1/18 Me-163 Komet

[Jnewboy]

I am currently building one of Jacks kits. It has been utter hell. Between parts that are missing, parts that are so brittle and small that they could never really be used (razor thin resin propeller) or misshapen parts requiring extreme sanding and redrawing of panel lines it has been over a month now.

Im just wondering if there is anyone out there that has actually built one of these Komets from the kit who would like to post pics of theirs. Everyone I have seen has been one of the prepaints from Jack.

[normandy]

Jon,
I don't have one but this afternoon while on SSHQ looking at the Merit Dauntless Topic, I thought
what ever happened to the 1:18 Komet that was mentioned?
Page 25, 3rd post from the bottom.... http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/view ... &start=600
Was Jim@Merit referring to the skyjerks Me-163 or something else? Pegasus maybe?

[tmanthegreat]

Jon, I know your pain with the Skyworks Komet kit... I attempted one once, got frustrated with it, stored it away for a while, and then sold it to you, Jon

Really, its one of the stranger kits I ever started. It came with the fuselage already assembled, but the cockpit seat tub outside. No way it could fit in that tiny hole without breaking something, which is exactly what happened. There were parts one had to fabricate themselves (like cockpit windows and wing spars) and no directions. The kit seemed easy enough at the outset, but as I got into it, the model became more of a disaster.

BTW, I attempted the Skyworks ME-163 kit AFTER I had built Pickelhaube's SDK-222 Kit, so this wasn't an issue of not being qualified enough to build models. Pickelhaube's kit was in many ways more advanced. Ultimately, it just had a different vibe than did the Skyworks kit, came with everything I needed and simply did not have the issues. A trademark of Pickelhaube's work

If Pegasus doesn't do anything, I'd really hope Pickelhaube will tackle the ME-163. It would be a far better kit than the Skyworks one.

[Jnewboy]

Im glad you are not being to hard on yourself T-man, this was not in anyway your fault. It is as if these kits were intentionally made to be difficult to complete. Does that sound paranoid? Did Jack just send out these "kits" knowing they would not be able to complete them and then be forced to buy his finished one? Even his finished ones lacked allot of detail, especially for those that paid $500 for one. They should have included the pilots armored glass, the pitot tube, the whip antenna, ski braces... the list goes on.. if I had known what a headache this was going to be I would have waited for Pickelhaube to make one or a major manufacturer.

Normandy: I dont know what he meant but at least in retrospect he must have been talking about the SkyJerks one as we still dont have one on the horizon. It seems like no one is making one because everyone thinks someone else is going to make one.. frustrating

[CanberraPaul]

If someone of your high ability is having so much trouble building this Komet kit Jon, perhaps no else has been able to do it. I dont remember seeing any images of the kit one completed other than the finished Komet that was for sale.

[Light.Inf.Scout]

Bought a prebuilt Me 163 for Sky Works years ago....probably the worst 350 bucks I have ever spent....

[pickelhaube]

Bought a prebuilt Me 163 for Sky Works years ago....probably the worst 350 bucks I have ever spent....

Really ?

Why ?

Workmanship crappy moulding ?

[The_Helicopter_Pilot]

For one, I'd never spend $350 on something of this size, especially a kit, I dont care if its the most detailed 1/18 model the is, I'll hardly pay $300 on the F-14 if a new one comes out, well that's if there's free shipping of course..

[CanberraPaul]

It now seems that no one has ever successfully done one of these Komet kits!!

[flyboy_fx]

I do not think so.

[normandy]

Jim@Merit said...... Merit and JSI would not be making a Me-163 Komet, because there is no need for another one.
So if skyjerck's Komet is the "one" and it's basically unbuildable and inferior........ this would seem to be a green light for any custom builder who might want to produce an Me-163.
In 1:18 it's smaller than most of the WWII aircraft offered, so that in itself would make it affordable and a numerous
choise of paint schemes...........kits or prebuilt, they'd sell!

I had hopes Pegasus would produce a 163 maybe?..... 3rd item down (xxxx coming soon) ?
ah who knows........... http://www.merit-intl.com/vendor/pegasus.html

[Berkut]

WW2 JSF

:/

[Light.Inf.Scout]

Bought a prebuilt Me 163 for Sky Works years ago....probably the worst 350 bucks I have ever spent....

Really ?

Why ?

Workmanship crappy moulding ?

LOL...took me a while to respond to this huh!? Was searching old posts for something and saw it...anyway....bought a prebuilt one (not a kit) from Military Toy Shop IIRC, but it was Skyworks product. Got it in the mail and it had a couple things you had to put on yourself...well, they sent the wrong landing gear...after several emails and weeks..they finally sent the right landing gear. Then my wife was dusting and lifted the plane off a 3 foot high book case, the landing gear fell off..landed on a rug - but still broke. The little propeller in the front never fit right and all the stickers on it started peeling off. Then the plastic for the canopy fogged over. Grrr. Now it just collects dust.

[normandy]

Someone should make one of these in 1:18, long overdue.

[tko211]

I would love a komet in 1:18. Seems like a perfect product for a company like pegasus. I could see 2-3 repaint options for it.

[normandy]

I remember a while ago Pickel was thinking of doing a Komet in 1:18. Someone (in the industry?) told
him to hold off because it was going to be produced by one of the big guys.
Still waiting.....

[tmanthegreat]

Unless Pegasus throws something out of left field, which they do from time to time (thinking of the X-1) then Pickelhaube is likely our best bet. Seeing what I saw with the Skyworks kit I had for a while and then sold to Jnewboy, there really isn't very much "aircraft" to tool, so it could be kept cost-effective.

I have a Revell 1:48 scale ME-163 kit I bought in England 10 years ago. Never have gotten around to building it yet...

[norman888]

All this talk about Me-163's is making me think again about my Skyworks KI-61 Tony kit I purchased years ago. This has all the parts and details included but it will not be an easy build---with lack of any guide pins and some difference in size between fuselage halves.
Also have my Fw-190A nose from Skyworks that needs to be completed. The fit of this to the FW190D looks to be very good. Been waiting to do a "Sturmbock" version of the FW for years!! The announcement about a A version coming out obviously put this on hold. I hope the A actually comes out and in a timely manner, since I am getting restless.

[Jnewboy]

Jacks Komet was practically unbuildable. I could have done many projects in the time it took me to do it.





You are looking at months of work and I work rather quickly. I was shocked at how badly everything lined up. Then I remembered I had never seen any pic of any one's they had actually built, only Jacks prebuilt ones.

I also have a Fw190A kit that I have sitting in storage, now waiting to see if the actual thing will come out.

Light Scout pm me, I think I have another extra windshield that came with the kit, I will look.

[CW4USARMY]

Great job Jnewboy! Makes me wish Merit, Pegasus (or Pickel ) would make one.

[CanberraPaul]

We still havent seen any images of ME163s built from the kit - execpt Jons great one. All the ones I have seen have been the premade ones.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Awesome job, dude. I feel your pain when a build has issues.

We still havent seen any images of ME163s built from the kit - execpt Jons great one. All the ones I have seen have been the premade ones.

Can this be true? Only j has completed a kit? Any idea how many may have been sold? How many members bought one? How many were started and shelved in frustration?

That Skyworks guy is some supertrolling dick.

[normandy]

Wow for a piece of **** kit you did one hell of a job Jon!! Very Nice!!

Anyone from Pegasus out there? This would make a great kit just like the V-1!
Merits out of the picture on this one.......
Pickels got plenty on his plate but maybe he can squeeze it in.

Great Paint job on the Komet and the ground crew looks cool, what figures did
you use?

[granch]

Wonderfull work, Jnewboy.
Hope it will give an idea to Pegasus!

[pickelhaube]

Well it has been about 2 years now since the little bird that told me not to do it told me not to do it.

Things take time.

Almost like my Tiger II project was supposed to be done 6 month ago.