Heinkel He 162A-2

[NARSES2]

He 162A-2 Spatz

Originally designed with the aim of being flown in action by young, inexperienced volunteer pilots with very little training it didn't take the Luftwaffe long to realise that this was not going to be possible and therefore in late January 1945 the task of bringing the type into action was handed over to an existing fighter unit, JG1. Training commenced on 8th February 1945 at the unit's base in Leck Northern Germany with the intention of being ready to intercept the bomber streams coming over the North Sea from the British Isles.

However attrition rates in training still remained high and by early March the Luftwaffe was casting the net far and wide for any possible source of experienced recruits. One of the few sources it had at its disposal was the rapidly collapsing Italian front and given that the barrier of the Alps would help to prevent any breakthrough into southern Austria and Bavaria the Luftwaffe felt it could withdraw pilots and units from this front without suffering any serious consequences, or at least none more serious than it already faced.

Along with the Luftwaffe units that withdrew north in early March were a few A.N.R. units whose pilots were fanatical enough to want to continue the fight, and it is a Spatz  flown by one of these that I have portrayed in my build. So here we have "Yellow 3" of 3 Staffel, JG 1, at Leck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, May 1945. This particular aircraft was flown by Major Dino Forlani of the A.N.R. who had previously flown Me 109's at Pozzolo in Northern Italy.

The aircraft's camouflage reflects the way that the He 162's were built as sub-assemblies at various plants spread across what remained of unoccupied Germany and then brought together and assembled at one central plant outside Hamburg. This method of construction could lead to some "interesting" colour schemes appearing as the various plants struggled with a shortage of materials and sometimes reverted to using colours that had long gone out of official use. "Yellow" 3 is in one of the more standard interpretations of the basic Luftwaffe camouflage instructions of the time. The only thing that made her stand out from other aircraft of the unit was the small Italian flags which replaced the fuselage crosses and the swastikas normally carried on the tail fins and denoted that it was flown by an A.N.R. pilot.

So on to the build. As I've said in my blog entries this is an absolute delight to build and if it is an example of what Special Hobby will be producing in the future then we are in for some treats. It went together beautifully and there is just one place where I needed a smear of P.P.P. and that was totally down to me. It's certainly in the top five of all the kits I've built over the years and quite probably in the top 3, it is that good.....honestly. Paints were mainly from the Hataka Blue Line, Late War Luftwaffe set and the transfers came from the kit with an Aeromaster set for Italian Air Force Me 109 G/K's providing the small Italian flags.

So a great build and I will be getting at least one other. Interestingly Special Hobby include two parts on the sprue marked as not for use in the instructions. One is what looks like a canopy rail and the other is a tiny blister. So another boxing is in the wind ? When I do get another I will also probably acquire the C.M.K. ejection seat for the kit which looks really good in the illustration on the back of the box.

As a historical note the real "Yellow 3" was flown by Oblt. Wofgang Wollenwebber who flew at least fourteen combat sorties in it before the final surrender.

[PR19_Kit]

What a cracking looking model Chris, nicely done. 

It sounds a lot better to build than my two SH builds, the Mirage and the Barracuda. 

[NARSES2]

Thanks gents.

It sounds a lot better to build than my two SH builds, the Mirage and the Barracuda. 

It is Kit. It's as good as any Tamiya kit I've built and that says it all I think. They really have pushed the boat out with the production of this and I'd be interested to know if they have invested in any new equipment in the way of moulding technology etc.

[Glenn Gilbertson]

That's a cracker!

[Old Wombat]

Really nice job, Chris!

Looking at it, & musing on a comment in your blog that someone hadn't seen a Czech version yet, got me to thinking about a post-war, Czech-built, all-metal version in NMF & Czech markings.


I may need to buy me one & get over my fear of attempting NMF.

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice! 

[zenrat]

Looks good Chris.

[chrisonord]

Very nice Chris 

[NARSES2]

Thanks lads