Hispano HA-1109/1112 K.1L Tripala

S.B.S. Model, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Eduard's 1/48 BRASSIN Bf 109 F Engine and Fuselage Guns
are available online from Squadron.com

The Hispano Aviación HA-1109 and HA-1112 were license-built versions of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G developed in Spain during and after World War II.

In 1942, the Spanish government arranged a manufacturing licence with Messerschmitt AG to build the Bf 109 G-2, the DB 605A engines, propellers, instruments and weapons were to be supplied from Germany. This proved impossible as Germany was incapable of meeting its own needs let alone Spain's, and only twenty-five airframes (without their tails) and less than half the necessary drawings were actually delivered.

Consequently, Hispano Aviación replaced the DB 605A engine with the 1,600 hp HS 89-12Z and the project was renamed Me 109 J by Messerschmitt.

The HS 89-12Z engine performed a successful flight in a Bf 109 E used as flying testbed, in Barcelona in 1944 and the first HA-1109-J1L made its maiden flight on 2 March 1945 in Seville, using a VDM propeller and lash-up engine mounting.

The remaining twenty-four airframes were flown during 1947-49 with Escher-Wyss props, but never became operational.

In May 1951, a developed version, the HA-1112-K1L, improved the Hispano-Suiza, HS 17-12Z engine installation, carried either one or two 12.7mm Breda machineguns and Pilatus eight-packs of 80mm rockets and its three-bladed de Havilland Hydromatic propeller earned it the nickname Tripala ("three blades"). It first flew in 1951, and although 200 were planned only 65 were built.

The Hispano engine was an upright V12 instead of the inverted V12 Daimler-Benz DB 601 & 605 engines used in the Bf 109 but, being of compact design, it fitted the airframe of the Bf 109 well and was able to credibly represent the Bf 109 in the German 1957 film Der Stern von Afrika (The Star of Africa) about Luftwaffe ace Hans-Joachim Marseille.

The original design, starting with the Bf 109 F, had an asymmetrical tail-fin aerofoil with a left deflection to counteract the torque from the Daimler-Benz's counter-clockwise rotation. Because this was left unchanged in the Buchón despite the Hispano V12 having a clockwise rotation, the tail and the engine together induced a right swing on takeoff that was hard to counteract.*

As far as I am aware, there has never been a 1/48 scale kit or conversion for the Hispano HA-1109 or 1112 K.1L Tripala.

S.B.S. Model has now filled this gap, which is great news for fans of Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants.

S.B.S. Model's 1/48 scale Hispano HA-1109/1112 K.1L Tripala conversion comprises 13 parts in grey resin decals for four aircraft and instructions.

The conversion is specifically designed for the new Tamiya Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 kit. This is a clever strategy as the kit's nose is already separate, so there is minimal surgery required to the donor fuselage even though it is a pretty serious transformation. In fact, the only cutting of the kit required is the forward mount for the windscreen.

Casting of the grey resin parts is perfect. The centrepiece is the replacement nose, to which are also added new forward and mid lower nose parts.

I was partcularly impressed by the cast mesh texture inside the front of the radiator intake.

Other resin parts include a new spinner and backplate, three propeller blades, small separate nose scoop and exhausts. The stacks are nicely hollowed out at the end.

The parts are hollow cast so cleanup should be fairly straightforward using a razor saw and a sanding stick.

Assembly should be within the capabilities of modellers who have worked with resin conversions and accessories before.

Markings are supplied for four aircraft. Two are finished in Spanish markings. One is a HA-1112 K.1L with wing fences, wing cannon and underwing rockets. Please note that these are not supplied in the conversion. Your best bet will be to try to find an Academy or Hobbycraft Hispano Buchon kit, which include these parts.

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The other two markings are for the "movie star" aircraft used in the German 1957 film Der Stern von Afrika (The Star of Africa) about Luftwaffe ace Hans-Joachim Marseille. Once again, one of these is a HA-1112 K.1L with wing fences, wing cannon and underwing rockets.

It is great to see this interesting variant finally available in 1/48 scale.

S.B.S. Model has produced a high quality conversion that will deliver a major transformation to the excellent Tamiya 1/48 scale Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6.

* Background information courtesy of Wikipedia

Purchased by the reviewer from SBS Model

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2019 by Brett Green
Page Created 11 September, 2019
Last updated 12 September, 2019

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