1:32 Henschel Hs 123 A-1 - German WWII Attack Aircraft

Henschel Hs 123 A-1 (1:32, ICM)

A plastic kit of the German dive-bombing and ground-attack Henschel Hs 123 A-1 biplane in 1:32 scale by the Ukrainian manufacturer ICM. The package holds injection-molded plastic sprues, clear parts (the windscreen and the position lights) and decals for several machines. This is an injection-molded plastic model to be glued and painted.

The real subject

The Hs 123 was an all-metal biplane (a sesquiplane by design, with a smaller lower wing) brought into service in 1936. It first served as a dive bomber, but it soon proved itself above all as a tough ground-attack aircraft for direct support of the troops. It was armed with a pair of synchronized machine guns and could carry bombs under the wings. Although it counted as obsolete, its reliability and its ability to work from field strips kept it in service on the Eastern Front far into the war. The open cockpit, the fixed landing gear with its aerodynamic wheel spats and the radial engine give the machine an unmistakable prewar look.

Building and painting tips

On a biplane the key things are the exact alignment of the interplane struts and the bracing wires — run them from stretched sprue or elastic thread only once the painting is done. Work the cockpit up, as it is clearly visible through the glazing. Bring out the panel lines with a wash, and a matte final varnish will support the impression of fabric and metal. The radial engine behind the front ring is partly visible, so matte metallic cylinders will bring the view into the cowling to life.

Who the model is for

• For collectors of the prewar and early-war Luftwaffe
• For lovers of biplanes and ground-attack aircraft
• For more experienced modelers (bracing wires, the large 1:32)

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