Me262 HG III "V Tail"
Amusing Hobby (48A004)
1:48

Amusing Hobby have continued their busy schedule of expanding their Luft 46 catalog with the release of two more "what-if" variants of the Me262 HG III.

Having previously enjoyed building their initial Me262 HGIII (48A003) release, I was keen to see what the next two variants, the V-Tail (48A004) and even more radical Entwurf (48A005) involved.

In this short review I'll take a look at kit #48A004 which comes with the proposed V-Tail.

In April 1941, Adolf Busemann proposed that a 35° swept wing be fitted to the Messerschmitt Me 262. Although this was never implemented, it did lead to the development of the Hochgeschwindigkeit ("high-speed") project to improve the Me 262's speed. In 1944, the Me 262 V9 prototype was modified with a low profile canopy, known as the Rennkabine ("racing cabin"), as the Hochgeschwindigkeit I, or Me 262 HG I.

The more radical Hochgeschwindigkeit II (Me 262 HG II) proposal was to feature a new 35° swept wing with engines moved closer to the fuselage and a V-tail, though this was changed back to a conventional tail after wind tunnel tests showed that the V-tail was unstable. The Hochgeschwindigkeit III (Me 262 HG III) was to have a 45° swept wing and Heinkel HeS 011 engines in the wing roots. Neither of these projects were ever built.

Upon opening the box, the first thing that stands out is the cream-colored plastic, which may seem unusual at first but proved easy to work with during building and painting. The Me 262 HG III kit is spread across two main sprues and a small clear sprue. Notably, the parts count is lower compared to other 1:48 kits from manufacturers like Eduard or Airfix. However, this streamlined approach often results in a quicker and more straightforward build, which can be a welcome feature.

Amusing Hobby provide details for a single fictional paint scheme in the box. This is credibly based on late war Luftwaffe colors of RLM 70/81 and 81/82. You can pretty much let your imagination run free here as these aircraft were never built, let alone used in active service.

The decal sheet is fairly small and for the most part generic in nature, which is to be expected given the subject matter. Three sets of Luftwaffe unit crests are included which will allow the modeller to pick and choose as needed. The decals are printed by Amusing Hobby and appear to be quite thin and in-register. As is common practice, the tail swastika is broken into multiple parts to avoid censorship.

Sprue A is common across all three boxings, however for this V-tail kit, the standard tail parts are not used.

The recessed surface detail on the exterior skin of the aircraft is nicely done, with the rivets and panel lines being sharp. After finishing my build of kit 48A003 I did feel that perhaps the rivets were are bit heavy (overscale), especially after a wash was applied. The interior detail of the cockpit is quite well done and more than adequate for 1:48 scale, especially as the canopy is only provided in the closed position. If you want to step-it-up, Quinta Studio do actually make a 3D decal set (QD48300) for the Amusing Hobby Me262 HGIII family and adding this to your build will make for a quick and easy option for the cockpit interior detailing.

Sprue D is new to this boxing and contains all the parts for the V-Tail. Amusing Hobby has sensibly tooled their sprues for maximum flexibility and this has allowed them to easily kit multiple variants.

The surface detail on the V-Tail matches the other sprues and when assembled will blend nicely. The tail control surfaces (a blend of elevator and rudder) are fixed in the neutral position but only a small amount of effort would be needed to cut them free to reposition should you wish.

A dry assembly (no glue) confirms that the parts fit is excellent and the V tail self aligns squarely with the rear fuselage. This sub-assembly then mates to the rear of the wing/fusleage along what appears to be a natural panel line.

The simple clear sprue includes the low profile canopy, known as the Rennkabine ("racing cabin") and a Revi 16B gunsight. It's a pity that the canopy is only provided in the closed position, however it does help to emphasise the streamlined look on the finished model.

Amusing Hobby’s 1:48 Me 262 HG III "V-Tail" kit (48A004) is another intriguing addition to their growing Luft 46 lineup. This kit offers a streamlined building experience with a lower parts count, crisp surface details, and thoughtful engineering for excellent fit. The inclusion of the fictional V-tail variant adds a unique twist to the already radical Hochgeschwindigkeit concept, making it a solid addition to any "what-if" collection.

While the kit lacks some options, such as an open canopy or movable control surfaces, these are minor trade-offs given the kit's overall quality and accessibility. The single paint scheme provided is a solid starting point, and the modeler is free to experiment with alternate schemes for this speculative design.

For those who enjoy exploring the "what-could-have-been" aircraft designs of the late Luftwaffe era, this kit delivers an enjoyable build and a visually striking final product. Whether you're a seasoned modeler or just venturing into Luft 46 projects, the Me 262 HG III "V-Tail" is a worthwhile acquisition.