Heinkel He 112 by RS Models
1/72 scale
Kit No. 92138
Retail: $25.00
Decals: Three versions, one German Luftwaffe, 1938; two Romanian Air Force, 1941-42
Comments: Engraved panel lines, one-piece canopy, two-bladed propeller, detailed cockpit with raised interior sidewall detail
History
The Heinkel He 112 was a single-seat low wing monoplane fighter developed by Heinkel AG in the early 1930s and designed by brothers Siegfried and Walter Günter.
In May 1934 the RLM (German Air Ministry) issued a competition for a new fighter plane able to reach speeds of 400 km/h (250 mph) at an altitude of 4,000 meters (19,685 feet). One of the first priorities of the RLM under the Nazi regime was to develop a modern monoplane fighter to replace the Arado 68 and Heinkel 51, both biplane fighters representing the technology of World War I with open cockpits and fixed landing gear. The He 112 was Heinkel’s entry to the competition triggered by the RLM specification.
Four companies responded to the specification. Arado and Focke-Wulf completed their prototypes, the Ar 80 and Fw 159 respectively, by the end of 1934. The Heinkel He 112 and Messerschmitt Bf 109 prototypes took a bit longer to complete, rolling out of the respective factories in 1935. The He 112’s design was greatly inspired by the Heinkel He 70 passenger plane, which would later be modified for military purposes. Heinkel engineers used the He 70’s design as the basis for the He 112, particularly its elliptical wings and fuselage construction. Like the Bf 109, the He 112 V1 first prototype (D-IADO) was also powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel V engine, although the Junkers Jumo 210 was the powerplant for which it had been designed. It flew for the first time in the summer of 1935, being followed in November by a Jumo-engined second prototype with a 3 ft 3 ¼ in (1.00 m) shorter wing span and a third, armed machine similar to the second.
The condition of the port wing illustrates why it is always a good idea to wash a kit before beginning your build.
The Heinkel was comparatively advanced, featuring an all-metal monoplane design, fully retractable landing gear, and an enclosed cockpit. The first of 12 prototypes flew in the summer of 1935. During the program a number of powerplant, fuselage, wing and tail unit configurations were investigated. Powered by a liquid-cooled V12 engine, it was armed with two 7.92mm machine guns mounted in the engine cowling and two 20mm cannon in the wings. It was designed to be a fast, agile fighter aircraft capable of dogfighting with other modern monoplane fighters.
Although the He 112 was one of the top contenders for the contract to become the standard fighter for the newly-formed Luftwaffe in the mid-1930s, it was ultimately rejected in favor of the Messerschmitt Bf 109. But the German Air Ministry was sufficiently impressed with the Heinkel to order 43 He 112B-0 pre-production aircraft that operated with a fighter wing during 1938. Seventeen of the aircraft were sent to Spain to fight in the Civil War (not as part of the Condor Legion, but flown instead by civilian volunteers), after which the 15 survivors were passed to the Spanish Nationalist forces. Of the others, Germany sold 13 each to Japan and Romania. The Romanian Heinkels were in service up to 1942, and deployed during the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. Hungary also acquired a few aircraft.
The He 112 was flown extensively during the Spanish Civil War, where it proved to be a capable fighter against Republican aircraft. However, by the time World War II began, the He 112 was obsolete and was mainly used for training purposes. It was eventually retired from service in 1942, as newer and more advanced aircraft became available. The remaining aircraft in Germany were used for various testing and evaluation purposes.
Heinkel’s He 112 A was developed from the first prototype. The B series would undergo a dramatic redesign.
The Kit
RS Models Heinkel He 112 is injection molded in grey plastic and consists of 42 parts, including a single clear plastic part for the one-piece canopy. The airframe features engraved panel lines and recessed rivet detail. The cockpit is relatively detailed for the scale, with separate parts for the seat, control yoke, rudder pedals and main instrument panel, with a rear bulkhead completing the assembly. A paint guide is provided for the cockpit assembly calling out Humbrol, Agama, and Federal Standard colors.
Construction will be straightforward with a two-part fuselage and a three-part wing assembly. The nose of the fuselage features two separate engine cowling covers and parts for engine exhaust. The airscrew includes a separately mounted spinner and a two-bladed propeller. The main landing gear are detailed with four parts each for the right and left gear, radial tread on the tires and raised relief on the interior of the main gear doors.
Markings
The kit includes three options for markings. The German version is for Yellow 4, a Luftwaffe He 112 B painted in a camouflage scheme of Dark Green and Black Green over Hellblau, assigned to JG 132 based at Mahrisch-Trubau in 1938. There are also two Romanian aircraft. The first, Black 4, is painted in a scheme of overall Pale Grey Green over Light blue, with a yellow nose section and spinner. This aircraft, based at Ramnicul Sarat airfield in June 1941, features cartoon nose art in the form of an image that looks suspiciously similar to the Disney character Pluto.
The He 112 B with a fully enclosed cockpit and streamlined cowling would become the major production variant.
The second Romanian aircraft, White 10, is an He 112 B also painted in a camouflage scheme of Dark Green and Black Green over Hellblau, with a tri-color painted on the rudder of Dark Blue, Yellow, and Red stripes. It too features a cartoon image of Pluto just below the windscreen, accompanied by the legend “Bill” and a yellow band on the rear fuselage. A white outline image of a bird taking flight is just forward of the yellow band. Both Romanian aircraft have yellow tips on the under side of their wings.
Conclusion
This is a simple yet relatively detailed kit of one of the lesser known German fighters of the early and mid-WWII period. Highly recommended.
References
- www.germanwarmachine.com
- www.aircraftandwarplanes.com
- https://plane-encyclopedia.com
- https://aeronauticsmagazine.com
