He 162 Cockpit and Seat
for Dragon's 1/72 scale kit

Pavla

Several years ago I built the 1/72 scale Dragon He 162A-2 Volksjager and was very impressed with the way it went together. I'd been warned before hand that this kit in particular had some fit problems but they didn't materialize in fact the only problem I had was that the decals silvered. I never really worked out why that happened and promised myself that one day I would build another.

 

Dragon Aircraft kits has a reputation for being very well detailed, but the 1/72nd scale kits, more than the bigger scales, didn't always go together very well. So when Brett handed me these Pavla sets I dug out my second He 162 to compare the resin parts with those in the kit.

I thought the Dragon kit was well detailed but compared to these resin parts it is down right dowdy. There are five casting blocks and on the first is two highly detailed cockpit side-walls and a rear bulkhead with similar detail. The seat, on its own block, has got to be seen to be believe. Head and back cushions with harness, both shoulder and lap, moulded on and side handles/foot rests are to scale. Then comes the nose wheel cover complete with window moulded to the front bulkhead. A resin instrument panel with hood and gun sight and lastly, on one block, the rudder pedals with its frame, control stick, two 30mm cannons and the cross frame that goes under the instrument hood.

To use this set, the two plastic bulkheads in the fuselage halves will need to be removed and the side-wall detail, which is only framing, will have to be ground off. There doesn't seem to be any thing here to create problems for any-one used to resin except that some of the parts are extremely delicate and will need care when removing the blocks.

The second set is just the seat from the first, complete with all its detail, for those who don't want the expense of the full set. Personally, I don't think the seat by itself is worth it as the full set, as well as adding a lot of detail, also negates you having to use that PE instrument panel that comes in the kit and remember that the PE in these early Dragon kits was not brass but stainless steel. Now I hate PE at the best of times but this stainless is the pits.

All we need now is for Mr Pavla to consider producing the wheel well bay for this kit which is too narrow and perhaps get rid of some more of that pesky PE.

Considering the age of this Dragon kit, as good as it is, it is somewhat surprising the a resin maker is just getting around to it now. However, I guess there are a lot of these older kits still out there in modellers' collections just waiting for the right inspiration to get them started.

This may be it.

Highly Recommended to those with some resin experience under the belt.