TMN: In-boxed: 1/48th scale Me262 HG III "Entwurf III" from Amusing Hobby

To add to his build of the Me262 HG III & his review of the V-tail kit, now Gary reviews Amusing Hobby's most radical aircraft of the series, the Entwurf kit. See what he thought in his review...

Me262 HG III "Entwurf III"

From Amusing Hobby

Kit No. #48A005

1/48th scale

Price: $21 USD from Hobbylink Japan

Amusing Hobby have continued their busy schedule of expanding their Luft 46 catalogue 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 (48A005) and even more radical Entwurf (48A005), involved.

In this short review I'll take a look at kit #48A005, which covers the most radical Me262 HG concept of all, the so-called HG IV or Entwurf. For this version the cockpit would have been moved completely to the rear and fitted into the leading edge of the vertical tail.

Here is the Me262 HGIII I built last year...

The Messerschmitt Me 262 HG 'Hochgeschwindigkeit'
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. The even more radical HG IV (Entwurf III) would have seen the entire cockpit and canopy moved to the very rear of the fuselage and blended into the vertical tail.

IN THE BOX - Amusing Hobby 1:48 Me262 HG III "Entwurf III"
I really like the Amusing Hobby box art, as it's well-detailed and provides an accurate representation of the model inside. This release follows Amusing Hobby's usual presentation style, and whilst it may not be as dynamic as offerings from brands like Tamiya, Hasegawa, or Meng, it effectively highlights the subject and inspires the builder.

The kit includes a single marking option, representing a late-war aircraft in primer and natural metal—reflecting the chaos in Luftwaffe airframe production near the war’s end. Since this is a "what-if" subject, there's plenty of room for creative interpretation, as these aircraft were never actually built or deployed in combat.

The decal sheet is the same as the one included in kit 48A004 (V-Tail), making it relatively small and somewhat generic. While this feels a bit uninspired, it’s understandable given the speculative nature of the subject—modellers will need to assemble a plausible scheme themselves. The sheet provides three sets of Luftwaffe unit crests, allowing for some flexibility in markings. Printed by Amusing Hobby, the decals appear thin and well-registered. As is standard practice, the tail swastika is split into multiple parts to comply with censorship regulations.

Sprue A has been severely cut down for this release as the fuselage/wing top section is not used for this version and so has been eliminated from the injection process (to save plastic and reduce manufacturing costs, I assume). The "standard" Me262 tail parts and cockpit tub are also not needed for this build. The necessary parts from sprue A are therefore whittled down to the undercarriage parts, cockpit seat, control column, and main IP with the internal bulkheads as well.

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 does 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 E is new to this boxing and contains all the parts to build the rear cockpit, including a new upper fuselage, a new cockpit tub, and all the parts needed for the empennage (tail).

The surface detail on the new tail matches the other sprues and, when assembled, will blend nicely. The tail control surfaces (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.

Sprue B is common to all three boxings and is needed in its entirety for this build. When building kit 48A003, the only parts I replaced with resin options were the wheels, which I felt were undersized and would have affected the look and sit of the finished model.

The engine air intakes are quite prominent on the finished model, being mounted on the fuselage sides, and Amusing Hobby have provided this in top and bottom halves, resulting in a central seam that needs to be dealt with.

A closer look at the kit wheels shows the simplified detail and the challenge of keeping the diamond tread pattern along the centre seam. For these reasons I opted for a cheap set of resin Me262 wheels, making my life considerably easier.

The surface detail on these kits is sharp and clean, if perhaps a little over-scale (especially the riveting). The fuselage interior is a little sparse but well designed with solid alignment pins for the bulkheads and engine/intake parts.

Sprue F rounds out the box contents and contains the gunsight and closed canopy/windscreen. Whilst I would prefer to display the canopy open (to show off the cockpit), doing so would really break up the unusual shape of this Me262 variant, so I expect I will leave the canopy closed.

A quick dry fit of the new tail and cockpit parts revealed no issues with fit. In fact, the fit and engineering of the parts were excellent.

This image of the partly assembled Me 262 HG III Entwurf highlights its streamlined fuselage, swept-back wings, and distinctive twin-engine design integrated into the fuselage rather than underslung on the wings. Its unique design makes it my favourite in the Amusing Hobby Me 262 HG series.

CONCLUSION - Amusing Hobby 1:48 Me262 HG III "Entwurf III"
Amusing Hobby’s 1:48 Me 262 HG III "Entwurf III" kit (48A005) is another intriguing addition to their growing Luft 46 lineup. This kit offers a streamlined building experience with a lower parts count, sharp surface details, and thoughtful engineering for excellent fit. The inclusion of the fictional Entwurf variant adds a unique twist to the already radical Hochgeschwindigkeit concept, making it a solid addition to any "what-if" collection.

As with its two siblings, this 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 modeller 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 modeller or just venturing into Luft 46 projects, the Me 262 HG III "Entwurf III" is a worthwhile acquisition.

Gary Wickham

This kit is available for $21 USD from Hobbylink Japan