Scale aviation modeller international

chocolate-brown, very similar in

shade to the dark shadow coat I had

applied to the airframe. I therefore

began the camouflaging process

by subtly darkening the panel

lines in those areas to be painted

RLM 61, using black enamel.

Over this, I applied a free-hand

pattern of the dark chocolate-

brown, allowing hints of the black

to remain. Once the RLM 61 had

dried, I masked those areas that

were to be bordered by RLM 62.

GasPatch Models had been kind

enough to send me a sample of their

masking set (17-48119), containing

vinyl masks for the complex, three-

colour splinter pattern that adorned

all early-war Luftwaffe aircraft.

The masks, however, proved to be

rather thick and inflexible, and

although I used some of the pre-cut

masks, I chose to supplement these

with my own masks made from

tape, which clung more readily to

the curved sections of the fuselage

and wings. The GasPatch sheet

did, however, prove to be a useful

cutting guide during this process.

With the masks in place, the

green areas were painted, the colour

being built up gradually, using the

same method as described above.

The RLM 62 Hellgrau proved to

be an almost exact match for the

interior RLM 02. Although this was

undoubtedly correct, I diluted the

colour slightly by adding a pale grey,

to create a greater contrast between

the two camouflage greens.

Once the splinter camouflage

was finished to my satisfaction,

I masked a ”V” shape on the

upper plane, as well as a strip

about the fuselage, and painted

the white tactical markings.

Exterior weathering was kept to

a minimum and included a dark

enamel application to emphasise

the various hatches, louvres,

and filler caps that dotted the

airframe, whilst highlights were

applied using lighter shades

of the camouflage colours.

BOMBING ALONG

As mentioned above, the large decal

sheet is produced by Cartograf,

and as you’d expect, it is perfectly

printed. The twenty-four individual

decals settled adequately onto the

model’s surface with an application

of the Micro Set and Micro Sol

softening solution. Once dry,

these too were subtly weathered

using dry-brushing methods.

Following a coat of satin

varnish, construction was

completed with the addition of

the central main plane struts,

fuel tank, steps, tailwheel, and

tailplane supports. The individual

cowling sections were attached

to the engine and the exhausts

added to the nose section. With the

main plane in place, a final coat of

eggshell varnish was applied – a

50/50 mix of satin and matt varnish

• and when everything had been
  allowed to dry for a couple of days,
  the propeller was pressed home,
  the windscreen masking removed,
  and my Hs123 was finished.

CONCLUSIONS

I have noticed, since finishing this

splendid kit, that the aftermarket

accessory boys have been quick off

the mark and have already released

etched metal additions for GasPatch’s

Henschel. Well, I can honestly say

that you may as well save your

money, as you won’t be needing

them. This kit is as near to perfection

as a model can get straight out of the

box, and I would highly recommend

that you avail yourselves of one

before they sell out. My thanks to

the guys at GasPatch for sending

me the kit and the mask set.

GasPatch models and accessories

can be found on their website:

http://www.gaspatchmodels.com

“I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT

YOU AVAIL YOURSELVES OF ONE

BEFORE THEY SELL OUT. MY THANKS

TO THE GUYS AT GASPATCH”

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