1/48 Monogram Heinkel He-111H-14

Gallery Article by Eric Hargett on Mar 25 2010

 

Though out of production, this is one of Monogram's finest kits and was way ahead of its time when originally released.  The history of this WWII Luftwaffe medium bomber has been covered in many previous articles, so I won't bother with a repeat here.  My kit represents He-111H-14, 6N+BK, 1/KGr 100 based in Vannef, France 1940.  Two 1000 lb. Blockbuster bombs were added.

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I enhanced the kit with the following:

  • 1) Verlinden Heinkel Update Set 1109

  • 2) Eduard He III Photo-etch Interior Detail Set FE245

  • 3) EZ Masks from ezmasks.com (highly recommended for those green-house canopies)

  • 4) Aeromaster Decals Best Sellers Luftwaffe Mediums Pt. 1 48-589

  • 5) Scratchbuilt X-'Gerat antennae for my particular version

  • 6) 4X Tippet for the radio cable rigging

The cockpit was painted RLM 66, highlighted with a lamp black oil pin wash and dry brushed with oils.  Panel lines were pre-shaded with flat black followed by a light mist of primer flat white on the ventral surfaces.  I used Model Master acrylics for the splinter scheme camouflage of RLM 71 and RLM 70 over RLM 65.  Random panels were lightened with tints of RLM 71 or RLM 70.  An oil-based raw umber pin wash was used to accent panel lines and recessed areas.  In the past I used acrylic sludge or pin washes, but found they tent to over-accent panel lines.  Though slower, the oil pin washes give you much more control in accenting panel lines.  Isolated oil paint smears were used for hydraulic and fuel leaks.  Borrowing a technique from ship and armor modelers, I tried my hand at oil filters to compliment my standard weathering techniques.  I used a combination of raw umber and lamp black oil filters paying close attention to randomizing the effect and building up the weathering gradually for realism.  Each filter is about 9 parts thinner to 1 part oil based paint.  The filter should have the look and consistency of weak coffee and is much thinner than a typical oil wash.  The final product results in a subtle but realistic and pleasing weathering effect.  I highly recommend this technique to aircraft modelers.  I followed this with mixtures of black and gray pastels along with Tamiya A and D weathering pigments.  Historical photos of this plane show considerable exhaust staining along the engines, wings and horizontal stabilizers.  I airbrushed acrylic earth red followed by flat black for engine exhaust.  Limited paint chipping was achieved with a Prismacolor silver pencil.  The whole model was then given a few coats of Flat Clear.

This was a fun kit to build and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in medium bombers.  Enjoy.

Eric Hargett

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Photos and text © by Eric Hargett