1/72 Revell (ex-Dragon) Messerschmitt P.1101 Nachtjaeger

Gallery Article by Bruce Grayson on June 7 2011

 

In search of war-winning weapons, the Nazi regime encouraged experimentation and design. The Messerschmitt team came up with this design for a single-engined jet fighter with variable-geometry wings (but the geometry could only be varied on the ground). The machine was captured and later developed by Bell as the X-5 for research purposes. It wasn't an unqualified success.

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This boxing by Revell of the Dragon kit is perfect for a simple build of a pretty machine. The one challenge with the kit was the instructions, which need to be fully read, understood, and amended to suit yourself. 

Conjectural markings are provided for a nightfighter armed with 2 x MG151 and up to 4 of the Kramer X-4 missiles. We will assume that by the time this machine entered service, the technology for tracking these missiles had developed sufficiently to allow a pilot to do this as well as fly his jet properly. I modified two of the missiles to carry extra flares.

Departing from the suggested paint scheme, I used Tamiya XF-1 (for RLM 22) undersides with Gunze Sangyo Mr. Aqueous Hobby Color RLM 81 mottles over Mr. Aqueous Hobby Color 82 upper surfaces. The cockpit interior is mainly Mr. Aqueous Hobby Color RLM 66. To my eyes, the finished aeroplane is reminiscent of a Korean MiG-15 nightfighter - except for the armament. 

Bruce Grayson

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Photos and text © by Bruce Grayson