Monogram 1/48 scale backdate
Heinkel He 111 H-1
by Brett Green
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Heinkel He 111 H-1 |
Revell-Monogram's 1/48 scale Heinkel He 111 H-22 is
available online from Squadron for just $24.95!
Here is my 1/48 scale Monogram Heinkel He 111 H-4/H-5 backdated to a Battle of Britain era He 111 H-1
Detail is good straight from the box, but I upgraded the cockpit with True Details' He 111 resin cockpit set. Elements of the Eduard colour photo-etched set were also used.
Backdating the model to an H-1 was simply a matter of replacing the exhausts. The He 111 H-4/H-5 kit only includes the standard six-stub exhausts. However, Monogram also released the final Heinkel He 111 variant, the H-22. The He 111 H-22 kit supplies shrouded exhausts. By a stroke of good fortune, these exhausts are the style used on Battle of Britain-era variants – closed and skinny at the front, flaring out at the downturned ends. The style actually used on the H-20 to H-22 variants was a wider tubular exhaust, similar to the flame dampers seen on Junkers Ju 87 D and G Stukas.
I therefore had no qualms about taking the shrouded exhausts from the He 111 H-22 kit. When the time comes to build the later Heinkel, I will either use two sets of Stuka exhausts or build a set from scratch. Given the simple shape, it should not be that challenging.
If you do not want to buy an entire kit to raid for the exhausts, there is an alternative. Koster Aero Enterprises released a Heinkel He 111 detail and conversion set comprising vacform and white metal parts. One of the conversion items is a set of H-1/H-2/H-3 exhausts.
Extra machine guns were added to the waist window positions too. There are a couple of minor discrepancies, such as the style of the front of the gondola (it should be clear and fitted with another defensive machine gun on this particular aircraft), but accuracy is otherwise good.
Panel lines are crisp and fine. Apart from some issues with the dihedral of the starboard wing and gaps at the bottom wing joins, the fit was generally very good.
Markings were sourced from Three Guys Replica's sheet no. TGR 48002, "Heinkel He 111s". Despite sitting in my decal drawer for many years, these performed perfectly. The pink stripes are Battle of Britain theatre markings. They were masked and sprayed, including the carefully planned overspray around the wing stripes.
Construction, detailing and backdating of this model will be described in two big Feature Articles across Issues 17 and 19 of the newest model magazine from ADH Publishing, "Military Illustrated Modeller".
Military Illustrated Modeller is available at WH Smiths and other newsstands.
It may also be ordered online directly from the Military Illustrated Modeller website.
The electronic version is also available for iPad, iPod, Mac, PC and Android devices.
Traders wishing to stock this magazine shhould contact ADH Publishing at enquiries@adhpublishing.com
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