INTERMEDIATE BUILD
HENSCHEL Hs 123INTERMEDIATE BUILD
HENSCHEL Hs 123http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com 67section, though no specific paint
brands were suggested. Featuring
a subtle matt texture, the styrene
parts sported sharply engraved
panel lines and restrained, yet
perfectly rendered, raised details
such as rivet-heads and louvres.
No flash was evident, though
many smaller parts had multiple
and substantial sprue gates. A
multi-component engine was
provided, along with a choice
of three undercarriage styles,
while the wheels themselves
were moulded in a weighted
state. As for ordnance, four
wing-mounted bombs were
supplied, and a centreline fuel
tank. The latter item required
four short supporting rods to be
scratch-built separately.
The comprehensive PE fret
featured a multi-part seat-
harness, levers and control
panels for the cockpit, actuating
arms for the separately mouldedrudder trim-tab and ailerons, and
even tiny shackle-rings for the
wing undersides. In short, the kit
lacked for very little.Concise office
Everything within the spacious
cockpit was catered for, including
detailed bulkheads, multiple
plastic and PE levers, an 11-piece
seat complete with five-part PE
harness, detailed side consoles,
foot pedals with PE straps, an
air bottle and pipes, and even a
separately moulded flare pistol
to attach to the cockpit wall.
Needless to say, there was little
room for any additions, although
an Eduard pre-coloured PE
seat harness was utilised for
convenience. The painting of the
cockpit began with an Alclad Grey
Primer basecoat, followed by a
generous overall application of
ALC-101 Aluminium lacquer from
the same manufacturer. Onto this
a darkened mix of Colourcoats’
ACLW12 RLM 02 enamel was
airbrushed; before the latter had
dried thoroughly, it was removed
from selected areas to reveal
the aluminium beneath. The
‘scrubbing’ process effectively
replicates wear on items such as
seat edges, ledges and floors, and
is achieved easily by using a soft
brush dampened with white spirit
or thinner. When flicked across
the semi-dry enamel, the thinner
will further soften the paint and
ultimately remove it, though
the technique does not work
with acrylics. Weathering was
completed once the enamels hadhardened, via dark washes and
dry-brushed highlights.Bombing along
The tubby fuselage closed
effortlessly around the cockpitand the remainder of the
airframe took shape quickly.
Curved cowling panels featuring
wonderful louvre detailing
enclosed a pair of separately
moulded machine gun barrels,section, though no specific paint
brands were suggested. Featuring
a subtle matt texture, the styrene
parts sported sharply engraved
panel lines and restrained, yet
perfectly rendered, raised details
such as rivet-heads and louvres.
No flash was evident, though
many smaller parts had multiple
and substantial sprue gates. A
multi-component engine was
provided, along with a choice
of three undercarriage styles,
while the wheels themselves
were moulded in a weighted
state. As for ordnance, four
wing-mounted bombs were
supplied, and a centreline fuel
tank. The latter item required
four short supporting rods to be
scratch-built separately.
The comprehensive PE fret
featured a multi-part seat-
harness, levers and control
panels for the cockpit, actuating
arms for the separately moulded“A decent array
of photo-etched brass
detail parts was provided”
Before the Stuka...
Working with a soft brush moistened with white spirit, a scrubbing technique was
employed to remove some of the RLM 02 enamel...and so reveal the natural metal base coat
beneath to replicate wear.
The compressed air bottles and levers added a splash of colour to an otherwise drab
RLM 02-coloured interior. A scrap of plastic card was fixed to the front of the foot plate, to
prevent a view of the empty innards.MODELSPEC
Henschel Hs 123A-1
By: GasPatch Models
Stock Code: 48096
Scale: 1 /48
Price: €45
Available from: GasPatch Models,
http://www.gaspatchmodels.com