There are 3 basic Me 262 kits in 1/48 scale.  They all have their strong points.  They include the old but accurate Monogram kit, the Trimaster/Dragon/DML line of Me 262's and the new Tamiya kit. The Monogram kit is dated, but with some resin cockpit parts it can be built up into a great model.  The Trimaster/Dragon/DML Me 262's are loaded with detail items and have great detail....but somewhat poor fit.  The Tamiya kit is a excellent fitting kit with detail more or less equal to the Trimaster/Dragon/DML family of kits.

As for the seats on these 3 kits.....the Monogram seat is pretty basic, but accurate in basic shape and look...but no seatbelts.  The Trimaster/Dragon/DML 262 kits are inaccurate in the seat department.  Their seat has a seat cushion for the pilot to sit on.  This was not common for the Me 262 as the pilot sat on his parachute.  There is one Me 262 in the aircraft museum in Germany that has seat padding for the pilot to sit on and I suspect this is a modification and the Trimaster/Dragon/DML based their seat on this plane's inaccurate(?) seat.  I have not seen a vintage photo of a Me 262 seat with a  seat cushion for the pilot to sit on.  The Tamiya kit has a slightly accurate seat, but the seatbelts are decals...and these decals are the wrong colour. 

These new seats from Ultracast are long overdue.  They are the perfect size and shape of the Me 262 seat (single seat and two seat versions).  Plus they include accurate seatbelts.  The tiny details on this seat are all accurate to the full sized Me-262 seat.  It is pleasing to see a seat this accurate for the 1/48 Me-262 family kits.  There won't be much to do to these seats except some careful detail painting. Removing these seats from their casting block is a very quick and simple task with an X-Acto knife.

Click on images below to see larger images

I'd like to thank Kevin at Ultracast for sending me this review sample.