1:72 Heinkel He 162B-6 “Volksjäger 46”

Heinkel He 162B-6 Volksjäger 46 1:72 - AZ model

An injection-molded plastic kit in 1:72 scale from the Czech maker AZ model. The model is part of the Volksjäger 46 series, which covers the project forms of the He 162B series. The model is therefore a reconstruction of a design, not a replica of a series-produced aircraft. The exact composition of the package is on the packaging and in the instructions.

The real subject

The Heinkel He 162 was a light single-seat jet fighter developed in the very final stage of the Second World War. The identifying features of the design are the jet engine housed in a nacelle above the fuselage, twin rudders at the ends of the horizontal tail and the extensive use of wood in the airframe, which was meant to save strategic metals. The variant of the B series was a projected continuation of this design and was never built. For a collector it is a typical representative of the category of unrealized designs, and modelers seek them out precisely because the finish is not tied to a surviving photograph.

Building and painting tips

Glue the airframe with a thin cement for polystyrene applied into the joint with a small brush. Given that the surfaces of the model are smooth and without relief, a filler primer and fine sanding before painting pay off. Mask the canopy before you start spraying, because on jet types the glazing tends to be large and every mistake shows. Apply metallic shades right at the end, because they are harder to overspray and to mask.

Who the model is for

• Anyone interested in project aircraft and the design dead ends of the end of the war
• Collectors who put together the whole series of variants of one design
• Modelers building in 1:72, where fitting a model into a display case saves the most space
• Builders who want room for their own take on the finish

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.