ICM 1:48 Airfield of the Luftwaffe Bomber Group

[Fran]

1:48

Airfield of the Luftwaffe Bomber Group

 

ICM

Catalogue number DS4804

Price: around 60€

  

“The Heinkel He 111 is a German airliner and bomber designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter at Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in 1934. Through development, it was described as a "wolf in sheep's clothing". Due to restrictions placed on Germany after the First World War prohibiting bombers, it was presented solely as a civil airliner, although from conception the design was intended to provide the nascent Luftwaffe with a heavy bomber.

 

Perhaps the best-recognised German bomber of World War II due to the distinctive, extensively glazed "greenhouse" nose of the later versions, the Heinkel He 111 was the most numerous Luftwaffe bomber during the early stages of the war. It fared well until it met serious fighter opposition during the Battle of Britain, when its defensive armament was found to be inadequate.

As the war progressed, the He 111 was used in a wide variety of roles on every front in the European theatre. It was used as a strategic bomber during the Battle of Britain, a torpedo bomber in the Atlantic and Arctic, and a medium bomber and a transport aircraft on the Western, Eastern, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African Front theatres.

 

The He 111 was constantly upgraded and modified, but had nonetheless become obsolete by the latter part of the war. The failure of the German Bomber B project forced the Luftwaffe to continue operating the He 111 in combat roles until the end of the war. Manufacture of the He 111 ceased in September 1944, at which point piston-engine bomber production was largely halted in favour of fighter aircraft. With the German bomber force virtually defunct, the He 111 was used for logistics.

 

Production of the Heinkel continued after the war as the Spanish-built CASA 2.111. Spain received a batch of He 111H-16s in 1943 along with an agreement to licence-build Spanish versions. Its airframe was produced in Spain under licence by Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA. The design differed significantly only in the powerplant used, eventually being equipped with Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. These remained in service until 1973.he H variant of the He 111 series was more widely produced and saw more action during World War II than any other Heinkel variant. Owing to the uncertainty surrounding the delivery and availability of the DB 601 engines, Heinkel switched to 820 kW (1,100 hp) Junkers Jumo 211 powerplants, whose somewhat greater size and weight were regarded as unimportant considerations in a twin-engine design. When the Jumo was fitted to the P model it became the He 111 H. The He 111 H-1 was fitted with a standard set of three 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 15 machine guns and eight SC 250 250 kg (550 lb) or 32 SC 50 50 kg (110 lb) bombs. The same armament was used in the H-2 which started production in August 1939. The P-series was gradually replaced on the eve of war with the new H-2, powered by improved Jumo 211 A-3 engines of 820 kW (1,100 hp). A count on 2 September 1939 revealed that the Luftwaffe had a total of 787 He 111s in service, with 705 combat ready, including 400 H-1 and H-2s that had been produced in a mere four months. Production of the H-3, powered by the 895 kW (1,200 hp) Jumo 211 D-1, began in October 1939. Experiences during the Polish Campaign led to an increase in defensive armament. MG 15s were fitted whenever possible and the number of machine guns was sometimes increased to seven. The two waist positions received an additional MG 15, and on some variants a belt-fed MG 17 was even installed in the tail. A 20 mm (0.79 in) MG FF autocannon would sometimes be installed in the nose or forward gondola.

After the Battle of Britain, smaller scale production of the H-4s began. The H-4 was virtually identical to the He 111 P-4 with the DB 600s swapped for the Jumo 211D-1s. Some also used the Jumo 211H-1. This variant also differed from the H-3 in that it could either carry 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) of bombs internally or mount one or two external racks to carry one 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) or two 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) bombs. As these external racks blocked the internal bomb bay doors, a combination of internal and external storage was not possible. A PVR 1006L bomb rack was fitted externally and an 835 L (184 imp gal; 221 US gal) tank added to the interior spaces left vacant by the removal of the internal bomb-bay. The PVR 1006L was capable of carrying a SC 1000 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) bomb. Some H-4s had their PVC racks modified to drop torpedoes. Later modifications enabled the PVC 1006 to carry a 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) "Max" bomb. However 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) "Hermann" or 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) "Satans" were used more widely.

The H-5 series followed in February 1941, with heavier defensive armament.

 Like the H-4, it retained a PVC 1006 L bomb rack to enable it to carry heavy bombs under the fuselage. The first ten He 111 H-5s were pathfinders, and selected for special missions. The aircraft sometimes carried 25 kg (55 lb) flashlight bombs which acted as flares. The H-5 could also carry heavy fire bombs, either heavy containers or smaller incendiary devices attached to parachutes. The H-5 also carried LM A and LM B aerial mines for anti-shipping operations. After the 80th production aircraft, the PVC 1006 L bomb rack was removed and replaced with a heavy-duty ETC 2000 rack, enabling the H-5 to carry the SC 2500 "Max" bomb, on the external ETC 2000 rack, which enabled it to support the 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) bomb.

Some H-3 and H-4s were equipped with barrage balloon cable-cutting equipment in the shape of cutter installations forward of the engines and cockpit. They were designated H-8, but later named H8/R2. These aircraft were difficult to fly and production stopped. The H-6 initiated some overall improvements in design. The Jumo 211 F-1 engine of 1,007 kW (1,350 hp) increased its speed while the defensive armament was upgraded at the factory with one 20 mm (0.79 in) MG FF cannon in the nose and/or gondola positions (optional), two MG 15 in the ventral gondola, and one each of the fuselage side windows. Some H-6 variants carried tail-mounted MG 17 defensive armament. The performance of the H-6 was much improved. The climb rate was higher and the bomber could reach a slightly higher ceiling of 8,500 m (27,900 ft). When heavy bomb loads were added, this ceiling was reduced to 6,500 m (21,300 ft). The weight of the H-6 increased to 14,000 kg (31,000 lb). Some H-6s received Jumo 211F-2s which improved a low-level speed of 365 km/h (227 mph). At an altitude of 6,000 m (20,000 ft) the maximum speed was 435 km/h (270 mph). If heavy external loads were added, the speed was reduced by 35 km/h (22 mph).

Other designs of the mid-H series included the He 111 H-7 and H-8. The airframes were to be rebuilds of the H-3/H-5 variant. Both were designed as night bombers and were to have two Jumo 211F-1s installed. The intention was for the H-8 to be fitted with cable-cutting equipment and barrage ballon deflectors on the leading edge of the wings. The H-7 was never built.”

 

The H-9 was intended as a trainer with dual control columns. The airframe was a H-1 variant rebuild. The powerplants consisted of two JumoA-1s or D-1s.[56] The H-10 was also designated to trainer duties. Rebuilt from an H-2 or H-3 airframe, it was installed with full defensive armament including 13 mm (0.51 in) MG 131 and 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 81Z machine guns. It was to be powered by two Jumo 211A-1s, D-1s or F-2s.”*

*History from Wikipedia.

 

Now, let´s go to the model kit set.

 

 

This is a combo kit with all in box.! ICM called it "Airfield of the Luftwaffe Bomber Group"

All are in 1:48 and all in the box is intended to recreate a Luftwaffe airfield scene from World War II. It includes two main components: the Heinkel He 111 H-3 bomber (a reissue of an earlier ICM mold) and a set of airfield figures and accessories, such as ground crew and equipment.

 

Starting for the main star in this set:

The Heinkel He-111 H-3

The centerpiece of the set, this is a German medium bomber widely used by the Luftwaffe. The kit includes parts to build a detailed H-3 version, with a cockpit interior, bomb bay, and visible engines.

 

If you choose to display them exposed, they are quite complete and allows you to make a maintenance scene in a diorama, direct from the box. I thinkg that if you want to make open, just some fine wires will make all the difference in the realism.

 

The plastic parts are in gray color with fine surface details, such as panel lines and rivets, typical of ICM’s more recent molds.

The injection markings are very subtle and mainly in places that will be hard to see when build.

 

 All the internal structure is present in the fuselage halves and compartment details (like the cockpit, rear gunner) are good in detail straight from the box.

A full Bombay area is available from the box and it is quite satisfactory straight from the box and you have the option to make it open or close.

 

The transparent parts are provided for the cockpit canopy, gun turrets, and windows. They are clear and free from distortion, as usual in ICM model kits, allowing for excellent visibility of interior details.

 

Here is where the 4 options given chance a bit, so check your references to use the correct clear parts in the nose and belly gunner.

You got 4 markings from the box:

 

1-    He-111 H-3, 1./KG53, France, Spring 1940;

 2-   He-111 H-3, Geschwaderstab/KG53, France, August 1940;

 

3-   He-111 H-3, KG26, Norway Spring 1941;

 4-   He-111 H-3, 5./KG27, Russia, April 1943;

 

 

 

The instructions are the usual booklet from ICM with ICM colors indication only.

 

 

 

  Moving to “Airfield Figures and Accessories”

 

As I said, this is a combo kit.

So beside the He-111, there`s also airfield accessories that gives a 50kg bomb crane, 250kg bomb crane, jerry can, fuel barrel, barrel for lubricants, compressed air cylinder, toolbox and an airbrush.

Also a field tripod crane perfect if you want and have the skills to make e little maintenance engine scene with those engines opens…

  The parts are very detailed even the chain in plastic is well made for 1:48 but if there is anything that is worth upgraded is the chain and it’s an easy upgraded to make.

If these wasn’t enough, ICM gives you even more, a road barrier, a watchman`s booth and a small stepladder.

 

All these plus a full ordnance set.

 

 

All parts have no flash at all, and the surface detail is very good as the actual ICM standards.

 The small parts like a tiny 1:48 airbush are just perfect and very well mold with no flash and very little cleaning or almost none.

The connection points sprues in perfect places to make easy the cut from the sprues.

There`s not a single instruction booklet for this specific box but several instructions from the original release of each.

 Anyway, the instruction manual is detailed and easy to follow. It includes step-by-step assembly diagrams, color callouts, and decal placement guides.

 

And finally, lets check the German Luftwaffe Ground personnel (1939-1945).

This set is 7 figures set and one dog, depicting pilots and mechanics

 All parts have no flash at all, and the surface detail is quite good so you can really get a very good figure from this set, using all together or just one as the posture could be used in several other scenario.

 

 

The figures have the torso in one piece without arms or legs as they are separated with the exception of the standing mechanic.

 The overall detail of all figures is very good even for a mold injection figure.

The dog is make into two halves so a good fitting will be necessary to not ruin the fuffy fur.

The color indication and instructions is a simple A4 sheet on both sides, one wih the parts diagram and color index and the other side, with figures with parts numbers and color numbers.

 

 

 

There is decal for the He-111 H-3 and the Airfield/ordenance set, and both have, as usual, very good color pigmentation and registration.

 

 

CONCLUSION

  

The ICM DS4805 "Airfield of the Luftwaffe Bomber Group" is a great choice and a perfect set to all that wants a WWII He-111 with some extra to make a diorama or just want a He-111 H-3 and use all other stuff in others projects. With all the stuff package inside you can use that in at least, 3 or 4 others projects, with no problems.

This set is an excellent value for your money so once again Judos to ICM for releasing this set.

Highly recommend 

 

To get one of this beauty, just go to Art Scale