Surprisingly Not Bad! Vintage Lindberg Me-163 Komet Model Kit - Unboxing Review!

[@pauladams286]

Back in the 1950s and 1960s it was common for US kit companies to put the retail price of the model on the box. This usually took the form of a suffix to the kit number. So Kit No.434:39 means catalogue number 434, retail price 39 cents.

[@ModelMinutes]

that's interesting! Thanks :)

[@DutchDaveModels]

I have built the He100 a decade ago. Actually a fun build and one of my favorite models made 😊 Lindberg kits are an experience on their own..

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for the info! I'd be interested in getting a he100 at some point

[@foszasty]

It's so complicated! I can't wait for at least 3 half-hour long parts of build video. 😁

[@ModelMinutes]

Challenge accepted!

[@Aussie6490_gaming]

Hmm yes, so complicated 😂

[@ModelMinutes]

@@Aussie6490_gaming 😂

[@johnkelley9877]

I built this model as a kid at least twice and it always looked the part. The models of this period were simple but generally accurate in looks. Lindberg was one of the few companies that made models in 1/72 and 1/48 with a few box scales in between. My favorite was this model and the Arado AR-234. Again, both were simple but accurate in shape when built and finished. You are right about the reference material. It was not easy to find but when you found it the books of the period were generally accurate and I still have a few of them from this time. Thanks for sharing this, it was great to see this kit again.

[@ModelMinutes]

thanks for sharing! Sounds like you had a lot of fun :D

[@robertcuny934]

My only objection to the Lindberg Arado AR-234 was the canopy split into two halves as the seam was in an area not on the aircraft.

[@johnkelley9877]

I forgot about the canopy seam. That is a good point.

[@bobsmodels123]

This kit is pretty collectable nowadays lol. I built one of those he 100's from the series awhile ago. Its ok, got alot of flash, raised panels, and disintegrated decals, green plastic also, which was a hassle to deal with. Thanks Matt!

[@ModelMinutes]

I would be interested in getting a he100 if i could find one

[@SnakierElm62]

Thats gotta be the hardest kit to build, at least 4 years minimum of building time, I'm steering well clear of this kit

[@ModelMinutes]

4 years is optimistic I think . . . I'd say about 5 to get it to a decent standard

[@alantoon5708]

They were either 29 cents or 39 cents in 1966! I had the 190D and the HE-100...

[@ModelMinutes]

Nice!

[@robertcuny934]

Same here. One modeling magazine of the era had an article on converting the Lindberg FW-190D into a TA-154.

[@PhotoFlight]

Been on a nostalgic building binge of late. Reached into the stash and pulled out a Revell Fairey Rotodyne from 1962. Surprisingly this kit has recessed panel lines and rivets. Figured it to be a simple build but then started going down the rabbit hole.Redoing much of the details to be more accurate, adding in some details to the cockpit. It's a fun build with a surprising amount of detail.

[@ModelMinutes]

that sounds interesting! I've got the airfix one on pre-order but I hear that it is a little questionable in its details

[@tomsenior7405]

Lovely. Thank you. 1965? That sounds grand. I built the Airfix 163 in the 1970s. At first I was surprised at the small size. After a visit to the library I was reassured that this was accurate. It was a quick and an easy build. I found it challenging to paint though (My pre Airbrush days).

[@ModelMinutes]

yeah, its only a tiny little plane, not more than a glider really

[@joeschenk8400]

This was an interesting surprise. I built this kit more than 50 years ago and it survives to this day. If I remember correctly, it was less than one dollar. The He 162 is also a good kit for the time. Thanks for the trip to the past!

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for sharing

[@stevesmodelbuilds5473]

Hi Matt! Nice review 😀. I recently built a 1/72 Testors 'Hawk' brand Douglas Dauntless from 1965. It was pretty good, and the decals went on fine. Your kit probably cost 50-75 cents at the time, and the target market was kids who just wanted to build-and-go -- that's why there's no painting instructions. Also, paints were expensive, and most kids couldn't afford them.

[@adder3597]

Amusingly, 75 cents in 1965 money works out at about 7.33 today, or roughly six quid.

[@stevesmodelbuilds5473]

@@adder3597 That's about what it's worth...

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for the info!

[@Aussie6490_gaming]

Hi Matt. Looks good, tho the box is smaller than expected. Relatively cheap too

[@ModelMinutes]

Yeah, it’s not a big kit so I suppose they didn’t need a big box

[@samueljohns734]

Amazing work Matt, thoroughly enjoyed this video. Great to see some vintage kit brought to life!

[@ModelMinutes]

Glad you enjoyed it! I'm looking forwards to having a go at this one and seeing if I can figure out a way to replace that missing part

[@ShuttleFactoryScaleModels]

Great inbox of this retro kit Matt. The only advice I would might give is to use some spare Luftwaffe decals (if you have them in your stash). Or it is the matter of sticking them on the window to bleach back to their former glory. And using Microscale decal film to stop the from crumbling on you. Anyway, good luck with this build, cannot wait to see when it's done.

[@ModelMinutes]

Yeah, i'm not sure if I will use the originals or use something from the spares box yet, but got time to figure out the plan

[@VenlyssPnorr]

The best words I can use to describe this kit - without wanting to sound too condescending - are "really charming"

[@ModelMinutes]

yes it is a bit :)

[@chrispacer4231]

I would build that kit… As simple as it is, a good clean fitting and assembly, accurate paint and markings, it would look GREAT… Maybe a simple little airfield diorama… I’m just brainstorming 😊 I buy most of my kits from TOY FAIRS and IPMS SHOWS and I also inventory parts and put them in bags… That’s a nice little kit, you made a great choice, looking forward to seeing what you do with it… CHRIS from OHIO 🇺🇸

[@joeschenk8400]

We have to stop meeting like this Chris.🤣

[@chrispacer4231]

@@joeschenk8400 I KNOW, people are talking whisper whisper… How’s your day going Joe ??????? Know I want to look for this LINBURG KIT, it’s the kinda stuff I look for at shows TAKE CARE JOE

[@ewmhop]

DOES MAX KNOW YOU GUYS ARE CHEATING ON HIM? GOD BLESS BOTH OF Y'ALL. PS HAD THIS KIT BACK IN THE DAY,GOT IT AT THE BEDROCK HOBBY SHOP.I WAS WITH FRED AND BARNEY.@@chrispacer4231

[@ModelMinutes]

Cool, thanks!

[@BlackAce-zr2ms]

I used to have the Airfix equivalent kit of the Komet, sadly since my move in 2019 I lost the kit and never got to build her. Still, it's nice that there's another classic Me-163 model kit out there!

[@ModelMinutes]

oooo i didn't know airfix used to do one

[@BlackAce-zr2ms]

@ModelMinutes Yes mate they did, I had the blister pack release from the 70s, they released it until the mid 80s, mind you potentially they could be released as part of the Vintage Classics range..

[@wadejustanamerican1201]

Not bad for 1965 and 9 pounds. Thank for another unboxing.

[@ModelMinutes]

thanks for watching!

[@Ken-kl4ym]

Nothing wrong with simple basic kits,not alll of us like super detailed kits that takes ages to complete.Well tidy review.

[@ModelMinutes]

Very true!

[@brianartillery]

Lindberg are one of the oldest plastic kit manufacturers. I have heard some horror stories about their kits - but here's the thing - I have built a lot of their 1950's sci-fi kits, and one of their car kits, and had no problems with any of them. All fun and pleasant to construct. They did have some prehistoric monster kits, which I know aren't good, but I have a feeling that those are reboxed kits by another ancient kit company, Pyro, whose kits were dodgy, if I'm being kind.

[@stuartsteel1]

I've got a couple of their Independence Day alien attack ships. They look good to me!

[@ModelMinutes]

thanks for the info! They seem a little bit harder to come across here in the UK

[@orbitalair2103]

As a old modeler who started in the 70s, back then I avoided lindbergh where possible. Their detail was soft or missing, fit was sometimes poor. I was doing ww2 planes at that time. I think I have a t-55 re-release in my current stash, and I expect detail to be light on that one too. But lindbergh did a huge range of subjects so it might depend on who worked on which molds. That me-163 is a nice find !

[@brigidovillena8516]

In the domestic American market, Lindberg kits were middle of the road kits in the 60's. They were a good value and built up into simplistic but decent looking models. Revell and Monogram were the top shelf while Aurora kits were bottom shelf.

[@ModelMinutes]

thanks for the info!

[@julianmhall]

The problem I see immediately with using the artwork as a reference for decal placement is that the crosses on the upper wings are at different angles on the two pictures. That doesn't bode well. I think it would be better to use images off the Internet.. possibly a Komet in a museum.

[@ModelMinutes]

yes, they do look a bit off

[@jennylarrabee5303]

oohh very nice

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks :D

[@KGmodels]

I don’t know is a conincidence,but if you did follow my recomendation,thanks Matt!

[@KGmodels]

By the way,I also love seeing vintage kits so this definitely satisfied me!

[@ModelMinutes]

😂 it’s more coincidence I think, been sitting on this video for a while

[@KGmodels]

Still love to see it as I always wanted a good video on it

[@daniel_lucio]

Lindberg kits are honest kits, I've the He-219 and it's quite good, better than the Revell one in some aspects

[@ModelMinutes]

very nice!

[@robertcuny934]

If you build the kit- sand off the rivets on the wings. The Komet had plywood wings. If you have an opportunity, buy the old HAWK 1/48 scale Me-163 Komet.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for the info!

[@stuff31]

It'd be so cool to see this built! It looks like a little peanut :D

[@ModelMinutes]

lol it does!

[@stuff31]

@@ModelMinutes when I first saw it I thought it was one of those little novelty plane kits that are shaped like eggs. You unboxed a few of them a while back I believe.

[@julianmhall]

The pilot looks different in the main image on the instructions, so it may be an artist's impression. That or they used a different figure for some reason.

[@ModelMinutes]

Yeah i thought so too

[@wilkdierdre8940]

Actually a good kit

[@ModelMinutes]

yeah, not bad

[@verstappen9937]

You ever going to build this?

[@ModelMinutes]

Eventually, I need to design replacement parts first

[@AlanToon-fy4hg]

They were, I think, either 29 cents or 39 cents American....in 1966!

[@JohnSmith-sl1my]

U need to build it . 👍

[@ModelMinutes]

I fully intend to :) Watch this space

[@ericadams3428]

I must admit I saw the word Lindberg and expected worse

[@ModelMinutes]

yeah, it's not bad

[@АндрейШмырев-ж3з]

Собирал в 1989 году ,FW - 190 D - 9, от фирмы ,,линдберг,,...дрова еще те были..даже фирма ,,frog,, была лучше!.😂😅

[@ModelMinutes]

lol :)

[@motthomas4220]

👁👁

[@ModelMinutes]

:)