1:72 Heinkel He 162A Gun Bays

Heinkel He 162A Gun Bays 1:72 (CMK)

This set from the Czech manufacturer CMK adds open armament bays in the forward fuselage to a model of the Heinkel He 162A aircraft in 1:72 scale. It does not contain the aircraft as such; it is a conversion and detail accessory worked into a kit under construction. It makes sense when you want to build the model with the covers hinged open or removed and show the internal layout that is otherwise hidden.

The real subject

The Heinkel He 162 was a single-engine jet fighter aircraft from the very end of the Second World War, conceived as the simplest and quickest machine to produce, with extensive use of wood. Characteristic were the engine mounted on the fuselage spine behind the cockpit and the twin vertical tails. The armament was housed in the forward fuselage on either side of the nose gear bay, and access to it was provided by hinged panels. The particular type of weapons differed between the individual subversions.

Building and painting tips

Count on having to cut openings for the new bays in the plastic; trace the outline first, mark a row of holes with a drill and only then join them with a cut. Wash and degrease the resin before gluing; it is glued with cyanoacrylate glue. Paint and weather the inside of the bay before anything is closed up, because later you will not reach in there with a brush. A thin wash in the recesses and fine oil stains work better in this scale than a pronounced dry brush.

Who the accessory is for

• builders of the He 162 aircraft in 1:72 scale
• modelers who want a model with open service bays
• more experienced hands used to cutting plastic and working with resin
• those who build models with an emphasis on the technical equipment

The accessory is supplied unpainted and unassembled. Glue, paints and the base kit are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.