Tamiya 25215 Messerschmitt Me262 A-2a & Kettenkraftrad 1/48 Scale Model Kit

Description

Tamiya ventured into the modeling business in 1948, with a scale wooden ship model kit. Since then, Tamiya has been striving to offer merchandise that can truly be called ‘First in Quality Around the World.’ Now Tamiya is offering more than 300 different products, both in the fields of precision static models and high performance radio control vehicles. These products are not only sold in Japan but also exported in vast quantities to the United States, Europe, South East Asia, and to many other parts of the world. The standard of excellence achieved by Tamiya is regarded as among the very finest in the world of model hobbies. This finely detailed plastic model kit requires assembly and painting. Item is brand new and in its original factory packaging. Listing images are stock pictures provided by the manufacturer or the distributor. The Messerschmitt Me262 A-2a with Kettenkraftrad ground vehicle has returned for a limited time only. This limited-edition model kit recreates the Me262, the first jet fighter ever deployed into combat, and includes Tamiya’s first-ever 1/48 scale military ground vehicle, the Kettenkraftrad, which towed the Me262 A-2a at airfields during the war. The Me262 A-2a was the fighter/bomber version of the Me262. As Allied bombing raids intensified, the Luftwaffe proposed the deployment of the Me262 A-1a jet fighter/interceptor, but Hitler prioritized the A-2a fighter/bomber variant. Deployment began in June 1944, with the A-2a featuring two 30mm MK108 guns (compared to the A-1a’s four), an additional rear fuselage fuel tank, and the ability to carry up to a 1-ton bomb payload. The aircraft remained in active service until the end of WWII. The 1/48 scale model has a total length of 221mm and wingspan of 264mm, with options for open or closed canopy and cannon covers. It includes two types of bomb racks, two 250-pound bombs, two take-off assistance booster rockets, a die-cast weighted front landing gear bay, three pilot and ground crew figures, and decals for three aircraft. The Kettenkraftrad is a unique German half-track motorcycle originally designed for airborne troops and later widely produced for roles such as power supply, towing, transport, and communications. It featured three forward gears and one reverse gear, each with high/low settings for rugged terrain. Fuel shortages near the war’s end restricted the Me262 from self-propelled taxiing, making the Kettenkraftrad essential for towing the aircraft to runways. The 1/48 scale Kettenkraftrad model measures 65mm in length and 21mm in height.