light blue undersides, often with irregular field-applied mottling. The canopy is easily masked with the supplied self-adhesive masks. Applying decals over a gloss coat reduces the risk of silvering, and a satin finish suits the aircraft.

Tools you will need:

• Sprue cutters
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and fine sanding paper
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Cyanoacrylate glue for photo-etched and 3D-printed parts
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Panel wash to bring out detail

About the aircraft - Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a:

The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the first production jet aircraft used in combat. Powered by two Junkers Jumo 004B turbojets, it exceeded 850 km/h - more than 150 km/h faster than the quickest Allied piston fighters. Four 30 mm MK 108 cannon in the nose gave it enough firepower to destroy a four-engined bomber with a single short burst.

Despite its technical edge, the Me 262 did not change the course of the war. Engine development delays, shortages of fuel and materials, the short life of the powerplants and gaps in pilot training meant it entered combat too late and in too few numbers. The Allies also learned to attack the jets at their most vulnerable - during take-off and on the landing approach, when the Me 262 lost its greatest asset: speed.

The Werfer-Granate 21 was a 21 cm unguided rocket adapted from the Nebelwerfer 42 mortar and fired from tubular launchers. It was intended to detonate inside or near a tight bomber formation, breaking up the box and forcing crews to manoeuvre - which made subsequent cannon passes easier. The Me 262 with WGr.21 launchers appeared very late and was used on only a small number of aircraft.

Original aircraft specifications (Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a):

• Length: 10.6 m
• Wingspan: 12.6 m
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: 2 x Junkers Jumo 004B turbojets, approx. 8.8 kN thrust each
• Maximum speed: approx. 870 km/h
• Armament: 4 x 30 mm MK 108 cannon in the nose (100 rounds each for the upper pair, 80 for the lower)
• Additional armament (this configuration): 21 cm WGr.21 unguided rocket launchers
• First operational jet fighter used in combat

About the manufacturer - Arma Hobby:

Arma Hobby is a Polish model company based in Warsaw, specialising in 1:72 and 1:48 aircraft kits. The brand has built its reputation on very precise moulds and generously equipped boxes: high-quality decals, self-adhesive masks, photo-etched parts, metal nose weights and codes for free 3D files. Its catalogue includes the Hurricane, Wildcat, P-51 Mustang, Yak-1b, PZL designs, the TS-11 Iskra and the Ki-43, and more recently German subjects as well. Arma Hobby also runs its own modelling blog and lines of paints and accessories.