AMtech

1/48 Henschel HS-123A model kit

Product # 489203

Product Article by Steve Bamford on May 14 2003

 

 

 

This kit from AMtech is of the Henschel HS-123A.  It is a reissue of the ESCI kit with the inclusion of a very well done resin cockpit and extra landing gear parts for the unsplated versions.  

This is another example of AMTech improving upon an existing kit and gearing the improvements to the adult market of today.  It includes 3 sprues of light gray styrene, one of dark grey styrene, one of clear styrene, a selection of resin cockpit parts and enough decals to make one of five different Henschel HS-123A's.  The panel lines are very fine, but they are raised panel lines.

Below are photos of the main sprues and resin parts.

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It was a pleasure to open the box on this particular kit. The basic kit is very finely detailed and the ribbing on the wings is definitely expertly crafted.  As this is a bi-plane......wing detail is a critical area and this kit does not disappoint.  The fit of this older ESCI kit can be less than perfect by today's standards, but the addition of the resin cockpit and the option to build the Eastern Front version with the wheel splats removed makes this re-issue definitely interesting. 

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Let's first look at the cockpit.  The original kit cockpit is your classical kit cockpit with a lack of detail, but reasonably well done.  AMtech has included a finely detailed resin cockpit.  This resin cockpit includes sidewalls, which I've photoed below with the original styrene sidewalls.  Also included is a resin instrument panel......this is one of the nicest instrument panels I've seen.....each gauge has a finely done needle.  This instrument panel will come to life very well with some drybrushing.  There are a variety of resin cockpit parts (cockpit floor etc) and I've included photos of the more interesting parts below.  To take full advantage of the resin cockpit you should build the plane with the cockpit doors open to improve the view into the cockpit.  This will help show off the fantastic detail of the resin cockpit.

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Ribbing detail on the cloth covered tail surfaces is very well done and has a realistic look to it.

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Detail on the other parts is very crisp and well done.  This model comes with a well detailed 9 cylinder radial engine that will be somewhat exposed when the model is complete.

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The decal options are for five different 1/48 Hs123's including one with the Spanish Air Force and 4 with the Luftwaffe. 

The decals were flawlessly printed and in perfect register and the clear carrier film is trimmed very close to the crisply printed colored areas.  The colours look good and will cover very well.  The decals are thin and should conform very well.

The instructions are clear and include 4 view drawings.  I appreciate these instructions....they leave no questions.....all views of each aircraft are shown.  Paint instructions are listed in Luftwaffe RLM colours.

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The first aircraft is a Hs123A-1with 3./JG 165 "Immelmann" Furstenfeldbruck in 1937.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is RLM61/62/63 (Dark Brown/Medium Green/Green-Gray) on the top side and RLM 65 Light blue on the underside.  Markings include "53 A13" on the sides of the fuselage (a large black "52" followed by a large white "A" and a large black "13").  On the tail is the classic pre-war red background on the top half with a black Swastika in a white circle.  At the very top of the tail are the small numbers "968".  This aircraft has silver propeller.   

The second aircraft is a Hs123A-1with 5./LG2 Belgium in 1940.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is RLM70/71 (Black Green/Dark Green) on the top side and RLM 65 Light blue on the underside.  Markings include "L2 EN" on the sides of the fuselage (a large black "L2" followed by a large red "E" and a large black "N").  Artwork on this aircraft is a white shield with a brown bear standing on it's hind legs swinging an axe at a closed umbrella.  This aircraft has RLM70 (Black Green) propeller. 

The third aircraft is a Hs123A-1with FFS Schule (A/B) 71 Possnitz, Moravia in 1941.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is RLM70/71 (Black Green/Dark Green) on the top side and RLM 65 Light blue on the underside.  Markings include "CB AF" on the sides of the fuselage (a large black "CB" followed by a large green "A" and a large black "F").  There is also a large yellow "21" on both sides of the fuselage in front of the cockpit.  This aircraft has RLM70 (Black Green) propeller. 

The fourth aircraft is a Hs123A-1with 4./SchG 2 on the Eastern Front in 1942.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is either RLM70 or RLM71 (Black Green or Dark Green) on the top side and RLM 65 Light blue on the underside.  There is a yellow band the rear of the fuselage.  Markings on the side of the rear fuselage include a black triangle and a large blue "0" with a thin white outline on the "0".  The large engine cowling ring is RLM 04 yellow.  On both sides of the fuselage in front of the cockpit is artwork of a white wreath with a white hunting rifle. 

The fifth aircraft is a Hs123A-1with 61st Squadron with the Spanish Air Force in 1945.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is overall silver top and bottom with a big black cross on the white rudder.  Markings include "1 50" on the rear sides of the fuselage in black.  Along the full length of both sides are medium blue lightning bolts.  

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This aircraft is wearing the red/yellow Spanish roundels on the side of the fuselage and the underside of the top and bottom wings (bi-plane).  This aircraft has silver propeller.  

The instruction sheets includes 11 pages of instructions.  Line drawings are clearly laid out and include painting instructions (see scans above).  

This is a very nice kit and will build up to a very good model of the Henschel HS-123A.

I'd like to thank AMtech for the review sample.

Steve Bamford

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford