Italeri 1/48 Hs 123
Soon after Hitler's rise to power, Henschel started designing aircraft. One of the first was the Hs 123, aimed to meet the 1933 dive bomber requirements for the reborn Luftwaffe. The prototype performed its maiden flight on 1 April 1935. It featured a wide, "smooth" engine cowling, with all subsequent Hs 123 wearing the distinctive tightly fitting cowling that included 18 fairings covering the engine valves.
Its biplane wings were of a "sesquiplane" configuration, whereby the lower wings were significantly smaller than the top wings.
Since it was intended to replace the Heinkel He 50 reconnaissance and dive bomber biplane, as well as to act as a "stop-gap" measure until the Junkers Ju 87 became available, its production was limited and, apart from the improved Hs 123B, no upgrades were considered.
In service on the Eastern Front, it gradually underwent field modifications, including removal of the main wheel spats, fitting of additional armor and extra equipment, as well as mounting extra machine guns and even cannons in under-wing housings.
As the already small number of operational planes dwindled, aircraft had been salvaged from training schools and even derelict dumps all over Germany to replace losses.
The greatest tribute to the type's usefulness came in January 1943 when Generaloberst Wolfram von Richthofen, then commander-in-chief of Luftflotte 4, asked whether production of the Hs 123 could be restarted, since it performed well in a theater where mud, snow, rain and ice took a heavy toll on the serviceability of more advanced aircraft.
Seeing service during a period where exact role of army supporting aircraft was still formulated, the Hs 123 was perhaps the first dedicated attack aircraft design intended to fulfill the close air support role in the niche between the tactical bomber and the dive bomber.
Sadly, no Hs 123s are known to have survived.
This is the Italeri reissue of the classic Esci mold, a good but at places basic kit. It was combo-dream-built together with my good friend @johnb, who made a magnificent job with his.
Should you wish to read my model's full build review, you might do so by visiting my beloved site Modelingmadness:
https://modelingmadness.com/review/axis/luft/other/pen123.htm
Happy Modelling!
An excellent result, Spiros @fiveten
Indeed a pleasure to built this aircraft together you.
I learned a lot of nice tricks, for example the incision of the wheels.
Well done.
Thanks my friend @johnb!
Our combo builds is something superlative! Thank you for making this happen!
Again - nice classical model from my childhood years! Looks great Spiros!
Thanks my friend @pikofix!
Very nice work Spiros. I enjoyed reading the history of this interesting aircrafts. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks my friend @dmeyers!
Nice clean build Spiros.
Thanks my friend ij001!
👍🏼Once again, Spiros @fiveten. Enjoyed your written history over at MM and the extra photos here.
Thanks my friend @eb801!
Excellent work, Spiros! That's a sharp model.
Thanks my friend @j-healy!
Looks great, Spiros! A classic design.
Thanks my friend @roofrat!
As German biplanes are Spiros it makes this model be one of the nicer example-Builds.
Informative write up as well.
Thanks my friend @bernardbedeur!
Another enjoyable read and terrific pictures, glad you and John @johnb had such a great time on your combo build, that’s what modelling should be about.
Thanks my friend @chinesegeorge!
Superb work, Spiros. Well done.
Thanks my friend @gwskat!
Great work overall sir
Thanks my friend @markh!
Looks great! I'm itching to build another bipe - maybe this or the Curtiss P-6.
Thanks my friend @gkittinger! Looking forward to your build!
WOW! I like what you have done with this kit Spiros. It looks AMAZING!
Thanks so much, my friend @mornem!
Very nice!
Thanks my friend @rbungay!
I'm impressed! Great build!
Thanks my friend @lis!
Very clean well done model, Spiros!
Thanks my friend @dbdlee!
Nicely done, both the model and the MM article!
Congrats on another great post, Spiros!
Thanks my friend @georgeswork!
Great job on this Spiros. I'll bet you had lots of fun cleaning up the seam line on the 2 part cowling!
Thanks my friend @dtravis! Tep, lots of filling and sanding there!
Getting a great model like this out of an ESCI kit requires all of your modeling skills, Spiros (@fiveten). Looks awesome, aside from having too many wings. :o)
Thanks my friend @gblair!
Nice work Spiros, I really like the way how your biplane came out and it’s sharp looking finish. Very attractive plane.
Thanks my friend @v1pro!
Great work and informative article, as always, Spiros. If I was to ever expand my dive-bomber collection to the European theater, this one would definitely be on the list to build!
Thanks my friend @robgenev665!