He162 preview

The Heinkel He162 A-2 was designed to meet the German air Ministry's call for a simple to construct, lightweight single engine jet fighter. The specifications were to include a single BMW 003 jet engine, top speed of 750km/h, take off distance of 500m, armament of two 30mm MK 108 machine guns plus two 20mm MG151/20 machine guns, flight endurance of 30 minutes at sea level and a wireless radio that would be operational even in bad weather.

The first test flight took place a mere 1 month after the plans were completed. Heinkel's chief test pilot Gotthold Peter reached a top speed of 840km/h. Four days later during the second test flight, while making a low altitude flyby at a speed of 740km/h, the right wing started to peel off, dropping an aileron. The He 162 pitched into the ground killing Peter.

The second prototype (He 162 M2) was equipped with bent down wing tip extensions to improve lateral stability. Models M3 to M6 were completed with MK 108 cannon on-board, and were designated He162 A-1. Models M7 onward were fitted with MG151/20 instead and were designated He162 A-2.

What You Get

This kit has no external armaments such as bombs or rockets but comes with a cockpit that can be displayed open or closed as well as an engine that can be displayed closed or with the outer covering open so that the engine can be seen. Parts are also included so that a closed engine can be displayed on the plane while an open engine can be shown on a maintenance cart included with the model.

Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Tamiya
What you get: 109 injection-molded styrene parts, 4 clear plastic parts, b&w instructons, a b&w painting guide, a 2 page discription and history of the plane and 1 decal sheet.
Price: $26.37 from Hobbylink Japan but 29.25$ from Greatmodels.com which may be cheaper after overseas shipping from HLJ.
Molding Quality: good quality molding, no visible flash.
Detail: Sharp details with recessed panel lines.
Accuracy: Seems to be an accurate representation but this is an obscure plane with little reference material available that I could find without spending money.
Pros: Good quality, good part fits, decals for 3 different planes, well detailed painting guide with paint colors listed for Tamiya paints as well as paint names for Modelmaster colors.
Cons: Main wheel bay doors are molded as one piece and must be cut apart if you want to display the model with the landing gear down. Several small parts.

Final Comments: A well detailed kit of an unusual plane. A late war design that is just obscure enough so that you will probably not see many at model shows. This appeals to me since I am heartily tired of the squadrons of Bf-109s that are usually on display. The quality and detail are good but it could probably benefit from some aftermarket wheels and maybe a photoetch set. Even without it this kit will turn out a nice model that will look good when finished.

February 22, 2009