Mitch K Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 I've finally managed to take some photos, drag them off the camera onto Flickr and get round to writing a post! This is Airfix's pretty venerable Henschel Hs 123, in gentleman's scale. The WIP thread shows the scratched cockpit, replacement bombs and engine fettling I did. All told, it fits pretty well and the cabane struts moulded in situ make fitting the upper wing fairly simple, compared to some biplanes. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235022065-henschel-hs-123-airfix-172-scale/ The Hs 123 was something of a prodigy. An early dive bomber design, it proved itself to be highly effective not only in this role but especially as a close-support aircraft. By the time war broke out, the Hs 123 was due for replacement by the Ju 87, but several factors kept it operating. It was highly resistant to battle damage (especially compared to liquid-cooled designs) and could operate from the most undeveloped of airfields. Apparently the test for suitability as a landing ground was to find a large enough field, then drive across it in a car at 30mph. If the car (and presumably the driver!) survived intact, then the field was fit to use. This allowed the Hs 123 to operate at the very edge of the front line, and respond to requests for air support almost by return. Never numerous, it was kept in service by combing airframes out of training schools, engineering depots and allegedly even scrapyards to maintain numbers. Despite its totally anachronistic appearance, with any sort of fighter cover it was still effective over the battlefield until late into the war, and even in 1944, Field Marshal Wolfram Von Richthofen asked whether the design could be put back into production! The jigs and tools had been dismantled years earlier, so nothing came of the request. Paints are Tamiya mixes, dirt/weathering is oil washes, and the markings are those of SchlG 1, operating on the Eastern Front in 1942, and were cobbled up from the spares box. Photographed on a "real" airfield, my Henschel is almost out of place! 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Nice one, Mitch Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Excellent job! I like it a lot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polo1112 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Beautiful little Hs 123. Great work on it !!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Very nice job on that old kit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 It's great Mitch ! This Airfix kit is still very good; you've really done it justice. One of my favourite Aircraft. TonyT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glatisant Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 A favourite kit of mine.Great build.Lovely to see it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Lovely build of this old but charming kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Hi Mitch, this looks real good. I keep looking at this kit in the stash, but I need more doc to build it... I really like what you achieved! JR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Stunning + +, stunning model, stunning paint job. There is a lot to like in that. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Very nice result indeed. BTW - I am stil considering this 40-years old kit by Airfix a good one. I did it once about 1976-7... Cheers J-W P.S. Mitch, I am trying now to reconstruct my old post. Some 1/10th I upload already to Flickr (300 ot of 2900 ) How about you? Have you used also this ... Photobucket...? Unpleaseant work J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Very nice. I've a soft spot for this aircraft and the Airfix kit in particular. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Great build of the Airfix oldie Mitch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 20 hours ago, JWM said: Very nice result indeed. BTW - I am stil considering this 40-years old kit by Airfix a good one. I did it once about 1976-7... Cheers J-W P.S. Mitch, I am trying now to reconstruct my old post. Some 1/10th I upload already to Flickr (300 ot of 2900 ) How about you? Have you used also this ... Photobucket...? Unpleaseant work J-W Jerzy, I have that job to look forward to. I am not expecting to enjoy it... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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