Print Scale 72124:  Henschel Hs-129

This particular sheet was purchased because the markings in my Airfix Hs-129 were questionable at best and were I to build the kit, I'd need a decent set of markings. Over the years I've relied on Print Scale to provide decals for aircraft that few others seem to be bothered to do. This is especially true in 1/72 scale.

This particular sheet covers the Hs-129, a ground attack aircraft that saw pretty much all of its service on the Eastern Front with a little operational use in the last months of the North Africa campaign. This plane was eventually armed with a 75mm cannon, but only a handful of planes were every built with this option. For kits, there are only four of which I am aware in 1/72 scale, by Lindberg, Airfix and Italeri with Pavla doing the earlier Hs-129A. The Italeri would be the best choice as the Airfix kit has poorly done engine cowlings and the Lindberg kit is just not well detailed.

The sheet has fourteen options with two of them being Romanian aircraft. There are sufficient common markings to do perhaps two Luftwaffe and the two Romanian aircraft. All of these planes are camouflaged in RLM 70/71/65 with some exceptions. Two have a winter wash, one has a desert scheme, and one of the Romanian options has RLM 70 for the overall upper color. All of those operating on the Eastern Front have yellow noses, fuselage band, and lower wing tips. Most of the Luftwaffe planes operated with SchG1 or SchG9, which were previously designated as SG1 or SG 9.

The decals are very nicely printed and as you might expect, the swastikas are split. Well worth picking up.

May 2021

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